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 Tue, 13 May 2008 07:05:01 EDT Tue, 13 May 2008 07:05:01 EDT 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/2008/05/080512172317.htm Plants have an ambivalent relationship with light. They need it to live, but too much light leads to the increased production of high-energy chemical intermediates that can injure or kill the plant. The intermediates do this because the efficient conversion of sunlight into chemical energy cannot keep up with sunlight streaming into the plant. Tue, 13 May 2008 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080512172317.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080508181259.htm A team of students led by a chemical engineering professor are working with a New Jersey inventor to advance a new solar thermal collector. The engineering students pointed out that this is the first truly new solar thermal system in more than three decades, and the company stated that it is unique among renewable energy technologies as it is cost effective without any government subsidies. Mon, 12 May 2008 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080508181259.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080508132406.htm Australia is uniquely endowed with heat-producing elements under its surface that could provide potentially unlimited amounts of geothermal power for this country, say geoscientists. West of the line between Cairns and the mouth of the Murray River lies a belt of rocks containing the enriched elements uranium, thorium, and potassium that are around 1.5 billion years old. These enriched elements are essentially a heat source located in the upper part of the continental crust. Mon, 12 May 2008 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080508132406.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080506115604.htm If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen and into the lab -- chemists can now use carbon nanotubes to judge the heat of chilli sauces. The technology might soon be available commercially as a cheap, disposable sensor for use in the food industry. Thu, 08 May 2008 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080506115604.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080502170713.htm Wool is less susceptible to burning than synthetic fibers. This makes it an ideal fabric for uniforms worn by U.S. troops, firefighters and others whose occupations expose them to fire. Chemist have discovered and patented a heat-resistant material that can be incorporated into wool and other fabrics to match the flame resistance of commercial firefighters' uniforms. Sun, 04 May 2008 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080502170713.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080429085910.htm Researchers have discovered a new class of fatty acids -- alpha-hydroxy polyacetylenic fatty acids -- that could be used as sensors for detecting changes in temperature and mechanical stress loads. Researchers believe the discovery has opened up an entirely new class of chemistry. Wed, 30 Apr 2008 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080429085910.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080424211516.htm Organizers make life easier; aluminum could help the semi-conductor industry to convert silicon from a disordered to an ordered form at low temperatures. This crystalline silicon functions much more efficiently in solar cells, for example. However up to now it has only been possible to manufacture it at high temperatures and it could therefore not be applied to heat-sensitive materials such as plastic or paper. Scientists have now found a way to systematically lower the crystallization temperature of silicon - from 700º to 150º Celsius and to any temperature within that range. Tue, 29 Apr 2008 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080424211516.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080412172006.htm Scientists have developed a battery-free wireless 2-channel EEG system powered by a hybrid power supply using body heat and ambient light which could be used to monitor brain waves after a head injury or for other applications. The hybrid power supply combines a thermoelectric generator that uses the heat dissipated from a person's temples and silicon photovoltaic cells. The entire system is wearable and integrated into a device resembling headphones. The system can provide more than 1mW on average indoor, which is more than enough for the targeted application. Wed, 16 Apr 2008 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080412172006.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080408144812.htm Escalating oil and gas prices along with the global challenge of climate change has in the past few years spurred a generation of scientists to pursue alternative energy sources while redirecting the focus away from fossil fuels. What is the current status, limitations and future challenges of alternative energy sources? Tue, 08 Apr 2008 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080408144812.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080331112036.htm Electronics work better under cold conditions: with less thermal noise, detectors are more sensitive and low-noise amplifiers reduce noise further. Furthermore, the speed and reliability are increased. Now researchers have investigated the possibilities for the extreme cooling of electronic components at a chip level. Wed, 02 Apr 2008 02:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080331112036.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080318182728.htm NIST fire protection engineers turned an abandoned New York City brick high-rise into a seven-story fire laboratory last month to better understand the fast-moving spread of wind-driven flames, smoke and toxic gases through corridors and stairways of burning buildings. Sat, 22 Mar 2008 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080318182728.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080318223250.htm Scientists have identified a new family of superconductors --- research that could eventually lead to the design of better superconducting materials for a wide variety of industrial uses. In an article in Science, they produced the first experimental proof that superconductivity can occur in hydrogen compounds known as molecular hydrides. Fri, 21 Mar 2008 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080318223250.