Articles tagged with Materials Processing
Professor Federico Rosei, INRS director, wins Canadian Association of Physicists' 2013 Herzberg Medal for his pioneering work on nanomaterials. His interdisciplinary research has led to new discoveries and applications.
Researchers have enhanced the ability of MEH-PPV polymer to confine light by reducing energy thresholds for laser production. The 'sandwich' approach limits exposure to oxygen and prevents degradation due to photo-oxidation.
Researchers have designed a special material interface that enhances the functionality of non-silicon-based electronic devices, such as RAM and nanoelectronic components. The new method combines ferroelectric tunneling with magnetic tunnel junctions, resulting in a quaternary-state device with improved switching and storage power.
A new world record efficiency of 10.7% has been achieved in thin film silicon solar cells, using less than 2 micrometers of raw material, significantly reducing material costs and energy payback time.
A new compound, diisopropylammonium bromide (DIPAB), has been created as a ferroelectric material with low environmental impact and economical benefits. It can be processed easily from aqueous solution and may replace traditional materials in the production of electronic devices.
A team of researchers from Australia and France has developed a novel manufacturing technique to create uniform silica wires through self-assembly. The technique enables the combination of silica with any material, paving the way for new applications in sensing, photovoltaics, optical switches, and photon sources.
The use of paper industry waste to create bricks has been shown to have low thermal conductivity, making them effective insulators. Additionally, the bricks can provide energy due to their organic material content, which could help reduce fuel consumption and kiln time required for brick production.
Scientists at Ames Laboratory have discovered new ways to use a well-known polymer in organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), eliminating the need for an increasingly problematic metal-oxide. The researchers' findings show that PEDOT:PSS OLEDs are at least 44% more efficient and flexible than traditional ITO-based devices.
Researchers have created a new type of nanometer-scale diamond tip for thermal processing, which exhibits exceptional wear resistance and durability. The tip can scan surfaces for distances exceeding 1.2 meters without measurable wear, opening up new possibilities for AFM applications.
Scientists at Ames Laboratory successfully remove neodymium and other rare earths from commercial magnets, maintaining useful properties. The new process aims to produce high-purity alloys for future applications.
The new soybean biorefinery technology can utilize essentially every component of the soybean to produce bio-based ingredients for high-value products. This approach aims to reduce dependence on petroleum as a feedstock and increases the value of local economies.
Researchers Thomas Elsässer and Horst Weller recognized for detailed understanding of elementary processes on the sub-nanoscale. Their work has led to applications in photovoltaics, fuel cells, and drug delivery systems.
Researchers have created a novel energy harvester that can power body-monitoring devices by walking, offering a potential solution to the heavy battery burden on soldiers. The device, designed to fit onto the outside of the knee joint, generates electricity through vibrations caused by plectra plucking energy-generating arms.
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory researchers have simulated and quantified early stages of radiation damage in materials. They used a new method to predict the effect of radiation on complex materials, including those for nuclear applications, space industry, and medical purposes.
A new computer model has pinpointed promising materials for efficient carbon capture, potentially reducing parasitic energy costs by 30%. The model has been integrated into power plant design software, allowing researchers to quickly test and optimize material properties.
The new device splits water into hydrogen and oxygen gas, releasing hydrogen for fuel cells to make electricity. It employs abundant Earth materials, replacing expensive metals like platinum.
The EU nanoimprint lithography market is evolving rapidly, with numerous applications across industries. Key findings include the development of production tools and materials, and the potential up-scaling of nanoimprinting to large areas and high-throughput.
Researchers from Virginia Tech have created a robotic jellyfish named Robojelly that mimics the natural movements of a real jellyfish. The robot is powered by chemical reactions taking place on its surface, fueled by hydrogen and able to regenerate fuel from its surroundings.
A University of Alberta research team discovered that ozone-treated water can eradicate infectious proteins from cattle brain matter, providing a potential solution for decontaminating wastewater and sterilizing neurosurgical equipment. This breakthrough technique offers improved prion removal methods in meat processing plants and surg...
Researchers have discovered a new magnetic structure, skyrmions, which can be moved with significantly less current than traditional magnetic fields. This phenomenon has the potential to revolutionize data storage and processing by reducing energy consumption and increasing efficiency.
