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Category: energy – Page 2

Tougher solid electrolyte advances long-sought lithium metal batteries

A solid—rather than liquid—electrolyte between the opposite electrodes of a battery should, in theory, enable a rechargeable lithium metal battery that is safer, packs much more energy, and charges considerably faster than the lithium-ion batteries commercially available today.

For decades, scientists and engineers have explored several paths to realize the great promise of lithium-metal batteries. A major problem with the solid, crystalline electrolytes under study has been the formation of microscopic cracks that grow during use until the battery fails.

Stanford researchers, building on findings they published in 2023 that identified how these tiny fractures, dents, and other imperfections form and expand, have discovered that annealing an extremely thin silver coating on the solid electrolyte’s surface seems to largely solve the problem.

Just like Wi-Fi: Finland working on transmitting electricity without wires

In controlled experiments, engineers have shown that electricity can be transmitted through the air using highly controlled electromagnetic fields and resonant coupling techniques, conceptually similar to the way data is sent via Wi-Fi but tailored for energy transfer.

These approaches build on decades of research into magnetic resonance and inductive power transfer, which seek to send energy efficiently across short distances without physical contact between transmitter and receiver…

…Past research from the university demonstrated that magnetic loop antennas can transfer power wirelessly at relatively high efficiency over short ranges, offering insights into how to optimize coupling and reduce energy losses.

More recent demonstrations reported in global tech news describe Finnish teams successfully powering small devices through the air using wireless power transfer methods.

Finland continues to make progress in the field of wireless electricity transmission, an area of research that aims to send power through the air without the use of traditional cables or plugs.

Recent demonstrations and experiments by Finnish researchers have highlighted steady advancements in technology that could one day reshape how devices are powered, though widespread commercial deployment remains distant.

Continue reading “Just like Wi-Fi: Finland working on transmitting electricity without wires” | >

A Simple Silver Fix May Finally Stop Solid-State Batteries From Cracking

A nanoscale silver coating could be the key to making ultra-powerful solid-state batteries finally work.

Replacing the liquid electrolyte inside today’s batteries with a solid one could unlock a new generation of rechargeable lithium metal batteries. In theory, these batteries would be safer, store far more energy, and recharge much faster than the lithium-ion batteries now in widespread use. Scientists and engineers have been chasing this goal for decades, but progress has been slowed by a persistent flaw. Solid, crystal-based electrolytes tend to develop microscopic cracks that gradually spread during repeated charging and use, eventually causing the battery to fail.

A thin silver layer with a big impact.

Temporal anti-parity–time symmetry offers new way to steer energy through systems

The movement of waves, patterns that carry sound, light or heat, through materials has been widely studied by physicists, as it has implications for the development of numerous modern technologies. In several materials, the movement of waves depends on a physical property known as parity-time (PT) symmetry, which combines mirror-like spatial symmetry with a symmetry in a system’s behavior when time runs forward and backwards.

Systems with PT symmetry can suddenly alter their behavior when they pass specific thresholds known as phase transitions, where they shift from balanced to unbalanced states. So far, systems exhibiting PT symmetry are mostly static, meaning that they exhibit fixed properties over time.

In Nature Physics, researchers at University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Fudan University and National University of Singapore introduce a new concept called temporal anti-parity–time (APT) symmetry, which delineates more clearly both where and when a phase transition happens in a non-Hermitian system, a system that exchanges energy with its surroundings.

The ocean absorbed a stunning amount of heat in 2025

Earth’s oceans reached their highest heat levels on record in 2025, absorbing vast amounts of excess energy from the atmosphere. This steady buildup has accelerated since the 1990s and is now driving stronger storms, heavier rainfall, and rising sea levels. While surface temperatures fluctuate year to year, the ocean’s long-term warming trend shows no sign of slowing.

Taming heat: Novel solution enables unprecedented control of heat conduction

Prof. Gal Shmuel of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering at the Technion—Israel Institute of Technology has developed an innovative approach that enables precise control of heat conduction in ways that do not occur naturally.

The breakthrough could lead to new applications in energy harvesting and in protecting heat-sensitive devices. The research, conducted in collaboration with Prof. John R. Willis of the University of Cambridge, was published in Physical Review Letters.

The researchers’ approach is based on designing materials with asymmetric and nonuniform microstructures, inspired by similar methods previously developed for controlling light and sound—but never applied before to heat conduction. The challenge in adapting these ideas stems from the fact that light and sound propagate as waves, while heat spreads through a spontaneous process known as diffusion.

Sunlight-driven nanoparticles enable cleaner ammonia synthesis at room temperature

Ammonia (NH3) is a colorless chemical compound comprised of nitrogen and hydrogen that is widely used in agriculture and in industrial settings. Among other things, it is used to produce fertilizers, as well as cleaning products and explosives.

Currently, ammonia is primarily produced via the so-called Haber-Bosch process, an industrial technique that entails prompting a reaction between nitrogen and hydrogen at very high temperatures and pressure. Despite its widespread use, this process is known to be highly energy-intensive and is estimated to be responsible for approximately 3% of global greenhouse gas emissions.

Researchers at Stanford University School of Engineering, Boston College and other institutes have identified new promising catalysts (i.e., materials that speed up chemical reactions) that could enable the sunlight-driven synthesis of ammonia at room temperature and under normal atmospheric pressure.

Acid-treated carbon nanotubes boost efficiency and stability of flexible perovskite solar modules

Flexible perovskite solar modules (f-PSMs) are a key innovation in current renewable energy technology, offering a pathway toward sustainable and efficient energy solutions. However, ensuring long-term operational stability without compromising efficiency or increasing material costs remains a critical challenge.

In a study published in Joule, a joint research team from the Institute of Metal Research (IMR) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Zhengzhou University has achieved power conversion efficiency (PCE) surpassing 20% in flexible modules capable of withstanding a range of external stresses. The study highlights the use of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) as window electrodes for scalable f-PSMs.

SWCNT films exhibit excellent hydrophobicity, resisting moisture-induced degradation while enhancing device stability. Their flexibility and affordability further position SWCNT-based electrodes as a practical option for sustainable energy systems, providing an ideal opportunity for buildings and infrastructure to incorporate their own power sources in support of a net-zero carbon emissions future.

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