Solar or photovoltaic cells represent one of the best possible technologies for providing an absolutely clean and virtually inexhaustible source of energy to power our civilization. However, for this dream to be realized, solar cells need to be made from inexpensive elements using low-cost, less energy-intensive processing chemistry, and they need to efficiently and cost-competitively convert sunlight into electricity. A team of researchers with the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory has now demonstrated two out of three of these requirements with a promising start on the third.
Aug 31st, 2011
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Precise measurement of the molecular weight, size and density of a nanoparticle in a single procedure is now possible, thanks to an ultracentrifugation method, dusted off by scientists at EPFL.
Aug 31st, 2011
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Researchers at RIKEN have developed a ground-breaking new aqueous reagent which literally turns biological tissue transparent. Experiments using fluorescence microscopy on samples treated with the reagent have produced vivid 3D images of neurons and blood vessels deep inside the mouse brain.
Aug 31st, 2011
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A nanoparticle-infused film brings innovative lighting and display technologies closer to reality.
Aug 31st, 2011
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The rapid detection of microRNAs using small-volume samples could therefore help save millions of lives. Such a technique could also pave the way for widespread analysis of the spatial and temporal patterns of gene activity involving microRNAs, which are believed to play a critical role in the development and operation of organisms.
Aug 31st, 2011
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Design optimization could help maximize the power conversion efficiency of thin-film silicon solar cells.
Aug 31st, 2011
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Simple templating technology allows researchers to stamp out materials that mimic the adhesive properties of gecko toes
Aug 31st, 2011
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Tiny particles that measure microRNA levels in tissue samples could help diagnose and monitor many diseases.
Aug 31st, 2011
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Researchers at NIST significantly extended the reach of their novel microfluidic system for analyzing the chemical components of complex samples. The new work shows how the system, meant to analyze real-world, crude mixtures such as dirt or whole blood, can work for negatively charged components as well as it has in the past for positively charged ones.
Aug 31st, 2011
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With a nod to biology, scientists at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have a new approach to the problem of safely storing hydrogen in future fuel-cell-powered cars. Their idea: molecular scale 'veins' of iron permeating grains of magnesium like a network of capillaries.
Aug 31st, 2011
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At today's second annual Global Technology Conference (GTC 2011), GLOBALFOUNDRIES announced the winners of its new "Leading in Innovation" awards. Presented to customers who have demonstrated innovative solutions on products ranging from 0.35um non-volatile memories to leading-edge 28nm smartphone processors, the awards showcase the company's collaborative approach to enabling chip designers to deliver a superior end-user experience.
Aug 30th, 2011
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To support Office of Naval Research (ONR) development of hydrodynamically efficient and environmentally non-toxic anti-corrosion materials, Dr. Chang-Hwan Choi, Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Stevens Institute of Technology, researches nanotechnology with multifunctional superhydrophobic properties that repel water and prevent corrosion in robust and durable ways. Dr. Choi's work has recently been awarded a Defense University Research Instrumentation Program (DURIP) grant that backs this work.
Aug 30th, 2011
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Using advanced theoretical computations, a team of Kentucky scientists has derived a means to "tweak" an inexpensive semiconductor to function as photoelectrochemical catalyst.
Aug 30th, 2011
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This conference will present the first systematic and comprehensive recommendations and analysis on protecting human participants in research on nanomedicine products, including drugs, devices, and gene therapy using nano-vectors.
Aug 30th, 2011
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A collaboration between the Universities of Manchester and Cambridge, which includes Nobel Prize winning scientists Professor Andre Geim and Professor Kostya Novoselov, has discovered a crucial recipe for improving characteristics of graphene devices for use as photodetectors in future high-speed optical communications.
Aug 30th, 2011
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Polyurethane reinforced with carbon nanotubes outperforms currently used materials.
Aug 30th, 2011
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