Digital Tbucket Tank (DTT)

Capsaicin increases the performance of perovskite solar cells

Researchers from China and Sweden have found that a pinch of capsaicin, a chemical compound that adds flavor to chili peppers, can be used to make more stable and efficient perovskite solar cells.
The researchers confirmed that the addition of capsaicin too Perovskite methylammonium lead triiodide (MAPbI3) led to an increase in the number of conductive electrons on the surface of the semiconductor during the manufacturing process. In other words, capsaicin made the most efficient polycrystalline solar cells at transporting electrical charge.
The research was published on January 13th in the journal Joule published.

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The paint that turns a car into a moving "black hole"

The experts at DipYourCar have the car Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X with an acrylic paint called Musou Black lacquered, which absorbs 99,4 percent of the light. As a result, the car turned black as asphalt. According to the car service providers who describe this special "tuning", the paint is darker than the legendary, super light-absorbing material Vantablack.

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A material that stores solar heat "in reserve"

A team of scientists from the University of Lancaster in Great Britain has developed a new method of storing solar energy for up to several months and releasing it as heat when needed. In other words: "reserves" of energy "for the winter" are created on warm sunny days. In theory, the method enables apartments and offices to be additionally heated, which significantly reduces environmental pollution.

The researchers have an organometallic skeleton (known as a MOF), which consists of metal ions combined in 3D structures. The molecules in the pores of these structures are able to absorb UV light and can change their shape when exposed to light or heat. Azobenzene particles - a light absorbing compound (in this case) - can at room temperature Remain trapped until outside heat is added to change it. Tests have shown that the material is able to store energy for more than four months.

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Micromachines for exploring the human body

Today again from the series Star Trek sends greetings or Nanites 2.0. We recently reported on the development of micro-robots (Controlling a microscopic robot inside the body. Promising first test results). The developments in the field seem to have picked up speed very strongly.    



Researchers at the Swiss Technical University ETH Zurich have succeeded in building a miniature medical robot out of metal and plastic using 3D lithography. The resulting robot constructions are no more than a quarter of a millimeter long and can be controlled by a magnetic field in medical applications.

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Catalysts with huge surfaces will convert CO2 into fuel?

The conversion of carbon dioxide into ethyl alcohol and other valuable substances is carried out by Dr. Wojciech Stępniowski made possible the catalysts developed. Catalysts consist of nanoprints and have huge surfaces that offer enough space for the particles involved in the reaction.

To reduce carbon dioxide to other substances, electrochemical methods are used, including - catalysts. These are substances that enable and facilitate the chemical reaction, but do not participate in it. As a result of such a reaction, the hydrocarbons needed to make polymers - the popular plastics - can be produced. Ethyl alcohol can also be obtained from CO2 for various uses, for example as fuel for cars.

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A system that transfers sound directly to the head



Thanks to the technology presented by the Israeli start-up, the sound can be transmitted directly to the ears without the need for headphones or earplugs. Of the Sound Beamer 1.0As its creators put it, it creates an "acoustic bubble" around the listener's ears and nobody but the recipient hears any noise. That from New Systems The system developed by a start-up uses a sensor system to locate the position of the ears. Finding the target area allows tones to be sent that no one except the user can hear. Interestingly, the device tracks the position of the head while listening to make changes in the position of the ears so you can listen to music while you move. However, you must stay within range of the device's sensors.

How does this work?

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They can help in space mining ... bacteria

In space you can find rich deposits of rare minerals, such as the helium isotope Hel-3, which occurs in trace amounts on our planet and which is an efficient fuel for future space missions, but also one can be an efficient source of energy. But there are also other raw materials in space rocks: platinum and tungsten, iridium, osmium, palladium, rhenium, rhodium and ruthenium. Ice in space can also be an important element for possible colonization missions.

It will not be easy to extract minerals from rocks flying in space. It won't be cheap either, but the wealth there should allow companies that choose to invest in space mining to refinance the expenses they made. More than 500 asteroids, each worth over $ 100 trillion, circulate in the space of the solar system. It should be noted that these are only those that have been examined by humans, at least for a short time, because there can be many more.

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An object that loses its visibility after being immersed in liquid ...

Japanese scientists have constructed facilities called Rube Goldberg's machines in which the effect of complete invisibility can only be achieved through skillful treatments related to the composition of the oily liquid in which the objects are immersed, so that the refractive index the liquid corresponds to that of the glass object that is immersed in it.

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Handy heat measuring device: Chilica-Pod

A prototype of the device for determining the degree of spiciness of chili peppers was built by a research group led by Professor Warakorn Limbut from Prince Songkel University in Thailand. A research discussion about a new type of sensor that can be attached to a smartphone and display the measurement result appeared in the magazine "ACS Applied Nano Materials".

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