In the news

Discovery unlocks ‘hot’ electrons for more efficient energy use

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Highly energetic, “hot” electrons have the potential to help solar panels more efficiently harvest light energy. But scientists haven’t been able to measure the energies of those electrons, limiting their use. Researchers at Purdue University and the University of Michigan built a way to analyze those energies.

Enabling highways and bridges to prevent their own damage

‘Intelligent concrete’ could cut down on road repairs and traffic WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Roads always seem to need repairs. Luna Lu is giving concrete the ability to “talk” and even heal itself. Her lab at Purdue University is developing technology that would allow concrete-paved bridges and highways to reveal more accurately when they need repairs and to come equipped with materials that respond to potential damage.

Purdue quantum research receives Department of Defense funding

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Research into quantum techniques to more quickly detect explosives and exotic types of quantum camouflage have received funding from the U.S. Department of Defense’s 2020 Multidisciplinary University Research Initiative (MURI) program. The four faculty members who have been awarded projects in the competitive funding program are members of the Purdue Quantum Science and Engineering Institute in Purdue's Discovery Park. The highly competitive, tri-service MURI program is supported by the Army Research Office, the Air Force Office of Scientific Research, and the Office of Naval Research. Of the 365 projects nominated, only 26 were chosen via a merit-based review. According to the Department of Defense, the MURI program convenes teams of multiple disciplines to facilitate the growth of new technologies to solve the DoD’s unique problems.

Engineers make a promising material stable enough for use in solar cells

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Soft and flexible materials called halide perovskites could make solar cells more efficient at significantly less cost, but they’re too unstable to use. A Purdue University-led research team has found a way to make halide perovskites stable enough by inhibiting the ion movement that makes them rapidly degrade, unlocking their use for solar panels as well as electronic devices.

Now metal surfaces can be instant bacteria killers, thanks to new laser treatment technique

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Bacterial pathogens can live on surfaces for days. What if frequently touched surfaces such as doorknobs could instantly kill them off? Purdue University engineers have created a laser treatment method that could potentially turn any metal surface into a rapid bacteria killer – just by giving the metal’s surface a different texture. In a study published in the journal Advanced Materials Interfaces, the researchers demonstrated that this technique allows the surface of copper to immediately kill off superbugs such as MRSA. “Copper has been used as an antimicrobial material for centuries. But it typically takes hours for native copper surfaces to kill off bacteria,” said Rahim Rahimi, a Purdue assistant professor of materials engineering.

Laser Treatment Turns Metal Surfaces Into Instant Bacteria Killers

Bacterial pathogens can live on surfaces for days. What if frequently touched surfaces such as doorknobs could instantly kill them off? Purdue University engineers have created a laser treatment method that could potentially turn any metal surface into a rapid bacteria killer – just by giving the metal’s surface a different texture. In a study published in the journal Advanced Materials Interfaces, the researchers demonstrated that this technique allows the surface of copper to immediately kill off superbugs such as MRSA. “Copper has been used as an antimicrobial material for centuries. But it typically takes hours for native copper surfaces to kill off bacteria,” said Rahim Rahimi, a Purdue assistant professor of materials engineering.

Boiler ‘Maker’ team begins producing medical supplies

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — The Purdue University community has such a reputation for being makers that the word is literally a part of the team name. Now a group at the university has organized to produce much-needed medical supplies for Indiana hospitals. And being Purdue engineers and technologists, they couldn't get involved without finding a few ways to improve the products, too. The medical supplies — safety glasses and face shields at first — are expected to be delivered to hospitals in Indiana this week.

Device could ‘hear’ disease through structures housing cells

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Similarly to how a picked lock gives away that someone has broken into a building, the stiffening of a structure surrounding cells in the human body can indicate that cancer is invading other tissue. Monitoring changes to this structure, called the extracellular matrix, would give researchers another way to study the progression of disease. But detecting changes to the extracellular matrix is hard to do without damaging it.

HOW PURDUE IS REVOLUTIONIZING THE FEEL OF PROSTHETIC HANDS: BTN LIVEBIG

Biomedical engineers at Purdue aim to expand biofeedback – such as temperature and pressure – available to prosthetic users, thus enhancing functionality.

Paper device could bring portable coronavirus detection, but funding bars production

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Only a select number of state and local laboratories have permission from U.S. health officials to use diagnostic tests for COVID-19, a coronavirus-caused disease. If the virus is spreading nationwide, most communities do not have access to the necessary tests. Purdue University biomedical engineers have developed a handheld paper device that quickly and accurately detects a different strain of coronavirus, MERS-CoV, even in really small quantities. A clear test result can be read directly from the device itself, making it portable.