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 Thu, 16 Feb 2012 04:05:01 EST Thu, 16 Feb 2012 04:05:01 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/2012/02/120215155316.htm The old saw that a watched pot never boils may not apply to pots given an ultra-thin layer of aluminum oxide, which researchers have reported can double the heat transfer from a hot surface to a liquid. Wed, 15 Feb 2012 15:53:53 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120215155316.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120210133356.htm Researchers have developed a new method for creating scaffolds for tissue engineering applications, providing an alternative that is more flexible and less time-intensive than current technology. Fri, 10 Feb 2012 13:33:33 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120210133356.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209135846.htm Recent earthquake damage has exposed the vulnerability of existing structures to strong ground movement. Researchers are now analyzing shape-memory alloys for their potential use in constructing seismic-resistant structures. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 13:58:58 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209135846.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209131412.htm Researchers have again shown that injecting multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) into tumors and heating them with a quick, 30-second laser treatment can kill them. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 13:14:14 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209131412.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120208132713.htm Scientists are reporting development of a new form of buckypaper, which eliminates a major drawback of these sheets of carbon nanotubes -- 50,000 times thinner than a human hair, 10 times lighter than steel, but up to 250 times stronger -- with potential uses ranging from body armor to next-generation batteries. Wed, 08 Feb 2012 13:27:27 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120208132713.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120207133506.htm Scientists have demonstrated a revolutionary new way of magnetic recording which will allow information to be processed hundreds of times faster than by current hard drive technology. The researchers found they could record information using only heat -- a previously unimaginable scenario. They believe this discovery will not only make future magnetic recording devices faster, but more energy-efficient too. Tue, 07 Feb 2012 13:35:35 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120207133506.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120201140038.htm Scientists have created a nano-infused oil that could greatly enhance the ability of devices as large as electrical transformers and as small as microelectronic components to shed excess heat. Wed, 01 Feb 2012 14:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120201140038.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120130130843.htm Scientists have experimentally confirmed a theory that foretold a pair of interesting properties about nanotube growth: That the chirality of a nanotube controls the speed of its growth, and that armchair nanotubes should grow the fastest. Mon, 30 Jan 2012 13:08:08 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120130130843.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120125142212.htm New research demonstrates that one suggested method of geoengineering the atmosphere to deal with climate change, injecting sulfate particles into the stratosphere, probably would have limited success. Wed, 25 Jan 2012 14:22:22 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120125142212.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120123123145.htm Graphene is the thinnest material known to science. The nanomaterial is so thin, in fact, water often doesn’t even know it’s there. Engineering researchers coated pieces of gold, copper, and silicon with a single layer of graphene, and then placed a drop of water on the coated surfaces. Surprisingly, the layer of graphene proved to have virtually no impact on the manner in which water spreads on the surfaces. Mon, 23 Jan 2012 12:31:31 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120123123145.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120122103722.htm Scientists have investigated theoretically the mechanism of hyperthermic potentiation of cancers using magnetic nanoparticles, which enables selective heating of hidden micro cancer tissue, and clarified the fact that the nanoparticles under large magnetic fields form unique oriented states, depending respectively on subtle differences in their local environment in the cancer tissue and consequently affect the optimum heating conditions. Sun, 22 Jan 2012 10:37:37 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120122103722.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120122102919.htm Scientists have succeeded in realizing superconductivity in fullerene nanowhiskers, which are a nanosized carbon material that is lightweight and has a fine fibrous shape. This is a big step toward creating lightweight, flexible superconducting materials. Sun, 22 Jan 2012 10:29:29 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120122102919.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120118122825.htm By shining infrared light on specially designed, gold-filled silicon wafers, scientists have successfully targeted and burned breast cancer cells. If the technology is shown to work in human clinical trials, it could provide patients a non-invasive alternative to surgical ablation, and could be used in conjunction with traditional cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy, to make those treatments more effective. Wed, 18 Jan 2012 12:28:28 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120118122825.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120116095525.htm Researchers have developed a system that, in a laboratory test bench, reproduces the pressure and temperature conditions at high altitude of the air that is sucked into a reciprocating internal combustion engine, and evaluates the engine’s performance in a comfortable, safe and controlled environment. Mon, 16 Jan 2012 09:55:55 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120116095525.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120113205444.htm Scientists have developed a new method for optical manipulation of matter at the nanoscale. Using ‘plasmonic hotspots’ – regions with electric current that heat up very locally – gold nanostructures can be melted and made to produce the smallest nanojets ever observed. The tiny gold nanodroplets formed in the nanojets, are perfectly spherical, which makes them interesting for applications in medicine. Fri, 13 Jan 2012 20:54:54 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120113205444.