Tag: Nanotechnology - Page 4
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The Latest in Shell Phone Technology: How Abalones Could Help Build Self-Healing Gadgets
Abalone shells and batteries would seem to share little in common; indeed, the former is the type of item you'd expect to find on the seafloor or in a marine biologist's lab while the latter is an essential component
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Nanocrystal Coating = White LED Big Breakthrough?
Lighting residential and commercial buildings accounts for about 1/4 of all electricity used in the U.S. according to the Department of Energy, and since most of that light is produced very inefficiently (incandescent and halogen light bulbs could be
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Put a Cow In Your Tank
it doesn't sound nearly as catchy as the old Esso tiger in the tank, but this is for real. Evidently every cow that is slaughtered generates 200 pounds of tallow, which was used for frying and making food products until the transfat panic hit. Now Green
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China's Environmental Push: Pollution-Absorbing Parking Lots and other Nanotechnology Innovations
In preparation for the upcoming Beijing Olympics - its unofficial coming out party to the world (and its chance to prove its eco-progressive, technological chops) - China has announced its intention to invest
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Nano-Style Approach to Capturing and Storing Gases Could Have Applications for GHG Management and Fuel Cells
Faced with the dual challenge of finding new ways to mitigate climate change and improve upon existing clean energy technologies, some scientists are starting to think small. As TreeHugger and other eco-minded blogs have documented over the last few
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Can BRT Encourage Bike Use?
Another great short film from the folks at StreetsBlog,
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Screen-Printed Solar Cells Come in a Variety of Colors and Patterns, Ideal for Building
Keen on solar cells but worried about how to integrate them with your new ensemble? Fear not: a new type of screen-printed solar cells promises to come in a wide variety of colors and patterns, allowing you to tailor them to your individual demands -
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A 40-Hour Laptop Battery by a (Silicon) Whisker
The latest breakthrough in lithium ion battery technology may not sound all that impressive. After all, we're just talking about some modifications to the battery's anode - a set of silicon whisker-like wires - hardly anything earthshattering. Yet, if
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The Debate over Nanotechnology
Not since the advent of genetic engineering have environmentalists, scientists and policymakers been so divided over a new technology. We are talking, of course, about nanotechnology - a nascent field whose developments we've
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Nanoparticle Researchers Hit Gold
There's gold in them thar nanoparticles: a team of researchers at the University of Missouri-Columbia has been able to turn soybeans into gold nanoparticles, using nothing more than gold salts, water and soybeans. Gold nanoparticles, which many
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Super-Thin Solar Cells Developed for Nanoelectronics
Just when you thought scientists had developed the smallest solar cells yet, they have to go and "up" the notch again with an even smaller model. Case in point is the latest solar cell from a team of chemists at Harvard University - coming in at a
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Nanostructured Fibers Could Make Military Uniforms Portable Batteries
As the risks and rigors of ground-based combat continue to rise - testament to ever-evolving battlefield strategies and new, more advanced technologies - military officials have placed a greater onus on developing smaller, portable and more integrated
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Biomimicry: Nacre Inspires Transparent Strong As Steel Plastic
Nacre, or Mother of pearl is the iridescent lining you see on the inside of an oyster, mussel, or abalone shell. It is also the same material that creates pearls. The play of light we find so appealing is a result of the little beasties engineering the
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Piezoelectric Backpack Concept: Take a Walk, Charge Your Gadgets
All that rubbing of your backpack straps on your shoulders may now be put to good use, thanks to straps made of piezoelectric fabric that can convert the friction on your shoulders to electric energy. If solar-powered bags aren't your thing, engineers
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Thermal Insulating Nano-Paint Generates Electricity
As far as alternative energy schemes go, this one almost sounds too good to be true: Industrial Nanotech has just unveiled its nanotech-based line of thermal insulating paint, Nansulate, which - when properly applied inside of a structure's walls -
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Nanowires Twist and Turn to Generate Electricity
Piezoelectric technologies are all the rage these days: just over the past year, we've reported on people-powered staircases, acoustic heat-engine devices and electricity-generating ticket gates. Now combine that with nanotechnology, another hot field du
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The Future of Global Transport?
Imagine a world without traffic congestion, where cars could drive themselves and where humans, equipped with "clever clothes," could take flight at a moment's notice. A new book on the future of transport by two New Zealand professors, Chris Kissling
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Solar Cell Innovation: Silicon Nanoparticles Improve Performance
Solar is booming, as it should. Third generation solar cells are seeing rapid growth, organic solar is breaking records, and the solar power bikini is the latest rage. But don't count plain old silicon out of the game just yet. Munir Nayfeh (pictured),
