Articles tagged with Construction Materials
Researchers at NIST have combined wood pulp and dried-up pieces of an invasive exotic pest to form a new composite material that is flexible, sustainable, nontoxic, and UV light-reflective. The material could be used in various applications, including food packaging, biomedical devices, and building construction.
Researchers have designed and synthesized molecules that can interact together to assemble complex molecular structures at the nanoscale. By mimicking biological self-assembly processes, chemists can learn new methods of chemical synthesis for nano/micro-structures.
Research reveals that green roof species arrive by hitching lifts on birds or riding air currents, underscoring the importance of adapting soil biology to these environments. The study recommends improving soil engineering to ensure long-term sustainability and encourages further research to connect green roofs to ground-level soils.
A Yale-led study found that GDP remains linked to metal use even as affluence grows, with a 1% rise in GDP increasing the nation's metal footprint by 1.9%. This challenges the long-held theory that metal use plateaus when GDP reaches $15,000 per person.
A new process enables 3D biofabrication of hollow and complex objects with excellent fidelity, facilitating the development of sustainable materials and biomedical applications. The method uses superhydrophobic interfaces to engineer bacterial access to oxygen in three dimensions.
Researchers at North Carolina State University have developed a method to identify the presence of radioactive materials like uranium and plutonium in building materials. The technique uses brick samples to detect the presence of these materials and can be done in days, not weeks.
Researchers from Graz University of Technology have developed a holistic solution using geopolymer concrete to resist microbial induced concrete corrosion (MICC), a common issue in wastewater treatment facilities. This approach has shown promising results in reducing the lifespan of damaged systems and extending their service life.
The Lehigh University team is building a new High Pressure Spatial chemical vapor deposition (HPS-CVD) reactor to create new materials with extreme conditions. The device will enable the growth of III-nitride and oxynitride semiconductors, paving the way for sustainable energy solutions and innovative technologies.
Researchers found naturally occurring circular rotation in an atomic monolayer crystal of tungsten diselenide, a promising candidate for valleytronics. Controlling this rotation could provide a stable mechanism to carry and store information. The discovery opens possibilities for creating rotors at the molecular scale.
Researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory have developed a novel method to create supertough renewable plastic with improved manufacturability. Quantum computers are expected to use dramatically less energy than current supercomputers, reducing energy usage by more than one million kilowatt hours.
An international team has developed a new approach to produce complex materials from simple organic building blocks through self-organization. The researchers successfully created a semiregular 3.4.6.4 tessellation with large hexagonal meshes, exhibiting unusual properties and potential applications.
Researchers from Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (EMPA) have developed a new insulating material using microscopic bubbles, creating an ultra-insulating brick called Aerobrick. This innovation outperforms traditional insulation methods by up to 35%.
Researchers at Technical University of Munich use biofilms to guide microorganisms in creating tailor-made templates for new materials. This process utilizes light, heat, and other stimuli to control the movement of microbes, enabling the creation of complex networks with natural structures.
Researchers found glacial polish is a thin, deposited layer that helps explain its resistance to weathering. It can influence glacier speed and provide an archive for dating the material.
A new study by U.S. and Chinese scientists found that coal ash from high-uranium deposits in China contains radiation levels 43 times higher than UN safety standards. The use of such ash in residential building materials is not suitable due to potential human health risks.
Researchers have developed a device using graphene that could provide conclusive evidence for the existence of non-Abelian anyons, a key component of topological quantum computing. The device achieves extremely low disorder and tunability, allowing for the study of these particles in a controlled environment.
The study proposes a remote evaluation method to determine the feasibility of using local resources for contingency base construction. By analyzing available data and proximity factor analysis, planners can optimize CB site plans and locations to maximize indigenous resource utilization.
Researchers at Tohoku University have developed a cheaper production method to create single-crystal metals, known for their shape memory properties. This breakthrough could lead to mass-produced materials with improved elasticity and strength, ideal for building structures that can withstand earthquakes.
A team of researchers from Northeastern University has discovered a new mechanism that causes cracks to behave strangely in brittle materials, leading to catastrophic failure. The study's findings have the potential to help designers create stronger materials by understanding how fragile materials like glass and bone break.
A BYU research team has developed a machine learning approach to analyze grain boundaries in metals, enabling the prediction of material strength and corrosion resistance. By analyzing massive data sets, their algorithm provides insight into physical structures associated with specific mechanisms and properties.
