Getting water to condense isn't particularly difficult. Getting it to condense efficiently, and then move out of the way quickly enough for the process to start again, is rather more complicated. Engineers at KAIST have developed an ultrathin polymer coating that tackles both sides of that problem. Applied to copper tubes, the surface achieved condensation heat transfer … [Read more...] about Nanoscale coating boosts condensation heat transfer by up to 5.5 times
Materials
New stainless steel could cut the cost of green hydrogen production
Stainless steel has spent more than a century earning its reputation as one of engineering's most dependable materials. From bridges and chemical plants to kitchen sinks, its resistance to corrosion has made it the obvious choice wherever metals are expected to survive harsh environments. There has always been a catch, though. Push stainless steel into the high electrical … [Read more...] about New stainless steel could cut the cost of green hydrogen production
Unexpected plasma process could reshape graphene oxide production
Some engineering breakthroughs arrive after years of carefully pursuing a single objective. Others appear almost by accident. Researchers at Texas A&M University were investigating new ways to produce hydrogen when they realised the carbon left behind wasn't simply a by-product. It was graphene oxide, one of the most widely used carbon nanomaterials in energy storage, … [Read more...] about Unexpected plasma process could reshape graphene oxide production
Origami-inspired mechanism could give robots the ability to change shape
Most robots are designed to do one job well. A wheeled robot can move quickly across smooth ground, while a four-legged machine is better suited to uneven terrain. The problem is that once a robot is built, its shape is largely fixed. Researchers at King's College London believe that could eventually change. Working with collaborators in China, the team has completed what … [Read more...] about Origami-inspired mechanism could give robots the ability to change shape
New photonic chip design brings fibre-optic performance onto silicon
Most of the world's internet traffic spends at least part of its journey travelling through optical fibre. It's fast, efficient and remarkably good at carrying light over long distances with very little signal loss. Shrinking that same performance onto a silicon chip, however, has proved far more difficult. Researchers at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) now … [Read more...] about New photonic chip design brings fibre-optic performance onto silicon