TyroMotion GmbH (AT)

Tighter stitching means better graphene, scientists say

The quality of this "stitching" -- the boundaries at which graphene crystals grow together and form sheets -- is just as important as the size of the crystals themselves, which scientists had previously thought held the key to making better graphene.

How dye-based nanotubes can help harvest light's energy

Microorganisms called green sulfur bacteria, which live deep in the ocean where there's hardly any light available, manage to harvest 98 percent of the energy in the light that reaches them.

A123 goes niche too late?

Following a redundancy, rehiring and large quality recall, struggling lithium-ion traction battery maker A123 Systems is trying some niche marketing now that most of the orders for the world's hybrid and pure electric car batteries over the next three years have been cornered by the big four - LGChem, Panasonic inc Sanyo, AESC and SBLimotive as analysed in detail by the Institute of Information Technology of Japan.

Turning 10 minutes of power into 200 through efficiency in robotics

DARPA has created the M3 Actuation program, with the goal of achieving a 2,000 percent increase in the efficiency of power transmission and application in robots, to improve performance potential.

Electrically conductive gel

The Jell-O-like material, from the labs of Stanford professors Yi Cui and Zhenan Bao, may have applications in areas as widespread as energy storage, medical sensors and biofuel cells.

Konarka Technologies GmbH files for bankruptcy after parent shuts

The German company has been forced to file for bankruptcy, since the parent company in the US is undergoing liquidation proceedings pursuant to Chapter 7 of the US Bankruptcy Code and deliveries of products can consequently no longer be expected from the US.

New fuel cell keeps going after the hydrogen runs out

Materials scientists at Harvard have demonstrated a solid-oxide fuel cell (SOFC) that converts hydrogen into electricity but can also store electrochemical energy like a battery. This fuel cell can continue to produce power for a short time after its fuel has run out.

Fuel cell vehicle with 500 mile range

MECc (Modular Energy Carrier concept) has developed a clean, simple and competitive range extender for battery electric vehicles based on bio-methanol fuel cells as energy carrier. ECOmove plan to use the technology in their upcoming electric vehicle QBEAK.

Solar Power from Plastic Foils

Organic Photovoltaics: Group of KIT researchers is granted Funding in the amount of EUR 4.25 million

Northwestern researchers create Rubber-Band Electronics

Scientists foresee a time when medical monitoring devices are integrated seamlessly into the human body, able to track a patient's vital signs and transmit them to his doctors.

Clothing as a supercapacitor

The once-cotton T-shirt proved to be a repository for electricity. By using small swatches of the fabric as an electrode, the researchers showed that the flexible material, which Li's team terms activated carbon textile, acts as a capacitor.

Organic Solar Cell Materials from Heraeus

Clevios HIL 4 will be of special interest for advanced lighting and display producers.

OLED lighting is still in its infancy

Recently IDTechEx attended the solid-state lighting workshop in San Jose, California.

Keeping electric vehicle batteries cool

Heat can damage the batteries of electric vehicles - even just driving fast on the freeway in summer temperatures can overheat the battery. An innovative new coolant conducts heat away from the battery three times more effectively than water, keeping the battery temperature within an acceptable range even in extreme driving situations.

BMW and Toyota agree to further strengthen collaboration

Toyota and BMW signed a Memorandum of Understanding aimed at long-term strategic collaboration in four fields: joint development of a fuel cell system, joint development of architecture and components for a future sports vehicle, collaboration on powertrain electrification and joint research and development on lightweight technologies.

Plastic Logic offer in-depth look at plastic electronics technology

Plastic Logic's thinnest flexible display at just 130 microns.

Researchers develop paintable battery

Researchers at Rice University have developed a lithium-ion battery that can be painted on virtually any surface.

Promising new technology for energy storage

It is well known that conventional supercapacitors provide very high power output with minimal degradation in performance. However, they have always had fairly limited energy storage capacity.

Sony and Panasonic to develop next generation OLED Panels for TVs

Sony and Panasonic aim to establish mass-production technology during 2013, by integrating their unique technologies to improve the overall efficiency of development.

Tesla delivers first electric sedan to customers

Tesla Motors delivered Model S, the world's first premium electric sedan, to its first customers at an invitation-only event at the Tesla Factory in Fremont, California last week - approximately one month earlier than previously announced.