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The new 'Great Wave'

A team of Kyoto University researchers has created the smallest 'Great Wave' ever produced, just 1mm in width, without using pigments. This breakthrough uses Organized Microfibrillation (OM) technology to create a new palette of colors and applications in fields like anti-forgery technology, health, and food safety.

SourceKyoto University·JournalNature·DateJun 19, 2019

Ready, jet... print!

Researchers from KAUST have exploited inkjet printing to generate high-efficiency solar cells, replacing inorganic semiconductors with lightweight and flexible organic materials. The technique allows for customized designs, rapid design changes, and low-cost manufacturing, making it suitable for a variety of applications.

SourceKing Abdullah University of Science & Technology (KAUST)·JournalAdvanced Materials Technologies·DateJun 3, 2019

Need more energy storage? Just hit 'print'

Researchers from Drexel University and Trinity College in Ireland have created a conductive MXene ink for 3D printing micro-supercapacitors, which outperforms existing energy storage devices. The ink can be used to print flexible energy storage components of any size or shape.

SourceDrexel University·JournalNature Communications·DateApr 17, 2019

Historian tells new story about England's venerated 'Domesday book'

A historian challenges the traditional view of the Domesday Book, a famous document created by William the Conqueror in 11th-century England. New research suggests that the final version of the book was compiled years after its initial publication, and that it was not the top-down, orderly bureaucratic enterprise previously thought to ...

Researchers create hidden images with commercial inkjet printers

Scientists developed a method to print hidden images with commercial inkjet printers that can be revealed only with specific illumination, making it ideal for security-related applications. The technique uses silver and carbon ink to create arrays of rods with varying conductivities, allowing for the encoding of information.

SourceOptica·JournalOptica·DateDec 8, 2016

Researchers printed energy-producing photographs

The researchers successfully created dye-sensitized solar cells with inkjet-printed photovoltaic dyes, achieving efficiency and durability comparable to traditional methods. The printed solar cells endured over 1,000 hours of continuous light and heat stress without degradation.

SourceAalto University·JournalEnergy & Environmental Science·DateJul 26, 2016

Printing nanomaterials with plasma

Researchers developed a new method that uses plasma to deposit nanomaterials onto flexible surfaces and 3-D objects. The technique can produce wearable chemical and biological sensors, flexible memory devices, batteries, and integrated circuits with improved efficiency and reduced costs.

SourceAmerican Institute of Physics·JournalApplied Physics Letters·DateMar 22, 2016

New conductive ink for electronic apparel

University of Tokyo researchers created a single-step printing process to form highly conductive and stretchable connections on textiles. The ink, made of silver flakes, organic solvent, fluorine rubber, and fluorine surfactant, exhibited high conductivity even when stretched three times its original length.

SourceUniversity of Tokyo·JournalNature Communications·DateJun 25, 2015

Designer electronics out of the printer

Researchers at TUM have successfully improved the electrical properties of printed films by optimizing the printing process, resulting in custom organic electronics. The team used X-ray radiation to study the curing process and achieved high time resolution, leading to significant improvements in stability and conductivity.

SourceTechnical University of Munich (TUM)·JournalAdvanced Materials·DateJun 16, 2015

New live-cell printing technology works like ancient Chinese woodblocking

Researchers have developed a new live-cell printing technology called BloC-Printing that can print living cells onto any surface in a grid-like formation. The technology, which manipulates microfluidic physics to guide cells into hook-like traps, produces high survival rates of over 100% compared to traditional inkjet printing.

SourceHouston Methodist·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateFeb 10, 2014

Micro-machines for the human body

Researchers at Tel Aviv University have created a novel printing process to produce micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) components from a highly flexible and non-toxic organic polymer. This innovation enables the creation of biocompatible MEMS for medical devices, such as bionic arms and smart prosthetics.

SourceAmerican Friends of Tel Aviv University·JournalMicroelectronic Engineering·DateAug 7, 2013

Cartilage made easy with novel hybrid printer

A novel hybrid printer combines two low-cost fabrication techniques to create cartilage constructs with improved mechanical stability. The printer uses a combination of synthetic and natural materials, allowing for the growth of cells and development of structures typical of elastic cartilage.

SourceIOP Publishing·JournalBiofabrication·DateNov 21, 2012