Research on testing materials and how they perform. Covers spacecraft shielding, manufacturing challenges, metallic glass in space, and recyclable materials.
The Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials (KIMM) has developed a roll-based damage-free transfer technique to transfer wafer-scale two-dimensional nanomaterials onto substrates without damage. The proposed technique enables large-area continuous transfer of nanomaterials, similar to paper printing.
A new method for growing bulk single-crystal nitrides has been developed by Lehigh University materials scientist Siddha Pimputkar, which could lead to more-efficient and less-costly electronic devices. The approach involves using lithium nitride as a precursor and a specialized pressure cooker to overcome the challenges of growing lar...
Researchers at Beckman Institute develop new manufacturing process that shortens production time from two days to just minutes, enabling the creation of self-healing structural materials. The technology has potential applications in various fields, including aerospace and construction.
A team at the University of Michigan has developed a material that boosts magnetostriction, allowing for more energy-efficient computing devices. The material could lead to significant reductions in electricity requirements and improve magnetic sensors for medical and security devices.
Researchers developed a scanning quantum sensing microscope that maps local electric fields with a spatial resolution of ~10 nm and sensitivity close to an elementary charge. The technique allows for reversible control of single NV's charge states, enabling the purification of NV's electrostatic environment.
Scientists at Graz University of Technology are producing biodegradable materials from wood components to combat climate change. They aim to create plastic-free and recyclable paper packaging with improved barrier properties.
A new treatment method for cerebral aneurysms uses a biocompatible embolization material that fills the aneurysm at high rates and maintains structural stability. The innovative material exhibits excellent biocompatibility and can safely prevent rupture, reducing financial burden and risks associated with current coil embolization.
Researchers have designed new materials with tailored properties by combining different components, offering targeted design options for future functional materials. They discovered a physical effect that enables tuning the color of lighting technologies in a simple way.
Scientists at Salk Institute successfully transformed tobacco and corn husks into silicon carbide (SiC) while sequestering up to 50,000-fold more carbon from seed to lab-grown plant. The process retains about 14 percent of the plant-captured carbon, offering a potential solution for climate change mitigation.
Tufts University researchers develop a silk-based leather material with similar texture and flexibility to real leather, using sustainable sources and environmentally friendly chemical processes. The material can be printed into various patterns and textures and is biodegradable.
A team of researchers from CNRS has uncovered the earliest human burial site in Africa, dated to approximately 78,000 years ago. The discovery at Panga ya Saidi in Kenya reveals a complex funerary treatment involving a shroud and potential ritual participation from the child's community.
A team of researchers developed a unique scaffolding material for engineered tissues that can be fine-tuned to mimic natural tissue properties. This allows for the creation of customized replacement skin, cartilage, or other tissue for patients, with potential applications in regenerative medicine and tissue engineering.
A team of researchers from the University of Rochester and Delft University of Technology has developed a novel, environmentally-friendly material made of algae that can be used in various applications. The material is tough, resilient, eco-friendly, biodegradable, and scalable to produce.
Researchers at the University of California - Santa Barbara have identified a major cause of limitations to efficiency in hybrid perovskite solar cells. A study found that missing hydrogen atoms in the organic molecules can cause massive efficiency losses due to unwanted energy dissipation, resulting in lower photovoltaic performance.
Researchers have developed a new semiconductor material that can conduct electricity more efficiently than before, using inexpensive chemicals like dimethyl sulphoxide and hydrobromic acid. The material has the potential to improve solar cells, mobile phones, and wearable electronics, with costs 5000 times lower than existing materials.
A research team has successfully used neutrons to non-destructively detect internal stress in complex 3D-printed components. The innovation could lead to energy-saving gas turbines by optimizing production processes and reducing destructive stresses.
Researchers developed an anti-icing material that removes condensed water through self-propelled droplet jumping, inspired by wheat leaves. The material remains ice-free in temperatures as low as -50 °C and under high humidity, making it suitable for various environmental conditions.
