南大研发出快充长寿电池

南大研发出快充长寿电池


南大副教授陈晓东手中握着的，就是特制的二氧化钛胶状物，能够加快电池充电速度并延长电池寿命。（萧紫薇摄）

新加坡南洋理工大学科研人员研发出可以更快充电，而且延长电池寿命的方法。新科技让一般电池在两分钟内就能充电至70％，电池寿命也从原本的两年延长至20年。

厂商只需在制造一般的锂电子电池（lithium-ion battery）时，采用南大人员发明并获得专利的胶状物，就能达到这个效果。

目前，市面上的手机、平板电脑和电动车所使用的锂电子电池，平均需两小时才能充电满100％，充电和耗电的循环约500次，也就是说，若用户每天一次把电池充满电能，电池的平均寿命近1年半。

相比之下，采用新技术的锂电子电池充电速度更快，2分钟内就能充电至70％，充电满100％则不到1小时。电池的充电和耗电循环可以多达1万次，若用户每天充电1次，相等于电池的寿命可达至少20年。

领导研究的南大材料科学与工程学院副教授陈晓东博士受访时说，这项科技有望为各类电子商品的用户带来便利，尤其是电动车车主。

陈博士举例，三菱汽车今年推出的新款i-MiEV电动车，可以在30分钟内充电至80％，若改用南大研发的新技术，可在一般汽车添油的时间内，完成电动车局部充电的过程。

这款电动车的电池平均寿命约8年，替换电池的费用介于1万3000至1万8000元，若采用可以用上20年的新款电池，车主可以节省至少一次替换电池的费用。

~我报~

Selamat Hari Raya Aidil Adha

NUS, NTU move up in global university rankings

NUS, NTU move up in global university rankings

Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and the National University of Singapore (NUS) continued to do well in the latest Times Higher Education World University Rankings, published on Thursday (Oct 2).

NUS moved up one spot to rank 25th in the world - its best placement since the annual ranking was introduced in 2010. It was also placed among the global top 50 in all six subjects measured. It achieved 13th place for Engineering and Technology, 29th for Social Sciences, 34th for Life Sciences, 41st for Physical Sciences, 42nd for Arts and Humanities, and 44th for Clinical, Pre-clinical, and Health.

NUS President Professor Tan Chorh Chuan said they are "delighted", and noted that NUS is one of only two Asian universities to be amongst the world’s top 25.

"Our consistently strong performance in international rankings is an affirmation of NUS’ top quality education and research, as well as wider impact of our work. This is also the result of the strong commitment to excellence by our faculty, staff and students,” he said.

NTU is ranked 61st in this year's rankings, moving up 15 places from last year. With this year's rankings, it has moved up 108 places in the last three years.

The university also scored full marks and maintained its number 1 global position for industry income and innovation. This measures a university's knowledge transfer by looking at how much research income an institution earns from industry, scaled against the number of its academic staff.

NTU President, Professor Bertil Andersson, called the ranking a "milestone". "By continuing to attract the best and brightest professors and students from Singapore and around the world, I expect that NTU will break into Times Higher’s top 50 universities in a few years’ time.”

~News courtesy of Channel News Asia~

Way to help electric cars drive further on single charge

NTU scientists find way to help electric cars drive further on single charge


Mr Satheesh Kumar, a research scholar at NTU's Energy Research Institute (Eri@n), came up with the design for a 2-in-1 electric motor that can boost an electric vehicle's range by 15 to 20 per cent. -- PHOTO: ST FILE

Scientists in Singapore have found a way to reduce an electric car driver's worst fear: being stranded without power or a socket in sight.

Nanyang Technological University (NTU) scientists came up with an award-winning, 2-in-1 electric motor that can boost an electric vehicle's range by 15 to 20 per cent.

The invention, a collaboration with the German Aerospace Centre, combines the vehicle's electric motor and air-conditioning compressor, which are traditionally two separate units.

