Engineering news

Engineering

Perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells reach 32.89% certified efficiency with peak-selective passivation strategy

A team of Chinese scientists has developed a new passivation strategy that significantly improves both the efficiency and operational stability of perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells. The study has been published in the ...

Engineering

Novel origami pattern turns flat sheets into load-bearing 3D technology

McGill University researchers have discovered a new way to fold flat sheets into smooth, curved shells that can switch from floppy and flexible to stiff and load-bearing on demand. By designing a special origami pattern and ...

Engineering

Error correction tech boosts the 3D printing of big composite parts

Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) have created a new tool that can catch and correct potential mistakes in real time while 3D printing large plastic parts. The automated ...

Engineering

To make houses more affordable, we need to make them greener, says report

Decarbonization of the buildings and construction sector has slowed, leaving it both a major emissions source and increasingly vulnerable to climate impacts and energy price shocks, according to a new report from the UN Environment ...

Engineering

Custom device maps carbon capture reactions in real time

Removing carbon dioxide (CO2) directly from the air, a process called direct air capture (or DAC), is one of several approaches being developed to help reduce the concentration of this greenhouse gas in the atmosphere. Among ...

Engineering

Building the future with robotic construction

On April 24, the Architectural Robotic Construction Lab ( ARC Lab) in The University of Texas at Arlington's College of Architecture, Planning and Public Affairs demonstrated its new large-scale 3D printing technology.

Engineering

Basalt could be the key to greener and cheaper cement

Ideas to reduce carbon emissions often revolve around renewable power, electric vehicles and energy efficiency. But there's another, less colorful character that's often overlooked: cement.

Engineering

Better batteries begin with optimized slurry processing

Lithium-ion batteries are essential to modern life, powering electric vehicles, portable electronics, and energy storage systems. While major advances have improved battery materials, important challenges remain in manufacturing, ...

Engineering

Researcher explores the hidden science of pipe failure

How do aging cast iron pipes actually start leaking? The School of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering's Edward John is the highlight in a new UK Water Industry Research (UKWIR) video looking at his Ph.D. research ...

Engineering

Tactile sensor transforms tool wear detection in machining

Researchers at the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) have developed a tool condition monitoring system that can detect the wear of cutting tools used in machining. On-machine feedback helps manufacturers ...

Engineering

Move over cassette tapes, adhesive tape has memory too

Materials can store information about their past—like a crease in a piece of paper that has been unfolded is a "memory" of being folded—that can be retrieved or read out and used for various purposes. In everyday life, combination ...

Engineering

Hidden math link helps designers build fantastic shapes

Termite mounds are remarkable structures that regulate temperature, balance airflow, and maintain structural stability in some of Earth's harshest climates. And like other irregular, disordered systems, they can be difficult ...

Engineering

Cutting cement emissions at a reasonable cost is within reach

Besides water, cement is used more than any other material on Earth. Its manufacture begins by combining limestone with ingredients such as shale, clay, or sand. This mixture is ground into a powder, heated to 1,400°C, cooled, ...

Engineering

A more accurate way to predict conditions inside wind tunnels

Researchers at Missouri University of Science and Technology have developed a more accurate way to predict conditions inside wind tunnels that are used to study how air behaves at speeds up to four times faster than the speed ...

Engineering

Automated camera solution can improve excavator tracking

Despite significant advances in vision-based equipment tracking, frequent occlusions caused by multiple interacting machines continue to degrade tracking accuracy on construction sites. While previous studies have explored ...

Engineering

Cleaning up toxic solar panels to bring them indoors

Safer and more environmentally friendly indoor solar panels could soon help power electronics in homes and offices, thanks to University of Queensland researchers. A team of chemical engineers led by UQ's Dr. Miaoqiang Lyu ...