Articles tagged with Materials Engineering
Researchers at MIT and China developed a desalination system that is both more efficient and less expensive than previous methods. The system uses natural convection to draw salt from the water, eliminating the need for wicks or power sources.
A team of researchers from Skoltech and universities developed a neural network-based solution for automated recognition of chemical formulas on research paper scans. The algorithm combines molecules, functional groups, fonts, styles, and printing defects to mimic existing molecular template depiction styles.
Computer simulations reveal subtle changes in density near a stiff pillar cause a broader concentration of force than expected. The study's findings suggest that even small variations can significantly impact the properties of composite materials.
Researcher Sepideh Razavi's work focuses on droplet wetting behavior, crucial for understanding disease transmission, industrial processes, and environmental sustainability. Her project aims to advance fundamental science for novel solutions in these fields.
A new wearable magnetic metamaterial helmet can create better brain scans by boosting MRI performance. It fits over a person's head during a brain scan, creating crisper images that can be captured at twice the normal speed.
Researchers at City University of Hong Kong have discovered a super-elastic high-entropy Elinvar alloy that retains its stiffness even after being heated to 1000 K. The alloy's unique structure and chemical composition allow it to store a large amount of elastic energy, making it suitable for high-precision devices in aerospace enginee...
Researchers have designed a tiny and flat antenna for receiving and transmitting terahertz signals, enabling the miniaturization of THz devices. The new design integrates the antenna with the system, eliminating the need for bulky silicon lenses and reducing optical power required.
Researchers developed a self-cleaning bioplastic that repels liquids and dirt like a lotus leaf, breaking down rapidly in soil. The bioplastic is made from cheap raw materials, compostable, and suitable for fresh food and takeaway packaging.
Cerium oxide mesocrystals can be fabricated in a controlled way using radiation chemistry, enabling tuning for applications such as solar cells and fuel catalysts. The unique structure of these nanomaterials allows for customization of optical, magnetic, or electronic properties.
Scientists have successfully manipulated liquid metals in a non-contact manner by applying electromagnetic induction, allowing for the creation of unique shapes and structures. The discovery opens up new possibilities for advanced manufacturing and dynamic electronic structures.
Researchers from Tel Aviv University have engineered 3D human spinal cord tissues and implanted them in lab models with long-term chronic paralysis, resulting in an 80% success rate in restoring walking abilities. The team aims to conduct clinical trials in human patients within a few years to make the treatment commercially available.
Scientists discovered oscillatory bifurcation patterns on liquid metal surfaces, mirroring the cyclic power blocs in 'Romance of the Three Kingdoms.' The unusual patterns emerge due to surface instability, with potential applications in plasmonic sensing and high-efficiency electronics.
Researchers at Purdue University have created a device that can dynamically rewire itself to adapt to new data, enabling artificial intelligence to learn and remember information like the human brain. This breakthrough could lead to more efficient AI systems for tasks such as image recognition and decision-making.
A team of researchers from Penn State has developed a method to optimize acoustic and structural properties of concrete floor slabs. The study found that shaped structures can improve sound insulation performance while reducing embodied carbon emissions.
A team of researchers has successfully developed a material-based reservoir computing device using single-walled carbon nanotubes and porphyrin-polyoxometalate composites. This innovation enables AI robots to classify grasped objects based on tactile signals, demonstrating the potential for energy-saving AI systems and situational awar...
A Korean research team created a DUV LED using hexagonal boron nitride (hBN), emitting strong UV light with low skin penetrability. The new material has higher luminescence efficiency and enables miniaturization, making it suitable for various applications.
Researchers have developed a combination of materials that can morph into various shapes before hardening, similar to the natural process of bone development in the human skeleton. The soft material can be used to create microrobots that can inject themselves into complicated bone fractures and expand to form new bone.
Researchers aim to develop a biopolymer-based material to replace conventional cement in construction projects. The material has the potential to reduce environmental footprint, minimize dust, and improve soldier health. Biopolymers are naturally produced by living organisms and are safe for human consumption.
Researchers at Pusan National University discovered that tempered glass is more resistant to water-promoted fracture growth than annealed glass. The study found that water droplets penetrate microcracks in glass surfaces, dissolving silicon-oxygen bonds and degrading mechanical strength.
A research team at the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology developed a chemical process to mimic trees' vascular systems in foamed polymers, adding structure and enabling directional fluid transport. The team discovered that increasing or decreasing gelation time enables direct control over the foam's cellular structure.
