Science Daily March 8, 2018 The action of aerosols is an important element of research on climate change, as they partially counteract the heating action of greenhouse gases. Using the K computer, researchers in Japan combined a model that simulates the entire global weather over a year taking into account the vertical processes inside clouds, accurately modelling the microphysics of clouds, giving a more accurate picture of how clouds and aerosols behave in the real world. The explicit representation of cloud microphysics in global scale modelling reduces the uncertainty of climate prediction… read more. Open Access TECHNICAL ARTICLE
Tag Archives: S&T Japan
Melding of concepts from different scientific fields
Science Daily March 9, 2018 Researchers in Japan developed a new methodology to analyze citations in papers that used two specified terms and tracked the changes over time. They mapped individual papers and connected these with papers they had cited, resulting in publications citing the same paper being close to each other. They found that only a few publications were required for the fusion between agent based modeling and individual based modeling and these weren’t necessarily the most cited papers. According to them three things are needed for fusion to occur: researchers being aware of issues in different fields; common […]
Charging ahead to higher energy batteries
TechXplore February 26, 2018 The low rate capabilities and low energy densities of the all-solid-state batteries are partly due to a lack of suitable solid-solid heterogeneous interface formation technologies. Researchers in Japan grew garnet-type oxide solid electrolyte crystals in molten LiOH on a substrate that bonded the electrode into a solid state as they grew. They were able to control the thickness and connection area within the cubic layer, which acts as a ceramic separator. Each crystal is connected to neighboring ones. The new technique of stacking solid electrolyte layer could be an ideal ceramic separator with a dense thin-interface […]
Palmreaders? Japan team builds second skin message display
Physorg February 18, 2018 Researchers in Japan have invented a band-aid-like stretchable device which is one millimetre thick and can monitor important health data as well as send and receive messages, including emojis. The display consists of a 16-by-24 array of micro LEDs and stretchable wiring mounted on a rubber sheet and a lightweight sensor composed of a breathable “nanomesh” electrode, and a wireless communication module. It can be placed on the human body for a week without causing skin inflammation. It has medical applications and wearable displays… read more.
Exploring electrolysis for energy storage
Science Daily January 2, 2018 Researchers in Japan have developed a flow-type polymer electrolyte cell for power storage. The cell reduces oxalic acid (OX) to glycolic acid, which has a higher volumetric energy-storage capacity than hydrogen gas. Newly fabricated TiO2 cathode enhanced the speed and efficiency of OX reduction. By using a solid polymer electrolyte in direct contact with the electrodes, the reaction can be as a continuous flow without addition of impurities. The maximum volumetric energy capacity of the GC solution is around 50 times that of hydrogen gas. The energy efficiency, as opposed to capacity, lags behind other […]
Thermoelectric power generation at room temperature: Coming soon?
Physorg.com December 27, 2017 Researchers in Japan combined silicon with ytterbium to create ytterbium silicide which is a good electrical conductor, non-toxic and has valence fluctuation that makes it a good TE material at low temperatures. The Yb atoms in YbSi2 occupy crystal planes and the Si atoms form hexagonal sheets between those planes blocking the conduction of heat through the material keeping the thermal conductivity down. They have achieved high power factor of 2.2 mWm-1K-2 at room temperature. The research could help unlock the benefits of TE in everyday technology. Read more. TECHNICAL ARTICLE
Innovative transistors based on magnetically induced movement of ions
Nanowerk December 27, 2017 The transport of paramagnetic FeCl4 ions in a liquid electrolyte (including [Bmim]FeCl4) demonstrated by researchers in Japan, was magnetically controlled to operate a typical electrochemical device; an Electric Double Layer Transistor (EDLT), a type of transistor that uses an EDL at a semiconductor/electrolyte interface to tune the electronic carrier density of the semiconductor. The device was successfully switched by a magnetic field, although the switching ratio was smaller than in conventional EDLTs that are controlled by an electric field. The research has the potential to realize innovative applications that have not been possible using conventional approaches. […]
Atomically thin perovskites boost for future electronics
Physorg.com December 27, 2017 High-κ dielectric materials may be the key for developing electronic devices of the future. Researchers in Japan created high-performance dielectric nanofilms using 2-D perovskite nanosheets (Ca2Nam−3NbmO3m+1; m = 3–6) as building blocks. It exhibited an unprecedented capacitance density of approximately 203 μF cm-2, which is about three orders of magnitude greater than that of currently available ceramic condensers, opening a route to ultra-scaled high-density capacitors. The research provides a strategy for achieving 2-D high-κ dielectrics/ferroelectrics for use in ultra-scaled electronics and post-graphene technology. Read more. TECHNICAL ARTICLE Credit: National Institute for Materials Science