Researchers from Empa and re-fer AG have developed a new building material called memory-steel, which uses shape-memory alloys to permanently prestress concrete structures. The material eliminates the need for hydraulic prestressing, reducing space requirements and making it suitable for confined spaces.
A £7 million funding has enabled the development of a 'virtual factory' to test and refine new steel alloys 100 times faster than traditional methods. This breakthrough allows for faster testing of small-scale samples, covering areas like strength, durability, and corrosion resistance.
Researchers at NUST MISIS have developed a new technology to simplify hot rolling of seamless pipes made from alloy and high-alloy steel. The innovation uses a two-stage method with lubricant and coolant, significantly improving tool lifespan and production efficiency.
Steel researcher Peter Felfer receives a 1.5 million euro grant to investigate the damage caused by hydrogen at the atomic level. He aims to build an atom probe that can differentiate between hydrogen in the material and environment.
A PolyU-led project has been awarded a record-breaking HK$47.2 million grant to develop new concrete structures for marine infrastructure, aiming to reduce steel corrosion and environmental pollution. The five-year project will focus on innovative materials and designs, with potential benefits extending to Hong Kong and globally.
Researchers at U of T Engineering propose a simple and effective way to minimize food contamination by trapping cooking oil in microscopic scrapes and cracks. The method results in a 1,000x reduction in bacterial levels, making it a safer alternative to harsh chemicals and disinfectants.
Scientists from JGU and the University of Kaiserslautern have developed a process to apply a thin magnetic layer to steel, allowing for the detection of microstructural changes by changes in magnetic effects. This method has the advantage of detecting signs of fatigue much earlier than conventional testing procedures.
Researchers develop new microscopy technique to track microstructural changes in real-time under high heat and stress. Alloy 709 shows promising results as a strong and resistant material for elevated temperature applications like next-generation nuclear power plants.
A UCI-led review emphasizes the need to redesign heavy-duty infrastructure to eliminate carbon dioxide emissions. Key solutions include the production of renewable materials, capturing and storing CO2, and integrating power and manufacturing facilities.
A new laser technology developed by Swansea University has won the Materials Science Venture Prize, allowing for real-time monitoring of molten metal furnaces without stopping production. This innovation saves steel plants up to £4.5 million a year and can be applied to various metals such as aluminium and copper.
A $258,778 grant from the Australian Research Council supports a project investigating fire resistance levels of Light Gauge Steel Framed (LSF) walls. The research aims to develop a generic model for predicting fire resistance levels and enhance fire safety in low- and mid-rise buildings.
Researchers at DESY's PETRA III facility have created a novel, ultra-strong bio-material made from cellulose nanofibres. The material boasts exceptional tensile stiffness of 86 GPa and strength of 1.57 GPa, outperforming steel and even dragline spider silk.
The Steel and Metals Institute at Swansea University will transform the UK iron and steel making industry into a low-carbon, resource-efficient sector. The research focuses on smart steel processing of high-value products, including sustainable packaging made from steel.
A novel process called Friction Stir Dovetailing joins thicker aluminum alloys to steel, creating joints of superior strength and ductility. The technique inhibits intermetallic compound overgrowth, allowing for improved fuel efficiency and operational effectiveness in military combat vehicles.
Researchers at North Carolina State University have developed a new material, stainless steel composite metal foam (CMF), that offers much more protection than existing armor materials while lowering the weight remarkably. The CMF can block blast pressure and fragmentation from high-explosive incendiary rounds with minimal weight loss.
Scientists have developed an affordable specialized polymer coating that can be recharged with bleach treatments to continuously kill bacteria on coated stainless steel surfaces. The coating uses N-halamine polymers and has been shown to be effective against various types of bacteria, including E. coli and Staphylococcus aureus.
Scientists at HZDR aim to demonstrate that precession is sufficient to create a magnetic field using liquid sodium. The experiment could provide insights into the geodynamo and clarify the role of precession in generating the Earth's magnetic field.
Researchers at Saarland University are using atom-probe tomography to study niobium's role in steel microstructure and its effects on material properties. The goal is to design internal steel structures for specific applications and improve material properties.
Computer scientists and materials researchers developed a more accurate and objective method for classifying steel microstructures. The method uses machine learning to analyze microscope images and achieve accuracy of around 93%, surpassing conventional methods which only achieved 50% correct classification.
