5 h. ago Nanoporous silicon generates electricity from friction with water

A European research team involving Hamburg University of Technology (TUHH) and Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY has developed a novel way for converting mechanical energy into electricity—by using water confined in nanometer-sized pores of silicon as the active working fluid.

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7 d. ago Prototype battery powered by glucose and vitamin B2 offers path to more affordable energy storage

Researchers reporting in ACS Energy Letters have devised a battery powered by vitamin B2 (riboflavin) and glucose. Inspired by how human bodies break down glucose for energy using enzymes, the team incorporated riboflavin into a prototype flow cell battery. The riboflavin mediator helped shuttle electrons between the battery's electrodes and the glucose electrolyte, generating an electrochemical flow from the energy stored in the sugar.

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9 d. ago MXene current collectors could reduce size and improve recyclability of Li

The vast majority of consumer electronics use lithium-ion batteries, and with each generation, these devices are designed smaller, lighter and with longer battery life to meet the growing demands of consumers. Each new iteration also brings the batteries that power the devices closer to the limits of their size, weight and performance.

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1 week ago Renewable energy outpaces coal for electricity generation in historic first, report says

For the first time on record, renewable energy generated more electricity for the planet than coal, a new report says.

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2 w. ago Solar energy is now the world's cheapest source of power, study finds

Solar energy is now so cost-effective that, in the sunniest countries, it costs as little as £0.02 to produce one unit of power, making it cheaper than electricity generated from coal, gas or wind, according to a new study from the University of Surrey.

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2 w. ago Inside the new repairability scores for smartphones and tablets in the EU

More and more electronics are being sold in the EU, contributing to waste generation. According to Eurostat, the amount of electrical and electronic equipment on the market increased from 7.6 million tonnes in 2012 to 14.4 million tonnes in 2022. However, while the amount of total e-waste collected in the bloc also increased during this period, only a fraction of electric and electronic equipment—4 million tonnes in 2022—is recycled and prepared for reuse.

Technology

3 w. ago Engineers create first artificial neurons that could directly communicate with living cells

A team of engineers at the University of Massachusetts Amherst has announced the creation of an artificial neuron with electrical functions that closely mirror those of biological ones. Building on their previous work using protein nanowires synthesized from electricity-generating bacteria, the team's discovery means that we could see immensely efficient computers built on biological principles which could interface directly with living cells.

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