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Category: energy – Page 36

If you had a flashlight with you and directed it at a blank wall you would expect it to give a straight line projection however you will find the lit up wall forming rings where the flash light is pointing at. This occurs due to interference and constructive as the light wave forms combine or destructively when the waves structure is out of phase. This occurs when the two waves are in phase with each other thereby producing constructive interference which brought about a bright region. When they do not occur, destructive interference is experienced thus causing the light to fade. Mathematically if S and N waves are 1,800 out of phase the interference actually nulls the signal completely.

Although, light is the most familiar interference, the concept of Interference is not restricted to it. Electrons can also interfere when they have juxtaposable different energy, this leads to the formation of the ‘‘dark electrons’’, electrons in ‘‘dark state’’ not visible by spectroscopic equipment.

Until recently, it was believed that such dark electrons can not be present in solids materials. The problem was that in the solid matter electrons are packed very closely together and thus it was thought to be virtually impossible to reach such ‘perfectly different energies’. Still, the research work conducted by a team from South Korea has revealed that these dark states do exist in condensed matter. This finding, published in Nature Physics can change how quantum physics is perceived.

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Phase separation, when molecules part like oil and water, works alongside oxygen diffusion to help memristors – electrical components that store information using electrical resistance – retain information even after the power is shut off, according to a University of Michigan led study published in Matter (“Thermodynamic origin of nonvolatility in resistive memory”).

Up to this point, explanations have not fully grasped how memristors retain information without a power source, known as nonvolatile memory, because models and experiments do not match up.

“While experiments have shown devices can retain information for over 10 years, the models used in the community show that information can only be retained for a few hours,” said Jingxian Li, U-M doctoral graduate of materials science and engineering and first author of the study.

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The principles of thermodynamics are cornerstones of our understanding of physics. But they were discovered in the era of steam-driven technology, long before anyone dreamed of quantum mechanics. In this episode, the theoretical physicist Nicole Yunger Halpern talks to host Steven Strogatz about how physicists today are reinterpreting concepts such as work, energy and information for a quantum world.

Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, TuneIn or your favorite podcasting app, or you can stream it from Quanta.

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Yet, the current flow along these topologically protected, one-dimensional edges has proven to be far from robust. With the QAHE breaking down in magnetically doped topological insulators at temperatures higher than 1 Kelvin, well below the temperatures predicted by theory.

A new class of materials, known as intrinsic magnetic topological insulators (MTIs), for example MnBi2Te4, possess both non-trivial topology and intrinsic magnetism and are predicted to offer more robust QAHE at higher temperatures than magnetically doped topological insulators.

In MnBi2Te4 it has been shown that the QAHE can survive up to 1.4 K, and interestingly, this can rise to 6.5 K with the application of stabilizing magnetic fields, providing hints at the mechanisms that are driving the breakdown of topological protection.

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Molybdenum (Mo) carbides, known for their unique electronic and structural properties, are considered promising alternatives to noble metal catalysts in heterogeneous catalysis. However, traditional methods for preparing Mo carbides suffer from complex processes, stringent synthesis conditions, challenging crystal regulation, and high energy consumption. Additionally, Mo carbides are susceptible to oxidation and deactivation, which poses a significant barrier to their widespread application.

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A team led by scientists at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory identified and successfully demonstrated a new method to process a plant-based material called nanocellulose that reduced energy needs by a whopping 21%. The approach was discovered using molecular simulations run on the lab’s supercomputers, followed by pilot testing and analysis.

The method, leveraging a solvent of sodium hydroxide and urea in water, can significantly lower the production cost of nanocellulosic fiber — a strong, lightweight biomaterial ideal as a composite for 3D-printing structures such as sustainable housing and vehicle assemblies. The findings support the development of a circular bioeconomy in which renewable, biodegradable materials replace petroleum-based resources, decarbonizing the economy and reducing waste.

Colleagues at ORNL, the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and the University of Maine’s Process Development Center collaborated on the project that targets a more efficient method of producing a highly desirable material. Nanocellulose is a form of the natural polymer cellulose found in plant cell walls that is up to eight times stronger than steel.

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Fuel cells are energy-conversion solutions that generate electricity via electrochemical reactions without combustion, thus not contributing to the pollution of air on Earth. These cells could power various technologies, ranging from electric vehicles to portable chargers and industrial machines.

Despite their advantages, many fuel cell designs introduced to date rely on expensive materials and precious metal catalysts, which limits their widespread adoption. Anion-exchange-membrane fuel cells (AEMFCs) could help to tackle these challenges, as they are based on Earth-abundant, low-cost catalysts and could thus be more affordable.

In recent years, many research groups worldwide have been designing and testing new AEMFCs. While some existing devices achieved promising results, most of the non-precious metals serving as catalysts were found to be prone to self-oxidation, which causes the irreversible failure of the cells.

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The material displays characteristics across a wide temperature range aiding versatile applications:

There is always a trade-off when balancing strength and flexibility. One is achieved at the cost of the other. While a flexible, shape-shifting aircraft can deliver benefits for higher energy efficiency and faster transportation, these cannot be achieved by risking the safety of the passengers using a material that lacks proper strength.

Researchers at the National Institute of Materials Science (NIMS) in Japan may have just found a way to achieve both strength and flexibility in a material without making any sacrifices on either.

Previous research in this area has identified that an alloy made from titanium and nickel has special properties, like stretching to limits far higher than those of other metallic alloys while keeping its new form. When the alloy’s temperature is increased, it can also return to its original form.

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