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080320150027.htm Researchers have used nanotechnology to achieve a major increase in thermoelectric efficiency, a milestone that paves the way for a new generation of products -- from semiconductors and air conditioners to car exhaust systems and solar power technology -- that run cleaner. The team's low-cost approach, detailed in Science, involves building tiny alloy nanostructures that can serve as micro-coolers and power generators. Fri, 21 Mar 2008 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080320150027.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080318110327.htm Engineers harnessing the same physical property that drives silent household air purifiers have created a miniaturized device that is now ready for testing as a silent, ultra-thin, low-power and low maintenance cooling system for laptop computers and other electronic devices. Thu, 20 Mar 2008 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080318110327.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080318100925.htm Scientists have completed the first ever series of flights by autonomous unmanned aerial vehicles in Antarctica. This is the first time that unpiloted UAVs have been used in the Antarctic and the successful flights open up a major new technique for gathering scientific data in the harshest and remotest environment on Earth. Thu, 20 Mar 2008 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080318100925.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080313140103.htm Many people equate lasers with a sci-fi battle in a galaxy far, far away or, closer to home, with grocery store scanners and compact disc players. However, an ultra-fast, ultra-intense laser, with laser pulse durations of one quadrillionth of a second, otherwise known as one femtosecond, could change cancer treatments, dentistry procedures, precision metal cutting, and joint implant surgeries. Tue, 18 Mar 2008 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080313140103.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080304100413.htm Nuclear energy must increase by more than 10% each year from 2010 to 2050 to meet all future energy demands and replace fossil fuels, but this is an unsustainable prospect. According to a new report such a large growth rate will require a major improvement in nuclear power efficiency otherwise each new power plant will simply cannibalize the energy produced by earlier nuclear power plants. Wed, 05 Mar 2008 08:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080304100413.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080303163804.htm Researchers have developed a new, low-cost material for capturing carbon dioxide from the smokestacks of coal-fired power plants and other generators of the greenhouse gas. Produced with a simple one-step chemical process, the new material has a high capacity for absorbing carbon dioxide – and can be reused many times. Combined with improved heat management techniques, the new material could provide a cost-effective way to capture large quantities of carbon dioxide from coal-burning facilities. Tue, 04 Mar 2008 08:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080303163804.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080220094652.htm Researchers are exploring how waste heat from car exhausts could provide a new greener power supply for vehicles. Similar conversion technology is used in everyday applications such as controlling the central heating system or refrigerator temperature. Now researchers aim to use this technology to generate electricity from the waste heat in vehicles. Mon, 25 Feb 2008 17:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080220094652.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080217215051.htm When grains are shaken fiercely, they show behavior that can be compared to water on the boil. Convection takes place, with the typical rolling movement that can also be seen in water. For the first time, researchers show this phenomenon in granular matter using a high speed camera. Fri, 22 Feb 2008 05:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080217215051.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080219161943.htm Liquids embedded with nanoparticles show enhanced performance and stability when exposed to electric fields. The finding could lead to new types of miniature camera lenses, cell phone displays and other microscale fluidic devices. The ability to easily change the contact angle of droplets of nanofluids has potential applications for efficiently moving liquids in microsystems, creating new methods of focusing lenses in miniature cameras, or cooling computer chips. Wed, 20 Feb 2008 14:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080219161943.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080215103252.htm Now that scientists have reached a consensus that carbon dioxide emissions from human activities are the major cause of global warming, the next question is: How can we stop it? Can we just cut back on carbon, or do we need to go cold turkey? According to a new study halfway measures won't do the job. To stabilize our planet's climate, we need to find ways to kick the carbon habit altogether. Mon, 18 Feb 2008 05:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080215103252.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080212095458.htm Car components with doubled mechanical strength, higher fatigue resistance and improved energy absorption are the result of a revolutionary CSIRO heat treatment process for high pressure die casting of aluminum. Fri, 15 Feb 2008 05:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080212095458.