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120110140431.htm Engineering researchers have developed a new method for creating advanced nanomaterials that could lead to highly efficient refrigerators and cooling systems requiring no refrigerants and no moving parts. The key ingredients for this innovation are a dash of nanoscale sulfur and a normal, everyday microwave oven. Tue, 10 Jan 2012 14:04:04 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120110140431.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120109211557.htm Engineers have discovered that the new material graphene conducts heat about 20 times faster than silicon, making it an option as a semiconductor material that could produce quieter and longer-lasting computers, cellphones and other devices. Mon, 09 Jan 2012 21:15:15 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120109211557.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120109102914.htm An engineering professor has made a breakthrough discovery with graphene, a material that could play a major role in keeping laptops and other electronic devices from overheating. Mon, 09 Jan 2012 10:29:29 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120109102914.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120104115057.htm Researchers have developed a new technology that can reduce air pollutant emissions from some chicken and swine barns, and also reduce their energy use by recovering and possibly generating heat. Wed, 04 Jan 2012 11:50:50 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120104115057.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111221105643.htm Researchers have identified a new material that exhibits an inverse barocaloric effect at room temperature, which means that it cools when pressure is applied, unlike most other materials. Wed, 21 Dec 2011 10:56:56 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111221105643.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111220133801.htm Researchers looking at the thermal conductivity of bundles boron nanoribbons have found that they have unusually high heat-transfer capabilities. Contrary to past experiments with similar nanomaterial bundles, the study shows that the thermal conductivity of a bundle of boron nanoribbons can be significantly higher than that a single nanoribbon. Experimental results indicate that the geometry of the ribbons is responsible for the higher conductivity and point to potential method for creating a thermal switch. Tue, 20 Dec 2011 13:38:38 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111220133801.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111219203953.htm Researchers have developed a new kind of electro-thermal nanoprobe that can independently control voltage and temperature at a nanometer-scale point contact. It can also measure the temperature-dependent voltage at a nanometer-scale point contact. Mon, 19 Dec 2011 20:39:39 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111219203953.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111219102232.htm Physicists have made nanomechanical measurements of unprecedented resolution on protein molecules. The new measurements are approximately 100 times higher in resolution than previous mechanical measurements, a nanotechnology feat which reveals an isolated protein molecule, surprisingly, is neither a solid nor a liquid. Mon, 19 Dec 2011 10:22:22 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111219102232.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111214125901.htm Engineers have discovered a surprising new way to increase a material's thermal conductivity that provides a new tool for managing thermal effects in computers, lasers and a number of other powered devices. Wed, 14 Dec 2011 12:59:59 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111214125901.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111212124516.htm Microscopic water droplets jumping from one surface to another may hold the key to a wide array of more energy efficient products. Mon, 12 Dec 2011 12:45:45 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111212124516.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111211134002.htm What would be a case for the repair shop for a car engine is completely normal for a micro engine. If it sputters, this is caused by the thermal motions of the smallest particles, which interfere with its running. Researchers have now observed this with a heat engine on the micrometer scale. They have also determined that the machine does actually perform work, all things considered. Although this cannot be used as yet, the experiment shows that an engine does basically work, even if it is on the microscale. This means that there is nothing, in principle, to prevent the construction of highly efficient, small heat engines. Sun, 11 Dec 2011 13:40:40 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111211134002.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111207132920.htm Scientists have engineered one of the world's smallest electronic circuits. It is formed by two wires separated by only about 150 atoms or 15 nanometers. Wed, 07 Dec 2011 13:29:29 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111207132920.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111207105429.htm In fire experiments conducted in uniformly furnished, but vacant Chicago-area townhouses, researchers uncovered temperature and heat-flow conditions that can seriously damage facepiece lenses on standard firefighter breathing equipment, a potential contributing factor for first-responder fatalities and injuries. Wed, 07 Dec 2011 10:54:54 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111207105429.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111202155751.htm A cheap material that can store heat energy collected from the sun during the day that can be released slowly over night has been developed by researchers in the India. The material, based on paraffin wax and stearic acid, could help keep homes warm in sunny parts of the world that get very cold at night without burning wood or fossil fuels. Fri, 02 Dec 2011 15:57:57 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111202155751.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111130095106.htm Scientists have discovered a way to control how tiny flat molecules fit together in a seemingly random pattern. Wed, 30 Nov 2011 09:51:51 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111130095106.