Articles tagged with Materials Engineering
Materials known as phase-switching liquids, or PSLs, can delay ice and frost formation for a long time, promising a new generation of anti-icing materials. PSLs are solids at low temperatures and can trap heat, delaying the formation of frost even under high humidity conditions.
The contact angle method, used for over two centuries, is being called into question due to its dependence on camera accuracy and subjective decisions. Newer methods that measure adhesion or friction forces are proposed as a solution, offering lower errors and more relevant physical terms.
Researchers are developing a new material that delivers drugs directly to damaged heart tissue, preserving the structural support network and preventing further damage. The gel will slowly release the drugs over four weeks, promoting blood vessel creation and enzyme inhibition.
A team of researchers has developed a strategy to produce renewable lubricant base oils from non-food biomass and fatty acids, offering a more efficient and environmentally friendly alternative to traditional lubricants. The new method uses catalysis to synthesize the base-oils with tunable properties, making them suitable for a wide r...
Researchers analyzed impasto layers in three of Rembrandt's paintings and found a rare lead mineral called plumbonacrite, which was not previously known to occur in historic paint layers. The study suggests that Rembrandt used a unique paint recipe.
Researchers discovered plumbonacrite, a rare ingredient in historic paint layers, responsible for Rembrandt's unique impasto effect. The study uses advanced X-ray techniques to analyze tiny fragments from masterpieces and provides a path for long-term preservation and conservation.
Marzari's group develops open-source solutions to link proprietary IBM technologies with AI models, identifying promising materials for further study. The project enables automatic calculation of material properties on demand, highlighting outliers worthy of experimental characterization.
Aalto University scientists develop gradient metasurfaces that can appear 'bright' at one direction and 'dark' for the opposite direction, breaking conventional symmetric responses of mirrors. This innovation uses evanescent fields engineering to engineer contrast ratios in angle spectrum.
Researchers create a rubbery, shape-shifting material that can morph into complex shapes at room temperature and change back when heated. The material shows promise for soft robots and biomedical applications requiring pre-programmed shapes at body temperature.
Scientists developed a hybrid biosensor scaffold material based on cellulose matrices labeled with pH- and calcium-sensitive fluorescent proteins. This allows visualization of cell growth and metabolism in engineered tissues by microscopy. The study was published in Acta Biomaterialia and has promising prospects for regenerative medicine.
Researchers at Duke University have developed a new technique to reconstruct sequence of diffuse images from one long photographic exposure. By using a coded aperture, they can extract individual frames from a single, scattered exposure, overcoming limitations such as motion and constant scattering medium.
Kyungsuk Yum and his doctoral student Amirali Nojoomi developed a process to program 2-D hydrogels for space- and time-controlled swelling and shrinking, enabling the formation of complex 3-D shapes and motions. The technology has potential applications in bioinspired soft robotics and artificial muscles.
UCLA engineers have developed a new computational tool that accurately models how magnetic materials interact with incoming radio signals at the nanoscale. This allows for the design of next-generation communications devices with improved data transport capabilities and reduced noise interference.
The Center for the Science of Synthesis Across Scales (CSSAS) brings together researchers to understand how molecular interactions control assembly and create new materials with revolutionary properties. The research focuses on protein-based building blocks, inorganic nanoparticles, and hierarchical synthesis.
Researchers at IBBR have engineered three mouse cell lines to produce nonproprietary versions of the NISTmAb, a well-characterized monoclonal antibody used in biopharmaceutical development. The new cell lines will provide a standardized model for monoclonal antibody biomanufacturing and enable innovation in mAb therapeutics.
Researchers found that urban areas stayed warmer than surrounding suburbs and country during a 2014 cold wave, with temperature differences greatest at night. The study suggests that heat released from buildings can help cities reduce heating demand and make being outdoors more tolerable during extreme cold.
A UCLA-led energy research center will accelerate research on new types of chemistry and materials for rechargeable batteries, increasing capacity, stability and safety. The center aims to impact intermittent renewable energy sources and electric vehicles.
Researchers have developed a pill that can temporarily coat the intestine to prevent nutrient contact and lower blood sugar spikes in preclinical study. The engineered compound, LuCI, was found to alter nutrient contact and lower blood glucose response after a meal, with benefits lasting only a few hours.
Mesoscience offers broad potential beyond chemical engineering, tackling complex systems in the real world with unprecedented approach. The concept is attracting increasing attention from top scientists worldwide.
