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Category: energy

Scientists discover elusive solar waves that could power the sun’s corona

Researchers have achieved a breakthrough in solar physics by providing the first direct evidence of small-scale torsional Alfvén waves in the sun’s corona—elusive magnetic waves that scientists have been searching for since the 1940s.

The discovery, published in Nature Astronomy, was made using unprecedented observations from the world’s most powerful solar telescope, the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope in Hawaii.

The findings could finally explain one of the sun’s greatest mysteries—how its outer atmosphere, the corona, reaches temperatures of millions of degrees while its surface is only around 5,500°C.

Double-layer electrode design powers next-gen silicon-based batteries for faster charging and longer range EVs

New research, led by Queen Mary University of London, demonstrates that a double-layer electrode design, guided by fundamental science through operando imaging, shows remarkable improvements in the cyclic stability and fast-charging performance of automotive batteries, with strong potential to reduce costs by 20–30%.

The research, published today in Nature Nanotechnology, was led by Dr. Xuekun Lu, Senior Lecturer in Green Energy at Queen Mary University of London.

In the study, the researchers introduce an evidence-guided double-layer design for silicon-based composite electrodes to tackle key challenges in the Si-based — a breakthrough with strong potential for next-generation high-performance batteries.

Light reshapes ferroelectric thin films for wireless sensors and micro-devices

The potential of using low-energy light to shape ferroelectric thin films for micro devices is advancing with an international team of researchers most recently reporting success with “photostriction.”

Light-induced nonthermal deformation of materials, or photostriction, has the advantage of directly converting into mechanical motion, offering exciting possibilities for wireless, light-powered sensors and optomechanical devices, says Flinders University researcher Dr. Pankaj Sharma.

Since its discovery in the 1960s, scientists have explored photostriction in a wide range of materials—from semiconductors and oxides to ferroelectrics and polymers. However, many of these systems face challenges.

Controlled atomic defects in nickelate films narrow down explanations of superconductivity emergence

An international team led by researchers at MPI-CPfS used irradiation with extremely high-energy electrons to controllably introduce atomic defects in superconducting nickelate thin films. Their systematic investigation recently published in Physical Review Letters helps to narrow down the possible answers to fundamental questions of how superconductivity emerges in these materials.

Superconductors are materials that completely expel magnetic fields and perfectly transmit without any losses, properties which make them both fascinating playgrounds to probe fundamental physical understanding of materials as well as potentially revolutionary technological building blocks.

Some kinds of superconductors are relatively well-understood, explained by theoretical models developed starting in the 1950s. Other classes of superconductors remain more mysterious, but can exhibit superconductivity at higher temperatures, making them more attractive for practical applications.

Scientists forge “superalloy” that refuses to melt

Scientists have developed a chromium-molybdenum-silicon alloy that withstands extreme heat while remaining ductile and oxidation-resistant. It could replace nickel-based superalloys, which are limited to about 1,100°C. The new material might make turbines and engines significantly more efficient, marking a major step toward cleaner, more powerful energy systems.

World’s first full-cell dual-cation battery developed in Ireland

Researchers at University of Limerick (UL) have developed a battery that could reshape the future of electric vehicles and portable electronics. Their breakthrough in energy storage technology has seen the development of the world’s first full-cell dual-cation battery.

This innovative system combines lithium and sodium ions to significantly enhance both battery capacity and stability, marking a new frontier in sustainable energy research.

The work, published in Nano Energy, was led by Hugh Geaney, Associate Professor of Chemistry at UL’s Department of Chemical Sciences and Principal Investigator at UL’s Bernal Institute, and Government of Ireland postdoctoral fellow, Dr. Syed Abdul Ahad, his colleague at the Department and the Bernal Institute.

A low-cost catalytic cycle could advance the separation, storage and transportation of hydrogen

Hydrogen (H2) is an Earth-abundant molecule that is widely used in industrial settings and could soon contribute to the clean generation and storage of electricity. Most notably, it can be used to generate electricity in fuel cells, which could in turn power heavy-duty vehicles or serve as back-up energy systems.

Despite its potential for various real-world applications, is often expensive to produce, store and safely transport to desired locations. Moreover, before it can be used, it typically needs to be purified, as hydrogen produced industrially is typically mixed with other gases, such as (CO), (CO₂), nitrogen (N₂) and light hydrocarbons.

Researchers at Fudan University and other institutes in China recently devised a new strategy to separate hydrogen from impurities at low temperatures, while also enabling its safe storage and transportation. Their proposed method, outlined in a paper published in Nature Energy, relies on a reversible chemical reaction between two that act as hydrogen carriers, enabling the reversible absorption and release of hydrogen.

Novel feature-extended analysis unlocks the origin of energy loss in electrical steel

Magnetic hysteresis loss (iron loss) is an important magnetic property that determines the efficiency of electric motors and is therefore critical for electric vehicles. It occurs when the magnetic field within the motor core, made up of soft magnetic materials, is repeatedly reversed due to the changing flow of current in the windings. This reversal forces tiny magnetic regions called magnetic domains to repeatedly change their magnetization direction.

However, this change is not perfectly efficient and results in energy loss. In fact, iron loss accounts for approximately 30% of the total energy loss in motors, leading to the emission of carbon dioxide, which represents a pressing environmental concern.

Despite over half a century of research, the origin of iron loss in soft magnetic materials remains elusive. The energy spent during magnetization reversal in these materials depends on complex changes in magnetic domain structures. These have mainly been interpreted visually, and the underlying mechanisms have been discussed only qualitatively.

Tapping into the million-year energy source below our feet

There’s an abandoned coal power plant in upstate New York that most people regard as a useless relic. But MIT’s Paul Woskov sees things differently.

Woskov, a research engineer in MIT’s Plasma Science and Fusion Center, notes the plant’s power turbine is still intact and the transmission lines still run to the grid. Using an approach he’s been working on for the last 14 years, he’s hoping it will be back online, completely carbon-free, within the decade.

In fact, Quaise Energy, the company commercializing Woskov’s work, believes if it can retrofit one power plant, the same process will work on virtually every coal and gas power plant in the world.

Quaise is hoping to accomplish those lofty goals by tapping into the energy source below our feet. The company plans to vaporize enough rock to create the world’s deepest holes and harvest geothermal energy at a scale that could satisfy human energy consumption for millions of years. They haven’t yet solved all the related engineering challenges, but Quaise’s founders have set an ambitious timeline to begin harvesting energy from a pilot well by 2026. (Circa June 28 2022/Posted first in Lifeboat jn, 2022 by Gemechu Taye & Genevieve Klein)

MIT spinout Quaise Energy is working to create geothermal wells made from the world’s deepest holes in order to repurpose coal and gas plants.

Successful synthesis of neutral N₆ opens door for future energy storage

Nitrogen finally joins the elite tier of elements like carbon that can form neutral allotropes—different structural forms of a single chemical element. Researchers from Justus Liebig University, Giessen, Germany, have synthesized neutral hexanitrogen (N6)—the first neutral allotrope of nitrogen since the discovery of naturally occurring dinitrogen (N2) in the 18th century that is cryogenically stable and can be prepared at room temperature.

This new study, published in Nature, synthesized hexanitrogen (N6) via gas-phase reaction, with the main ingredients being chlorine (Cl2) or bromine (Br2) and an extremely reactive and explosive solid silver azide (AgN3), under reduced pressure.

The researchers spread AgN3 on the , and a gaseous halogen (Cl2 or Br2) was passed through the solid under reduced pressure at room temperature. The reaction triggered by the process produced N6 alongside byproducts chloronitrene (ClN) and hydrazoic acid (HN3).

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