Solid-state

Gases used as refrigerants in cooling systems can leak into the atmosphere and become major contributors to climate change. Now engineers at Harvard have demonstrated a new prototype cooling device that uses a solid-state material as a refrigerant.

Nissan has joined other big-name automakers in outlining a vision around next-generation battery technology, which includes plans for a dedicated production facility and possible 15-minute charging times for electric vehicles.

Scientists at Japan's Tokyo Metropolitan University have taken aim at a common problem plaguing next-generation lithium metal batteries, finding a promising solution in a salty liquid that reduces problematic resistance between key components.

Rubber might not seem like a great candidate for an electrolyte material in a battery, but Georgia Tech researchers have developed a new rubbery material with a high conductivity, which could make for safer electric vehicle batteries with longer range.

Two promising avenues in the development of next-energy storage involve the use of lithium metal and an electrolyte that is solid rather than liquid, and new research brings these branches of battery research together in an exciting new breakthrough.

Batteries that use organic materials in place of rare metals are seen as a promising way to tackle their environmental footprint, and new research demonstrates how their performance might be brought up to speed.

Scientists have come up with a promising new design for an experimental battery, one which they say could lead to electric cars that charge in as little as 10 minutes, by combining a sandwich-style layered construction with a solid electrolyte.

A research team in the US has developed a prototype version of a solid-state battery that overcomes some of the key roadblocks in this area, demonstrating stable, high-capacity storage through the use of a novel, self-healing material.

In this world overflowing with data and content, external solid state drives are becoming faster. A new SSD called GigaDrive boasts read and write speeds of up to 2,800 MB/s thanks to its architecture and Thunderbolt 4- and USB4-compatible port.

Chinese Tesla rival Nio has unveiled its first electric sedan following several SUVs and the wild EP9 supercar. The ET7 promises supercar-level acceleration, a focus on autonomy, and a monster 621-mile range from a huge 150-kWh solid-state battery.

QuantumScape has announced stunning performance figures for what may be the first commercially viable solid-state lithium-metal battery. It's claimed to add as much as 80% to the range of an electric car, and charge from 0-80% in just 15 minutes.

Samsung has unveiled its latest lineup of solid state drives for PCs. The 870 QVO SATA SSD packs capacity options between 1 TB and a beefy 8 TB, making it one of the roomiest consumer-level SSDs out there.