Consider small crystals that “blink” like fireflies and can transform carbon dioxide, a critical result in of climate improve, into fuels.

A Rutgers-led group has developed extremely-tiny titanium dioxide crystals that show strange “blinking” behavior and may well enable to generate methane and other fuels, according to a study in the journal Angewandte Chemie. The crystals, also known as nanoparticles, continue to be billed for a prolonged time and could advantage initiatives to build quantum computer systems.

“Our results are rather vital and intriguing in a number of means, and additional analysis is necessary to realize how these unique crystals get the job done and to fulfill their prospective,” mentioned senior creator Tewodros (Teddy) Asefa, a professor in the Office of Chemistry and Chemical Biology in the College of Arts and Sciences at Rutgers University-New Brunswick. He is also a professor in the Division of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering in the Faculty of Engineering.

More than 10 million metric tons of titanium dioxide are created per year, producing it 1 of the most commonly applied elements, the research notes. It is utilized in sunscreens, paints, cosmetics and varnishes, for illustration. It is also utilized in the paper and pulp, plastic, fiber, rubber, food stuff, glass and ceramic industries.

The group of researchers and engineers found out a new way to make particularly small titanium dioxide crystals. While it is nonetheless unclear why the engineered crystals blink and exploration is ongoing, the “blinking” is thought to crop up from single electrons trapped on titanium dioxide nanoparticles. At home temperature, electrons—surprisingly—stay trapped on nanoparticles for tens of seconds before escaping and then turn out to be trapped once again and yet again in a steady cycle.

The crystals, which blink when exposed to a beam of electrons, could be helpful for environmental cleanups, sensors, electronic equipment and solar cells, and the research team will further discover their capabilities.