Researchers from the University of Houston are developing a new quality control tool for continuous nanomanufacturing, a key step in moving nanodevices from the lab to the real world. “Nanomanufacturing sounds great, but it really has to be scalable,” says Venkat Selvamanickam, MD Anderson Chair Professor of Mechanical Engineering. “You have to be able to…
Nanomaterials Generate Hydrogen from Water
Hydrogen holds promise as an inexpensive form of clean energy, but finding an efficient and affordable way to produce the fuel from water — a technique known as water-splitting — remains a key scientific challenge. A researcher from the University of Houston is working with a colleague in Taiwan to use hollow gold-silver nanoshells to…
New Liquid Streaming Theory Discovered by Accident
Researchers at the University of Houston were studying the nonlinear transmission of light through an aqueous suspension of gold nanoparticles when they noticed something unexpected. A pulse laser appeared to have forced the movement of a stream of liquid in a glass laboratory cuvette. As they investigated, they realized something more complex was a work…
Glucose-Sensing Contact Lens Developed
Blood testing is the standard option for checking glucose levels, but a new technology could allow non-invasive testing via a contact lens that samples glucose levels in tears. “There’s no noninvasive method to do this,” says Wei-Chuan Shih, a researcher with the University of Houston who worked with colleagues at UH and in Korea to…
New Steps Forward in Low-Cost Clean Energy Generation
Researchers at the University of Houston and Massachusetts Institute of Technology have reported a substantial advance in generating electricity through a combination of concentrating solar power and thermoelectric materials. By combining concentrating solar power — which converts light into heat that is then used to generate electricity — with segmented thermoelectric legs, made up of…
Graphene-based Technique Boosts Boost Oil Recovery
As oil producers struggle to adapt to lower prices, getting as much oil as possible out of every well has become even more important, despite concerns from nearby residents that some chemicals used to boost production may pollute underground water resources. Researchers from the University of Houston have reported the discovery of a nanotechnology-based solution…