http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/matter_energy/thermodynamics/ Physical Chemistry and Thermodynamics News. Read thermodynamics law, browse chemistry articles, search huge archives on physical chemistry. Full-text, images, free. en-us Wed, 11 Nov 2009 08:05:01 EST Wed, 11 Nov 2009 08:05:01 EST 60 http://www.sciencedaily.com/images/logosmall.gif http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/matter_energy/thermodynamics/ For more science articles, visit ScienceDaily. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102172043.htm Researchers are collaborating on a study to determine if an imaging technique used by NASA to inspect the space shuttle can be used to predict tissue damage often experienced by breast cancer patients undergoing radiation therapy. The study is examining the utility of three-dimensional thermal tomography in radiation oncology. Tue, 03 Nov 2009 14:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102172043.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102103327.htm In the quest to produce nuclear fusion energy, researchers from the DIII-D National Fusion Facility have recently confirmed long-standing theoretical predictions that performance, efficiency and reliability are simultaneously obtained in tokamaks, the leading magnetic confinement fusion device, operating at their performance limits. Mon, 02 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102103327.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091029120858.htm Does your laptop sometimes get so hot that it can almost be used to fry eggs? New technology may help cool it and give information technology a unique twist. Fri, 30 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091029120858.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091022164245.htm By adding select small molecules to mixtures of nanoparticles and polymers, researchers can direct the self-assembly of the nanoparticles into arrays of one, two and even three dimensions with no chemical modifications. Sun, 25 Oct 2009 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091022164245.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091013105317.htm Houses on stilts, small scale energy generation and recycling our dishwater are just some of the measures that are being proposed to prepare our cities for the effects of global warming. A new study outlines how major cities must respond if they are to continue to grow in the face of climate change. Thu, 22 Oct 2009 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091013105317.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091020111614.htm Engineers have created a new material that would allow a fingernail-size computer chip to store the equivalent of 20 high-definition DVDs or 250 million pages of text, far exceeding the storage capacities of today's computer memory systems. Tue, 20 Oct 2009 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091020111614.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091001095612.htm Aircraft maintenance will be easier in future, with sensors monitoring the aircraft skin. If they discover any dents or cracks they will send a radio message to a monitoring unit. The energy needed for this will be obtained from temperature differences. Sun, 18 Oct 2009 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091001095612.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090928095221.htm Working toward ever lower temperatures is only part of the battle for physicists studying ultra-cold systems of atoms. A group of researchers has now found a way to deal with disorder as well, as they pump entropy away from an atomic gas. Tue, 06 Oct 2009 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090928095221.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091004020806.htm NASA has made a series of critical strides toward the development of new nuclear reactors the size of a trash can that could power a human outpost on the moon or Mars. Three recent tests at different NASA centers and a national lab have successfully demonstrated key technologies required for compact fission-based nuclear power plants for human settlements on other worlds. Sun, 04 Oct 2009 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091004020806.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090925092650.htm A team of researchers from Spain has developed a "scintillating bolometer" -- a device that the scientists will use in efforts to detect the dark matter of the universe. Fri, 25 Sep 2009 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090925092650.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090922185702.htm A research team studying sugar-coated nanoparticles for use as a possible cancer therapy has uncovered a delicate balancing act that makes the particles more effective than conventional thinking says they should be. Just like individuals in a crowd respecting other people's personal space, the particles work because they get close together, but not too close. Wed, 23 Sep 2009 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090922185702.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090922123931.htm Understanding precisely how fluid boils in tiny "microchannels" has led to formulas and models that will help engineers design systems to cool high-power electronics in electric and hybrid cars, aircraft, computers and other devices. Wed, 23 Sep 2009 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090922123931.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090918100021.htm Many medical conditions, such as chronic pain, cancer and diabetes, require medications that cannot be taken orally, but must be dosed intermittently, on an as-needed basis, over a long period of time. Researchers have devised a drug delivery solution that combines magnetism with nanotechnology. Fri, 18 Sep 2009 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090918100021.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090916103420.htm Scientists are reporting development of a new method for screening molecules and predicting how certain materials, ranging from chemicals used in carpeting to electronics, will contribute to global warming. Fri, 18 Sep 2009 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090916103420.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090912144809.htm With increasing depth, geothermal energy offers an almost inexhaustible potential for renewable energy. The drilling costs however, rise exponentially with depth in the case of conventional rotary drilling. A thermal drilling method, which will allow for reaching greater drilling depths in a more efficient and more cost-effective way, is currently under development. Tue, 15 Sep 2009 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090912144809.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090907142347.htm Brewing engineers in Germany are investigating a new process combination that could enable beer makers to cut their energy consumption by as much as 20 percent. They propose a new production chain linking combined heat and power stations, which so far have proven unsuitable for breweries, with a thermo-chemical zeolite heat storage system. They further plan to model the energy balance of an entire brewery to realize savings from the cleaning system through the bottling plant. Thu, 10 Sep 2009 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090907142347.