Disorder can improve the performance of plastic solar cells

Scientists have spent decades trying to build flexible plastic solar cells efficient enough to compete with conventional cells made of silicon. To boost performance, research groups have tried creating new plastic materials ...

Better batteries from waste sulfur

A new chemical process can transform waste sulfur into a lightweight plastic that may improve batteries for electric cars, reports a University of Arizona-led team. The new plastic has other potential uses, including optical ...

Fujifilm shows off bendable 'Beat' diaphragm speaker

(Phys.org)—Japanese film maker Fujifilm has unveiled a new kind of bendable speaker at this year's Nanotech 2013 tradeshow, currently running in Tokyo. It's based on a thin bendable diaphragm the company calls "Beat."

A material that most liquids won't wet

(Phys.org)—A nanoscale coating that's at least 95 percent air repels the broadest range of liquids of any material in its class, causing them to bounce off the treated surface, according to the University of Michigan engineering ...

Touch-sensitive plastic skin heals itself

(Phys.org)—A team of Stanford chemists and engineers has created the first synthetic material that is both sensitive to touch and capable of healing itself quickly and repeatedly at room temperature. The advance could lead ...

Plastic electronics: a neat solution

(Phys.org) -- A breakthrough in the development of a new generation of plastic electronic circuits by researchers at the Cavendish Laboratory brings flexible and transparent intelligent materials – such as artificial ...

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