Electrocatalyst Nanostructures Key to Improved Fuel Cells, Electrolyzers
Purdue University scientists’ simulations have unraveled the mystery of a new electrocatalyst that may solve a significant problem associated with fuel cells and electrolyzers. Fuel cells, which use chemical reactions to produce energy, and electrolyzers, which convert energy into hydrogen or other gases, use electrocatalysts to promote chemical reactions. Electrocatalysts that can activate such reactions…
Combining MRI and Optical Microscopy Promising for Brain Research
Functional magnetic resonance imaging reveals changes in blood-oxygen levels in different parts of the brain, but the data show nothing about what is actually happening in and between brain cells, information needed to better understand brain circuitry and function. “We really have no clear understanding of what cellular processes cause the MRI signal and are…
Low-Cost ‘Solar Absorber’ Promising for Future Power Plants
Researchers have shown how to modify commercially available silicon wafers into a structure that efficiently absorbs solar energy and withstands the high temperatures needed for “concentrated solar power” plants that might run up to 24 hours a day. The research advances global efforts to design hybrid systems that combine solar photovoltaic cells, which convert visible…
Specialized Compound Could Lead to Chronic Pain Relief Without The Use of Opioids
System Automatically Detects Cracks in Nuclear Power Plants
A new automated system detects cracks in the steel components of nuclear power plants and has been shown to be more accurate than other automated systems. “Periodic inspection of the components of nuclear power plants is important to avoid accidents and ensure safe operation,” said Mohammad R. Jahanshahi, an assistant professor in Purdue University’s Lyles…
Findings Detail Structure of Zika Virus
Researchers at Purdue University have determined the high-resolution structure of immature Zika virus, a step toward better understanding how the virus infects host cells and spreads. Zika belongs to a family of viruses called flaviviruses, which includes dengue, West Nile, yellow fever, Japanese encephalitis and tick-borne encephalitic viruses. Although only the mature forms of flaviviruses…
Biomedical ‘Skin-Like Bandage’ is Stretchy, Durable and Long Lasting
A skin-like biomedical technology that uses a mesh of conducting nanowires and a thin layer of elastic polymer might bring new electronic bandages that monitor biosignals for medical applications and provide therapeutic stimulation through the skin. The biomedical device mimics the human skin’s elastic properties and sensory capabilities. “It can intimately adhere to the skin…
Exotic Property Confirmed in Natural Material Could Lead to Fundamental Studies
Researchers have confirmed the existence of a naturally occurring exotic property in which a material becomes thicker when stretched – the opposite of most materials – a discovery that could lead to new studies into the fundamental science of nano-materials behavior. The counterintuitive phenomenon, called auxetic behavior, has been extensively studied in engineered structures that…
Electron Spin Control—Levitated Nanodiamond is Research Gem
Researchers have demonstrated how to control the “electron spin” of a nanodiamond while it is levitated with lasers in a vacuum, an advance that could find applications in quantum information processing, sensors and studies into the fundamental physics of quantum mechanics. Electrons can be thought of as having two distinct spin states, “up” or “down.”…