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090818083226.htm Researchers have developed a reusable organic liquid that can pull harmful gases such as carbon dioxide or sulfur dioxide out of industrial emissions from power plants. The process could directly replace current methods and allow power plants to capture double the amount of harmful gases in a way that uses no water, less energy and saves money. Fri, 21 Aug 2009 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090818083226.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090819123939.htm Researchers have destroyed prostate cancer tumors in mice by injecting them with specially-coated, minuscule carbon tubes and then superheating the tubes with a brief zap of a laser. Thu, 20 Aug 2009 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090819123939.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/07/090729210454.htm Recent research into the properties of graphene nanoribbons provides two new reasons for using the material as interconnects in future computer chips. In widths as narrow as 16 nanometers, graphene has a current carrying capacity approximately a thousand times greater than copper -- while providing improved thermal conductivity. Sat, 15 Aug 2009 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/07/090729210454.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090811143716.htm Water is familiar to everyone -- it shapes our bodies and our planet. But despite this abundance, the molecular structure of water has remained a mystery, with the substance exhibiting many strange properties that are still poorly understood. Recent work, however, is shedding new light on water's molecular idiosyncrasies, offering insight into its strange bulk properties. Wed, 12 Aug 2009 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090811143716.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/07/090720102010.htm Tough new fire-resistant coating materials called HIPS ("hybrid inorganic polymer system") are showing they can take the heat. HIPS coatings can withstand temperatures of over 1000°C compared to current commercial coatings used on building materials and structures which break down at between 150-250°C. Tue, 11 Aug 2009 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/07/090720102010.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/07/090727191923.htm Nanoparticles are being developed to perform a wide range of medical uses -- imaging tumors, carrying drugs, delivering pulses of heat. Rather than settling for just one of these, researchers have combined two nanoparticles in one tiny package. The result is the first structure that creates a multipurpose nanotechnology tool for medical imaging and therapy. Thu, 06 Aug 2009 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/07/090727191923.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/07/090721122846.htm Automobile owners around the world may some day soon be driving on tires that are partly made out of trees -- which could cost less, perform better and save on fuel and energy. Wed, 05 Aug 2009 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/07/090721122846.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090803104809.htm By injecting man-made, microscopic tubes into tumors and heating them with a quick, 30-second zap of a laser, scientists have discovered a way to effectively kill kidney tumors in nearly 80 percent of mice. Researchers say that the finding suggests a potential future cancer treatment for humans. Wed, 05 Aug 2009 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090803104809.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090803132737.htm Diesel and gasoline fuel sources both bring unique assets and liabilities to powering internal combustion engines. But what if an engine could be programmed to harvest the best properties of both fuel sources at once, on the fly, by blending the fuels within the combustion chamber? Tue, 04 Aug 2009 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090803132737.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/07/090727081108.htm Mine shafts on the point of being closed down could be used to provide geothermal energy to local towns. The method engineers have developed makes it possible to estimate the amount of heat that a tunnel could potentially provide. Fri, 31 Jul 2009 23:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/07/090727081108.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/07/090730154025.htm A well-established physical law describes the transfer of heat between two objects, but some physicists have long predicted that the law should break down when the objects are very close together. Scientists had never been able to confirm, or measure, this breakdown in practice. For the first time, however, researchers have achieved this feat, and determined that the heat transfer can be 1,000 times greater than the law predicts. Fri, 31 Jul 2009 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/07/090730154025.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/07/090729121700.htm An academic is working on research that could help protect the lives of military based in Afghanistan. He has been testing how safe vehicles with titanium alloys are when attacked by bullets or explosions. Thu, 30 Jul 2009 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/07/090729121700.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/07/090716113356.htm A new method for capturing significantly more heat from low-temperature geothermal resources holds promise for generating virtually pollution-free electrical energy. Scientists will determine if their innovative approach can safely and economically extract and convert heat from vast untapped geothermal resources. Mon, 20 Jul 2009 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/07/090716113356.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/07/090707093625.htm Tiny flying machines can be used for everything from indoor surveillance to exploring collapsed buildings, but simply making smaller versions of planes and helicopters doesn't work very well. Instead, researchers are mimicking nature's small flyers -- and developing robotic bats that offer increased maneuverability and performance. Wed, 08 Jul 2009 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/07/090707093625.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/07/090706134100.htm Study of proteins as a single molecule shows promise to help scientists understand the causes of diseases like some cancers. Research on bunched molecules could lead to a more efficient way to identify antibodies in blood. Tue, 07 Jul 2009 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/07/090706134100.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/07/090702080119.htm Researchers have successfully created an optical transistor from a single molecule. This has brought them one step closer to an optical computer. Fri, 03 Jul 2009 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/07/090702080119.