Researchers use microscopic, 3D printed mushroom-like structures to achieve unprecedented control over the speed, path, and patterning of bouncing water droplets. This new surface technology offers advances in self-cleaning, water harvesting, and green energy technologies.IntroductionWater droplets bouncing off surfaces may seem like a simple, everyday phenomenon, but what if we...
Accelerating sustainable semiconductors with ‘multielement ink’
Sep 28, 2023 (Nanowerk News) Semiconductors are the heart of almost every electronic device. Without semiconductors, our computers would not be able to process and retain data; and LED (light-emitting diode) lightbulbs would lose their ability to shine. But semiconductor manufacturing requires a lot of energy. Forming semiconductor materials from...
New perovskite technology merges light sensing with visual memory storage and retrieval
Sep 28, 2023 (Nanowerk Spotlight) Human vision provides a model for advanced artificial intelligence systems that can perceive and understand visual information. However, conventional electronics rely on combining separate light sensors, memory units, and logic circuits to try to replicate human visual capabilities. This multi-component approach increases size and complexity...
Intense lasers shine new light on the electron dynamics of liquids
Sep 28, 2023 (Nanowerk News) The behavior of electrons in liquids determines a vast range of chemical processes and thus essential processes in organisms and the world as a whole. But electron movements are extremely hard to capture because they take place within attoseconds: the realm of quintillionths of a...
Desalination system could produce freshwater that is cheaper than tap water
Sep 28, 2023 (Nanowerk News) Engineers at MIT and in China are aiming to turn seawater into drinking water with a completely passive device that is inspired by the ocean, and powered by the sun. In a paper appearing in the journal Joule ("Extreme salt-resisting multistage solar distillation with thermohaline...
Solar cell material can assist self-driving cars in the dark
Sep 28, 2023 (Nanowerk News) Material used in organic solar cells can also be used as light sensors in electronics. This is shown by researchers at Linköping University, Sweden, who have developed a type of sensor able to detect circularly polarised red light. Their study, published in Nature Photonics ("Sensitive...
Colored antioxidant contact lenses could prevent eye disease
Sep 28, 2023 (Nanowerk Spotlight) The surface of the eye is delicate and susceptible to damage from factors like aging, air pollution, and sun exposure. This can lead to painful eye conditions known as ocular surface diseases (OSDs) like dry eye syndrome and keratitis. Currently, eye drops containing antioxidants are...
Radical improvement of ultra-broadband photodetection with a device based on twisted double bilayer graphene
Sep 27, 2023 (Nanowerk News) Hyperspectral imaging uses the full spectrum of light to give detailed insights on nature and its behavior. These insights open a realm for manifold applications, including autonomous driving, environmental monitoring, healthcare, space exploration or even agriculture and food processing. Imaging from the infrared to the...