Light accelerates conductivity in nature’s ‘electric grid’

“It is a completely different form of photosynthesis”

09-Sep-2022 - The natural world possesses its own intrinsic electrical grid composed of a global web of tiny bacteria-generated nanowires in the soil and oceans that “breathe” by exhaling excess electrons. In a new study, Yale University researchers discovered that light is a surprising ally in fostering this ...

Better catalysts make better fuel cells

Electricity-powered molecular catalysts that may prove vital for a new generation of fuel cells designed.

16-Nov-2016 - Yale chemists have created a framework for designing electricity-powered molecular catalysts that may prove vital for a new generation of fuel cells. Also called electrocatalysts, these substances boost the rate of a chemical reaction by decreasing the energy input along the way. In fuel cells, ...

Acoustic resonator device paves the way for better communication

22-Sep-2016 - Yale researchers have developed a high-frequency version of a device known as an acoustic resonator that could advance the field of quantum computing and information processing. Hong Tang, Yale’s Llewellyn West Jones Jr. Professor of Electrical Engineering & Physics, and his research team, ...

Yale researchers’ technology turns wasted heat into power

29-Jun-2016 - Researchers at Yale have developed a new technology that could make energy from the low-temperature wasted heat produced by industrial sources and power plants, tapping into a widely available — and mostly unused — resource. It is estimated that recoverable waste heat in the U.S. alone could ...

Scientists amplify light using sound on a silicon chip

16-Jun-2016 - Yale scientists have found a way to greatly boost the intensity of light waves on a silicon microchip using the power of sound. A team led by Peter Rakich describes a new waveguide system that harnesses the ability to precisely control the interaction of light and sound waves. This work solves a ...

In probing mysteries of glass, researchers find a key to toughness

28-Feb-2013 - In Nature Communications, a Yale University team and collaborators propose a way of predicting whether a given glass will be brittle or ductile — a desirable property typically associated with metals like steel or aluminum — and assert that any glass could have either quality. "Most of us think ...

Yale researchers call for specialty metals recycling

27-Sep-2012 - An international policy is needed for recycling scarce specialty metals that are critical in the production of consumer goods, according to Yale researchers in Science."A recycling rate of zero for specialty metals is alarming when we consider that their use is growing quickly," said co-author ...

Scientists show there's nothing boring about watching paint dry

17-Aug-2010 - It turns out that watching paint dry might not be as boring as the old adage claims. A team led by Yale University researchers has come up with a new technique to study the mechanics of coatings as they dry and peel, and has discovered that the process is far from mundane. In the August 9-13 ...

Scientists discover repulsive side to light force

15-Jul-2009 - A team of Yale University researchers has discovered a "repulsive" light force that can be used to control components on silicon microchips, meaning future nanodevices could be controlled by light rather than electricity. The team previously discovered an "attractive" force of light and showed ...

'The photon force is with us': Harnessing light to drive nanomachines

01-Dec-2008 - Science fiction writers have long envisioned sailing a spacecraft by the optical force of the sun's light. But, the forces of sunlight are too weak to fill even the oversized sails that have been tried. Now a team led by researchers at the Yale School of Engineering & Applied Science has shown ...