Engineering

Solar cell material can assist self-driving cars in the dark

Material used in organic solar cells can also be used as light sensors in electronics. This has been shown by researchers at Linköping University, Sweden, who have developed a type of sensor able to detect circularly polarized ...

Energy & Green Tech

Pivotal battery discovery could impact transportation and the grid

Battery-powered vehicles have made a significant dent in the transportation market. But that market still needs lower cost batteries that can power vehicles for greater ranges. Also desirable are low-cost batteries able to ...

Energy & Green Tech

New insight could lead to better silicon solar panels

Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and Colorado School of Mines are applying a new technique to identify defects in silicon solar cells that cause a drop in efficiency. ...

Engineering

Microlandscaped abrasive tools deliver perfect grinding results

Tiny pyramids and cubes precisely aligned in rows and columns or radial lines of minute raised dots—these microscopic structures whose size is similar to the width of a human hair, are enabling engineers to design novel ...