Researchers discovered the Arapaima fish's unique scales provide 'bioinspiration' for engineers developing flexible ceramics. The combination of hard and soft materials allows the scales to repel piranha bites while maintaining strength, offering lessons for bio-inspired engineers.
DARPA's Extended Solids program aims to identify processes that enable stabilization and production of high pressure phase materials without scale limitations. The goal is to create stronger, lighter, and more resilient materials for defense applications.
Scientists at ICN successfully refined methods to produce exotic materials by controlling reaction and diffusion processes at room temperatures. The new method enables high yields and consistency in form and structure, making it attractive for commercial applications.
Researchers at University of Wisconsin-Madison have successfully integrated single-crystal piezoelectric material onto silicon, enabling low-voltage near-nanoscale electromechanical devices. These devices could improve high-resolution 3D imaging, signal processing and energy harvesting applications.
Researchers at the University of Arizona have developed a new active metamaterial that demonstrates both power gain and negative refraction properties. This breakthrough enables the potential for high-performance microwave circuits and antennas with improved wireless communication and sensing capabilities.
Researchers developed a tank-like robot that can scale smooth walls using gecko-inspired adhesives, enabling applications in pipe inspection, search and rescue operations, and more. The robot's unique design and sensors allow it to adapt to its surroundings.
Researchers at KIT have developed a new process to fill porous electrodes with liquid electrolyte more rapidly, increasing battery production efficiency. The innovative method uses a physico-chemical effect inspired by nature to reduce filling time from several hours to just minutes.
Researchers at Northwestern University have developed a new form of graphene that resists aggregation, thanks to its crumpled shape. The material retains its surface area and remains pure, making it more useful for applications requiring large amounts of the material.
Researchers at the University of Leeds and Durham University have developed a high-tech 'recipe book' to create new plastics with specific properties. The breakthrough will increase recycling abilities and save industries time, energy, and money.
Scientists at the University of Massachusetts Amherst have developed a simplified method to create ordered magnetic materials using nanostructures, achieving room-temperature ferromagnetism with fewer steps than before. The process uses block copolymers to confine magnetic particles, inducing stronger interactions and yielding stable m...
Scientists have created a new class of materials that exhibit both magnetic and superconducting properties, revolutionizing the field of electronics. By sandwiching two nonmagnetic insulators together, researchers discovered a material where the interface between the two has both magnetic and superconducting regions.
Researchers at the University of Missouri found that combining threatening and disgusting anti-smoking TV PSAs can cause viewers to experience strong defensive reactions. This
Research team discovers how simple processing errors can degrade graphene's electrical properties, causing bottlenecks in electron flow. Heating the graphene may be a solution to remove contaminant molecules, ensuring its unique properties are maintained for commercial applications.
A team of researchers has used synchrotron light sources to observe the electron clouds on graphene's surface, revealing how folds and ripples can distort its conductivity. The study provides insight into the importance of understanding graphene's structure and processing methods for industrial applications.
Researchers studied four Tagish Lake meteorites, finding large concentrations of essential biochemistry components like monocarboxylic acids and amino acids. The findings suggest that hydrothermal activity played a crucial role in shaping the chemical diversity of these samples.
The Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) has approved four new research units focused on novel synthesis methods in chemistry, quantum diamonds, minimally invasive surgical procedures in medicine, and economic mechanisms in firms and markets. The Research Units will receive a total of 10.2 million euros over three years.
Microscopic relaxation processes contribute to macroscopic changes in polymer network properties. Over ten hours, elasticity decreases by about a fifth and remains stable, shedding light on the aging process of elastic polymers.
Solar panel manufacturers are transitioning towards more environmentally friendly manufacturing processes to replace toxic materials with eco-friendly alternatives. The goal is to ensure that photovoltaics not only produce renewable energy but are also renewably produced.
A CSIRO study found that mining by-products can effectively remove phosphorus and nitrogen from water, reducing the risk of algal blooms. The research suggests using these by-products as a cost-effective and environmentally-friendly solution for treating wastewater.
Researchers at Northwestern University have developed a material that can harness electricity from heat-generating items with 14% efficiency, a scientific first. The material, composed of nanocrystals of rock salt in lead telluride, reduces electron scattering and increases energy conversion efficiency.
A team of researchers used the Jülich supercomputer to unravel the structures of DVD materials, revealing a new understanding of the read and write processes. The study provides insight into the rapid phase change mechanisms, which could lead to improved storage materials with longer life, larger capacity, or shorter access times.