This opens up space in the vehicle for manufacturers to add an auxiliary battery.

~News courtesy of Straits Times~

Top among universities below 50 years old

NTU emerges tops among universities below 50 years old



Nanyang Technological University (NTU) has emerged as the World's Top Young University in 2014/15 in the latest Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) Top 50 under 50 ranking, for schools established within the past 50 years.

The ranking, released on Wednesday (Sep 24), saw NTU besting its 2013 showing, when it ranked second behind The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST). This year, HKUST took second place. Both varsities were founded in 1991.

Of the top 50, Australia had the largest contingent of universities with 10 schools, followed by Spain with five. Hong Kong, which had four varsities in the list, also boasts the youngest - The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, which was founded in 1994.

QS Head of Research Ben Sowter said by focusing on the performances of the younger institutions, the list "aims to spot up-and-coming higher education powerhouses in the global arena".

“NTU’s ascending trajectory, which the QS World University Rankings have been capturing year on year for the past decade, is nothing short of impressive. Even more so considering that this world-class institution has been established less than 25 years ago," Mr Sowter said.

The overall QS World University Rankings was released earlier this month, with NTU climbing two spots to 39. It was one of only two universities below 50 years old to break into the top 30s list, the varsity said then. The National University of Singapore (NUS), too, rose two spots to 22.

~News courtesy of Channel Newsasia~

Record number of scholarships due to 'overwhelming' demand

NTU gives out record number of scholarships due to 'overwhelming' demand

Nanyang Technological University (NTU) has given out a record 396 scholarships to freshmen this year, due to "overwhelming" demand.

They were awarded either the Nanyang Scholarship or admitted into one of its four premier scholars' programmes on Friday.

Last year 271 scholarships were given out and NTU said the increase was down to more students with at least four As enrolling and applying for scholarships.

University president Bertil Andersson said: "NTU achieved a fantastic 83 per cent record increase in top A-level students enrolling to the university, compared to 2011." 

~News courtesy of Straits Times~

国大蝉联亚洲最佳 南大跻身全球40大

国大蝉联亚洲最佳　南大跻身全球40大

新加坡国立大学连续第2年在全球大学排名中成为亚洲最佳大学。南洋理工大学也有所进步，首次跻身全球40大。

国际教育市场咨询公司Quacquarelli Symonds（简称QS）刚公布2014年度全球大学排行榜。国大晋升两级，名列全球第22名，在亚洲大学中表现最优秀。

南大也取得进步，晋级两个名次，名列全球第39名。

全球10大依旧由美国与英国包揽，但前3名有些更动。美国麻省理工学院蝉联全球第1，英国剑桥大学则上升一级，排行老二。英国伦敦帝国学院从去年的第5名跃升3级，与剑桥大学同享“老二”名衔。去年排行第2的美国哈佛大学则下滑2个名次，跌出前3名。

QS信息部研究主管索特（Ben Sowter）针对新加坡大学的表现指出，国大持续取得的进步反映校方持有的长远策略，以及为世界级设施所投入的资源。“国大进一步提升它的研究项目与加强师生比例，它今年也获得更多雇主的肯定。”

国大在“雇主名声”这一环的排名从去年的第16名跃升至第10名，学术名声维持在第9名的位置。

索特说，南大在过去的5年来进步显著。“南大获得学术界与雇主的肯定。它在引文次数这一环的表现优越，这使南大跻身40大。”

他认为南大新开办的李光前医学院，接下来会为南大取得更佳的成绩。

他指出，随着全球化社会日益重视创新文化，更多大学也趋向把重点放在科学、技术、工程和数学的研究工作。

南大校长安博迪教授对南大跻身全球40大的表现感到满意，尤其是南大在工程学的成绩再获国际肯定。

国大校长陈祝全教授说：“我相信，国大日益壮大的国际名声反映了学府对栽培与留住人才的重视。国大将继续在教育与研究工作上创新，为新加坡与广大的社群贡献。”

~我报~