A team in Maryland has figured out how to turn regular wood into something incredibly strong. This isn't just any wood. It's a new kind of wood that can outmuscle steel. It's called Superwood. It all started in a lab at the University of Maryland. The person behind this breakthrough is a scientist named Liangbing Hu. He created a process to transform ordinary wood i...
The world of technology is always looking for ways to make things cheaper and last longer. One big challenge is making electrochemical technologies work better for everyday use. A recent breakthrough shows promise in this area. It's a new type of reactor that removes oxygen without needing a membrane. This reactor uses the natural buoyancy of oxygen bubbles to separa...
Hydrogen is a big deal for clean energy. It is a clean fuel. It can be made from water using electricity. This process is called water splitting. Scientists have been working on making this process better. They want it to be more efficient, last longer, and cost less. One way to do this is by using special materials called electrocatalysts. These materials hel...
The world of organic solar cells is buzzing with potential. One big challenge is managing how small molecules in the cathode interlayer stack together. These tiny building blocks can clump up too much, making the solar cells less effective. This is a problem for a popular small molecule called PDINN. Its backbone loves to bunch up, leading to too much crystal for...
A new material has been created that could change how we keep surfaces clean and free from ice. This material is made by combining a spongy substance with tiny particles that have been treated with a special chemical. The result is a surface that can hold onto a slippery liquid, making it very hard for dirt, water, or ice to stick to it. The key to this material...
The hunt for better thermoelectric materials is on. This is because they can turn heat into electricity. Scientists have been experimenting with a mix of polyaniline and manganese dioxide. They made this mix in different amounts to see how it affects performance. The goal was to boost the Seebeck coefficient. This is a measure of how well a material can convert a te...
Graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) is a material that has been gaining attention for its unique properties. It's a semiconductor that can absorb visible light, making it useful in various sensing applications. This material is stable, safe for biological use, and its optical and electronic properties can be fine-tuned. This makes it a strong candidate for creating hig...
Carbon capture is a hot topic in the fight against climate change. But it is not easy. The process is expensive and uses a lot of energy. To make it more effective, scientists are looking for new materials. These materials should be able to capture carbon dioxide from the air and release it when needed. One promising method is called moisture-swing carbon ca...
The world of materials science is always looking for ways to make things better. One interesting experiment looked at how adding a bit of lanthanum and manganese to BaTiO3 affects its properties. This mix, called BLTM, changes the shape of the crystal structure, making it more cube-like. This might not sound like much, but it has big effects. First, let's ta...
Flexible electronics are becoming more and more popular. They are used in many places. However, they often do not work well in different situations. This is a problem. So, scientists have been working on a new material. It is a special type of polyurethane elastomer. This material is different. It can heal itself. It is also very strong and can be recycled. This is ...