Chinese Academy of Sciences

Supercapacitors Leap Ahead: Electric Vehicles, Graphene & Printing

Consider three supercapacitor riddles as we reveal how the supercapacitor industry is in good health in 2014 with added potential. What takes a lot of space and no space? What has a rival that is a partner? What do fuel cells need next?

Discovery creates a better chance for clean energy research

Physicists have discovered a new thermoelectric material offering high performance at temperatures ranging from room temperature up to 300 degrees Celsius, or about 573 degrees Fahrenheit.

IDTechEx Printed Electronics Europe 2014 Award Winners

Printed, flexible and organic electronics will eventually impact most aspects of human endeavour, with the enabling materials, equipment, components and manufacturing being developed and launched today. To recognize and award outstanding achievement to those involved in this rapidly growing business the annual IDTechEx Printed Electronics Awards are held each year. The annual awards were announced at the annual IDTechEx Printed Electronics event this week in Berlin, Germany - Europe's leading event on the topic that brings together end users with suppliers.

Finding the mix: solar cell efficiency a delicate balance

Research from North Carolina State University reveals that solar cell efficiency is based upon a delicate balance between the size and purity of the interior layers, or domains. These findings may lead to better designs and improved performance in organic solar cells.

Researchers find simple, cheap way to increase solar cell efficiency

Researchers have found an easy way to modify the molecular structure of a polymer commonly used in solar cells. Their modification can increase solar cell efficiency by more than 30 percent.

Triboelectric generators capture wasted power

Researchers are developing a family of power generators that take advantage of the triboelectric effect to produce small amounts of electricity for portable devices and sensors.

Longest cycle life reported so far for any lithium-sulfur battery.

Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) have demonstrated in the laboratory a lithium-sulfur (Li/S) battery that has more than twice the specific energy of lithium-ion batteries and that lasts for more than 1,500 cycles of charge-discharge with minimal decay of the battery's capacity. This is longest cycle life reported so far for any lithium-sulfur battery.

Scientists unveil energy generating smart window

Researchers have integrated solar cells into a 'smart' window that can intelligently regulate the transmission of heat while maintaining visible transparency.

Industrial Institute of Printed Electronics

hina is making progress in the development of Printed Electronics by establishing an Industrial Institute of Printed Electronics in September 2013.

Breakthrough advances nanomaterials for printable solar cells

Research collaboration with top scientists in Australia and Japan is advancing next generation solar cells.

Self-powering cloth electronics

Self-contained power generation complements flexibility by removing the need for bulky external power supplies to make smaller devices more feasible.

AIXTRON system for carbon nanotube and graphene research

AIXTRON SE has announced a new BM system order from the Institute of Metal Research at the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Skeleton and skin strategy improves supercapacitor

The ultrathin supercapacitor could have potential uses in lightweight and flexible storage devices for portable electronic devices.

Self charging power cell converts and stores energy in a single unit

Researchers have developed a self-charging power cell that directly converts mechanical energy to chemical energy, storing the power until it is released as electrical current.

Liquid-like materials could pave way for new thermoelectric devices

In the continual quest for better thermoelectric materials—which convert heat into electricity and vice versa—researchers have identified a liquid-like compound whose properties give it the potential to be even more efficient than traditional thermoelectrics.

Cells on film

Research led by scientists at the RIKEN Advanced Science Institute in Wako, in collaboration with colleagues at the University of California, Los Angeles, and the Institute of Chemistry at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, has produced a polymer film that can capture specific CTCs1.

The Asian Research Network: a collaboration to boost science

The spirit of cooperation is aiding research productivity across Asia.

Solvay invests in Polyera to expand printed electronics development

Solvay is investing 4 million USD in a minority stake in Polyera Corporation, a materials developer for the printed electronics market.

Recent advances in lithium ion battery chemistry

Progress is now rapid in improving lithium rechargeable batteries known as lithium ion. Some are counterintuitive and a big surprise.

Graphene oxide gets green

An environmentally friendly graphene oxide could be used in polymers, ceramics and metals, as thin films for electronics, as drug-delivery devices and for hydrogen storage, as well as for oil and gas recovery.