Tiny, disordered particles of magnesium chromium oxide may hold the key to new magnesium battery energy storage technology, which could possess increased capacity compared to conventional lithium-ion batteries, find UCL and University of Illinois at Chicago researchers. The study, published today in Nanoscale, reports a new, scalable method for making a material that can reversibly store […]
Slow Internet? New Technology To Speed Up Home Broadband Dramatically
Slow internet speeds and the Internet ‘rush hour’ — the peak time when data speeds drop by up to 30% — could be history with new hardware designed and demonstrated by UCL researchers that provides consistently high-speed broadband connectivity. The new receiver technology enables dedicated data rates at more than 10,000 megabits-per-second (Mb/s) for a […]
Revolutionary Method Reveals Impact Of Short Circuits On Battery Safety
How lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries behave under short-circuit conditions can now be examined using a new approach developed by a UCL-led team to help improve reliability and safety. The use of high energy density Li-ion batteries is ubiquitous – from powering portable electronics to providing grid-scale storage – but defects can lead to overheating and explosions. […]
New Solution For Making 2-D Nanomaterials
Two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterials have been made by dissolving layered materials in liquids, according to new UCL-led research. The liquids can be used to apply the 2D nanomaterials over large areas and at low costs, enabling a variety of important future applications. 2D nanomaterials, such as graphene, have the potential to revolutionise technology through their remarkable […]
New Hardware to Expand Fast Fiber-to-the-Home
The cost of deploying fast fiber connections straight to homes could be dramatically reduced by new hardware designed and tested by UCL researchers. The innovative technology will help address the challenges of providing households with high bandwidths while futureproofing infrastructure against the exponentially growing demand for data. While major advances have been made in core optical […]
Record For Fastest Data Rate Set
A new record for the fastest ever data rate for digital information has been set by UCL researchers in the Optical Networks Group. They achieved a rate of 1.125 Tb/s as part of research on the capacity limits of optical transmission systems, designed to address the growing demand for fast data rates. Lead researcher, Dr […]
Virtual Reality Helps People Accept Themselves
Self-compassion can be learned using avatars in an immersive virtual reality, finds new research led by UCL. This innovative approach reduced self-criticism and increased self-compassion and feelings of contentment in naturally self-critical individuals. The scientists behind the MRC-funded study say it could be applied to treat a range of clinical conditions including depression. The team […]
Computer Simulations Reveal Universal Increase in Electrical Conductivity
Computer simulations have revealed how the electrical conductivity of many materials increases with a strong electrical field in a universal way. This development could have significant implications for practical systems in electrochemistry, biochemistry, electrical engineering and beyond. The study, published in Nature Materials, investigated the electrical conductivity of a solid electrolyte, a system of positive […]
Quantum Engines Must Break Down
Our present understanding of thermodynamics is fundamentally incorrect if applied to small systems and needs to be modified, according to new research from University College London (UCL) and the University of Gdańsk. The work establishes new laws in the rapidly emerging field of quantum thermodynamics. The findings, published today in Nature Communications, have wide applications […]