Thermodynamics News

November 27, 2024

Top Headlines

Using Sunlight to Recycle Black Plastics

Nov. 25, 2024 — Not all plastics are equal -- some types and colors are easier to recycle than others. For instance, black foam and black coffee lids, which are often made of polystyrene, usually end up in landfills because color additives lead to ineffective ...

Tapping Excess Heat from a Camp Stove for Charging Power

Nov. 20, 2024 — New research may make it possible to keep electronic devices powered with another piece of equipment you're likely to bring with you while exploring the great outdoors: camping stoves. The work focuses on using the excess heat produced by stoves to ...

Quantum-Inspired Design Boosts Efficiency of Heat-to-Electricity Conversion

Nov. 21, 2024 — Researchers have found a new way to improve a key element of thermophotovoltaic systems, which convert heat into electricity via light. Engineers designed a thermal emitter that can deliver high efficiencies within practical design ...

Stability of Perovskite Solar Cells Doubled With Protective Coating

Nov. 21, 2024 — Scientists have developed a new protective coating that significantly extends the life of perovskite solar cells, making them more practical for applications outside the ...

Latest Headlines

updated 5:08pm EST

Thermochemical Tech Shows Promising Path for Building Heat

Nov. 19, 2024 — Energy stored in thermochemical materials can effectively heat indoor spaces, particularly in humid regions, according to ...

Deciphering the Anomalous Properties of Water

Nov. 14, 2024 — Water, a molecule essential for life, has unusual properties -- known as anomalies -- that define its behavior. However, there are still many enigmas about the molecular mechanisms that would explain ...

A Smart 'Insect Screen' for Sun Protection and Cool Comfort

Nov. 6, 2024 — A research team unveils a next-generation transparent cooling film using the principles of radiative ...

The Evolution of Green Energy Technology: Developing Three-Dimensional Smart Energy Devices With Radiant Cooling and Solar Absorption

Oct. 25, 2024 — - DGIST, KAIST, and Korea University collaborated to develop a three-dimensional device with reversible heating/cooling based on the thermal ...

Thread-Like, Flexible Thermoelectric Materials Applicable for Extreme Environments

Oct. 23, 2024 — A team of researchers developed a thermoelectric material that can be used in wearable devices, such as smart clothing, and while maintaining stable ...

Researchers Develop New Coatings to Boost Turbine Engine Efficiency

Oct. 23, 2024 — A multidisciplinary research group has formulated new protective coatings to allow turbine engines to run hotter -- with potential dividends for the environment and ...

Feeling the Heat: New Approach to Controlling Heat Flow in Crystals

Oct. 16, 2024 — Researchers have developed a method to control the direction of heat flow in crystals. This miniature device could eventually be used to create advanced thermal-management systems in electronic ...

Rewriting the Future: New Molecules Reversibly Change With Light and Heat

Oct. 16, 2024 — Researchers have developed photoswitching molecules that reversibly change properties not only with light, but also with heat. They showed that the molecules can be used as a rewritable recording ...

Researchers Create the First Ever Visualization of Photoexcited Charges Traveling Across the Interface of Two Semiconductor Materials

Oct. 10, 2024 — Researchers have observed electric charges traveling across the interface of two different semiconductor materials. Using scanning ultrafast electron ...

New 3D Printing Technique Creates Unique Objects Quickly and With Less Waste

Oct. 11, 2024 — A new technique enables makers to finely tune the color, shade, and texture of 3D-printed objects using only one material. The method is faster and ...

The New Fashion: Clothes That Help Combat Rising Temperatures

Oct. 9, 2024 — A team of international researchers has developed a natural fabric that urban residents could wear to counter rising temperatures in cities worldwide, caused by buildings, asphalt, and ...

Ice Cream-Inspired Physics: Team Uncovers a Quantum Mpemba Effect, With a Host of 'Cool' Implications

Oct. 8, 2024 — Researchers have just described the existence of the paradoxical Mpemba effect within quantum systems. Initially investigating out of pure curiosity, the discovery has bridged the gap between ...

Cool Roofs Could Have Saved Lives During London's Hottest Summer, Say Researchers

Oct. 1, 2024 — As many as 249 lives could have been saved in London during the 2018 record-setting hot summer had the city widely adopted cool roofs, estimates a new ...

