Materials Processing

Exploiting interfacial ionic mobility to make heat-moldable nanoparticle aggregates

University of Utah, National Laboratory of the Rockies partner to advance energy resilience, critical minerals and data-enabled science

The University of Utah and National Laboratory of the Rockies have signed a three-year MOU to strengthen the US energy system. The partnership enables research on urgent national security and energy priorities, including water security, critical minerals, and advanced manufacturing.

Toward tougher, longer-lasting, more sustainable tires

Harvard engineers develop new method to preserve long molecular chains in natural rubber, resulting in composite materials that are both stiff and tough. The innovation has the potential to cut waste, reduce tire dust pollution, and open new avenues for high-performance elastomers.

Battery technology takes off as markets adjust

Researchers analyzed battery development in electric vehicles over 15 years, finding that market innovation can quickly address material shortages and price increases. The study suggests individual materials may not be as critical to the energy transition as previously thought.

How an algorithm is curing 3D printing’s cracking problem

A team of researchers developed a machine learning framework to optimize laser settings for printing crack-susceptible superalloys. The algorithm reduced internal crack density by 99% and increased the metal's high-temperature strength, surpassing traditional cast components.

Machine learning designs cheaper and rust-proof steel for 3D printing

A new class of ultra-high strength and ductility steel has been created using machine learning, achieving a rare balance of extreme strength and ductility. The resulting metal resists corrosion and degrades slowly in salt-water tests.

Qubits created using unexpected materials

Scientists at Linköping University successfully created quantum bits using perovskite materials, overcoming previous theoretical limitations. The breakthrough enables the creation of more affordable quantum computers with improved scalability.

How adding a microwave to a 3D printer makes flawless and heat-proof ceramics

Researchers used microwave-based 3D printing to create ceramic components with near-zero porosity and improved strength. The hybrid technique eliminates microscopic holes and traps gas bubbles, allowing for more bending force before breaking.

Vibrating atomic tip sculpts 3D memory channels into fragile semiconductors

Prof. Yanquan Geng's team has devised a way to carve variable-depth, three-dimensional trenches into gallium antimonide using a microscopic tip vibrating thousands of times per second. This process improves the crystal's structural integrity and enables the creation of pristine 3D nanogrooves with controlled depths and widths.

Microscopic mirrors for future quantum networks

The Harvard team developed a new microfabrication method to produce high-performance, curved optical mirrors with extremely smooth surfaces. The mirrors can control light at near-infrared wavelengths, enabling fast and efficient quantum networking.

3D printing soft robots

Researchers at Harvard's John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences have developed a new fabrication method for printing robotic devices with long filaments featuring precisely placed hollow channels. This allows the device to bend and deform in predetermined ways, enabling the creation of soft robots with predictable s...

New plastic material could solve energy storage challenge, researchers report

Researchers have developed a novel polymer alloy material made from commercially available plastics that can handle unprecedented high temperatures and store more energy than traditional polymer capacitors. The new material has a dielectric constant of 13.5, allowing it to maintain its performance level from -148 F to 482 F.

When the softest carbon meets the hardest

Graphene and diamond hybrids show promising performance in electronic devices, sensors, and machining tests. However, major challenges remain, including producing large-area hybrids with consistent quality and understanding fundamental properties.

Lignin nanoparticles enable recyclable paper to rival plastic packaging

Researchers develop a coating strategy using lignin nanoparticles to stabilize an oil-in-water emulsion, forming a multifunctional coating that enhances paper performance while maintaining environmental compatibility. The coated paper exhibits improved barrier properties, mechanical strength, and biodegradability.

LIST tech wins "Oscars" of the composites world

LIST's patented infrared welding process enables rapid assembly of thick carbon-fibre-reinforced thermoplastic components, reducing weight, costs and environmental impact. The innovation is estimated to reduce CO2 emissions by 12.5 tonnes per wing rib.

3D printed surfaces help atoms play ball to improve quantum sensors

Researchers at the University of Nottingham created intricate 3D printed surface textures that preferentially bounce incident particles in particular directions. This helps keep unwanted particles out of the way, allowing useful particles like atoms to be delivered more efficiently.

Seedcoat-inspired metal lets wings change shape on their own

Researchers at Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics created an active metal metamaterial that can bend and recover its shape, enabling aircraft wings to morph smoothly in flight. The material is lightweight, strong, and capable of adjusting its shape on demand.

Wearable hydrogel that tracks your body anywhere and anytime

Researchers created an ultrathin hydrogel electrode that can track vital signals without interruption, overcoming previous dehydration, freezing, and mechanical fragility issues. The new material forms a flexible layer that can withstand extreme temperatures and retain water content over time.

Goodbye stereolithography: Scientists develop a faster and finer way to 3d print metal

Researchers create a new method for laser-based powder bed fusion that achieves unprecedented lattice walls and surfaces while reducing memory demand. The approach enables the high-fidelity fabrication of microscale shell lattices with improved strength and toughness.

University of Oklahoma researcher awarded funding to pursue AI-powered material design

The University of Oklahoma researcher is working on a project using inverse design techniques and AI to create advanced materials that can quickly switch between conductive and insulating states. The goal is to reduce uncertainty in the discovery process and create a scalable material-design methodology.

