Temporal sequence of photochemical reaction in individual aerosol particles observed with high resolution

21-Apr-2022

Aerosols in the atmosphere react to incident sunlight. This light is amplified in the interior of the aerosol droplets and particles, accelerating reactions. ETH researchers have now been able to demonstrate and quantify this effect and recommend factoring it into future climate models. Liquid ...

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New concept for a high-precision quantum sensor

08-Apr-2022

Sensors are a pillar of the Internet of Things, providing the data to control all sorts of objects. Here, precision is essential, and this is where quantum technologies could make a difference. Researchers in Innsbruck and Zurich are now demonstrating how nanoparticles in tiny optical resonators ...

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Researchers at PSI and ETH Zurich have observed for the first time how tiny magnets in a special layout align themselves solely as a result of temperature changes

06-Apr-2022

This view into processes that take place within so-​called artificial spin ice could play an important role in the development of novel high-​performance computers. When water freezes to form ice, the water molecules, with their hydrogen and oxygen atoms, arrange themselves in a complex ...

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First step towards genuine plastic recycling

25-Mar-2022

A team of ETH researchers led by Athina Anastasaki have succeeded in breaking down plastic into its molecular building blocks and in recovering over 90 percent of them. A first step towards genuine plastic recycling. The chemical industry has a long tradition of producing polymers. This involves ...

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Detecting defects at an early stage

02-Mar-2022

Sounds provide important information about how well a machine is running. ETH researchers have now developed a new machine learning method that automatically detects whether a machine is "healthy" or requires maintenance. Whether railway wheels or generators in a power plant, whether pumps or ...

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Researchers have created artificial colours by 3D printing certain nanostructures inspired by those of a butterfly

11-Feb-2022

For their new technology, scientists in the group of Andrew deMello, Professor of Biochemical Engineering, drew inspiration from butterflies. The wings of the species Cynandra opis, native to tropical Africa, are decorated with brilliant colours. These are produced by extremely intricate regular ...

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More than 99 percent of the most widely produced chemicals aren’t sustainable

04-Feb-2022

For the first time, researchers at ETH Zurich have calculated in absolute figures the extent to which the production of chemicals is currently interfering with nature worldwide – and the results are staggering. In addition to greenhouse gas emissions, the new method also takes land use and ...

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07-Dec-2021

After analysing the global plastics value chain, ETH researchers have revealed that the impact of plastics on climate and health is bigger than originally thought due to the increased use of coal for process heat, electricity and as a raw material in production. Global demand for them has ...

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Airy and efficient

02-Dec-2021

Researchers at ETH Zurich have developed a new photocatalyst made from an aerogel that could enable more efficient hydrogen production. The key is sophisticated pretreatment of the material. Aerogels are extraordinary materials that have set Guinness World Records more than a dozen times, ...

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ETH Zurich spin-​off relies on a new material that efficiently converts electrical signals into optical ones

30-Nov-2021

Increasingly large amounts of data are being sent back and forth around the world. To ensure that this exchange continues to function smoothly, new solutions are needed at the interfaces between chips and optical fibres. The ETH Zurich spin-​off Lumiphase relies on a new material that efficiently ...

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