A new platform uses machine learning to design and build transformable, inflatable systems with potential applications in medicine, architecture, robotics, space travel, and more. The researchers used finite element simulations and neural networks to learn how to control the deformation of membranes when pressurized.
Scientists have developed a mathematical method to interpret data on underground water flows, providing more efficient and accurate imaging for planning construction works and inspecting dams. The technique has great potential for locating water reservoirs in dry areas and tapping into this resource for agricultural and industrial needs.
Researchers from Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology (SMART) have discovered a way to perform 'general inverse design' with high accuracy. This breakthrough enables the creation of materials with specific characteristics and properties, paving the way for revolutionizing materials science and industrial applications.
Researchers at Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (EMPA) have developed a protective cover for fruits and vegetables based on renewable raw materials. The cellulose coating extends the shelf life of bananas by more than a week, significantly reducing food waste.
Researchers developed a method to directly bond gold electrodes onto separate ultra-thin polymer films without adhesives or high temperatures. The new technique, called water-vapor plasma-assisted bonding, creates stable bonds between gold electrodes printed into ultra-thin polymer sheets.
Researchers at Rice University found that carbon nanotubes and their fibers experience fatigue under cyclic loads, leading to slippage and strain accumulation. The fibers' endurance limit is around 30%-50% of their tensile strength, allowing them to last practically forever.
A novel carbon-based biosensor developed at the University of Technology Sydney detects electrical signals sent by the brain, translating them into commands for autonomous robotic systems. The biosensor overcomes three major challenges in graphene-based biosensing: corrosion, durability, and skin-contact resistance.
University of Minnesota researchers create a self-healing concrete alternative using bacteria-engineered silica, offering potential for biomedical applications. The study provides a framework for designing novel engineered living materials with improved strength and responsiveness.
A new device has been developed that converts sunlight into two promising sources of renewable fuels – ethylene and hydrogen. The researchers found that by optimizing the working conditions for cuprous oxide, a promising artificial photosynthesis material, they can create a more stable system.
The University of Texas at El Paso has received a $917,000 grant from the Air Force Office of Scientific Research to develop advanced materials for national defense, power electronics, and security. UTEP students will perform cutting-edge research on gallium oxide-based semiconductors.
Researchers developed a new process to produce stable formamidinium perovskite (FAPbI3) materials, which can be used to make more efficient and stable solar cells. The novel approach uses lower temperatures and eliminates additives, making it suitable for large-scale production and flexible solar cell applications.
Researchers at Duke University developed a lightweight material that traps thermal energy when dry but opens tiny vents to let heat escape when a person starts sweating. The material has potential as a patch on clothing to help keep the wearer comfortable, expanding thermal comfort zones by 30%.
Researchers at Aarhus University have developed a simple analytical model to predict chip formation and optimize surface finish in manufacturing processes. The study reveals the critical cutting depth for almost every material, tool geometry, and running conditions, minimizing tool wear and improving product quality.
A new design for thermal actuators accelerates soft robotic movement by exploiting temperature-dependent bi-stability. The structure changes shape in response to heat, allowing for rapid snapping actions. Prototypes demonstrate rapid movement capabilities, paving the way for biomedical, prosthetic, and manufacturing applications.
Scientists have created a new material using nanometer-scale ceramic particles decorated with polymer strands that exhibit enhanced toughness. The material's unique property allows it to dissipate energy from impacts rapidly, making it suitable for applications such as body armor and bulletproof glass.
Researchers at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory have developed water-walking liquid robots that can retrieve and deliver precious chemicals autonomously. The robots use chemistry to control buoyancy and do not require electrical energy, making them ideal for applications such as chemical synthesis and drug delivery.
Researchers from Brazil and international collaborators demonstrate the conversion of low-cost waste biomass into bioplastic, electronic devices, and other high-value materials. The study highlights the potential of this approach to address global waste management challenges and promote a circular economy.
Researchers at City University of Hong Kong have discovered a new type of sound wave that vibrates transversely and carries both spin and orbital angular momentum like light. This finding provides new degrees of freedom for sound manipulations, enabling unprecedented acoustic communications and sensing capabilities.
Researchers at the University of Texas at Austin have developed a new sodium-based battery material that overcomes the dendrite problem in earlier sodium batteries. The new material recharges as quickly as a traditional lithium-ion battery and has a higher energy capacity than existing sodium-ion batteries.
The study found that certain grain boundaries in strontium titanate exhibit enhanced thermal expansion, leading to potential material failures. This discovery highlights the importance of grain boundaries in material properties and has implications for selecting suitable materials for various applications.
