Wax on, melt off

Drexel University researchers have made a discovery that could create roads that deice themselves during winter storms. Their secret?—Adding a little paraffin wax to the road's concrete mix.

Combination of insulation and thermal mass

When the summer sun burns in the sky, phase change materials (PCM) integrated in building envelopes absorb the heat – it remains cool inside. When it is getting colder outside, the materials give off heat. Several grams ...

Quantum thermal transistor can control heat currents

(Phys.org)—Researchers have designed a quantum thermal transistor that can control heat currents, in analogy to the way in which an electronic transistor controls electric current. The thermal transistor could be used in ...

Making a smart material smarter

A team of researchers, including some from Michigan State University, is making a smart material smarter.

Improving energy storage with a cue from nature

Materials melt faster when the lines of heat spread through the cold material like the branches of a tree—and the melting rate can be steadily increased by allowing the tree architecture to freely evolve over time, researchers ...

New research could transform high speed optical networks

There is an ever growing demand for high speed internet communication systems. New research has shown optical switching technology built on nanoantenna reflectarrays and tunable materials could transform high speed optical ...

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