Professor Rodney S. Ruoff has been awarded the prestigious James C. McGroddy Prize for New Materials by the American Physical Society for his pioneering contributions to graphene and its derivatives. The award recognizes his achievements in scalable synthesis, materials science, and applications of graphene.
Engineers at Caltech and ETH Zurich developed self-propelled robots that paddle through water using temperature-responsive materials. The devices use a bistable element and polymer strips to activate a switch and propel forward.
A newly improved glass slide turns microscopes into thermometers, allowing scientists to visualize tiny objects while measuring their temperature. The breakthrough, made possible by a new transparent coating, has the potential to streamline scientific research worldwide and enhance industries such as computers and electronics.
Researchers have discovered a new material that can absorb and selectively reemit light, providing a platform to understand how information is stored and processed in valleytronics devices. This breakthrough could enable the development of operational valleytronic devices with increased computing power and data storage density.
Researchers at University of British Columbia Okanagan have developed a new method to improve the strength of rammed earth walls using calcium carbide residue and fly ash as binding agents. The treated walls were found to be 25 times stronger than those without, paving the way for its use in modern construction.
Engineers at U.S. Army Research Laboratory and University of Maryland developed a technique to control composite material behavior using ultraviolet light, enabling new capabilities for rotorcraft design, performance, and maintenance. The method allows materials to become 93%-stiffer and 35%-stronger after UV exposure.
A new 'omniphobic' coating repels liquids, including oil and alcohol, while remaining clear and durable. The coating could be used in various industries, including childcare, refrigeration and power generation, to increase efficiency.
Researchers from Penn State have developed a new sodium-based material that can be used as an electrolyte in solid-state batteries. The material has defects allowing it to transfer ions, making it safer and potentially cheaper than current lithium-ion batteries.
The proposed system, called FabRec, would allow companies to share manufacturing data in a secure and reliable manner, increasing transparency and efficiency in the supply chain. This public network could help small- and medium-scale manufacturers gain access to potential clients, while also promoting accountability and authenticity.
Quadrupole topological insulators are a new phase of electronic matter with unusual properties. The researchers created a workable-scale analogue of QTI using printed circuit boards and measured how much microwave radiation was absorbed by each resonator.
Researchers from Trinity College Dublin have developed new tools to circumvent the reactivity of cubane, a widely used pharma industry molecule. This breakthrough enables the creation of tailored compounds with improved drug efficacy and reduced side effects.
Researchers at Columbia University have developed a flexible spine-like lithium-ion battery with high energy density, stable voltage, and excellent mechanical properties. The battery's design is inspired by the human spine and provides remarkable flexibility and durability, making it a promising candidate for wearable electronics.
The researchers have developed a new device that uses sound waves to produce ultraminiature optical diodes, enabling nonreciprocal devices for photonic integrated circuits. These devices protect laser sources from back reflections and are necessary for routing light signals around optical networks.
Chemically toughened glass is being explored for use in car windshields, providing strength and durability while reducing weight and cost. This new material has potential applications in wearable electronic devices, hurricane-resistant windows, and pharmaceutical vials.
A new machine-learning model can accurately predict protein-drug interactions based on a few reference experiments or simulations, accelerating the screening of candidate molecules thousands of times over. The algorithm can also tackle materials-science problems, revolutionizing materials and chemical modeling.
Researchers at Cornell University create synthetic 'camouflaging skin' that can change texture and pattern like an octopus, enabling dynamic camouflage. The breakthrough has potential applications in fields such as temperature manipulation and biomedical devices.
Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh have developed a new approach to reduce adhesion in small parts, which is expected to improve next-generation microdevices. The study uses nanomaterials to create rough surfaces that prevent tiny objects from sticking together.
Researchers at Columbia University developed a 3D-printable synthetic soft muscle with intrinsic expansion ability, outperforming natural muscle in strain density and lifting capacity. The material can be shaped and reshaped to mimic natural motion, enabling the creation of lifelike robots for various applications.
A team of researchers at Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences has created a simple device that mimics the complex songs of birds, including Zebra and Bengalese finches. The study suggests that birds may have exploited the physical properties of soft materials to produce their distinctive vocalizations.
Researchers at the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering developed a non-toxic, lubricant-infused coating that disrupts mussel attachment mechanisms, preventing their adhesion. The coating outperforms existing alternatives in preventing mussel biofouling.
Researchers analyzed recent progress in lithium-ion technology and suggested ways to make batteries adaptable for challenging conditions. The study mapped the performance of various materials in high-temperature batteries, highlighting opportunities for improvement.
