Latest news with #AdvancedFunctionalMaterials
India Today
20-06-2025
- Science
- India Today
Indian researchers develop new way to enhance lithium-ion battery safety
In a major leap toward enhancing lithium-ion battery safety, researchers at Shiv Nadar Institution of Eminence have unveiled a groundbreaking thermoresponsive electrolyte that actively prevents catastrophic battery innovation, recently published in the prestigious journal Advanced Functional Materials, promises to transform the safety landscape for devices powered by lithium-ion batteries, including smartphones, laptops, and electric lithium-ion batteries rely on polymer separators for safety, which are designed to melt or shrink at around 160C to halt battery However, these separators often fail under real-world conditions, as internal battery temperatures can easily surpass this threshold, leading to dangerous thermal runaway—a phenomenon that can cause fires or Shiv Nadar team's new approach leverages chemistry, not just materials engineering. Their electrolyte is engineered using Diels – Alder click chemistry, combining vinylene carbonate and 2,5-dimethylfuran. Under normal conditions, it functions just like commercial electrolytes. (Photo: Shiv Nadar) Under normal conditions, it functions just like commercial electrolytes. But when the battery's temperature rises above 100C — a critical warning sign — the Diels – Alder reaction is reaction produces polymeric materials that simultaneously block lithium-ion movement and clog the separator's micropores, effectively shutting down the battery's operation before it can reach hazardous two-stage protection mechanism provides a built-in safety buffer, giving users critical time before any catastrophic failure occurs,' explained lead researcher Professor Arnab Ghosh.'Unlike conventional polymer separators, which often fail above 160C due to thermal shrinkage, our thermoresponsive electrolyte ceases lithium-ion transport as soon as the temperature exceeds 100–120C. This limits further internal temperature rise and significantly reduces the risk of fire or explosion,' he shift from passive to active safety mechanisms could revolutionise battery safety standards across halting battery operation at lower, safer temperatures, this technology offers enhanced protection for a wide range of applications— from consumer electronics to electric vehicles — potentially saving lives and breakthrough shows India's growing leadership in battery research, positioning Shiv Nadar Institution of Eminence at the forefront of global efforts to make energy storage safer and more reliable.
The Hindu
13-05-2025
- Science
- The Hindu
Researchers develop new metal-free organic catalyst which can produce hydrogen fuel by harvesting mechanical energy
In an interdisciplinary study, researchers from the Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR), along with other institutions, have developed a novel, cost-effective, metal-free porous organic catalyst for efficient Hydrogen fuel production by harvesting mechanical energy. According to the Department of Science and Technology, in order to reduce global warming and the related impact of fossil fuels, transition towards sustainable alternatives based on renewable energy becomes increasingly critical. Game-changing source 'Green hydrogen (H₂) fuel has emerged as a game-changing renewable and clean-burning energy source, which generates no direct carbon emissions and only water as a by-product when used in fuel cells,' it said. Professor Tapas K. Maji from the Chemistry and Physics of Materials Unit at JNCASR and his research team have developed a metal-free donor-acceptor based covalent-organic framework (COF) for piezocatalytic water splitting. This study published in Advanced Functional Materials demonstrates a Covalent organic framework (COF) built from imide linkages between organic donor molecule tris(4-aminophenyl)amine (TAPA) and acceptor molecule pyromellitic dianhydride (PDA) acceptor exhibiting unique ferrielectric (FiE) ordering, which showed efficient piezocatalytic activity for water splitting to produce H2. 'This discovery breaks the traditional notion of solely employing heavy or transition metal-based ferroelectric (FE) materials as piezocatalysts for catalyzing water splitting reaction,' the department stated. Using a simple donor molecule like TAPA and an acceptor molecule like PDA, Prof. Maji and his research team have built a COF system that has strong charge transfer properties, which creates dipoles (separation between positive and negative charges). Instability in structure This causes instability in the lattice structure, leading to FiE ordering. These FiE dipoles interact with flexible twisting molecular motion in the material, making them responsive to mechanical pressure. As a result, the material can generate electron-hole pairs when mechanically stimulated, making it a highly efficient piezocatalyst for water splitting for H2 production. The team comprises four other researchers from JNCASR: Adrija Ghosh, Surabhi Menon, Dr. Sandip Biswas and Dr. Anupam Dey. Apart from JNCASR, Dr. Supriya Sahoo and Prof. Ramamoorthy Boomishankar from Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Pune and Prof. Jan K. Zaręba from Wrocław University of Science and Technology, Poland made important contributions to the present interdisciplinary study.
