Engineering

Would you wear clothing made of synthetic muscle fibers?

Researchers have found a way to make a muscle protein and spin it into incredibly strong fibers. Their synthetic chemistry approach allowed them to polymerize...

New technology could speed diabetic wound healing

About one-fourth of people with diabetes develop painful foot ulcers, which are slow to heal due to low oxygen in the wound from impaired...

Scientists develop ultrathin quantum sensors with 2D materials

As recently as 2019, spin defects known as qubits were discovered in 2D materials (hexagonal boron nitride), which could amplify the field of ultrathin...

New thermal switches could dynamically moderate heat of electronic devices

Modern devices that use lithium-ion batteries, like smartphones and electric cars, seem pretty robust. But try to use one in extreme heat or cold, and...

Microbatteries on chips could help make wearable sensors

Fitbits, car windows, oil refineries—the roll call of devices and technologies that rely on ultra-small sensors already numbers in the hundreds of billions. Sensors measure...

Stretching may help lithium batteries last longer, shows study

Batteries are widely used in everyday applications like powering electric vehicles, electronic gadgets and are promising candidates for sustainable energy storage. However, as you’ve likely...

This stretchable device could turn motion into electricity – even underwater

Researchers at North Carolina State University have created a soft, stretchable device that converts movement into electricity and works in both dry and wet...

Scientists discover novel thermoelectric material

Researchers participating in a U.S. National Science Foundation-sponsored study have discovered a new material that is effective in fabricating thermoelectric devices that convert heat...

Scientists make rechargeable batteries that store six times more charge

Scientists have developed rechargeable batteries that can store up to six times more charge than ones that are currently commercially available. The advance, detailed in...

Janus graphene opens doors to sustainable sodium-ion batteries

Even though lithium ions work well for energy storage, lithium is an expensive metal with concerns regarding its long-term supply and environmental issues. Sodium, on...