Vibrating tools carve custom functional surfaces with precision and flexibility

Scientists at Tsinghua University introduce a new technique to carve complex shapes on material surfaces, enabling more design freedom and efficiency in surface design. The method uses high-speed vibrations to create convex microstructures that can change how a surface interacts with its environment.

Managing many errors at once: toward intelligent accuracy control in machine tools

Researchers explore ways to understand and control multiple errors affecting machine tool accuracy, combining traditional models with data-driven approaches and digital twin technology. This enables more integrated systems that can monitor themselves, predict changes, and adjust behavior automatically.

UBCO researchers apply body preservation technique to wood

Researchers test plastination on Western red cedar to create a strong and durable composite material, reducing water absorption by nearly 60% and increasing surface hydrophobicity. The technique offers a powerful alternative to traditional wood preservatives without compromising environmental performance.

Inexpensive materials transform waste carbon into energy-rich compounds

Researchers have discovered a novel approach to converting waste carbon into useful products using porous separators called diaphragms. These diaphragms can withstand the harsh conditions of the process and maintain efficiency over an extended period, making them a viable alternative to existing membranes.

Printing with fields: Reprogramming matter at the smallest scales

Researchers explore Field-assisted Additive Manufacturing for micro/nano device fabrication, enabling targeted motion, cell growth, and flexible electronics. The technology holds promise for industries such as biomedical engineering and microrobotics.

The next industrial revolution will be printed: global experts unpack the future of additive manufacturing

Global experts discuss the future of additive manufacturing in various applications, including bioprinting living tissues and creating smart consumer products. Researchers showcase advancements in machine learning, real-time sensing, and multi-material 3D printing.

Opening doors to smarter devices and safer drugs, UH crystals expert controls crystal formation

A UH crystals expert has shown how to bend and twist crystals without physical force, using a molecule called a tautomer. This discovery has potential applications in drug delivery and material properties, such as optoelectronics and soft robotics.

A new post-processing route to improve tensile strength and ductility in 3d-printed alloys

A new post-processing route improves tensile strength and ductility in 3D-printed alloys by combining deep cryogenic treatment and laser shock peening. This method transforms the microscopic structure of 3D-printed metals, relieving internal stresses and enhancing mechanical resilience.

Fabricating skin-like devices from metals that can bend, stretch and heal

Researchers have developed flexible electrodes that mimic skin's softness and stretchability, enabling stable high-quality signals. Composite designs combining metallic systems are being explored to balance flexibility, conductivity, and transparency.

Can smoother surfaces prevent hydrogen embrittlement?

Research finds that surface roughness influences the formation and size of hydrogen-related defects in iron, leading to a new approach to material design. The study provides fundamental understanding of hydrogen embrittlement mechanisms and could reduce life-cycle costs of hydrogen technologies.

Revolutionizing bioplastics: a microbial platform for fully bio-based long-chain polyesters

Scientists have developed an end-to-end microbial process converting renewable plant oils into sustainable polyesters comparable to petroleum-based plastics. The two-step process achieved record-setting yields and productivity, paving the way for a scalable and environmentally viable alternative to fossil fuels.

SwRI celebrates completion of high-speed propulsion engine research facility

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.

First multi-layer, reconfigurable batteries that can bend, adapt, and tune their own voltage

Researchers develop flexible batteries with internal voltage regulation using liquid metal microfluidic perfusion and plasma-based reversible bonding techniques. This technology addresses limitations of traditional rigid batteries.

ORNL receives 2025 SAMPE Organizational Excellence Award

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.

Breakthrough in atomic-level etching of hafnium oxide, a promising material for advanced semiconductors

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.

Upcycling proteins just got easier

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.

3D-printed bone scaffolds unlock superelasticity and tunable performance

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.

Mixing metals, maximizing performance: recent advances on additive manufacturing of heterogeneous/gradient metallic materials

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.

New material design strategy unlocks magnetic tunability in quasicrystal approximants

Researchers develop a method to transform spin-glass-like quasicrystals into ferromagnetic materials with tunable magnetic properties and strong magnetocaloric response. The technique enables expanded electron-to-atom ratios, unlocking new possibilities for designing high-performance magnetic refrigeration materials.

Researchers make better magnets – at a lower cost

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.

Smarter hydrogel surface achieves 5× faster oil–water separation

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.

Breakthrough smart plastic: Self-healing, shape-shifting, and stronger than steel

Researchers at Texas A&M University have developed a smart plastic that can self-heal and adapt to extreme conditions, making it ideal for aerospace and automotive applications. The material's unique properties allow it to restore its shape after deformation, improve vehicle safety, and reduce environmental waste.

Mizzou researchers shine UV light on the future of computer chips

Researchers at the University of Missouri have created a more efficient method for manufacturing computer chips using ultraviolet-enabled atomic layer deposition (UV-ALD). This approach reduces the number of manufacturing steps, saving time and materials, while also minimizing the use of harmful chemicals.