Researchers at the University of Maryland have created a new type of wood that is 10-12 times stronger than natural wood, making it a potential competitor to steel. The wood's mechanical properties are comparable to those of titanium alloys, but with improved toughness and reduced weight.
Researchers at the University of Arizona and partnering universities are working on a NSF-funded project to develop buildings that won't collapse under major earthquakes. The focus is on lateral force transfer through steel collectors, which horizontally transmit earthquake forces.
Brazilian researcher develops innovative method of laser welding at high temperatures to enhance properties of AHS steel, improving formability and collision resilience. The technique produces bainitic structure, resulting in tough and reliable weld joints.
Nanotexturing creates a surface that kills bacteria while not harming mammalian cells, improving corrosion resistance. The process could be used to attack microbial contamination on implantable medical devices and food processing equipment.
Scientists found that magnetic field strength increases linearly with distance from the specimen, making the double H-coil method more accurate for certain applications. The study suggests using the double H-coil method when data requires higher accuracy.
Researchers developed a Partial Discharge Wireless Sensor Network that reports partial discharge levels remotely, enabling instant monitoring via smartphones. The system has shown encouraging results at Tata Steel's Port Talbot plant, with plans to deploy 100 sensors across the site.
A Hong Kong-Beijing-Taiwan mechanical engineering team led by Dr. Huang Mingxin has developed a Super Steel with ultra-high strength and large ductility, addressing the strength-ductility trade-off in metallic materials. The material's cost is just one-fifth of that of current aerospace and defense applications.
A Swansea-led consortium has secured £7 million in UK government funding to develop solar power stations in five Indian villages. The project aims to create energy-positive buildings that can generate, store and release their own power.
Researchers at WMG, University of Warwick have developed a new processing route to control brittle stages during steel production. This breakthrough allows for the creation of low-density steels with maximum strength and durability, making them suitable for safer, greener, more fuel-efficient cars.
Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh are developing new steel alloys for additive manufacturing with a focus on high-strength low-alloy steels suitable for naval construction and repair. The project aims to improve mechanical properties and corrosion resistance using integrated computational materials design.
Researchers at NIST have developed a non-invasive terahertz detection method to identify early-stage corrosion in steel-reinforced concrete structures, potentially saving billions of dollars in maintenance costs.
A new study found that Toronto's subways have the highest levels of airborne particulate matter in Canada, with average values up to 100 micrograms per cubic metre, compared to Montreal's 36 micrograms and Vancouver's 17 micrograms. The high metal content and abrasive wear on steel wheels may be contributing factors.
Swansea University has won two Royal Society awards for its innovative research on reducing corrosion in steel and improving furnace efficiency. The team developed a smart release coating that outperforms the current market leader in laboratory tests and can last up to 12 times longer in delaying corrosion.
Researchers localized and visualized hydrogen in steels and alloys at atomic resolution, overcoming a major engineering challenge. This discovery enables the development of new alloys with greater endurance.
A team of researchers at MIT has developed a novel material with a laminated nanostructure that reduces metal fatigue, allowing it to deform without spreading microcracks. This breakthrough could lead to improved structural components in industries such as aerospace and automotive.
A new study introduces a steel alloy with a laminated nanosubstructure, inspired by bone structure, which is more resistant to cracking under repeated stress. This development has potential to improve the safety of buildings and components that experience cyclic loads.
Professor Erik Bitzek aims to investigate the interactions between cracks and material defects to improve understanding of breaking processes in metals, intermetallic compounds, and semiconductors. He seeks realistic results through micromechanical models and fracture tests to develop novel, fail-safe materials.
A new study by University of Leicester researchers has identified the mechanism behind solidification cracking in steel welding, a critical engineering alloy. The team used synchrotron X-ray beamline technology to observe crack formation in real-time, revealing micro-porosities as the primary cause.
Researchers at MIT have designed a strong and lightweight material by compressing graphene flakes into sponge-like configurations, achieving 10 times the strength of steel while maintaining a low density of just 5%. The new material's unusual geometric configuration is key to its exceptional properties.
A team of researchers from Swansea University has made a breakthrough in reducing corrosion by developing a new method that outperforms existing products. The new coating lasts up to 12 times as long and is 20 times faster than current methods.