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111123133123.htm We drink it, bathe in it and are made mostly of it, yet common water poses major mysteries. Now, chemists may have solved one enigma by showing how cold water can get before it absolutely must freeze: 48 degrees below zero Celsius (minus 55 Fahrenheit). Wed, 23 Nov 2011 13:31:31 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111123133123.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111121194041.htm Researchers are making progress in developing a system that measures the mechanical properties of living cells, a technology that could be used to diagnose human disease and better understand biological processes. Mon, 21 Nov 2011 19:40:40 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111121194041.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111121135804.htm Two NASA California centers have been selected to develop new space-aged technologies that could be game-changers in the way we look at planets from above and how we safely transport robots or humans through space and bring them safely back to Earth. Mon, 21 Nov 2011 13:58:58 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111121135804.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111118091200.htm A common feature of sailboards, aircraft and electronic circuits is that they all contain resins used for their lightness, strength and resistance. However, once cured, these resins can no longer be reshaped. Only certain inorganic compounds, including glass, offered this possibility until now. Combining such properties in a single material seemed impossible until now. Researchers have just developed a new class of compounds capable of this remarkable feat. Fri, 18 Nov 2011 09:12:12 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111118091200.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111114111718.htm Model by model, the electronics in a car are being moved closer to the engine block. This is why the materials used for the electronics must resist increasing heat – so the glass solder being used as glue must be continually optimized. For the first time ever, a robot takes on the task of developing new types of glass and examining their characteristics. Mon, 14 Nov 2011 11:17:17 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111114111718.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111110125846.htm Researchers have developed a simple way to convert two-dimensional patterns into three-dimensional objects using only light. Thu, 10 Nov 2011 12:58:58 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111110125846.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111110094844.htm Copper's days are numbered, and a new study could hasten the downfall of the ubiquitous metal in smart phones, tablet computers, and nearly all electronics. This is good news for technophiles who are seeking smaller, faster devices. Researchers have discovered that they could enhance the ability of graphene to transmit electricity by stacking several thin graphene ribbons on top of one another. Thu, 10 Nov 2011 09:48:48 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111110094844.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111109111536.htm Strange, stranger, strangest! To the weird nature of one of the simplest chemical compounds -- the stuff so familiar that even non-scientists know its chemical formula -- add another odd twist. Scientists are reporting that good old H₂O, when chilled below the freezing point, can shift into a new type of liquid. Wed, 09 Nov 2011 11:15:15 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111109111536.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111109093555.htm More than half of today's energy consumption is squandered in useless waste heat, such as the heat from refrigerators and all sorts of gadgets and the heat from factories and power plants. The energy losses are even greater in cars. Automobile motors only manage to utilize 30 per cent of the energy they generate. Scientists in Norway are developing a new environmentally friendly technology called thermoelectricity, which can convert waste heat into electricity. To put it briefly, the technology involves making use of temperature differences. Wed, 09 Nov 2011 09:35:35 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111109093555.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111108213055.htm NASA engineers have produced a material that absorbs on average more than 99 percent of the ultraviolet, visible, infrared, and far-infrared light that hits it -- a development that promises to open new frontiers in space technology. Tue, 08 Nov 2011 21:30:30 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111108213055.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111108104623.htm Physicists have now visualized changes in shape memory materials down to the nanometric scale. Tue, 08 Nov 2011 10:46:46 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111108104623.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111107161955.htm They shrink when you heat 'em. Most materials expand when heated, but a few contract. Now engineers have figured out how one of these curious materials, scandium trifluoride, does the trick -- a finding, they say, that will lead to a deeper understanding of all kinds of materials. Mon, 07 Nov 2011 16:19:19 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111107161955.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111107155410.htm Electrons moving in graphene behave in an unusual way, as demonstrated by 2010 Nobel Prize laureates for physics Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov, who performed transport experiments on this one-carbon-atom-thick material. A review article explores the theoretical and experimental results to date of electrons tunneling through energy barriers in graphene. Mon, 07 Nov 2011 15:54:54 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111107155410.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111103120448.htm Researchers have developed a technology that combines the conventional fuel used in today's power plants with the lower pressures and temperatures of steam produced by solar power. His new "hybrid" power plant is a potentially cost-effective and realistic way to integrate solar technology into existing power plants. Thu, 03 Nov 2011 12:04:04 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111103120448.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111102125555.htm Researchers have developed a new material that absorbs a wide range of wavelengths and could lead to more efficient and less expensive solar technology. Wed, 02 Nov 2011 12:55:55 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111102125555.