A new study found that installing 'cool roofs' in Southern California could lead to small increases in ozone and fine particulate pollution levels. The predicted increase can be minimized by requiring more comprehensive performance standards for cool-roofing materials.
A team of researchers has discovered that copper and other metals can never form perfectly flat nanoscale films due to grain rotation. This discovery has significant implications for designing materials with improved electrical, thermal, and mechanical properties.
Researchers developed self-disposing supramolecular materials with tunable lifetimes, mimicking biological processes. These materials autonomously degrade after added energy is exhausted, enabling reusable cycles and diverse applications such as drug delivery and tissue stabilization.
Researchers at KIT discovered how fungi grow by extending tubular cells, contrary to conventional cell division. The growth process is controlled by calcium concentration and involves the transport of construction materials on rails.
Scientists at Northwestern University have developed a lightweight, porous crystal with unprecedented structural complexity using uranium and organic linkers. The new material has a high surface area, pore volume, and water stability, making it suitable for separating small molecules and enzymes.
MIT researchers have designed a system that can 3-D print the basic structure of an entire building, enabling faster, cheaper, and more adaptable construction. The system uses a robotic arm to direct various construction nozzles and can construct objects of any size.
Researchers create novel two-dimensional quantum materials with breakthrough electrical and magnetic attributes, enabling faster and more powerful computers. The materials, which push the speed of electronic signals to nearly the speed of light, have potential applications in next-generation quantum computers.
Sharon C. Glotzer received the 2017 MRS Communications Lecture Award for her work on polymer-tethered nanoparticles. Her paper, published in MRS Communications, demonstrates the use of computational tools to design and assemble functional materials nanostructures.
Researchers at Northwestern University have developed a novel 3D printing method that uses simulants of Martian and lunar dust to create flexible, elastic, and tough structures. The method, known as 3D-painting, enables the creation of functional objects such as habitats and building blocks using local resources.
The Resilient Materials 4 Life (RM4L) project aims to create smart materials that adapt, develop immunity, and self-heal. This research has the potential to revolutionize infrastructure maintenance costs and protect the UK's built environment.
Researchers have found that treating sulfate soils with magnesium-based additives can significantly improve their mechanical properties. The study showed that the treated materials exhibit greater resistances and dimensional stability compared to traditional lime-based applications.
Researchers at ORNL studied tungsten degradation under reactor-relevant conditions, discovering that lower-energy bombardment produces finer, smoother tendrils. The study aims to engineer robust materials for fusion reactors, which pose significant challenges due to plasma exposure.
Digital fabrication in architecture promises substantial contributions to sustainability and productivity, enabling new forms of architectural expression. Researchers are developing interdisciplinary research connections to form a digital building culture, leveraging domain-specific robotic technology and advanced materials.
Researchers at UBC Okanagan campus found that safety codes can result in overly reinforced bridges, wasting materials and increasing construction expenses. The study suggests a new approach to seismic design, prioritizing self-centering capability and reducing the need for costly demolitions.
Limpets' shells can be repaired to match their original strength after damage, but they still face weaknesses from multiple impacts called spalling. This biomimetic discovery could inspire solutions for engineering problems like concrete failure.
Researchers at The University of Manchester developed a braiding technique to create tighter and more complex molecular knots, leading to potential breakthroughs in material strength and elasticity. This achievement has the possibility of generating new types of materials, such as lighter and more flexible polymers.
Scientists at the University of Surrey achieved record power conversion efficiencies for large area organic solar cells, outperforming traditional inorganic solar cells. The innovative cells can be printed in different colors and shapes, making them ideal for powering devices on-the-go, such as Internet of Things applications.
Researchers at the University of Delaware are using the International Space Station's U.S. National Laboratory to study self-assembly in microgravity, with a focus on creating new types of colloidal materials that can be used in various applications such as phononic bandgap materials and ultra-low thermal conductivity coatings.
Researchers at the University of Melbourne develop a novel approach to assemble nano-objects into complex architectures using polyphenol-coated building blocks. The technique enables the creation of 3D superstructures with enhanced chemical diversity and structural flexibility.
Scientists have created peptide-based materials that can reorganize their sequences to adapt to their environment, paving the way for new product possibilities including drug delivery, food science, and cosmetics. The method allows for unbiased discovery of optimized structures through self-selection.
