Researchers develop gel filling for lithium-ion batteries

Improved safety and performance

04-Sep-2024 - A new type of gel, developed by chemists at the Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (MLU), could help to make lithium-ion batteries safer and more powerful. The gel is designed to prevent the highly flammable electrolyte fluid from leaking. Initial lab studies show that it also improves the ...

Researchers create highly conductive metallic gel for 3D printing

Printed objects can be engineered to change shape as the gel dries; a phenomenon called '4D printing,' with the fourth dimension being time

18-Jul-2023 - Researchers have developed a metallic gel that is highly electrically conductive and can be used to print three-dimensional (3D) solid objects at room temperature. “3D printing has revolutionized manufacturing, but we’re not aware of previous technologies that allowed you to print 3D metal ...

Mystery of microgels solved

The results open up opportunities for new applications in materials and pharmaceutical research

12-Jul-2023 - Researchers at PSI and the University of Barcelona have managed to explain the strange behaviour of microgels. Their measurements using neutron beams have pushed this measuring technique to its limits. The results open up opportunities for new applications in materials and pharmaceutical ...

Scientists create luminescent gels with multitude of applications from counterfeiting to bio-sensing

15-Jun-2022 - Scientists from Trinity College Dublin have taken inspiration from nature to create luminescent, self-healing gels with a suite of potential applications ranging from bank note counterfeiting to next-gen bio-sensing and imaging. Crucially, the scientists have been able to introduce guanosine (a ...

Scientists show how to store liquid fuels in polymeric gels to prevent explosions and fires

Researchers from Japan investigate a new safer way to transport and store fuels

13-May-2022 - Liquid fuels with high energy density are essential in many applications where chemical energy is converted into controlled motion, such as in rockets, gas turbines, boilers, and certain vehicle engines. Besides their combustion characteristics and performance, it is also important to guarantee ...

Green chemistry needs more green toxicology

Sustainable bioeconomy: Development of environmentally friendly bio-shampoos and plant protection agent technologies

16-Feb-2022 - With the early assessment of sustainable, newly developed chemicals and products it is possible to assess a potential risk of toxic substances being released at a later point in product cascades. This has been revealed in a proof-of-concept study jointly coordinated by Goethe University Frankfurt ...

Nanoparticle gel unites oil and water in manufacturing-friendly approach

Novel gel-creation method could open applications in water filtration, other applications

15-Feb-2021 - Oil and water may not mix, but adding the right nanoparticles to the recipe can convert these two immiscible fluids into an exotic gel with uses ranging from batteries to water filters to tint-changing smart windows. A new approach to creating this unusual class of soft materials could carry them ...

Pea protein, Nanogels and Particle adhesion on surfaces

3 young trend-setters nominated for LUM science award YSA 2019

19-Feb-2019 - From 22-23 May 2019 LUM GmbH hosts the 9th International Conference Dispersion Analysis & Materials Testing in Berlin, Germany. Since 2014 the Young Scientist Award (YSA) recognizes outstanding scientific work by young researchers in the areas of particle and dispersion characterization and ...

A smart safe rechargeable zinc ion battery based on sol-gel transition electrolytes

23-Jul-2018 - The thermal runaway issue has been a long-standing obstacle impeding the development of high energy density and high power delivery batteries. These batteries would generate a lot of heat in ultrafast charge/discharge process or hazardous conditions, such as overcharging and short-circuit. To ...

Photoreversible molecular switch changes the physical property of thermoresponsive polymer

05-Feb-2018 - Researchers have developed a novel strategy to control the shapes of polymeric materials by utilizing photoresponsive molecular switches, which may evolve tractable stimuli-responsive soft materials. Ionic liquids (ILs) are liquid-state salts at room temperature and are high-potential materials ...