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111025135936.htm New research documents significant geothermal resources across the United States capable of producing more than three million megawatts of green power -- 10 times the installed capacity of coal power plants today. Tue, 25 Oct 2011 13:59:59 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111025135936.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111024084234.htm Thanks to a recently discovered effect in magnetic tunnel structures, thermoelectric voltages in nano-electronic junctions can be controlled. Mon, 24 Oct 2011 08:42:42 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111024084234.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111020171446.htm Slices of graphene oxide in a solution arrange themselves into a nematic liquid crystal. At a sufficient concentration, giant flakes will form a gel, a precursor to manufacturing metamaterals and fibers. Thu, 20 Oct 2011 17:14:14 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111020171446.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111013103640.htm Aeronautical engineers are devising ways to boost the efficiency of open-air refrigerated cases, which are increasingly common in supermarkets. Results could lower the energy use of existing cases by up to 15 percent -- potentially saving $100 million in electricity costs nationally each year. Thu, 13 Oct 2011 10:36:36 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111013103640.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111003234642.htm The same piezoelectric effect that ignites your gas grill with the push of a button could one day power sensors in your body via the respiration in your nose. Mon, 03 Oct 2011 23:46:46 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111003234642.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111003195245.htm Scientists have created a working cloaking device that not only takes advantage of one of nature's most bizarre phenomenon, but also boasts unique features; it has an "on and off" switch and is best used underwater. Mon, 03 Oct 2011 19:52:52 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111003195245.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111003132441.htm Two heat-loving fungi, often found in composts that self-ignite without flame or spark, could soon have new vocations. The complete genetic makeup of Myceliophthora thermophila and Thielavia terrestris has now been decoded. The findings may lead to the faster and greener development of biomass-based fuels, chemicals and other industrial materials. Mon, 03 Oct 2011 13:24:24 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111003132441.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111003080512.htm Orderly rows of neatly aligned carbon nanotubes have served as the standard for nanotechnology researchers. But physicists now report the discovery of two early stages of carbon nanotube growth that produce tangled or semi-aligned tubes with characteristics that could lend themselves to thermal management and other applications. Mon, 03 Oct 2011 08:05:05 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111003080512.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110929122802.htm Waste heat is a byproduct of nearly all electrical devices and industrial processes, from driving a car to flying an aircraft or operating a power plant. Engineering researchers have developed new nanomaterials that could lead to techniques for better capturing and putting this waste heat to work. The key ingredients for making marble-sized pellets of the new material are aluminum and a common, everyday microwave oven. Thu, 29 Sep 2011 12:28:28 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110929122802.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110928185909.htm Nanometer-sized bubbles containing the gases hydrogen and oxygen can apparently combust spontaneously, although nothing happens in larger bubbles. For the first time, researchers have demonstrated this spontaneous combustion. They intend to use the phenomenon to construct a compact ultrasonic loudspeaker. Wed, 28 Sep 2011 18:59:59 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110928185909.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110926104132.htm Engineers have created a device that may make it easier to isolate and study tiny particles such as viruses. Their plasmonic nanotweezers use light from a laser to trap nanoscale particles. The new device creates strong forces more efficiently than traditional optical tweezers and eliminates a problem that caused earlier setups to overheat. Mon, 26 Sep 2011 10:41:41 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110926104132.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110922114236.htm Physicists have measured the temperatures at which collections of electrons build up enough heat to force regions along superconducting aluminum nanowires to switch to a non-superconducting state. The information could help engineers build more reliable nanowires and more efficient nano-electronics. Thu, 22 Sep 2011 11:42:42 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110922114236.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110921093608.htm Researchers have devised a mathematically rich analytic approach to account for often-missing thermodynamic and molecular parameters in molecular dynamic simulations. The new approach returns atomistic-level data into the time frame of the macroscopic world. Wed, 21 Sep 2011 09:36:36 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110921093608.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110920120238.htm More than 60 percent of the energy produced by cars, machines, and industry around the world is lost as waste heat -- an age-old problem -- but researchers have found a new way to make "thermoelectric" materials for use in technology that could potentially save vast amounts of energy. Tue, 20 Sep 2011 12:02:02 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110920120238.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110913103217.htm Relatively little is known about the effect of terahertz radiation on biological systems. A team of researchers have now evaluated the cellular response of mouse stem cells exposed to THz radiation. They reported that temperature increases were minimal, and that heat shock protein expression was unaffected, while the expression of certain other genes showed clear effects of the THz irradiation. Tue, 13 Sep 2011 10:32:32 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110913103217.htm