http://phys.org/ en-us Phys.org internet news portal provides the latest news on science including: Physics, Nanotechnology, Life Sciences, Space Science, Earth Science, Environment, Health and Medicine. Nanotubes are stronger than steel and smaller than any element of silicon-based electronics. They can potentially process information faster while using less energy. The challenge has been figuring out how to incorporate these properties into useful electronic devices. Now scientists at the University of California, Riverside have discovered that by adding ionic liquid—a kind of liquid salt—they can modify the optical transparency of single-walled carbon nanotube films in a controlled pattern. http://phys.org/news287769987.html Nanotechnology Tue, 14 May 2013 17:06:37 EST news287769987 (Phys.org)—Platinum works well as a catalyst in hydrogen fuel cells, but it has at least two drawbacks: It is expensive, and it degrades over time. Brown chemists have engineered a cheaper and more durable catalyst using graphene, cobalt, and cobalt-oxide—the best nonplatinum catalyst yet. Their report appears in the journal Angewandte Chemie International Edition. http://phys.org/news269672823.html Chemistry Wed, 17 Oct 2012 06:07:10 EST news269672823 (Phys.org)—Making uniform coatings is a common engineering challenge, and, when working at the nanoscale, even the tiniest cracks or defects can be a big problem. New research from University of Pennsylvania engineers has shown a new way of avoiding such cracks when depositing thin films of nanoparticles.   http://phys.org/news269245423.html Nanotechnology Fri, 12 Oct 2012 07:30:42 EST news269245423 Wireless charging has been around for a several years now, but it's never really been that good. Until now, that is. The Nokia Lumia 920 and Lumia 820 (with the aid of the recharging shell) are the first Nokia smartphones to support this new feature, making charging your phone even easier than before. http://phys.org/news268385746.html Electronics Tue, 02 Oct 2012 08:50:02 EST news268385746 An interdisciplinary team of researchers at Vanderbilt University have developed a way to combine the photosynthetic protein that converts light into electrochemical energy in spinach with silicon, the material used in solar cells, in a fashion that produces substantially more electrical current than has been reported by previous "biohybrid" solar cells. http://phys.org/news265962513.html Chemistry Tue, 04 Sep 2012 12:00:07 EST news265962513 (Phys.org) -- Researchers at the University of Manchester have demonstrated that graphene can be used as a building block to create new 3D crystal structures which are not confined by what nature can produce. http://phys.org/news262779658.html Nanotechnology Sun, 29 Jul 2012 13:00:07 EST news262779658 Silicon is a unique material that has revolutionized electronics; it enables engineers to put millions of electrical devices onto a single chip. Replacing the electrical currents in this technology with beams of light could enable even faster information processing. Qian Wang at the A*STAR Data Storage Institute and co-workers1 have now designed a crucial component for such optical chips — a connector that links the silicon chip to an optical fiber. Such a device should enable efficient light input and output. http://phys.org/news248690131.html Physics Fri, 17 Feb 2012 08:35:45 EST news248690131 (PhysOrg.com) -- Waste heat is a byproduct of nearly all electrical devices and industrial processes, from driving a car to flying an aircraft or operating a power plant. Engineering researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute have developed new nanomaterials that could lead to techniques for better capturing and putting this waste heat to work. The key ingredients for making marble-sized pellets of the new material are aluminum and a common, everyday microwave oven. http://phys.org/news236495464.html Nanotechnology Thu, 29 Sep 2011 06:12:12 EST news236495464 We want our electrical devices to have bright screens with low energy needs, so they can be used for a long time before recharge is required. Scientists are increasing the intensity of light by making nanometer scale patterns on surfaces. The nanoimprinting method will change devices’ optical properties, without making them demand more energy. Except for brighter mobile phone and computer screens, we may soon have the possibility to benefit from this nanotech solution while driving. http://phys.org/news230201249.html Nanotechnology Mon, 18 Jul 2011 09:48:58 EST news230201249 (PhysOrg.com) -- University of Queensland researchers have successfully demonstrated a futuristic semiconductor technology that will pave the way for the next generation of electrical and information technology systems. http://phys.org/news187344313.html Nanotechnology Tue, 09 Mar 2010 08:12:13 EST news187344313