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080207140106.htm Taking a page out of a science fiction story, researchers have successfully flown the first environmentally powered robotic vehicle through the ocean. The new robotic "glider" harvests heat energy from the ocean to propel itself across thousands of kilometers of water. Unlike motorized, propeller-driven vehicles, gliders propel themselves through the ocean by changing their buoyancy to dive and surface. Wings generate lift, while a vertical tail fin and rudder allow the vehicles to be steered horizontally. Gliding underwater vehicles trace a saw-tooth profile through the ocean's layers, surfacing periodically to fix their positions via the Global Positioning System and to communicate via Iridium satellite to a shore lab. Mon, 11 Feb 2008 14:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080207140106.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080205111714.htm A new environmentally friendly technology may revolutionize the production of the world's most commonly produced organic compound, ethylene. Ethylene has a vast number of uses in all aspects of industry. Farmers and horticulturalists use it as a plant hormone to promote flowering and ripening, especially in bananas. Doctors and surgeons have also long used ethylene as an anesthetic, while ethylene-based polymers can be found in everything from freezer bags to fiberglass. Thu, 07 Feb 2008 17:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080205111714.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080131151901.htm Water has some amazing properties. A less commonly known distinction of water, but one of great interest to physical chemists, is its odd behavior at its transition to the glassy phase. Chemists have found a vital clue that helps explain water's bizarre behavior at the glass transition and, along the way, gained important insights into phases of liquid water as well. Tue, 05 Feb 2008 20:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080131151901.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080123173146.htm Researchers are working to improve even more the performance of air-source heat pumps -- which already typically deliver up to three times more heating energy to a home than the electric energy they consume -- by providing engineers with computer-based tools for optimizing heat exchanger designs. Tue, 29 Jan 2008 08:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080123173146.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080123173143.htm Researchers have demonstrated a video method that may make it possible to make remote, noninvasive measurements of the interaction of fluids and solid surfaces, data important to a host of phenomena including blood coursing through vessels, lubricated cartilage sliding against joints, and ink jets splashing on paper. Tue, 29 Jan 2008 05:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080123173143.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080110161823.htm Energy now lost as heat during the production of electricity could be harnessed through the use of silicon nanowires synthesized via a new technique. The far-ranging potential applications of this technology include DOE's hydrogen fuel cell-powered "Freedom CAR," and personal power-jackets that could use heat from the human body to recharge cell-phones and other electronic devices. Fri, 11 Jan 2008 08:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080110161823.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071212202013.htm Advances in fuel desulfurization and reforming lead to a successful demonstration of a portable fuel cell system using JP-8 military jet fuel. Portable fuel cell power units are quieter, more efficient and have lower emissions than standard diesel generators, but are challenged when used with JP-8 fuel because of its sulfur content. The fuel desulfurization and reforming systems developed at PNNL reduce the sulfur content of JP-8 and generate a hydrogen stream compatible with an integrated fuel cell. Mon, 17 Dec 2007 17:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071212202013.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071203111304.htm The next generation of laptops, desk computers, cell phones and other semiconductor devices may get faster and more cost-effective with new research. "We've developed a new process and equipment that will lead to a significant reduction in heat generated by silicon chips or microprocessors while speeding up the rate at which information is sent," says one of the researchers. Tue, 11 Dec 2007 14:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071203111304.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071203120344.htm A bioprospecting expedition to Iceland's famed hot springs has yielded new strains of bacteria with potential of producing hydrogen and ethanol fuels from wastewater now discharged from factories that process sugar beets, potatoes and other plant material. The microbes hold potential for combining energy production with wastewater treatment. Fri, 07 Dec 2007 14:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071203120344.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/11/071129183821.htm A cancer treatment that uses microwave energy to shrink or eliminate tumors can be safely used to treat malignant lung tumors, according to a new study. Similar to radiofrequency ablation, microwave ablation is a minimally invasive, image-guided technique that uses heat generated by microwave energy to destroy tumors. Fri, 30 Nov 2007 14:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/11/071129183821.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/11/071120195658.htm Breathing new life into an old idea, scientists are developing innovative materials for controlling temperatures that could lead to substantial energy savings by allowing more efficient car engines, photovoltaic cells and electronic devices. Tue, 27 Nov 2007 11:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/11/071120195658.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/11/071116155722.htm Scientists have devised remotely controlled nanoparticles that, when pulsed with an electromagnetic field, release drugs to attack tumors. With the ability to see the clumped particles, researchers asked the next question: "Can we talk back to them?" The answer is yes, the team found. Wed, 21 Nov 2007 17:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/11/071116155722.