Tech
Pure metallic gel opens door to more powerful liquid metal batteries
Researchers at Texas A&M University have developed the first known metallic gel. Unlike everyday gels, like those used in hand sanitizers, hair products or soft contact lenses, this new material is made entirely of metals and can withstand extreme heat. The discovery could be a game changer for energy storage.
The work is published in Advanced Engineering Materials.
The gel is created by mixing two metal powders. When heated, one metal melts into a liquid, while the other stays solid and forms a microscopic scaffold. The liquid metal remains trapped inside this structure, creating a gel-like material that looks solid but contains liquid within.
Everyday gels are semi-solid materials containing an organic backbone holding liquids in place at room temperature. Unlike them, metallic gels require very high temperatures, which, depending on the metals used, can be around 1,000 degrees Celsius or 1,832 degrees Fahrenheit.
“Metallic gels have never been reported before, probably because no one thought liquid metals could be supported by an internal ultrafine skeleton,” said Dr. Michael J. Demkowicz, a professor in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, who led the research.
“What’s surprising in this case is that when the majority component—copper—was melted into liquid, it didn’t just collapse into a puddle. That’s what pure copper would have done,” he explained.
Metallic gels made from highly reactive metals with strong electrical attraction, known as electronegativity, can be used as electrodes in liquid metal batteries (LMBs). In simple terms, these metals are very reactive and easily bond with other materials, which helps the battery work efficiently.
LMBs are special types of batteries that store and release large amounts of electrical energy. Instead of using solid materials like most batteries, they use layers of liquid metal. Because the parts are liquid, they do not wear out as quickly as regular batteries.
So far, LMBs have mainly been used in large stationary systems, such as backup power for building applications that need to keep running during a power outage. They have not been used in moving systems because the liquid inside shifts when the battery moves. This can cause a short circuit, which means the battery loses electrical power.
That is where metallic gel electrodes come in. By holding the liquid metal in place, they could make it possible to use LMBs in things that move, such as powering large ships or heavy industrial vehicles that can safely handle the heat of these batteries.
To test the idea, researchers built a small lab version of the battery using two cube-shaped electrodes. One was made from a mix of liquid calcium and solid iron, which acted as the anode, and the other from liquid bismuth and iron, which acted as the cathode.
When placed in a molten salt, a hot liquid that allows electrical charge to flow between the two, the battery worked successfully. It produced electricity, and the mostly liquid electrodes stayed in shape and kept working as intended.
The research was performed by a team led by Demkowicz and doctoral student Charles Borenstein, who is the first author on the paper.
Demkowicz and Borenstein said that what began as an exploration of the behaviors of metal composites of copper and tantalum resulted in this serendipitous discovery.
“We were just exploring different methods of processing composites by heat,” Demkowicz said. “All we wanted to do, at first, was to see: Does this even survive until one of the components melts?”
Borenstein originally put a composite of 25% tantalum and 75% copper into the furnace heated to copper’s melting point.
“Nothing happened, which I found kind of confusing,” he said, noting that the copper didn’t run out and pool. “We were pretty surprised by these results.”
After testing other percentages of both metals, he found that any combination of the metals with a volume of tantalum above 18 percent still retained the gel form.
The next step was to bring the new structure to a lab with a very high-resolution micro-CT scanner to examine the metallic gel’s interior. Although copper and tantalum are not ideal candidates for electrodes, they are for CT scanning. As anticipated, the tantalum formed a solid scaffolding structure holding the liquid copper within its lacunae.
That’s when the team shifted their research to the battery materials of iron, bismuth and calcium, and demonstrated the feasibility of the metallic gel LMB.
Demkowicz said that an LMB made for transportable applications could also employ a gel-like composite electrolyte, such as a molten salt supported by a ceramic backbone, through which the electrode’s ions could pass.
He highlighted other potential applications for LMBs, including one that he said would be especially exciting to work on: powering a hypersonic vehicle, like those under feasibility study at the Texas A&M University Consortium for Applied Hypersonics. Hypersonic vehicles operate at extremely high temperatures and could theoretically be powered by a very hot LMB.
Co-authors on the paper are Dr. Brady G. Butler and Dr. James D. Paramore, visiting professors at Texas A&M, and Dr. Karl T. Hartwig, professor emeritus at the university.
The high-resolution CT scanning was performed at the University of Texas High-Resolution X-ray Computed Tomography Facility in Austin.