Jaephil Cho, a leading expert on secondary batteries, has been listed among the most influential scientists in Materials Science & Engineering. With over 200 patents and 280 scientific publications, he was cited as one of the top authors in Nano Letters.
Researchers found that black phosphorus can be tuned by enclosing it in the right way, opening new possibilities for its use. The material's band gap and optical absorption changed dramatically when encapsulated.
Researchers at Stanford University developed a new tool to efficiently slice cells in half, enabling faster and more standardized study of single-cell wound repair. The 'cellular guillotine' cuts Stentor cells up to 200 times faster than previous methods with similar survival rates.
Researchers created a new form of ultrastrong, lightweight carbon by pressurizing and heating glassy carbon to extreme temperatures. This material has unique properties that make it suitable for various applications, including aerospace engineering and military armor.
New ultrathin films with varying properties are being created, falling into five major groups: MXenes, Xenes, organic materials, transition metal dichalcogenides, and nitrides. These materials have flexible, transparent, and tunable properties, and some are electrical conductors or insulators.
A Penn State researcher has been awarded nearly $8 million by DARPA, the US Navy, and Lockheed Martin to continue his work on engineered metamaterials. The project aims to develop new algorithms and simulation tools for designing optical materials, with potential applications in electromagnetic cloaking technology.
Researchers at Berkeley Lab expand the temperature range of ferroelectric materials by creating a polarization gradient in a thin film. This enables devices to operate reliably in extreme environments, reducing power consumption and component count.
A team of researchers has designed a standard set of building-blocks to assemble complex structures and engineer arbitrary 3D metamaterials. The breakthrough aims to overcome the bottleneck in translating scientific progress to commercial applications.
A Northwestern University and Los Alamos National Laboratory team developed a novel workflow to design new materials with useful electronic properties. By combining machine learning and density functional theory calculations, they created design guidelines for ferroelectricity and piezoelectricity.
Researchers at Brown University have discovered the optimal shape of sea sponge spicules, which provides a blueprint for increasing buckling resistance in human-made structures. The tapered shape, similar to a Clausen column, offers improved buckling resistance due to its consistent and nearly identical dimensions.
A new study by an international team of researchers highlights how manipulation of 2D materials can improve device speed, size, and efficiency. The findings could unlock new possibilities for electronic and photonic devices, enabling applications such as sensing, fingerprinting minute amounts of biomolecules, and energy harvesting.
A new trilayer structure developed by Yuan Yang increases energy density in lithium batteries by 10-30%, allowing for longer operation times. The method stabilizes the battery even in ambient air, reducing costs and manufacturing time.
Researchers at Penn State have developed a new method to synthesize two-dimensional gallium nitride using graphene encapsulation, opening up new avenues of research in 2D materials. The process produces ultra-thin sheets of gallium nitride with improved properties for applications in electronics and optoelectronics.
Researchers at Lehigh University have discovered a high-speed nano-avalanche in glass, which can lead to more energy-efficient manufacturing and applications. The phenomenon involves transformations in glass under intense electrical and thermal conditions.
Engineers from the University of Bristol have developed a new shape-changing metamaterial using Kirigami, a class of material engineered to produce unusual properties. The Kirigami metamaterial can seamlessly change shape, exhibits large variations in mechanical performance with small geometry changes.
Researchers at Colorado State University have developed a superhydrophobic coating made from edible waxes, allowing liquids to be easily slicked away. The coating is nontoxic and safe for use in food packaging.
Researchers develop a simple, affordable method to produce strong, tunable carbon foam by using super-toasted bread, a potential game-changer for various industries. The foam's inner pore structure can be adjusted by changing the yeast and water content.
Researchers have identified an 'inverted Cheerios effect' where liquid droplets interact on soft solid surfaces, allowing for control over interactions through substrate thickness and softness. This phenomenon has implications for designing fog-free car windows and improving heat management in conditioners and boilers.
Researchers at the University of Texas at Dallas have discovered new catalyst materials for lithium-air batteries that can increase capacity by five times. The breakthrough could enable electric cars to drive 400 miles on a single charge and mobile phones to last a week without recharging.
Researchers at Northwestern University have stabilized exfoliated black phosphorus by covalently bonding a single-molecule-thick layer onto its surface. This enhances electronic properties and prevents degradation in open air, making it suitable for applications such as sensors, transistors, and optoelectronics.