💎 'Invisible' military camouflage, world’s first nuclear-powered diamond battery, toxin-free organic solar cell

In the natural environment, creatures like the chameleon and octopus have mastered the art of camouflage. Camouflage is an important military strategy that limits the enemy’s ability to locate and attack other forces.

Now, a team of Chinese researchers has developed an advanced color-switchable material called Self-Adaptive Photochromism (SAP). This new material can change its color in response to its surroundings, similar to a chameleon.

Researchers stated that this material could make an individual appear “effectively invisible” when applied to clothing. Delve deeper into our Must-Read.

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MUST-READ

🦎 China creates chameleon-like camouflage tech with ‘invisibility’ power for military use

This development was made by researchers led by Wang Dongsheng from the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China.

“In the current work, we report active camouflage as an intrinsic function of materials by proposing self-adaptive photochromism (SAP),” the researchers wrote in the study paper.

The current man-made active camouflage systems have several limitations. As per the study paper, these systems often involve electronic components, which can lead to complicated structures, poor usability, and high cost. The new SAP materials are simpler, more user-friendly, and less expensive. The key to SAP’s magic lies in its molecular structure, which exhibits color change under ambient light conditions.

💎 World’s first nuclear-powered diamond battery with 5,700-year lifespan unveiled by UK

Scientists from the University of Bristol and the UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) have successfully developed the world’s first carbon-14 diamond battery.

This revolutionary energy source has the potential to power devices for thousands of years, offering a sustainable and efficient solution for a wide range of applications.

The carbon-14 diamond battery leverages the radioactive decay of carbon-14, a radioactive isotope commonly used in radiocarbon dating, to generate electricity. Encased in a diamond, which is one of the hardest materials known, the battery safely captures radiation to produce power.

☀️ US-China crack organic solar cell code to hit toxin-free 20% power efficiency

A new design principle has been identified that could eliminate the use of toxic chemicals in solar cell manufacturing.

The standard manufacturing process of organic cells involves toxic solvents. This environmental concern has hindered the widespread adoption of organic solar cells.

Researchers at Linköping University (LiU) have revealed a new design principle for eco-friendly, high-efficiency organic solar cells.

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