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Scientists develop remarkable method to battle emerging threat to world's oceans: 'Stick to just about any surface'
A new method of microplastic capture promises a sustainable way to clean the ocean of dangerous pollutants. North Carolina State University researchers in a news release detailed their breakthrough, which uses environmentally safe materials that work even in wet, salty conditions. In fact, they thrive — thanks to the amazing design of the self-dispersing microcleaners. The idea behind the new technology — "Can we make the cleaning materials in the form of soft particles that self-disperse in water, capture microplastics as they sink, and then return to the surface with the captured microplastic contaminants?" — was a moon shot. Those were the words of chemical and biomolecular engineering professor and corresponding author Orlin Velev. The team stuck the landing. Its paper was published in Advanced Functional Materials in March. The research shows how ingenuity can reverse the harm done to the planet by microplastics, a scourge of both human health and the environment. The tiny plastic fragments, less than 5 millimeters in size, come from larger plastics, which do not break down but just continually degrade. Microplastics have been found everywhere on Earth and linked to Alzheimer's disease, fertility problems, and cancer. The process features eugenol, a plant-based oil that works as a dispersant when these soft dendritic colloids hit the water. The polymer-based colloids — in the form of small pellets — can "stick to just about any surface," per the release, hosted by "The cleansing particles in this research are made from chitosan, a biodegradable polymer originating from chitin, which comes from processed shellfish waste," Velev said. Magnesium makes the pellets bubble and rise to the surface after they've rounded up microplastics. A gelatin coating delays the magnesium's reaction with water, so the colloids have time to collect the targets. They rise in "a dense, scummy mixture," doctoral candidate and first author Haeleen Hong said. The particles' method of movement may be even neater — and they can "swim" for 30 minutes. Eugenol "makes the pellets move in the water by the so-called 'camphor boat effect,' decreasing the surface tension on one side of the pellet and driving it forward. This allows our microcleaners to spread out across a larger area, capturing microplastics as they move and descend," Hong said. Do you think we use too much plastic in America? Definitely Only some people Not really I'm not sure Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. And the process could even be circular, with the skimmed scum being used to make more chitosan and then more microcleaners. The paper shows proof of concept, and more research is necessary to ensure it can be scaled up. Until then, you can avoid microplastics by ditching single-use water bottles, filtering your drinking water, cooking and heating food in nonplastic products, and storing hot food in safe containers. There are other simple steps to take to use less plastic, too. Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the latest innovations improving our lives and shaping our future, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Yahoo
22-02-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Scientists accidentally discover powerful energy storage material: 'Exceptional performance and durability'
Researchers at the University of California Los Angeles recently shared their breakthrough work using a specific type of plastic to create more efficient energy storage. This new material could provide a solution to the global challenges of switching to renewable and sustainable energy, per an article posted on TechXplore. We use plastics throughout our everyday lives. Plastics help keep food fresh and medical equipment sterile, and they provide insulation within our electronics. As it turns out, plastics can do even more. Scientists in the 1970s accidentally discovered that some plastics can also conduct electricity. Many applications have since been developed to use plastics for energy storage. However, certain plastics are limited by their lack of electrical conductivity and surface area for storage. The scientists at UCLA found a way to increase the conductivity and surface area of a certain type of plastic called PEDOT, short for poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene), detailed in their paper published in Advanced Functional Materials. Usually used as a protective film for electronic components and photographic films to prevent static electricity, PEDOT is also found in touch screens and smart windows. Up until now, PEDOT lacked the electrical conductivity and surface area to be useful for energy storage, but the UCLA chemists found a way to control the morphology of PEDOT and precisely grow nanofibers. The nanofibers, which resemble dense grass, solve both problems: They're exceptionally conductive and greatly increase the surface area of the PEDOT material, giving them the potential for supercapacitor applications. Supercapacitors are able to charge and discharge very quickly because — unlike batteries — they store and release energy by accumulating electrical charge on their surface. This makes them suitable for applications requiring bursts of power, like camera flashes and regenerative braking systems in both hybrid and electric vehicles. This capability could allow supercapacitors to reduce our dependence on dirty fuels, helping to curb rising global temperatures. Reducing the use of dirty energy sources will lead to cleaner air, safer communities, and fewer extreme weather events. Do you think our power grid needs to be upgraded? Definitely Only in some states Not really I'm not sure Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. The new PEDOT material's conductivity is 100 times higher than commercial PEDOT products, and the nanofibers' electrochemically active surface area is four times greater than that of traditional PEDOT material, according to the TechXplore article. "The exceptional performance and durability of our electrodes shows great potential for graphene PEDOT's use in supercapacitors that can help our society meet our energy needs," said the corresponding author of the study, Richard Kaner, a UCLA distinguished professor of chemistry and of materials science and engineering. Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the latest innovations improving our lives and shaping our future, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
