Articles tagged with Materials Engineering
Researchers at MIT have found a hidden atomic order in metals that changes their properties, including mechanical strength and heat capacity. The discovery reveals a new physical phenomenon explaining the persistent patterns and provides a simple model to predict chemical patterns in metals.
Researchers at Stanford University have solved the famous Poisson model for heterogenous materials, enabling the design of stronger, cheaper materials. The new approach uses a statistical method to predict material properties based on random point knowledge.
Griffith University researchers have developed a method to tune cancer cell behavior using re-entrant microstructures, which can guide cell attachment, spreading, and multiplication. The study uses simple design rules to achieve mechanosensitive behaviors that emerged when curvature and confinement were introduced.
A new AI-based system helps researchers design polymers with tailored electronic properties for next-generation bioelectronics. By processing a wide range of experiments, the system reveals the importance of local polymer order and dopant-polymer separation in controlling electronic properties.
Engineers have developed a new class of nontoxic, biodegradable solid lubricants to replace existing toxic lubricants in modern farming equipment. The new lubricant reduces friction and prevents seed jamming, outperforming commercial talc and microplastic lubricants.
Researchers found that composite metal foam can withstand repeated heavy loads even at temperatures of 400 and 600 degrees Celsius. The material's high strength-to-weight ratio makes it suitable for applications such as aircraft wings, vehicle armor, and nuclear power technologies.
Researchers at MIT have developed a 3D-printable aluminum alloy that is five times stronger than traditionally manufactured versions. This breakthrough could lead to lighter and more efficient aircraft parts, such as fan blades in jet engines, reducing energy consumption and costs.
A novel molecular coating enhances the consistency and precision of quantum light sources, increasing their spectral purity and controlling photon energy. The coating protects single-photon emitters from atmospheric contaminants, enabling reliable quantum devices for secure communications and ultra-precise sensors.
Aarhus University researchers have developed a transparent layer with silver nanorings that adapts to sunlight intensity, controlling heat entry through glass without dimming the view. The thermoplasmonic effect reduces near-infrared transmission, lowering cooling demand and CO₂ emissions in energy-efficient buildings.
Researchers have found a fungus, Marquandomyces marquandii, that can grow into hydrogels with unique structural properties, such as high water absorption and elasticity. These properties make it a potential candidate for biomedical uses like tissue regeneration and flexible wearable devices.
Researchers at MIT developed a new approach to design complex material structures that account for 3D printing limitations, improving reliability in aerospace and medical applications. The technique enables precise control over material performance and reduces deviations from intended mechanical behavior.
Researchers developed a platform called CRESt that incorporates insights from literature, chemical compositions, and imaging to optimize materials recipes. CRESt uses robotic equipment for high-throughput testing and large multimodal models to further optimize materials recipes.
Researchers from MANA develop a cost-effective, high-performance catalyst using green rust to support the use of sodium borohydride as a hydrogen storage material. The new catalyst achieves comparable performance to precious metal-based materials and shows excellent durability.
Researchers have developed lightweight aerogel beads that can absorb oils and organic solvents from water, as well as nanocellulose foams for wireless telecommunications technologies. These bio-based materials offer a sustainable alternative to fossil-based materials, reducing signal losses and enabling novel future technologies.
Researchers at MIT developed a technique called SCIGEN that steers generative AI models to create promising quantum materials by following specific design rules. The approach led to the synthesis of two actual materials with exotic magnetic traits.
Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) has completed its Center for Accelerating Materials and Processes (CAMP) facility, enabling faster production of high-speed propulsion systems. The new facility will focus on demonstrating more efficient techniques for manufacturing these systems.
Researchers develop multifunctional aerogels combining thermal insulation, flame retardancy, and mechanical robustness using bio-based nanocellulose. The resulting aerogels exhibit low thermal conductivity, high flame resistance, and impressive strength and flexibility.
Scientists at the University of Gothenburg have developed the smallest on-chip motor in history, capable of fitting inside a human hair. The new motor uses laser light to set gears in motion, enabling microscopic machines that can control light and manipulate small particles.
The SAGEST Predictive Simulation Center will develop simulation tools to give scientists confidence in exploring extreme physical conditions. The center, led by UVA's Xinfeng Gao, will use high-fidelity and low-fidelity solvers to balance accuracy and efficiency in predictions.
