Star-shaped gold nanoparticles, coated with a semiconductor, can produce hydrogen from water over four times more efficiently than other methods – opening the door to improved storage of solar energy and other advances that could boost renewable energy use and combat climate change, according to Rutgers University–New Brunswick researchers. “Instead of using ultraviolet light, which…
New 3D-Printed Smart Gel Can Walk Underwater, Move Objects
Rutgers University-New Brunswick engineers have created a 3D-printed smart gel that walks underwater and grabs objects and moves them. The watery creation could lead to soft robots that mimic sea animals like the octopus, which can walk underwater and bump into things without damaging them. It may also lead to artificial heart, stomach and other…
New Innovation Promotes Faster, Cheaper Nano-Based Manufacturing
Engineers at Rutgers University-New Brunswick and Oregon State University are developing a new method of processing nanomaterials that could lead to faster and cheaper manufacturing of flexible, thin film devices — from touch screens to window coatings, according to a new study. The “intense pulsed light sintering” method uses high-energy light over an area nearly…
Taming the Unstoppable Electrons in Graphene
Graphene — a one-atom-thick layer of the stuff in pencils — is a better conductor than copper and is very promising for electronic devices, but with one catch: Electrons that move through it can’t be stopped. Until now, that is. Scientists at Rutgers University-New Brunswick have learned how to tame the unruly electrons in graphene,…
Graphene-Based Sensor Enhances Asthma Treatment
Rutgers University-New Brunswick scientists have created a graphene-based sensor that could lead to earlier detection of looming asthma attacks and improve the management of asthma and other respiratory diseases, preventing hospitalizations and deaths. The sensor paves the way for the development of devices — possibly resembling fitness trackers like the Fitbit — which people could…
Paper Sanitizers Zap Bacteria
Imagine wearing clothes with layers of paper that protect you from dangerous bacteria. A Rutgers-led team has invented an inexpensive, effective way to kill bacteria and sanitize surfaces with devices made of paper. “Paper is an ancient material, but it has unique attributes for new, high-tech applications,” says Aaron Mazzeo, an assistant professor in Rutgers’…
Graphene Cools Down Chips in Phones, Computers, Other Electronics
With graphene, Rutgers University researchers have discovered a powerful way to cool tiny chips — key components of electronic devices with billions of transistors apiece. “You can fit graphene, a very thin, two-dimensional material that can be miniaturized, to cool a hot spot that creates heating problems in your chip, says Eva Y. Andrei, Board…
Microwaves Utilized to Create High-Quality Graphene
Rutgers University engineers have found a simple method for producing high-quality graphene that can be used in next-generation electronic and energy devices: bake the compound in a microwave oven. The discovery is documented in a study published online in the journal Science. “This is a major advance in the graphene field,” says Manish Chhowalla, professor…
Breakthrough “Squishy” Motors and Wheels for Robots
A small, squishy vehicle equipped with soft wheels rolls over rough terrain and runs under water. Future versions of the versatile vehicle might be suitable for search and rescue missions after disasters, deep space and planet exploration, and manipulating objects during magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), according to its creators at Rutgers University. Their most important…