Organic electronics enhance everyday objects

Through organic electronics it will be possible to print electronics into flat and flexible surfaces like paper and plastic. Because plastic transistors use solvent-processable organic or polymer materials, they can be fabricated using an inkjet-type printer.

Nanofilm mirror switches from reflective to opaque

A new nanotechnology thin film material for a switchable mirror can be switched between reflective and transparent states. The mirror consists of two layers of glass enclosing a cavity coated with a magnesium and titanium alloy film 40 nanometers thick. Switching is achieved by introducing gas containing a low concentration of hydrogen or oxygen into the space between the panes.

Plextronics to develop organic solar cells

Plextronics, a Top 50 Nanotechnology Start-Up and NREL Clean Energy Entrepreneur of the Year, has received $750,000 in funding from the Sustainable Energy Fund to develop its Plexcore PV technology for organic solar cells. Organic solar cells can be lightweight, flexible, and can operate well even in low-light conditions. The semiconductors can be printed like inks resulting in a much lower cost of production.

Microfinance comes to America

MicroVest is the first private microfinance investment firm in the U.S. They’re raising the incomes of millions of families in the developing world by supporting self-reliant entrepreneurs often excluded from the formal financial sector.

Americans want politicians to go green

77% of American voters say that the nation is not doing enough to promote and utilize green technologies in order to reduce our reliance on foreign fuel sources.