Researchers from Osaka University have successfully grown high-quality magnetite thin films on a hexagonal boron nitride substrate without compromising the film's properties. This breakthrough enables the development of flexible spintronics devices with preserved electronic and magnetic properties.
Researchers have synthesized a new form of carbon glass with three-dimensional bonds, the hardest known glass material. The discovery has potential for mass production and opens up new possibilities in devices and electronics.
Researchers genetically engineer E. coli microbes to convert glucose into olefins, a type of hydrocarbon found in gasoline, using a two-step process with a catalyst. This method has potential to advance green energy technology and create sustainable biofuels.
Scientists from City University of Hong Kong successfully developed battery-like electrochemical Nb2CTx MXene electrodes with stable voltage output and high energy density. The findings break the performance bottleneck of MXene devices, exhibiting superior rate capability, durable cyclic performance, and high energy density.
Researchers from The University of Tokyo Institute of Industrial Science used computer simulations to study the aging mechanism that can cause an amorphous glassy material to turn into a crystal. By removing tiny irregularities in local densities, they found that it prevents atomic avalanches that trigger ordered structure formation.
Scientists at Washington University in St. Louis have created a biocompatible adhesive hydrogel that can stick to various surfaces underwater, with properties similar to natural mussel foot protein and spider silk. This breakthrough has potential applications in tissue repair, particularly for tendon-bone repair.
Researchers at the University at Buffalo have created model protein-RNA droplets with properties similar to those of viscoelastic Maxwell fluid and Silly Putty. These droplets exhibit dual behavior, acting like both elastic solids and viscous liquids, depending on the timescale.
A team at Sandia National Laboratories tested specially designed stainless-steel containers for fire safety and found they did not split open even when heated to 2000 degrees Fahrenheit. The containers developed small pinholes instead, allowing superheated gas to escape without pressurizing the container.
Borophene, a 2D version of boron, can be synthesized on hexagonal boron nitride using weak van der Waals forces. This method allows for easier removal and evaluation of the material for its plasmonic and photonic properties, as well as its electronic properties relevant to superconductivity.
Researchers at UNSW have developed liquid metal enabled continuous flow reactors that can produce materials with tuneable system performance and controlled material quality. The systems rely on surface tension to pump fluids, eliminating the need for mechanical parts.
Researchers at Pohang University of Science & Technology developed an anticounterfeit technology that stores information in two separate domains: visible light and infrared light. This technology enhances security by using a new material called metasurface, allowing for dual protection with one security card.
Lignocellulose, a plant-based material, can be used to create light-reactive surfaces for windows or materials that react to certain chemicals. By customizing lignocellulose, researchers can improve light absorption and achieve better operating efficiency in solar cells.
Researchers at University of Missouri and University of Chicago develop an artificial material that can respond to its environment, make decisions, and perform actions not directed by humans. The material uses a computer chip to control information processing and convert energy into mechanical energy.
Scientists from the University of Tsukuba have created a method to grow conducting polymers with magnetic properties using harmless virus particles as templates. The resulting polymer networks exhibit helical antiferromagnetic behavior, opening doors for applications in biosensors and virus detection.
A team of Lehigh University undergraduates has won the National Institutes of Health's Healthcare Technologies for Low-Resource Settings Prize for developing a diagnostic device to detect sickle cell disease in infants. The $15,000 prize will support further development and testing of the device, which could improve healthcare outcomes...
Researchers have identified a complex alloy system that can be strengthened and made more ductile using quantum-mechanical modeling. This breakthrough may lead to more efficient engines, lowering fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions in the aviation industry.
A team of researchers at the University of Konstanz has developed a new method for producing polyethylene with added polar groups, which enhances its degradability while maintaining its durability. The new plastic exhibits slow chain degradation in simulated sunlight, unlike conventional polyethylenes.
Researchers from the University of Groningen and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory created ultra-lightweight yet extremely stiff porous materials by stacking carbon tubes with a strutted tube-in-tube structure. This innovative design enables new applications in micro-electromechanical systems and other small devices.
Texas A&M researchers are advancing technology to give touch devices the ability to mimic physical objects, enriching virtual environments and reducing audiovisual overload. The goal is to create predictive models for designing devices with maximum haptic effect and minimum sensitivity to users and environmental variations.
Researchers from City University of Hong Kong created a new titanium-based alloy using additive manufacturing, boasting unprecedented structures and properties. The alloy exhibits high tensile strength, excellent work-hardening capacity, and is up to 40% lighter than stainless steel, making it suitable for various structural applications.