More information:
Charles Borenstein et al, Shape‐Preserving Metallic Gels with Applications as Electrodes for Liquid Metal Batteries, Advanced Engineering Materials (2025). DOI: 10.1002/adem.202500738
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Pure metallic gel opens door to more powerful liquid metal batteries (2025, October 23)
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Top B&H Photo Discounts and Deals for December 2025
B&H Photo is one of our favorite places to shop for camera gear. If you’re ever in New York, head to the store to check out the giant overhead conveyor belt system that brings your purchase from the upper floors to the registers downstairs (yes, seriously, here’s a video). Fortunately B&H Photo’s website is here for the rest of us with some good deals on photo gear we love.
Save on the Latest Gear at B&H Photo
B&H Photo has plenty of great deals, including Nikon’s brand-new Z6III full-frame mirrorless camera for $2,196.95 ($300 off). The Z6III (8/10, WIRED Recommends) is huge update for the Z6 line, and a great all-around camera for Nikon fans. There are also great deals like the Nikon Zf (8/10, WIRED Recommends) full frame mirrorless camera for $200 off, or the Nikon Z8 for $600 off.
Not in the market for the latest Nikon cameras? There are plenty of other deals, like our favorite action camera, the GoPro Hero 13 for $70 off (7/10, WIRED Recommends), and Sony’s a7R V full frame mirrorless camera for $400 off.
How Do I Get Free Shipping at B&H?
One of the many perks of B&H Photo is their generous free shipping policy. Most orders at B&H over $49 qualify for free expedited shipping to the lower 48 states. The savings just keep coming, as most items totaling under $49 also qualify for free standard shipping in the contiguous US.If for some reason your order doesn’t qualify for free shipping, you can review alternative shipping options during checkout—full shipping policy details can be found here.
Best Times to Find B&H Promo Codes and Discounts
Like most retailers, B&H Photo offers some of their best deals of the year during Black Friday and Cyber Monday, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t other ways to save outside of this sale period. There’s still time to jump on extended holiday sales, with up to $300 24-hour camera discounts, and featured price drops across all accessories. While there may not be any B&H promo codes available at the moment, there are plenty of other ways to save at B&H.
Get the latest B&H Preorder in 2025
If you’re a photographer, videographer, or creator, you’re not going to want to be left out of some of the most anticipated camera releases of the year, including the Canon EOS R6 Mark III Mirrorless Camera, Canon 45mm f/1.2 STM Lens (Canon RF), and Canon EOS R6 Mark III Mirrorless Camera with 24-105mm f/4 Lens, and more. Make sure you visit the above link to get the full scoop of camera details and releases, as well as pre-order them while you still can.
Exclusive B&H Student Discounts
If you’re a student with an EDU email, sign up for B&H Photo’s student discount program, which offers free shipping on most orders and exclusive discounts.
Score Deals on Used and Refurbished Gear
B&H Photo also deals in used and refurbished gear. Deals (and conditions) vary, and I have never purchased a used item this way, but if you’re looking to save some money, that’s another way to go.
Trade-in Your Old Gear at B&H
The flip side of B&H Photos used deals is that you can sell your old gear. I put in my old Sony a7 II and was offered $210, which is more than I would have thought. Your offer is contingent on it matching the condition you claim, but if you’ve got gear you aren’t using anymore, this is a way to turn it into some extra cash.
Snap Up Limited-Time Deals in the Deal Zone
There are always rotating and limited-time B&H Photos deals at this url, which B&H Photo calls the Deal Zone.
Tech
Trump Signs Executive Order That Threatens to Punish States for Passing AI Laws
President Donald Trump signed a highly anticipated executive order on Thursday that sets in motion a plan to establish a national regulatory framework for artificial intelligence while undercutting states’ abilities to enact their own rules.
The order, titled “Ensuring a National Policy Framework for Artificial Intelligence,” creates an AI litigation task force within the Justice Department to directly challenge state AI laws the administration finds to conflict with federal policy. It also directs the Department of Commerce to craft guidelines that could make states ineligible for future broadband funding if they pass “onerous” AI laws.
The push for sweeping federal preemption of state AI laws has largely been fueled by AI investors, conservative policy shops, and tech industry trade groups. These groups have argued that a patchwork approach to AI regulation could stunt Silicon Valley’s AI boom and reduce America’s competitiveness on the global stage. White House AI and crypto adviser David Sacks has been one of the most vocal proponents of a light-touch approach to AI regulation.