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/11/071120082429.htm Scientists are working on new solutions to the ancient problem of maintaining a fresh water supply. With predictions that more than 3.5 billion people will live in areas facing severe water shortages by the year 2025, the challenge is to find an environmentally benign way to remove salt from seawater. Global climate change, desertification, and over-population are already taking their toll on fresh water supplies. In coming years, fresh water could become a rare and expensive commodity. Tue, 20 Nov 2007 20:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/11/071120082429.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/11/071112135717.htm Tiny probes packed with instrumentation have been turned loose in a laboratory in France. The marble-sized devices are an important step on the road to long-anticipated miniaturized machines known as smart dust. Mon, 19 Nov 2007 02:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/11/071112135717.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/11/071108162010.htm Researchers have demonstrated what is probably the world's smallest microwave oven, a tiny mechanism that can heat a pinhead-sized drop of liquid inside a container slightly shorter than an ant and half as wide as a single hair. Thu, 15 Nov 2007 11:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/11/071108162010.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/11/071109212442.htm Imagine paint that adheres to a surface, but releases on command or road signs that change their reflectivity with changing weather conditions. These are two potential uses of a novel, responsive material. Inspired by the way a Venus flytrap captures its pray, scientists created a polymer surface covered with small holes capped by thin lenses of the same material. The lenses can snap between convex and concave when triggered. Thu, 15 Nov 2007 05:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/11/071109212442.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/11/071108092749.htm A project to learn more about extracting energy from hot rocks on land should give clues about "black smokers," hydrothermal vents that belch superheated water and minerals deep below the ocean. Tue, 13 Nov 2007 14:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/11/071108092749.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/10/071030160933.htm Scientists have developed tiny wireless sensors resilient enough to survive the harsh conditions inside jet engines to detect when critical bearings are close to failing and prevent breakdowns. Mon, 05 Nov 2007 05:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/10/071030160933.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/11/071101132853.htm Cancer cells treated with carbon nanotubes can be destroyed by non-invasive radio waves that heat up the nanotubes while sparing untreated tissue, scientist have found. Sat, 03 Nov 2007 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/11/071101132853.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/11/071101170719.htm Mechanical engineers have discovered that friction between two sliding bodies can be reduced at the molecular, or nanoscale, level by changing the mass of the atoms at the surface. 'Heavier' atoms vibrate at a lower frequency, reducing energy lost during sliding. Fri, 02 Nov 2007 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/11/071101170719.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/10/071026162143.htm The birth secret of buckyballs -- hollow spheres of carbon no wider than a strand of DNA -- has been caught on tape. An electron microscope video and computer simulations show that "shrink-wrapping" is the key; buckyballs start life as distorted, unstable sheets of graphite, shedding loosely connected threads and chains until only the perfectly spherical buckyballs remain. Tue, 30 Oct 2007 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/10/071026162143.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/10/071024093545.htm Polymer-based piezoelectric materials are currently the object of great interest in the world of industry because they enable their use in new applications in sectors such as transport and aeronautics, amongst others. A definition of piezoelectricity is the generation of the electrical polarisation of a material as a response to mechanical strain. This phenomenon is known as direct effect or generator effect and is applied fundamentally in the manufacture of sensors (mobile phone vibrators, lighters, etc.). Wed, 24 Oct 2007 23:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/10/071024093545.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/10/071010111937.htm A few came. They ran. They left. As a result of their recent visit the US Marine Corp begins training in 2008 in new running suits chosen after tests of competing products in an environmental chamber. Fri, 12 Oct 2007 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/10/071010111937.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/10/071008113705.htm Nanoscale devices present a unique challenge to any optical technology -- there's just not enough room for light to travel in a straight line. As light waves are pressed through surfaces only a few nanometers apart (smaller than their wavelength), they become unstable and difficult to predict. But now researchers have discovered a method of predicting the behavior of light on the nanoscale during radiation heat transfer, opening the door to the design of a spectrum of new nanodevices and technologies. Wed, 10 Oct 2007 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/10/071008113705.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/10/071007203636.htm A single solar cell produces a relatively low output -- it's a case of strength in numbers. Tiny strips of metal are used to link cells together. If the laser soldering temperature is too high, the solder joint may fracture. A new system provides automatic temperature regulation. Teamwork is what matters -- even in the case of solar cells: To obtain sufficient power to operate a pocket calculator, parking ticket dispenser or photovoltaic module, sunlight has to be captured simultaneously by an array of cells. Wed, 10 Oct 2007 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/10/071007203636.htm