Researchers developed high-performance, lead-free piezoelectric thin films on silicon that convert everyday vibrations into electricity. By using strain engineering and a novel sputtering method, they achieved record performance and demonstrated the compatibility of efficient, battery-free MEMS energy harvesters with standard semiconductor manufacturing processes. 

Australian scientists have made a significant leap forward in energy storage technology by developing and testing the world’s first proof-of-concept quantum battery, new research reveals. Researchers say the technology could transform how we store and use energy in the future, paving the way for super-fast charging of devices.

A new long-term study reveals that biochar, a carbon-rich material derived from crop residues, can significantly enhance soil carbon storage, but its effectiveness depends strongly on land use and soil type.

Biochar has long been promoted as a promising tool to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from agricultural soils. However, new research suggests that its climate benefits may not be as stable as once believed.

Utilization of biomass as a chemical resource is a promising strategy for establishing a circular economy. Cellulose, a polymer composed of glucose units, is the most abundant form of biomass, and glucose is a versatile feedstock for chemicals. However, cellulose is a highly recalcitrant material due to its extensive hydrogen-bond (H-bond) network. Kobayashi, Nishimura, and their colleagues discovered that simply dipping cellulose in an aqueous NaOH solution below −28 ℃ makes it more reactive. Thereby, the efficiency of saccharification (the process of breaking down cellulose into sugars) increased 2.2 times.

Seoul National University College of Engineering has announced that a research team led by Prof. Jeonghun Kwak of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, with co-first authors Dr. Juhyung Park and Dr. Sun Hong Kim, has developed a flexible and thin “pseudo-transverse thermoelectric generator” capable of producing electricity from body heat.

 

The research findings were published on March 18 (ET) in Science Advances, a leading international journal published by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).

For centuries, the process by which the cinchona tree produces its valuable alkaloids, including the life-saving quinine used to treat malaria, was shrouded in mystery. Now, a research team from the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology in Jena, together with colleagues from the University of Georgia, has uncovered the secret. In a new study, the scientists demonstrate how the plant sequentially builds up the complex molecular framework characteristic of quinine. The researchers identified the enzymes responsible for catalyzing the chemical reactions that take place inside the plant. The study opens up new avenues for the sustainable and efficient laboratory production of natural substances such as quinine and related active ingredients.