Aug 21, 2024 (Nanowerk Spotlight) The concept of laser propulsion, introduced by Professor Arthur Kantrowitz in 1972, marked the beginning of a new era in space exploration technology. Since then, laser micropropulsion (LMP) has emerged as one of the most promising technologies for propelling miniature spacecraft, such as microthrusters, nanosatellites,...
neatly arranging crystal growth to make fine thin films
Aug 21, 2024 (Nanowerk News) Table salt and refined sugar look white to our eyes, but that is only because their individual colorless crystals scatter visible light. This feature of crystals is not always desirable when it comes to materials for optical and electrical devices, however. Metal-organic frameworks are one...
Molecular wires with a twist
Aug 21, 2024 (Nanowerk News) From the high-voltage wires that carry electricity over long distances, to the tungsten filaments in our incandescent lights, we may have become accustomed to thinking that electrical conductors are always made of metal. But for decades, scientists have been working on advanced materials based on...
New theory could improve the design and operation of wind farms
Aug 21, 2024 (Nanowerk News) The blades of propellers and wind turbines are designed based on aerodynamics principles that were first described mathematically more than a century ago. But engineers have long realized that these formulas don’t work in every situation. To compensate, they have added ad hoc “correction factors”...