Researchers found that waffles baked on steel plates at a high temperature for a short amount of time minimize sticking and reduce product loss. The study also identified the optimal baking temperature and type of release agent to achieve this result.
The ASSURE2 project explores belt casting technology to reduce steel production costs and energy consumption by over 300%. This innovative approach can also produce commercially attractive advanced high strength strip (AHSS) steel grades, such as TWIP and TRIP steels.
Researchers at Eindhoven University of Technology aim to develop cement substitute from steel slag, a massive CO2-reduction opportunity. The new cement has potential to replace 'normal cement' and reduce emissions by tens of millions of tons annually.
Researchers have created a novel method for making do-it-yourself, scrap-metal batteries that can store excess energy from residential solar panels. The new devices utilize steel and brass scraps, which are abundant and inexpensive, to achieve an energy density comparable to traditional lead-acid batteries.
A $248,083 grant supports UTSA professor Wassim Ghannoum's research on high-strength rebar, aiming to establish new concrete structure standards. The project could cut steel costs by a third and have positive environmental effects.
Researchers tested four surfaces and four foods, finding that moisture, surface type, and contact time all contribute to cross-contamination. Transfer scenarios showed that bacteria can contaminate food instantly, making the five-second rule an oversimplification.
The study found that increasing beam section height and lower steel bar rebar ratio significantly improves collapse-resistance capacity. Meanwhile, lengthening the specially shaped column limb only enhances stiffness, while slab upper and lower steel bar rebar ratios increase the frame's stiffness and collapse-resistance capacity.
Researchers have fabricated dissolvable carbon steel structures using 3D printing technology that can provide temporary support for components of larger stainless steel structures. The new approach reduces post-processing needed for 3D-printed metal components.
A team of LLNL researchers developed a system using shaped charges to sever an offshore drilling rig from the seabed, solving a critical challenge after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Their experiment validated their model and provided insight into effective experimental design.
A team from Swansea University has developed a new 'smart release' corrosion inhibitor for coated steel products, outperforming hexavalent chromate in laboratory tests. The technology could lead to significant market share and is environmentally sound, economical, and safer.
Researchers have developed a new type of metallic material that is both extremely strong and ductile. This breakthrough solves the long-standing problem of choosing between these two properties in steels.
Researchers have mapped boron compound distribution in a model control rod, helping determine re-criticality risk within the reactor. This finding could inform decommissioning efforts at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Plant.
A team of researchers led by Chris Pantelides developed a new process to repair earthquake-damaged bridge columns in just a few days. The process uses concrete donuts lined with composite fiber material and can be used on not only bridges but also damaged columns around buildings.
Physicists at Cornell University have finally solved a puzzle that baffled researchers for over a century. Using computer game technology, they discovered the connection between smectics - liquid crystals forming ellipses and hyperbolas - and martensites, a crystalline structure of steel.
A new grant will develop an innovative induction tomography system to assess the solidification process of metal, improving continuous casting of steel. This technology will detect defects in molten steel as it cools, enabling industry to monitor and alter the cooling process for better quality, safety, productivity, and competitiveness.
Researchers developed a record-breaking steel alloy that can withstand impact without deforming permanently, with an elastic limit of 11.76 giga-Pascals. The material's unique structure allows it to be both hard and non-brittle, making it suitable for various applications.
Researchers at North Carolina State University have developed a novel light-weight composite metal foam that effectively insulates against high heat. The finding has significant implications for storing and transporting nuclear material, hazardous materials, explosives, and other heat-sensitive materials.
Researchers propose novel solutions to improve bridge safety and reduce maintenance costs, addressing structural issues with rebar placement and column connections. Computer modeling suggests cost savings of up to 30 times greater than the research investment.
Berkeley Lab scientists found that polycrystalline graphene is strong but has low toughness, a property necessary for structural reliability in applications. The researchers developed a statistical model to predict failure in the material, revealing its fracture resistance.
Researchers at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln have developed a laser-based X-ray machine that can detect nuclear materials hidden behind thick shielding or smuggled in cargo containers. The technology offers several advantages, including low radiation levels and portability, making it a potential tool for nuclear site inspections.
Researchers have developed a non-destructive inspection method using terahertz waves to visualize PC steel wires hidden inside concrete and steel bridges. This technology is particularly useful for extradosed bridges where the wires are covered in resin jackets, reducing the risk of corrosion during inspections.