David Chandler

A new electrode design developed at MIT boosts the efficiency of electrochemical reactions that turn carbon dioxide into ethylene and other products.

MIT researchers examine the mining of nickel, an essential element for some electric vehicle batteries, solar panels, and wind turbines. They discuss consequences for local environments, economies, and communities, and how to meet growing demand while improving environmental safety.

Novel magnetic nanodiscs could provide a much less invasive way of stimulating parts of the brain, paving the way for stimulation therapies without implants or genetic modification, MIT researchers report.

A new study of bubbles on electrode surfaces could help improve the efficiency of electrochemical processes that produce fuels, chemicals, and materials.

A new model accurately represents the airflow around rotors, even under extreme conditions. Developed by MIT engineers, the model could improve the way turbine blades and wind farms are designed.

A new material for flexible electronics could enable multilayered, recyclable electronic devices and help limit e-waste. The material was developed at MIT, the University of Utah, and Meta.

MIT researchers identified materials that may do a good job of conducting protons — as opposed to electrons — without the need for ultrahigh temperatures. These materials could enable clean-energy tech, such as more efficient and durable fuel cells to produce clean electricity from hydrogen.

Engineers at MIT and ATI discovered an approach for creating new titanium alloys with exceptional combinations of strength and ductility, which might lead to new applications in aerospace and other industries.

MIT scientists discovered that when metal is struck by an object moving at a super high velocity, the heat makes the metal stronger. The finding could lead to new approaches to designing materials for extreme environments, such as shields that protect spacecraft or equipment for high-speed manufacturing.

A new system for detecting toxic gases developed by MIT researchers could provide continuous monitoring of these gases, such as nitrogen dioxide, at low cost.

A new system could enable simple, low-cost detectors for monitoring water for lead contamination, and potentially other heavy metals as well.

MIT researchers developed a method for 3D experiments that can reveal how forces are transmitted through granular materials, and how the shapes of the grains can dramatically change the outcomes. This could lead to better ways of understanding how landslides are triggered, and how to control the flow of granular materials in industrial processes.

Livestock grazing can either be a source of greenhouse gas emissions or a sink for these emissions, depending on the intensity of grazing, according to a new study.

MIT spinout AgZen developed a system for feedback-optimized spraying that can help farmers spray more efficiently and effectively, using fewer chemicals overall.

Can carbon trading systems reduce global emissions, or are they little more than greenwashing? Several MIT experts say the systems could be effective, at least in certain circumstances, but they must be thoroughly evaluated and regulated.

A simple new technique could boost the efficiency of some key chemical processing, by up to a factor of 100,000, MIT researchers report. The reactions are at the heart of petrochemical processing, pharmaceutical manufacturing, and many other industrial chemical processes.

MIT researchers devised a machine-learning-based method to investigate how materials behave at their surfaces. The approach could help in developing compounds or alloys for use as catalysts, semiconductors, or battery components.

An efficient new process can convert carbon dioxide into formate, a material that can be used like hydrogen or methanol to power a fuel cell and generate electricity.

While useful for killing pathogens including SARS-CoV-2, 222-nanometer UV lights may produce harmful compounds in indoor spaces, and should be used with ventilation, MIT researchers have found.

MIT researchers found a way to tune the spin density in diamond by applying an external laser or microwave beam. The finding could open new possibilities for advanced quantum devices.