US Department of Energy

Navy partnership develops first 3D printed submersible

The Optionally Manned Technology Demonstrator is a prototype vessel that could be used to deploy logistics capabilities and sensors. In the future, vessels will need to be manufactured faster and incorporate new designs to support each Navy mission.

How CRISPR proteins find their target

Researchers have discovered how Cas1-Cas2, the proteins responsible for the ability of the CRISPR immune system in bacteria to adapt to new viral infections, identify the site in the genome where they insert viral DNA so they can recognize it later and mount an attack.

New world efficiency record with perovskite solar cells

A recent study finds key to produce a new cost-efficient way to produce inorganic-organic hybrid perovskite solar cells which sets a new world-record efficiency performance of 22.1 % in small cells and 19.7 percent in 1-square-centimeter cells.

Non-toxic alternative for next-generation solar cells

Researchers have demonstrated how a non-toxic alternative to lead could form the basis of next-generation solar cells.

Can you imagine fully charging your cell phone in just a few seconds?

MXene electrodes push charging rate limits in energy storage.

Self-powered system makes smart windows smarter

Smart windows equipped with controllable glazing can augment lighting, cooling and heating systems by varying their tint, saving up to 40 percent in an average building's energy costs.

New class of 'soft' semiconductors could transform HD displays

A new type of semiconductor may be coming to a high-definition display near you.

Liquid tin-sulfur compound shows thermoelectric potential

Glass and steel makers produce large amounts of wasted heat energy at high temperatures, but solid-state thermoelectric devices that convert heat to electricity either don't operate at high enough temperatures or cost so much that their use is limited to special applications such as spacecraft.

Scientists able to "see" light-to-energy transfer in new solar cells

Scientists are now able to capture the moment less than one trillionth of a second a particle of light hits a solar cell and becomes energy, and describe the physics of the charge carrier and atom movement for the first time.

A wearable brain scanner

The scanner can be "worn" like a helmet, allowing research subjects to stand and make movements as the device scans.

Self-healing tech charges up performance

Researchers have found a way to apply self-healing technology to lithium-ion batteries to make them more reliable and last longer.

Electroplating delivers high-energy, high-power batteries

The process that makes gold-plated jewelry or chrome car accents is now making powerful lithium-ion batteries.

Thin transparent film could improve electronics and solar cells

A new nano-scale thin film material with the highest-ever conductivity in its class. The new material could lead to smaller, faster, and more powerful electronics, as well as more efficient solar cells.

Device pulls water from dry air, powered only by the sun

Imagine a future in which every home has an appliance that pulls all the water the household needs out of the air, even in dry or desert climates, using only the power of the sun.

New perovskite ink opens window for quality cells

Scientists have developed a new perovskite ink with a long processing window that allows the scalable production of perovskite thin films for high-efficiency solar cells.

Project turns waste heat to electricity

Vast amounts of energy are wasted every year in the form of heat. A new project seeks to efficiently capture that heat and convert it to electricity.

How some battery materials expand without cracking

When you charge a battery, or when you use it, it's not just electricity but also matter that moves around inside.

Nanoribbons pave the way to 'on-off' states for graphene

A new way to grow narrow ribbons of graphene, a lightweight and strong structure of single-atom-thick carbon atoms linked into hexagons, may address a shortcoming that has prevented the material from achieving its full potential in electronic applications.

EnZinc

EnZinc is a US start-up working on the development of rechargeable Zn/air batteries, which they envision can be a low-cost alternative to Li-ion for electric mobility applications.

Coming together, falling apart, and starting over, battery style

Whether inside your laptop computer or storing energy outside wind farms, we need high-capacity, long-lasting, and safe batteries.