Researchers have successfully manipulated a magnetically polarized current using electric fields, opening up the prospect of combining computer memory and processing power on the same chip. The discovery, made with flexible organic semiconductors, has significant implications for power efficiency and device weight.
Researchers have trained bacteria to efficiently convert sugars in agricultural bio-wastes into valuable chemicals for bioplastics. The optimized process enables the production of high-quality bioplastics from waste materials, reducing costs and increasing efficiency.
Professor Federico Rosei, an INRS researcher, received the prestigious 2010 Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel Research Award for his outstanding work on nanomaterials. He will collaborate with German researchers to develop new materials for electronics, energy applications, and life sciences.
Researchers at New York University developed a method to shape solid materials, such as glass, metal, or stone, using a corn starch solution. By applying pressure from a motor-powered sphere through the solution, they can create precise indentations and depressions in the material.
The use of graphics processing units (GPUs) is accelerating the simulation of molecule movement, reducing processing times from years to months for the development of new drugs. Chemists are embracing this technology to streamline computations and accelerate discovery.
A group led by Takhee Lee demonstrated an optimal combination of materials and processing for a resistive memory circuit design. The scientists showed that exposing the contacts to an oxygen plasma improved the on/off signal ratio more than 10-fold, enabling high-performance memory devices.
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute professors Jonathan Dordick and Leonard Interrante have been named ACS Fellows for their groundbreaking work in biocatalysis, bioengineering, nanobiotechnology, and materials science. Their discoveries have the potential to protect thousands of people from bacterial infections and transform the modern d...
Researchers from UCF develop specially treated flyash as a cleaning agent for oil spills, preserving energy-generating capabilities. The innovative process absorbs oil and can be reused, making it a cost-effective and scalable solution.
A new study found that concrete thinking increases consumer confidence, especially when making choices based on clear information, whereas abstract thinking leads to decreased confidence. The researchers tested this hypothesis in various product categories, including electronics and charitable giving.
The Optical Society (OSA) has launched a new peer-reviewed journal called Optical Materials Express, which will focus on advances in novel optical materials. The journal aims to cover a wide range of topics in optical materials, including biomaterials, detector materials and metamaterials.
Materials Design Inc. presents a joint presentation with University of Texas at Dallas, KAUST, and Texas Instruments on the power of atomistic simulation in guiding microelectronics development. The collaboration demonstrates low Vt in CMOS using hybrid cladding layers.
A new study found that subjective feelings of ease can increase or decrease consumer confidence depending on whether consumers are thinking concretely or abstractly. The researchers also discovered that abstract thinking determines the theory consumers adopt to interpret their subjective experiences.
Researchers used computer models to simulate silk's molecular and atomic mechanisms, revealing the arrangement of atomic bonds responsible for its strength. The study found that a critical size of beta-sheet crystals is necessary for silk to exhibit ultra-strong and ductile characteristics.
Researchers have fabricated a near-frictionless diamond material that is 3,000 times more wear-resistant at the nanoscale than silicon. This discovery has significant implications for atomic imaging, probe-based data storage, and emerging applications like nanolithography and nanometrology.
Researchers at Georgia Tech have designed a class of molecules with the right properties for all-optical signal processing. These materials could enable low-power, high-speed optical switching and computing, potentially transmitting data at speeds up to 2,000 gigabits-per-second.
Researchers at Georgia Institute of Technology developed a single-step process to produce both n-type and p-type doping of large-area graphene surfaces. The technique uses commercially-available spin-on-glass material and electron-beam radiation, providing precise control over the amount of radiation applied.
Researchers at NIST have developed a method to calculate the motions and forces of thousands of atoms simultaneously over longer time scales. This breakthrough enables modeling of atomic-scale processes that unfold over time, such as vibrations in crystals, and improves results in fields like nanotechnology and materials science.
Researchers at Fraunhofer Institute create testing systems using shearography and thermography to detect delaminations in composite materials. The combination of technologies improves quality control and eliminates processing steps.
The K-State institute's intern program has received the National Pollution Prevention Roundtable's Most Valuable Pollution Prevention Program award for its innovation and measurable results in reducing waste and emissions. The program, launched in 2006, has led to significant environmental improvements and cost savings for participatin...