Office of Naval Research (ONR)

Graphene from sugar for solar energy harvesting

Rice researchers have learned to make pristine sheets of graphene, the one-atom-thick form of carbon, from plain table sugar and other carbon-based substances.

New approach to thermoelectric energy harvesting

We have waited 20 years for Automotive Thermoelectric Generators to be deployed in production vehicles but we may not have much longer to wait because they are more useful in hybrid vehicles than in conventional vehicles.

Versatilis improvement in semiconducting inks for printing electronics

Vermont company shows 5-fold improvement in printable electronic devices made with modified semiconductor inks, awarded patent

Breakthrough in converting waste heat to energy

Researchers at Northwestern University have placed nanocrystals of rock salt into lead telluride, creating a material that can harness electricity from heat-generating items such as vehicle exhaust systems, industrial processes and equipment and sun light more efficiently than scientists have seen in the past.

Nanotech speakers hold promise for sonar uses

Submarines could use new technology to scan the depths and elude detection.

Ocean powered underwater vehicle

NASA, U.S. Navy and university researchers have successfully demonstrated the first robotic underwater vehicle to be powered entirely by natural, renewable, ocean thermal energy.

Rice researchers make graphene hybrid

Rice University researchers have found a way to stitch graphene and hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) into a two-dimensional quilt that offers new paths of exploration for materials scientists.

Solarmer achieves 7.9% NREL certified plastic solar cell efficiency

Solarmer Energy, Inc. employees are in high spirits after receiving news of their latest NREL certified plastic solar panel efficiency of 7.9%. Several accomplishments of this magnitude have made 2009 a great year for Solarmer including achievements in manufacturing, plastic solar cell and module efficiency, and awards. This achievement also holds very special meaning to the founders of the company, dating back to before the company started.

Harvesting energy from natural motion

By taking advantage of the vagaries of the natural world, Duke University engineers have developed a novel approach that they believe can more efficiently harvest electricity from the motions of everyday life.

Breakthrough in industrial-scale nanotube processing

Rice University scientists have unveiled a method for the industrial-scale processing of pure carbon-nanotube fibers that could lead to revolutionary advances in materials science, power distribution and nanoelectronics.

Robot jellyfish

The US Navy is developing robot surveillance jellyfish that employ energy harvesting in order to survive and navigate at sea for many years.

Military thermoelectrics

Thermoelectric energy harvesting is used in many military applications. In addition, it is used in the related area of generating energy on space vehicles in deep space where thermoelectric are ineffective, this being done by converting the heat of a radioactive material - the Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator RTG.

Photoluminescent nanocrystals with the potential for new lighting

"Non-blinking" nanocrystals that constantly emit light have the potential to be an incredibly cheap alternative for lighting applications or even an OLED successor.

'Smart fabrics' that monitor health

A carbon nanotube-coated "smart yarn" that conducts electricity could be woven into soft fabrics that detect blood and monitor health, engineers at the University of Michigan have demonstrated.

An invisible cloak may be 5 years away using transformation optics

An electromagnetic cloak as seen in the Harry Potter movies may be only 5 years away believe scientists at Purdue University.

UK Chemical Sector Initiative - part two

It was noted in the Council for Science and Technology Review that Plastic Electronics is a high risk / high reward priority technology area. The academic structure is well established in OLED, PLED, OSC materials and deposition methods with £20M / yr funding from Research Councils (EPSRC).

Carbon 60 transistors perform at higher levels than amorphous silicon

Using room-temperature processing, researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology have fabricated high-performance field effect transistors with thin films of Carbon 60, also known as fullerene.