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090617131404.htm Physicists have successfully landed a one-two punch on a tiny glass sphere, refrigerating it in liquid helium and then dosing its perimeter with a laser beam, to bring its naturally occurring mechanical vibrations to a near standstill. Tue, 30 Jun 2009 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090617131404.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090623112110.htm Engineers have developed a technique that saves energy and servicing costs by indicating when air conditioners are low on refrigerant, preventing the units from working overtime. Mon, 29 Jun 2009 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090623112110.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090611142400.htm Researchers have developed an "electronic glue" that could accelerate advances in semiconductor-based technologies, including solar cells and thermoelectric devices that convert sun light and waste heat, respectively, into useful electrical energy. Wed, 24 Jun 2009 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090611142400.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090602161940.htm Approximately a third of the electricity consumed by large data centers doesn't power the computer servers that conduct online transactions, serve web pages or store information. Instead, that electricity must be used for cooling the servers, a demand that continues to increase as computer processing power grows. Sat, 06 Jun 2009 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090602161940.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090601121708.htm Nanoelectromechanical systems devices have the potential to revolutionize the world of sensors: motion, chemical, etc. But taking electromechanical devices from the micro scale down to the nano requires finding a means to dissipate heat output. Researchers say the solution is to build these devices using a thermal material that dissipates heat from the device's center through a hierarchical branched network of carbon nanotubes. The template for this thermal material's design: a living cell. Fri, 05 Jun 2009 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090601121708.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090529185935.htm A newly built "Cliffs Cottage" has all the latest technological innovations in sustainable living. Geothermal heating and cooling, two solar technologies, bamboo floors, furniture made from reclaimed wood, even cisterns that collect rainwater from the roof. The home has 3,400 square feet, but is so energy efficient that it can be heated and cooled for less than $75 a month. Thu, 04 Jun 2009 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090529185935.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090527110139.htm Material scientists are developing composites which are made of dissimilar materials in order to be able to offer new customized application profiles. Researchers have examined promising metal-matrix composites, which are very good conductors of heat and are able to withstand mechanical loads at elevated temperatures. These material combinations may be used in the ITER nuclear reactor, which is currently being constructed at Cadarache, France. Thu, 04 Jun 2009 02:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090527110139.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090515083822.htm Scientists are a step closer to making environmentally-friendly 'magnetic' refrigerators and air conditioning systems a reality. Sun, 17 May 2009 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090515083822.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090508135000.htm The US military can now calibrate high-power laser systems, such as those intended to defuse unexploded mines, more quickly and easily thanks to a novel nanotube-coated power measurement device. Thu, 14 May 2009 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090508135000.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090505202912.htm A new concentration solar power module that produces heat, cold and electricity can be integrated to façades or building roofs. Tue, 12 May 2009 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090505202912.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090508135005.htm By modifying a commonly used commercial infrared spectrometer to allow operation at long-wave terahertz frequencies, researchers discovered an efficient new approach to measure key structural properties of nanoscale metal-oxide films used in high-speed integrated circuits. Tue, 12 May 2009 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090508135005.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090510142559.htm For more than a decade, scientists have been frustrated in their attempts to create continuously emitting light sources from individual molecules because of an optical quirk called "blinking," but now scientists have uncovered the basic physics behind the phenomenon and created a nanocrystal that constantly emits light. Mon, 11 May 2009 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090510142559.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090507184757.htm While hippotherapy works to improve the quality of life for children and adults with physical and mental impairments through riding a horse, just getting some patients onto the horse can be a major obstacle. But now, researchers have built a custom mechanical horse to help those with physical and mental impairments get the same benefit from hippotherapy without having to actually get on to a horse. Fri, 08 May 2009 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090507184757.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090506160542.htm Physicists have created the world's smallest incandescent lamp using a filament made from a single carbon nanotube only 100 atoms wide. Invisible to the untrained eye, the filament appears as a tiny point of light when the lamp is turned on. Even with the best optical microscope it is only just possible to resolve the nanotube's nonzero length. The team uses an electron microscope capable of atomic resolution to image the filament's true structure. Thu, 07 May 2009 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090506160542.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090504151454.htm It has long been known that heat is an effective weapon against tumor cells. However, it's difficult to heat patients' tumors without damaging nearby tissues. Now, researchers have developed tiny gold particles that can home in on tumors, and then, by absorbing energy from near-infrared light and emitting it as heat, destroy tumors with minimal side effects. Tue, 05 May 2009 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090504151454.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/04/090427091734.htm Researchers in The Netherlands are reporting development of a new plastic with potential for use in the first easy-to-recycle computer circuit boards, electrical insulation, and other electronics products that now wind up on society's growing heaps of electronic waste. Fri, 01 May 2009 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/04/090427091734.htm