Read the latest news about research conducted by investigators in the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences. Our faculty and students are continually advancing technology, creating solutions and expanding knowledge with new and innovative research.
News
Two-dimensional metals open pathways to new science
An atomically thin materials platform developed by Penn State researchers in conjunction with Lawrence Berkeley National Lab and Oak Ridge National Lab will open a wide range of new applications in biomolecular sensing, quantum phenomena, catalysis and nonlinear optics.
High energy Li-Ion battery is safer for electric vehicles
A lithium-ion battery that is safe, has high power and can last for 1 million miles has been developed by a team in Penn State’s Battery and Energy Storage Technology (BEST) Center.
Researchers identify breaking point of conducting material
An improved method to predict the temperature when plastics change from supple to brittle, which could potentially accelerate future development of flexible electronics, was developed by Penn State College of Engineering researchers.
Digging into the past
High on the craggy cliffs of Oman’s rocky desert landscape, Sarah Ivory squeezed into narrow, dark caves in search of a different kind of goldmine.
Scientists create road map for improving carbon estimates
Penn State researchers found that a common tool used to understand carbon dioxide fluxes, or how the gas moves between the atmosphere and ecosystems, may be overconfident because of uncertainties in the release of carbon dioxide by the combustion of fossil fuels.
When bonding noble metals to 2D materials, interfaces matter
Researchers at Penn State and Purdue University have developed new materials for improved single-atom catalysis and future electronics.
Earth and Mineral Sciences student finds bright future in solar energy
When Zoë Rauscher arrived at Penn State as a first-year student, she “knew nothing about solar," she said.
Cold sintering produces capacitor material at record low temperatures
Penn State researchers have produced barium titanate at record low temperatures, and the discovery could lead to more energy efficient manufacturing.
New research center will focus on socially responsible artificial intelligence
Penn State will be well positioned to recognize and interpret the social implications of artificial intelligence (AI), thanks to a new, multi-unit research center launched this spring.
Forest soils release more carbon dioxide than expected in rainy season
Current carbon cycle models may underestimate the amount of carbon dioxide released from the soil during rainy seasons in temperate forests like those found in the northeast United States, according to Penn State researchers.