High Costs Slow Widespread Use of Heat Pumps, Study Shows

Oct. 1, 2024 — The high cost of installing heat pumps for home heating could slow down people widely adopting the technology and leave government targets missed, research ...

Squid-Inspired Fabric for Temperature-Controlled Clothing

Oct. 1, 2024 — Inspired by the dynamic color-changing properties of squid skin, researchers have developed a method to manufacture a heat-adjusting material that is breathable and washable and can be integrated ...

Demand-Side Actions Could Help Construction Sector Deliver on Net-Zero Targets

Sep. 20, 2024 — Researchers used a detailed mathematical model to demonstrate that the construction sector in the UK and Europe could almost eliminate its carbon emissions by 2060. This could be achieved through ...

New Organic Thermoelectric Device That Can Harvest Energy at Room Temperature

Sep. 19, 2024 — Thermoelectric devices are devices that can convert heat into electrical energy. Researchers have now developed a thermoelectric device composed of organic materials that can generate electricity ...

New Understanding of the Limits on Nano-Noise

Sep. 17, 2024 — Thanks to nanoscale devices as small as human cells, researchers can create groundbreaking material properties, leading to smaller, faster, and more energy-efficient electronics. However, to fully ...

Urban Heating and Cooling to Play Substantial Role in Future Energy Demand Under Climate Change

Sep. 13, 2024 — Existing global energy projections underestimate the impact of climate change on urban heating and cooling systems by roughly 50% by 2099 if greenhouse gas emissions remain high, researchers report. ...

New Discovery About Ice Layer Formation in Ice Sheets Can Improve Sea Level Rise Predictions

Sep. 12, 2024 — A newly discovered mechanism for the flow and freezing of ice sheet meltwater could improve estimates of sea level rise around the globe. Researchers have found a new mechanism that explains the ...

Hair-Thin Wire to Help Simulate Cosmic Conditions

Sep. 12, 2024 — Extreme conditions prevail inside stars and planets. The pressure reaches millions of bars, and it can be several million degrees hot. Sophisticated methods make it possible to create such states of ...

Mass Production of Metal Nanowires Possible by Breakthrough Technique

Sep. 12, 2024 — Pure metal nanowires (NWs) are nanomaterials with distinctive properties that make them useful for various applications. However, their utilization in modern electronics has been limited by the lack ...

Researchers Develop a Stretchable, Wearable Device That Lights Up an LED Using Only the Warmth of Your Skin

Sep. 11, 2024 — Researchers have developed a flexible, durable electronic prototype that can harvest energy from body heat and turn it into electricity that can be used to power small electronics, such as batteries, ...

Scientists Use Magnetic Nanotech to Safely Rewarm Frozen Tissues for Transplant

Sep. 4, 2024 — Every day, people die waiting for an organ transplant. Time is at a premium, not just for those awaiting organs, but also for the organs themselves, which can deteriorate rapidly during ...

Researchers Unveil Scalable Graphene Technology to Revolutionize Battery Safety and Performance

Aug. 29, 2024 — Researchers have developed a pioneering technique for producing large-scale graphene current collectors. This breakthrough promises to significantly enhance the safety and performance of lithium-ion ...

Thermochromic Material Could Make Indoor Temperature Control More Energy-Efficient

Aug. 28, 2024 — Engineers have developed a smart material that could significantly enhance energy efficiency for indoor space cooling. The new thermochromic polymer blend has an estimated lifespan of 60 years and is ...

Scientists Propose Guidelines for Solar Geoengineering Research

Aug. 23, 2024 — To guide future research into solar geoengineering, an international group of scientists is making specific recommendations for evaluating proposals in order to identify the most feasible and ...

New Gels Could Protect Buildings During Wildfires

Aug. 22, 2024 — Researchers have developed a sprayable gel that creates a shield to protect buildings from wildfire damage. It lasts longer and is more effective than existing commercial ...

Chalk-Based Coating Creates a Cooling Fabric

Aug. 21, 2024 — In the scorching heat of summer, anyone who spends time outside could benefit from a cooling fabric. While there are some textiles that reflect the sun's rays or wick heat away, current options ...

Eco-Friendly Cooling Device With Record-Breaking Efficiency

Aug. 21, 2024 — Researchers have developed an eco-friendly refrigeration device with record-breaking cooling performance in the world, setting to transform industries reliant on cooling and reduce global energy use. ...