Leaf-inspired design brings bioplastics to the big leagues

Researchers at Washington University in St. Louis have developed a new type of bioplastic, called LEAFF, which is strong, biodegradable, and printable. This innovation uses cellulose nanofibers to address the limitations of current bioplastics and has potential applications for sustainable packaging.

Metal-free supercapacitor stack delivers 200 volts from just 3.8 cm³

Researchers developed a new method for building powerful, compact energy storage devices using thin-film supercapacitors without metal parts. The device can output 200 volts, equivalent to powering 100 LEDs for 30 seconds or a 3-watt bulb for 7 seconds.

Laser-generated nanoparticles promise cleaner, smarter artificial sensory systems

Laser-generated nanoparticles offer a cleaner, scalable alternative to traditional chemical synthesis methods for electronics applications. The method, called laser ablation in liquids, produces surfactant-free, highly pure metal-based nanoparticles with tailored surface properties.

Encapsulation-free thin-film sensors enable accurate sensing at 950 ℃

Researchers developed a novel fabrication method for thin-film temperature sensors that operate across an exceptionally wide temperature range, from –50 °C to 950 °C. The technique eliminates the need for complex protective layers, making it faster and cheaper to produce sensors.

Ultra-fast! sparse-view irradiation processing volumetric additive manufacturing (SVIP-VAM)

Researchers propose sparse-view irradiation processing VAM (SVIP-VAM) to reduce projection data and computation time. The method enables structure manufacturing with a reduced number of projections, increasing the feasibility of sparse-view printing.

Teaching lasers to self-correct in high-precision patterned laser micro-grooving

A new laser machining method enables high-precision patterned laser micro-grooving with root mean square errors below 0.5 μm. This technique allows for rapid and scalable manufacturing of custom microstructures, advancing applications in microfluidic devices, sensors, and heat dissipation systems.

Exploring scalable pathways for cost-effective memristors using solution-processed 2D materials

The article discusses the use of solution-processed 2D materials to fabricate memristors, offering a scalable alternative to traditional methods. Recent breakthroughs have overcome manufacturing limitations, producing larger and less-damaged nanosheets with improved device performance.

Tina Rost receives CAREER award to explore a new class of modern materials

Tina Rost will use a $800,000 NSF CAREER award to control the disorder in high-entropy ceramics, making them stronger and more heat-resistant. Her team aims to develop new materials with tailored electrical, magnetic, and mechanical properties using machine learning-enhanced analysis.

IJEM ranked No.1 again—record-breaking Impact Factor of 21.3!

International Journal of Extreme Manufacturing (IJEM) achieves a new Impact Factor of 21.3, surpassing 20 for the first time and maintaining its position as top journal in the field. IJEM has attracted submissions from 853 institutions in 81 countries.

New 3D printing method enables complex designs and creates less waste

MIT engineers developed a new resin that turns into two different solids depending on the type of light, enabling the creation of complex structures with easily dissolvable supports. This method speeds up the 3D-printing process and reduces waste by allowing for recycling and reuse of the supports.

Novel manufacturing technique for piezoelectric thin films

Empa researchers have developed a novel deposition process for piezoelectric thin films using HiPIMS, producing high-quality layers on insulating substrates at low temperatures. The technique overcomes the challenge of argon inclusions by timing the voltage application to accelerate desired ions.

Laser technique revolutionizes ultra-high temperature ceramic manufacturing for space, defense applications

Researchers have demonstrated a new technique using lasers to create ceramics that can withstand ultra-high temperatures. The technique allows for the creation of ceramic coatings, tiles, or complex three-dimensional structures, enabling increased versatility in engineering new devices and technologies.

Machine learning simplifies industrial laser processes

Researchers from Empa developed machine learning algorithms to optimize laser-based manufacturing techniques, reducing preliminary experiments by two-thirds. They also implemented real-time optimization using field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) for improved welding processes.

“Petrificus totalus!” — 3D-printed hydrogel switches from kPa-Soft to GPa-hard on command

Researchers at Zhejiang University developed a novel 3D-printed hydrogel that can easily switch its Young's modulus from kPa to GPa through on-demand crystallization. The hydrogel exhibits a hardness of 86.5 Shore D and a Young's modulus of 1.2 GPa, surpassing current 3D-printed hydrogels.

Doubling down on metasurfaces

A new bilayer metasurface, made of two stacked layers of titanium dioxide nanostructures, has been created by Harvard researchers. This device can precisely control the behavior of light, including polarization, and opens up a new avenue for metasurfaces.

Professor Yousung Jung’s research team at SNU develops technology to predict and interpret the synthesizability of novel materials using large language models

Professor Yousung Jung's team uses LLMs to accurately predict and explain material synthesizability, overcoming limitations of existing methods. This technology is expected to accelerate material design and reduce development time for the semiconductor and secondary battery industries.

Clues of advanced ancient technology found in the Philippines and Island Southeast Asia

Researchers at Ateneo de Manila University discover evidence of advanced seafaring and boatbuilding in the Philippines and Island Southeast Asia dating back to around 40,000 years ago. Microscopic analysis of stone tools reveals clear traces of plant processing, indicating a high level of technological sophistication.