ScienceDaily: Matter & Energy News

Orion's launch abort system motor exceeds expectations Posted: 06 Mar 2015 11:49 AM PST It took just three seconds for the attitude control motor of NASA's Orion Launch Abort System (LAS) to prove that its material can survive not only the intense temperatures, pressures, noise and vibrations experienced during a launch emergency but also 40 percent beyond. The LAS is being designed to bring a crew to safety should there be a problem in the launch pad or during ascent.

Chemists develop new way to make cost-effective material for electricity storage Posted: 06 Mar 2015 11:45 AM PST Researchers have found a new way to make state-of-the-art materials for energy storage using a cheap lamp from the hardware store.

Self driving cars could free up rush hour traffic Posted: 06 Mar 2015 10:26 AM PST With the growing popularity of care share programs, self-driving technology could be a game changer for urban traffic systems. A new study looks at how the Swedish capital's transport grid could be transformed. A fleet of shared self-driving cars in Stockholm could reduce rush hour traffic volumes by 14 cars for every shared vehicle, according to researchers.

Graphene meets heat waves Posted: 06 Mar 2015 08:20 AM PST Researchers have shed new light on the fundamental mechanisms of heat dissipation in graphene and other two-dimensional materials. They have shown that heat can propagate as a wave over very long distances. This is key information for engineering the electronics of tomorrow.

New tool for detecting, destroying norovirus Posted: 06 Mar 2015 08:20 AM PST Norovirus infection is the most common cause of viral gastroenteritis, or 'stomach flu.' A research team recently produced 'nanobodies' that could be used to better characterize the structural makeup of the virus. They discovered that these nanobodies could detect the virus in clinical stool samples and disassemble intact norovirus particles. Such nanobodies may potentially be used to not only better detect but also treat symptoms of norovirus infection in the clinic.

Urine power to light camps in disaster zones Posted: 06 Mar 2015 08:19 AM PST A toilet, conveniently situated near the Student Union Bar at the University of the West of England, is proving that urine can generate electricity.

Fluid-filled pores separate materials with fine precision Posted: 06 Mar 2015 07:27 AM PST Scientists have developed an entirely new, highly versatile mechanism for controlling passage of materials through micropores, using fluid to modulate their opening and closing. The new system can separate a wide range of cargos and is extraordinarily precise due to the fact that the fluid-filled gate adjusts to accommodate filtration of each substance it encounters, even while processing a complex mixture of materials.

New flexible films for touch screen applications achieve longer lasting display Posted: 06 Mar 2015 07:25 AM PST Today, touch screens are everywhere, from smart phones and tablets, to computer monitors, to interactive digital signage and displays. Many touch screens are made of layered thin (billionths of a meter thick) films of indium-tin oxide, an inorganic material that is electrically conductive, which allows electrical signals to travel from the "touch" to the edges of the display, where they are sensed by the device--as well as optically transparent. But these and other inorganic materials have a downside, as anyone who has ever dropped their smart phone knows: they are brittle and shatter easily. The solution? Make the screens flexible and durable without sacrificing any of their electrical or optical properties. Researchers have now created thin sheets of hybrid materials that may enable the next generation of consumer electronics.

Microscopy directly images problematic lithium dendrites in batteries Posted: 06 Mar 2015 07:23 AM PST Scientists have captured the first real-time nanoscale images of lithium dendrite structures known to degrade lithium-ion batteries. Dendrites form when metallic lithium takes root on a battery's anode and begins growing haphazardly. If the dendrites grow too large, they can puncture the divider between the electrodes and short-circuit the cell, resulting in catastrophic battery failure.

A new way to control information by mixing light and sound Posted: 06 Mar 2015 06:16 AM PST For once, slower is better in a new piece of technology. Scientists have developed a new, radio frequency processing device that allows information to be controlled more effectively, opening the door to a new generation of signal processing on microchips. One of the keys to the technology involves slowing information down.

The global energy challenge: One billion people have no access to electricity Posted: 06 Mar 2015 05:26 AM PST More than one billion people world-wide have no access to electricity to cook food or light their homes, despite the technology being in place. A study on options for getting more electrical access has taken place in Bangladesh.

Researchers create artificial methane hydrates, open an innovative pathway for use of new fuels Posted: 06 Mar 2015 04:38 AM PST A technology that allows the preparation of artificial methane hydrates has been developed by researchers. These researchers have demonstrated that it is possible to prepare methane hydrates in a laboratory by imitating, and even enhancing, natural processes through the use of activated carbon materials as nano-reactors. One of the keys of this research was that scientists were able to reduce the process to form methane hydrates, which takes a long time in nature, to just a few minutes, thus making its technological applicability much easier.

Security in a smart world Posted: 05 Mar 2015 05:11 AM PST More stable power grids and quicker accident care: When used properly, digital data may be of high benefit. However, electronic processing also facilitates data abuse. For this reason, scientists have developed holistic approaches to enhancing intrinsic security.

First in-depth look at solar project completion timelines Posted: 03 Mar 2015 09:39 AM PST The Energy Department's National Renewable Energy Laboratory has gathered and analyzed data for more than 30,000 solar photovoltaic installations across the United States to better understand how interconnection regulations align with actual project completion timelines. The findings indicate that interconnection process delays are common, and can range from several days to months. Streamlining the application review and final authorization processes can ultimately benefit utilities and solar consumers by reducing the time and cost associated with going solar.

Advancing solar power in Hawaii Posted: 03 Mar 2015 09:39 AM PST Inverter load rejection overvoltage tests have proven so successful in Hawaii that a testing partner, Hawaiian Electric Companies, has proposed to double its hosting capacity for solar energy.

Method to convert lignin to nylon precursor refined Posted: 03 Mar 2015 09:39 AM PST The conversion of lignin-derived compounds to adipic acid, an important industrial dicarboxylic acid produced for its use as a precursor to nylon, plasticizers, lubricants, polyesters, and other popular products and chemicals, has been refined by scientists, a report says.