(Phys.org)—The idea of harvesting ambient energy from the environment that would otherwise not be purposefully used is, in theory, a great way to produce green, renewable energy. But the biggest ...

Using a high-power, pulsed laser to deposit materials from a plasma plume (shown here), researchers synthesized materials to study their unique pyroelectric properties at the nanoscale. "Controlling ...

Converting heat into electricity is a property thought to be reserved only for stiff materials like crystals. However, researchers—inspired by the infrared (IR) vision of snakes—developed a ...

Pyroelectricity could extract energy from heat sources below100°C, offering an alternative to thermo-electric generators (TEGs). TEGs make electricity through the Seebeck effect, where different ...

Heat sssssensorsss A large-eyed green pit viper. The pit organs are small depressions between the snake's nostrils and eyes. (Courtesy: iStock_TommyIX) Vipers, pythons and boa constrictors all use ...

Pyroelectric and tribocatalytic processes harness subtle forms of ambient energy—thermal fluctuations and mechanical friction—to drive chemical transformations without reliance on light or harsh ...

Zinc oxide is potentially a useful material for ultraviolet detectors; however, a relatively long response time hinders practical implementation. Here by designing and fabricating a self-powered ...

What if atomic crystals could send pulse power to light up a room? Back in 314 B.C., a student of Socrates described bits of sawdust that gravitated to a stone thrown into a camp fire. What was an ...

Converting heat into electricity is a property thought to be reserved only for stiff materials like crystals. However, researchers--inspired by the infrared (IR) vision of snakes--developed a ...