Scientists at Technical University of Munich successfully measured base-pair bonding strength for the first time on single base pairs. The results may help understand mechanical aspects of biological processes and aid in constructing precise molecular machines out of DNA.
Researchers at IBS Centre for Correlated Electron Systems have revised existing theories on iron-based superconductors. By doping electrons onto the surface of a material, they found no correlation between the transition temperature and the nesting effect, challenging current understanding of these materials.
Researchers at Tel Aviv University have created a new approach to manufacturing mechanical metamaterials that can deform in a complex manner. This breakthrough may lead to more comfortable and user-friendly prosthetics, as well as applications in soft robotics and wearable technologies.
Researchers have developed self-assembling particles that can change shape in response to light, mimicking natural transformations. The team engineered particles a micrometer in width, enabling the creation of exotic colloidal geometries.
Researchers at Jülich have found a way to produce nanomagnets with low zero-point energy, leading to higher stability. They investigated the connection between atomic properties and magnetic fluctuations caused by zero-point energy.
The Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) will establish 20 new Collaborative Research Centres (CRCs), receiving €174 million in funding. The CRCs will investigate various topics, including quantum systems and the adaptability of plants.
A collaborative research centre at the University of Konstanz is studying directional properties of particles and their superstructures. The SFB 1214 aims to create a new generation of materials with tailor-made properties by controlling particle arrangement.
Researchers develop Bend-Induced-Oscillatory-Shearing (BIOS) process to produce hundreds of meters of polymer opals on a roll-to-roll process, exhibiting chameleon-like color-shifting properties. The material has potential applications in smart clothing, building coatings, and banknote security.
Researchers have created an 'adaptive protein crystal' that exhibits a unique property called 'auxetic', where stretching or compressing the material causes it to thicken or shrink in the opposite direction. This material has potential applications in shock-absorbing materials and body armor.
Researchers at Columbia University have developed the first on-chip RF circulator that doubles WiFi speeds with a single antenna, transforming telecommunications. The technology enables full-duplex communications, where transmitter and receiver operate simultaneously, doubling network capacity.
The IBS Center for Correlated Electron Systems has successfully created monolayer and multilayer samples of the magnetic Van der Waals material NiPS3. This achievement lays the foundation for the development of high-speed, low-energy consuming semiconductors that can be integrated into various devices.
Researchers studied three buildings near the sea, analyzing their materials and chemical reactions, to understand deterioration processes. The study developed a new analytical methodology using spectroscopic techniques, providing detailed information about material composition and pathologies.
By creating inside-out plants, scientists can observe the interior cells synthesizing cellulose in high resolution. The study reveals that plant cells need a high density of enzymes and rapid movement across the cell surface to produce cellulose quickly, with significant implications for plant breeding and industries relying on cellulose.
Researchers found that environmental and social factors shape participants' use of SOV vs SVO syntax when communicating events, with iconicity playing a key role. The study also showed that adapting to interlocutors' lead and frequent event types influence syntactic patterns.
A new methodology has been developed to assess the environmental sustainability of timber structures, taking into account factors such as social responsibility and economic development. The tool evaluates various criteria and indicators to produce an Environmental Sustainability Index for these structures.
Researchers exploring strategies in biology to create different mechanical properties, such as draglines and pheromonal trails, reveal principles that inform new material designs. By understanding nanoconfinement and the role of mechanics in biological systems, scientists can speed up discovery and develop innovative materials.
Researchers discovered a single material, samarium hexaboride (SmB6), that displays dual metal-insulator properties, violating conventional wisdom. The material's behavior is attributed to the existence of a potential third phase, neither insulator nor conductor.
Researchers study the behavior of liquids trapped between two parallel fibers, discovering that spreading is controlled by three key parameters: liquid amount, fiber orientation, and distance between them. This insight could lead to cheaper materials with better insulation properties.
Scientists designed a new biochemical pathway in E. coli that can efficiently produce isobutyl acetate from both glucose and acetate, increasing its yield to 75 percent. This breakthrough could have significant applications in biotechnology, particularly in the production of flavoring agents, solvents, and fuels.
A University of Pittsburgh-led consortium has received a $200,000 grant to explore the use of bamboo as a safe and sustainable construction resource in urban areas. The research aims to reduce the environmental impact of housing while addressing global grand challenges of urbanization and resilience.