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polymers

10/18/2018 / By Ethan Huff

Hundreds of polymers that can kill drug-resistant superbugs created with light

Researchers from The University of Warwick in the United Kingdom have reportedly developed a breakthrough new technology that allows for hundreds of varieties of anti-microbial polymers, potentially capable of killing drug-resistant “superbugs,” to be both tested and produced using simple light. Using the facilities and resources within the school’s Department of Chemistry, the team came […]

10/16/2018 / By Edsel Cook

This new polymer material changes its structure in response to light

Light provides the impetus and energy for a newly developed polymer to alter its structure and state. According to an article in Science Daily, the material is reportedly able to make itself harder or softer. It can also repair any damage it has taken. MIT researcher Jeremiah Johnson explained that his team’s invention can switch between […]

10/09/2018 / By Edsel Cook

3D printers can now create objects in all the colors of the rainbow

One of the most energy-efficient 3D printing techniques has received a long-needed upgrade. Spanish researchers have come up with a new photosensitizer that allows selective laser sintering (SLS) printers to directly print vivid colors onto their products. 3D printing technology has come a long way since it was invented in the 1980s. It is now […]

09/03/2018 / By Edsel Cook

Chemists design a new bacterial polymer that may one day replace petroleum plastics

One of the ways to solve the problem of plastic pollution is to come up with biodegradable alternatives that are made from bio-renewable resources using clean processes. Such products are usually more expensive and difficult to manufacture than petroleum-based plastics. Colorado-based researchers announced that they found a way to produce one bacterial polymer much more […]

08/27/2018 / By Edsel Cook

Inspired by the chameleon, scientists develop a laser that changes colors

What might be so special about a very small laser that can change the color of the light it emits? Well, Illinois-based researchers based their new nanolaser on the natural ability of the chameleon to alter the coloration of its skin at the nano-scale level, an article on News Wise stated. The chameleon is best […]

07/17/2018 / By Edsel Cook

Next-gen devices could operate not on electricity or batteries but on LIGHT

A future generation of electronic devices could do away with the need for batteries or the local power grid by drawing energy from light. And by “light,” the joint research group working on these devices means all forms of light, not just sunlight, a Nano Werk article states. Such devices can dispense with the need […]

07/03/2018 / By Edsel Cook

Engineers develop a “soft robot” that uses responsive materials to swim through water

American researchers presented the very first swimming robots that do not need motors, servos, or a supply of power for propulsion. In a Science Daily article, the soft robots are made of responsive materials that change their shape whenever the temperature shifts. The regular deforming and reforming of their materials allow the robots to paddle […]

06/17/2018 / By Edsel Cook

Engineers study self-assembling block polymer membranes as an alternative option for water treatment

As water scarcity spreads across the face of the Earth, researchers are scrambling for ways to convert non-traditional sources into potable water. In a Nano Werk article, engineering researchers from two universities reported that self-assembling block polymer membranes could be used as alternative materials in water filtration. The United Nations warned that about 1.9 billion […]

05/04/2018 / By David Williams

New nanomaterials will increase the efficiency of organic solar cells

The hard work of nanomaterials researchers looking to get more performance out of organic solar cells has paid off. They have reportedly found a method to “significantly improve” the efficiency of these cells while opening the door to a number of different applications. It is said that their work is built on top of previous […]

03/29/2018 / By David Williams

Researchers develop method of boosting “ultracapacitors” for extra fast charging times on all electronic devices

As the search for better energy storage solutions continues, a group of researchers from the U.K. has revealed that they may have come upon a major breakthrough that could lead to seconds-long charging times for smartphones or minutes-long charge times for future electric cars. The secret, according to the researchers, lies in boosting the performance […]

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