Researchers have found that plastic nanoparticles can enter crops during growth, accumulating in edible parts and potentially affecting human health. The study used radishes to demonstrate the uptake of nanoplastics by plants, with nearly 5% of particles retained by the root system.
The researchers developed a new microscopy method that enables imaging of vibrations in specific directions at the atomic scale. This allows engineers to tailor materials for use in electronics, semiconductors, optics and quantum computing.
Scientists at Linköping University develop artificial neurons made of conductive plastics that perform advanced functions like biological nerve cells. They simplify the basic structure to make it compact and biologically relevant.
Researchers at DTU Energy and DTU Construct developed a new fuel cell design using 3D printing and gyroid geometry for improved surface area and weight. The Monolithic Gyroidal Solid Oxide Cell delivers over one watt per gram, making it suitable for aerospace applications.
Researchers developed an all-flexible, self-cleaning smart window that fine-tunes solar gain in real time and protects against environmental contaminants. The device's multifunctionality could accelerate green building development and address climate change concerns.
Researchers found iron-biochar composites milled in a nitrogen atmosphere exhibit superior catalytic performance for degrading organic pollutants. The composite achieved a phenol removal rate of 90.3% when used to activate persulfate, outperforming those milled in air or vacuum.
The Society for the Advancement of Material and Process Engineering has awarded Oak Ridge National Laboratory the 2025 SAMPE Organizational Excellence Award. The award recognizes ORNL's extraordinary contributions to advanced materials and processes, enabling breakthroughs in industries such as aerospace and automotive.
A new technique uses laser-induced folding to create highly transparent and ultra-smooth 3D microphotonic devices, setting a record length-to-thickness ratio. The method can be used to fabricate tiny optical devices, such as micro-zoom lenses and compact table structures with concave mirrors.
A Brown University study found that small cracks in a device's electrode layer can drive deeper cracks into the polymer substrate layer, compromising mechanical integrity. Researchers identified hundreds of polymers that could mitigate this elastic mismatch and prevent cracking.
Researchers successfully etched hafnium oxide films at atomic-level precision and smoothness without halogen gases. The new method uses nitrogen and oxygen plasmas to form volatile byproducts, resulting in reduced surface roughness and improved device performance.
Researchers created phase diagrams for organic solar cells and found that mixing behavior depends on temperature, requiring additional parameters for accurate prediction. The work could accelerate the development of improved materials for high-efficiency solar cells.
A multilayer film developed by University of California engineers reflects heat while letting through light needed for photosynthesis. This could make greenhouses more water- and energy-efficient, with minimal impact on crop yields. The film reduces near-infrared light passing through by almost 90%.
Researchers developed a wide-band and high-sensitivity magnetic Barkhausen noise measurement system to understand energy loss mechanisms in soft magnetic materials. The study revealed that damping caused by eddy currents generated during DW motion is the main cause of excess eddy current losses.
Scientists developed hollow microspheres with adjustable pore size, adhesion, and lubricity properties using mucus and polydopamine. These spheres can be used as drug delivery agents and may prevent tissue damage or provide a protective coating.
Researchers created a new material platform for non-volatile memories using covalent organic frameworks (COFs) and successfully installed electric-field-responsive dipolar rotors. The COFs' unique sln topology allows the rotors to flip without steric hindrance, enabling high thermal durability up to near 400°C.
Professor Paul Motzki is developing ultra-flat, compact, and lightweight cooling units using shape memory alloys and dielectric elastomer actuators. He aims to create climate-friendly and energy-efficient alternative to conventional systems.
Researchers at Princeton University have developed a new type of origami that changes its shape and properties in response to external stimuli. By introducing elastic components, they can execute precise folding patterns not previously possible. This technology has potential applications in prosthetics, antennas, and other devices.
Researchers at Harvard SEAS have developed a gentler, more sustainable way to break down keratins and turn leftover wool and feathers into useful products. The process uses concentrated lithium bromide to create an environment favorable for spontaneous protein unfolding.
A newly developed mesoporous WO₃ film exhibits exceptional efficiency and stability for photoelectrochemical water splitting, enabling advanced tandem devices for renewable hydrogen production. The film achieved unprecedented efficiency and long-term stability, particularly in neutral pH conditions.
Researchers have discovered that soft gels and lotions retain residual stress from the mixing process, affecting their behavior over time. The study reveals that common products like hair gel and shaving cream hold onto these stresses for longer periods than previously assumed.
