Nanowerk April 5, 2022 Conventional paper is made of cellulose fibres found in wood, and the process involves energy-intensive steps that include logging, debarking, and chipping. Making pollen-based paper is similar to traditional soapmaking, which is much simpler and less energy-intensive. Researchers in Singapore used potassium hydroxide to remove the cellular components encapsulated in tough sunflower pollen grains and turned them into soft microgel particles. This step also removes allergens from the pollen. They used deionized water to remove unwanted particles from the microgel, before casting it into a 22 cm x 22 cm mould for air-drying, forming a piece […]
Tag Archives: S&T Singapore
Making an object invisible under fluid flow
Phys.org January 7, 2022 Without any obstacle, the fluid flows along a straight line. If an obstacle is present, the straight streamline will be defected, and an observer can sense the size, shape, and position of the obstacle. Guiding the fluid to flow faster closer to the obstacle and slower farther from it conceals the distortions and restore original straight streamlines. Instead of engineering the mass density of the fluid to control the speed of the fluid flow, researchers in Singapore simply engineered the thickness of the fluid channel. They showed that thicker fluid channel gives rise to smaller mass […]
Using quantum Parrondo’s random walks for encryption
Phys.org October 15, 2021 Quantum game theory has stimulated some interest in recent years with the advancement of quantum information theory. This interest has led to a resurgence of quantum Parrondo’s games. With two losing games combining to give a winning game, this paradoxical idea is known as Parrondo’s paradox. Researchers in Singapore used chaotic switching between the two losing quantum games, to show that it is possible to achieve Parrondo’s paradox involving a quantum walker playing two-sided quantum coin tossing games. They showed that the framework of chaotic switching in quantum coin tosses can be applied to encryption. This […]
New study boosts hope for a broad vaccine to combat COVID-19 variants and future coronavirus outbreaks
Science Daily August 19, 2021 Researchers in Singapore have provided data showing that potent cross-clade pan-sarbecovirus neutralizing antibodies are induced in survivors of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 1 (SARS-CoV-1) infection who have been immunized with the BNT162b2 messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccine. The antibodies are high-level and broad-spectrum, capable of neutralizing not only known variants of concern but also sarbecoviruses that have been identified in bats and pangolins and have the potential to cause human infection. These findings show the feasibility of a pan-sarbecovirus vaccine strategy…read more. Open Access TECHNICAL ARTICLE
Scientists make highly maneuverable miniature robots controlled by magnetic fields
EurekAlert June 14, 2021 Researchers in Singapore created miniature robots by embedding magnetic microparticles into biocompatible polymers which are ‘programmed’ to execute their desired functionalities when magnetic fields are applied. They discovered the third and final principal vector of the magnetic fields, which is critical for controlling such machines. The robots have six degrees of freedom, rotate 43 times faster and they can be made with ‘soft’ materials hence replicate important mechanical qualities, ability to grip and precisely pick and place miniature objects. Other features include the remote control, ability to swim through barriers, and assemble structures, precise orientation control, […]
Wireless, ultra-thin and battery-free strain sensors that are 10 times more sensitive
EurekAlert December 15, 2020 Performance of conventional strain sensors has always been limited by the nature of sensing materials used, and users have limited options of customizing the sensors for specific applications. Researchers in Singapore have developed flexible, stretchable, and electrically conductive nanomaterials called MXenes and fabricated strain sensors which are ultra-thin, battery-free and transmit data wirelessly. The sensors are 10 times more sensitive when measuring minute movements of industrial robotic arms, compared to existing technology. In precision manufacturing it helps improve the overall safety of robotic arms by providing automated feedback on precise movements with an error margin below […]
Using the ‘shadow effect’ to generate electricity
Techxplore May 21, 2020 Researchers in Singapore used Kelvin Probe Force Microscopy to experimentally validated that a shadow-effect energy generator (SEG) scavenges the illumination contrast that arises on the device from shadow castings, and generates a direct current, simply by placing a part of the generator in shadow. The SEG is capable of harvesting energy from illumination contrasts arising under weak ambient light. Without any optimization, the generator has a power density of 0.14 μW cm−2 under indoor conditions 0.001 sun, where shadows are persistent. It performs 200% better than that of commercial silicon solar cells under the effects of […]
Quantum dot lasers move a step closer with electric-pumping development
Phys.org November 29, 2019 Colloidal quantum dots (CQDs) are highly promising materials for light amplification. But band-edge state degeneracy demands multiple excitons to achieve population inversion increasing the lasing threshold and limits the gain lifetime. Researchers in Singapore have demonstrated that the amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) threshold is controllable in a device where CQD film is exposed to an external electric field. Specifically, singly charged CQDs lower the threshold due to the preexisting electron in the conduction band, while strongly enhanced Auger recombination in doubly charged CQDs stymies the ASE. According to the researchers the next big challenge in laser […]
This humidity digester breathes in atmospheric water and exhales energy
Science Daily November 20, 2019 Researchers in Singapore have developed a humidity digester composed of a moisture hydrogel based zinc and cobalt, cathode, photoanode, and a solar cell. Just like batteries, it generates power from atmospheric humidity instead of an electrolyte. The photoanodes, acting as a photo-electrocatalyst, oxidize the absorbed water in the presence of light to split water and produce energy. The hydrogel constantly replenishes the system with water that is pulled out from the air to sustain the energy generation process. The assembly generates electricity while dehumidifying the room. The second-generation cobalt hydrogel absorbs moisture faster than any […]
On the cusp of valleytronics
Nanowerk November 30, 2018 According to researchers in Singapore information can be transmitted by controlling an electron’s association with a valley — a manipulation that can be achieved using electric fields, magnetic fields and circularly polarised light. As the valley is a property of the whole material, the valley states are destroyed only if the material is significantly modified or ceases to exist. Therefore, encoding information onto valley states should be more enduring due to the unique coupling of electron spin to valley. They are engineering a number of new and useful 2D semiconductors for this technology by adjusting their […]