Research Bits: July 22


Getting the gold Researchers from Flinders University proposed a new extraction technique for recovering gold from electronic waste and ore that avoids the use of mercury and cyanide, which are often used in small-scale gold recycling and mining operations. “The study featured many innovations including a new and recyclable leaching reagent derived from a compound used to disinfect water,... » read more

An Eco-Friendly Conductive Ink For Thin-Film Electronics


A technical paper titled “Recyclable Thin-Film Soft Electronics for Smart Packaging and E-Skins” was published by researchers at Carnegie Mellon University and University of Coimbra. Abstract: Despite advances in soft, sticker-like electronics, few efforts have dealt with the challenge of electronic waste. Here, this is addressed by introducing an eco-friendly conductive ink for thin-film... » read more

Research Bits: May 2


Reconfigurable FeHEMT Researchers at the University of Michigan created a reconfigurable ferroelectric transistor that could enable a single amplifier to do the work of multiple conventional amplifiers. “By realizing this new type of transistor, it opens up the possibility for integrating multifunctional devices, such as reconfigurable transistors, filters and resonators, on the same plat... » read more

Power/Performance Bits: Feb. 4


Infrared nanoantenna Researchers at the University of Würzburg built a nanoantenna capable of generating directed infrared light. The Yagi-Uda antenna is the smallest of its type yet created. "Basically, it works in the same way as its big brothers for radio waves ," said René Kullock, a member of the nano-optics team at Würzburg. An AC voltage is applied that causes electrons in the met... » read more

Power/Performance Bits: Jan. 2


Hydrogen from seawater Engineers at Columbia University are developing an ocean-based photovoltaic-powered electrolysis device that can operate as a stand-alone floating platform to split water into hydrogen fuel and oxygen. State-of-the-art electrolyzers use expensive membranes to maintain separation of the H2 and O2 gases produced by water electrolysis. The new device relies instead on an... » read more