Researchers create novel design framework to accelerate improvements in shock-absorbing foam materials. The framework allows designers to customize the material's geometry for optimal performance without adding weight or volume, challenging conventional wisdom.
Researchers are making progress in overcoming technical hurdles to create layered structures, continuous gradients, and fully three-dimensional architectures with programmable material variation. Optimized laser parameters and build sequences can enhance strength, control heat flow, and improve energy absorption.
Researchers developed novel artificial bone scaffolds with high deformation recovery capabilities, exceeding those of natural bone and conventional metallic scaffolds. These scaffolds allow for flexible adjustments of properties like strength and modulus to meet specific implantation site requirements.
Researchers develop biodegradable film using calcium caseinate, modified starch and nanoclay for sustainable food packaging. The film breaks down within 13 weeks in normal soil conditions, offering a potential solution to reduce plastic waste.
A new fiber with a sponge-like interior offers improved thermal management and durability. The fiber's phase-change core absorbs and releases heat slowly, maintaining comfort in extreme temperatures.
MIT researchers developed a sustainable electrolyte that quickly breaks down when submerged in organic solvents, allowing for easy recycling of components. The new material could revolutionize the battery industry by simplifying the recycling process and reducing electronic waste.
Researchers at the University of Michigan created woven metamaterials that return to their original shape after repeated compressions, while continuous sheets permanently deform. The structures demonstrated high stiffness and resilience, making them suitable for applications like soft robotics, car parts and architectural components.
Researchers developed a technique to monitor corrosion and cracking in nuclear reactors using real-time 3D imaging. By directly imaging material failure processes, scientists can design safer reactors that deliver higher performance.
Researchers from Shinshu University have developed a unique fiber-based pressure sensor that can detect small changes in pressure, enabling fine-tuned tactile sensing. The fibers exhibit a multi-wall structure that increases resistance when compressed, making them ideal for applications such as soft robotics and wearable devices.
Researchers have confirmed the existence of hidden motions in granular materials like soil and snow, which can control their movement. This discovery could help understand how landslides and avalanches work, as well as benefit industries such as construction and grain filling.
ETH Zurich researchers discovered that Belgian ales like Tripel and Dubbel have stable foam due to surface viscoelasticity or Marangoni stresses. The study also found that beer foam stability depends on protein content and structure, with LTP1 playing a key role in stabilizing foam.
The new Harvard device can turn purely digital electronic inputs into analog optical signals at high speeds, addressing the bottleneck of computing and data interconnects. It has the potential to enable advances in microwave photonics and emerging optical computing approaches.
A new technique for controlling phase boundaries in thin films allows researchers to engineer lead-free energy storage materials with promising dielectric properties. By manipulating the film thickness, they can control the distribution of crystalline structures and enhance specific characteristics of the material.
Recent developments in metalenses focus on increasing structural complexity, broadening achromatic bandwidth, and improving efficiency. Dual-metalens systems offer high-dimensional light-field modulation and parallel imaging capabilities.
A new magnet manufacturing process has been developed that produces strong permanent magnets quickly and uses less energy and is less expensive. The technique, called friction stir consolidation, eliminates porosity in the magnetic material and reduces oxidation.
Researchers have developed a new way to 'edit' the internal layers of MAX phases, leading to the creation of novel layered inorganic materials. The discovery enables the transformation of covalent-bonded ternary compounds into 2D materials with tunable properties.
Researchers have developed a smart hydrogel surface that can instantly recognize whether it's in contact with oil or water and switch its behavior to separate the two. The surface achieves a record-breaking separation speed of 17,750 liters per square meter per hour, three to five times faster than most current membranes.
The research, led by MIT mechanical engineering graduate student Marwa AlAlawi, developed a reconfigurable antenna using auxetic metamaterials that can change its frequency range by changing its physical shape. The device is durable, inexpensive, and can be fabricated using a laser cutter.
Researchers have discovered a way to turn material defects into an advantage for spintronic devices. By exploiting these imperfections, the team was able to boost both orbital Hall conductivity and angle, leading to a threefold improvement in switching energy efficiency.
A partnership between Macquarie University and Lithium Universe has licensed breakthrough silver extraction technology to transform how Australia recycles solar panels. The new method extracts valuable metal without destroying the panels, addressing a growing waste problem.
A team of FSU chemists has developed a new form of X-ray materials that can meet the needs of large-area applications. They created amorphous films by combining non-crystalline organic molecules with metal halides, enabling efficient conversion of X-rays into electrical signals for image generation.