“The EO gives your administration tools to push back on the most onerous and excessive state regulations,” Sacks told Trump during Thursday’s signing ceremony. “We’re not going to push back on all of them. For example, kids safety we’re going to protect.”
The order is similar in many respects to an earlier draft obtained by WIRED but with a few key differences. The executive order instructs Sacks and Michael Kratsios, the assistant to the president for science and technology, to prepare a legislative recommendation establishing a federal policy framework for AI. One of the new additions is a carve-out within this legislative recommendation asking Congress not to preempt state AI laws that aim to protect children, promote data center infrastructure, and encourage state governments to procure AI tools.
“We want one central source of approval, and we have great Republican support. I think we probably have Democrat support too, because it’s common sense,” Trump said during Thursday’s signing ceremony. “Every time you make a change, and it could be a very reasonable change, you still won’t get it approved if you have to go to 50 states. This centralizes it.”
In the absence of federal regulations, officials from states across the country have pushed through their own investigations and legislation to govern the use and development of AI. Trump’s executive order specifically calls out certain state AI laws—such as Colorado’s SB24-205, which aims to limit “algorithmic discrimination” in AI models—as an attempt to “embed ideological bias.”
Several other state AI laws may also fall in the crosshairs of this executive order. California governor Gavin Newsom signed a law in September requiring large tech companies to publish safety frameworks around their AI models. In June, New York’s legislature passed a bill that would empower the state’s attorney general to bring civil penalties of up to $30 million against AI developers that fail to meet safety standards. That bill is currently sitting on New York governor Kathy Hochul’s desk, awaiting her signature or veto—though she’s reportedly considering amendments that could weaken the bill significantly.
Tech
Crypto Magnate Do Kwon Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison
South Korean crypto entrepreneur and prosecuted fraudster Do Kwon was sentenced to 15 years in prison by a US federal judge in the Southern District of New York on Thursday.
Kwon cut a solemn figure as he was escorted into the courtroom by US Marshals, his head bowed, his cheeks sunken as if he’d lost a significant amount of weight. He wore a bright lemon-colored prison jumpsuit over a long-sleeve shirt, with cuffs around his waist and hands.
In August, Kwon pleaded guilty to defrauding investors who purchased crypto coins issued by his company, Terraform Labs. In May 2022, the abrupt collapse of those coins wiped out $40 billion and sent the crypto economy into a tailspin that bankrupted numerous other companies.
“Kwon’s fraud was colossal in scope, permeating virtually every facet of Terraform’s purported business,” US prosecutors wrote in a recent court filing. “His rampant lies left a trail of financial destruction in their wake.”
Given the chance to address the court on Thursday, Kwon said he took sole responsibility for the fraud. After thanking his former coworkers and supporters, some of whom had gathered in the public gallery, he became emotional. His lawyers, to his left and right, rubbed his back.
The offenses to which Kwon pleaded guilty carry a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison. Before the hearing, prosecutors had petitioned for a 12-year prison term. But the presiding judge, Paul Engelmayer, ruled that a more punitive sentence was required in order to deter future crypto fraudsters.
“This case will be there as a reminder of breaking bad and what happens,” Engelmayer told the courtroom. “To the next Do Kwon, if you commit fraud, you will lose your liberty for a long time.”
As he was bundled into an elevator outside the courtroom after receiving his sentence, Kwon appeared to be holding back tears. The chain that hung between his feet rattled against the floor.
Not-So-Stablecoin
Kwon started Terraform in 2018, alongside cofounder Daniel Shin. Two years later, the company announced plans to launch TerraUSD (UST), a stablecoin whose value was supposedly pegged to the US dollar by way of an algorithm. The algorithm would effectively tie UST to a second coin issued by the firm, LUNA. A dollar’s worth of LUNA could be exchanged for a dollar’s worth of UST, and vice versa. If UST were to ever slip below $1, traders would be incentivized to buy LUNA until the target value was restored.
“It was an intriguing and very novel mechanism,” Noelle Acheson, an analyst who previously worked at the crypto brokerage Genesis, told WIRED last year. “Many smart people believed it would work.”
In May 2022, the price-balancing system belched. When traders sold large quantities of UST, it slipped from its dollar peg, leading to a panicked sell-off that drove the price practically to zero. In a now-infamous tweet, Kwon tried to stop the selloff, writing, “deploying more capital—steady lads.” But the value of UST and LUNA plummeted, wiping $40 billion from the market.
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