Researchers created a soft mechanical metamaterial that can compute digital logic computations using binary inputs and outputs. The material thinks by reconfiguring its conductive polymer network in response to mechanical force and electrical signals.
Researchers from TU Graz and FSU Jena discovered three opposing driving forces controlling the self-assembly of functionalized molecules at interfaces. A design principle using machine learning was established to predict structures and properties. This breakthrough enables the easy assembly of desired interfacial properties on demand.
David C. Martin, a University of Delaware professor, is advancing novel polymeric materials to integrate electronics with human brain tissue. He has been named a Materials Research Society Fellow for his work on conjugated polymers for interfacing electronic biomedical devices with living tissue.
A team from TU Wien and Cubicure has developed a novel 3D-printed material called 'Digory' that can be used as a substitute for ivory in restoring art objects. The new material is processed in a hot, liquid state and hardened with UV rays to create a deceptively authentic-looking ivory substitute.
Researchers at the University of Sydney have made a breakthrough in understanding ferroelectric fatigue, a major cause of electronic device failure. By observing the degradation process at the nanoscale, they hope to inform the design of longer-lasting devices with better endurance.
A team of scientists has created a reusable, biodegradable sponge made from sunflower pollen that can absorb oil contaminants from contaminated water sources. The pollen sponge outperforms commercial oil absorbents in terms of absorption capacity and reusability.
Researchers at Cornell University have developed a new type of battery that uses aluminum, offering up to 10,000 error-free cycles and potentially replacing lithium-ion batteries. This innovative technology could provide a safer and more sustainable alternative for energy storage, addressing the challenges of intermittent solar energy.
Researchers have developed a kirigami technique to fabricate complex 3D nanostructures with unprecedented ease. By strategically introducing cuts to a uniform structural film, the team can create sophisticated three-dimensional structures that can change shape in response to environmental changes.
Scientists have found a way to create polarity and photovoltaic behavior in non-photovoltaic 2D materials by arranging them in a special way. The resulting effect is different from traditional solar cells and shows promise for future solar panel improvements.
Researchers at HZDR have created a novel method for growing magnetic thin-film materials that host skyrmions, tiny magnetic vortices promising for high data storage and processing capacities. The new process involves rapid heating with brief flashes of light to prevent undesired crystal phases, resulting in stable skyrmion formation.
Researchers from Skoltech have created a theoretical method to study electronic properties of 2D materials like silicene under high pressure. This approach could help create pressure sensors using these materials, which are promising candidates due to their unique properties.
Researchers at Texas A&M University have developed an organic material that uses less energy to dry air, enhancing the efficiency of heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. The polyimide-based dehumidifiers can bring down the cost of HVAC systems, which currently cost thousands of dollars.
Researchers at NIMS and RIKEN successfully synthesized the longest bottlebrush polymer ever made, reaching a length of 7 μm. This achievement has significant implications for the development of flexible and low-friction polymeric materials.
Researchers at Texas A&M University are using Bayesian optimization frameworks to combine multiple information sources and develop a more complete picture of underlying processes. This approach aims to reduce production time and costs by predicting the needed composition and processing for specific designs.
The team developed a spontaneous patterning method that mimics biological processes, producing resins with regular ridges and controlled height and spacing. By adjusting the initial temperature of the solution, they created materials with patterns of color and stiffness, paving the way for creating new 'smart' materials.
Researchers have developed a bioinspired nanopaper that can change its stiffness and strength with an electrical switch, mimicking the defense mechanism of sea cucumbers. The material, made from cellulose nanofibrils, becomes soft and flexible when electricity is applied, and regains its original properties when the current stops.
Researchers at NIMS demonstrated a record-high transverse thermopower using a composite of thermoelectric and magnetic materials. The hybrid structure generated +82 μV/K positive and -41 μV/K negative thermopowers, more than 10 times larger than the previous highest recorded thermopower.
A novel technique has been developed to explore the fine structure of barium titanate, a perovskite titanate that could potentially replace lead titanate in sensors. The study found similar orbital hybridization between titanium and oxygen, as well as between barium and titanium electrons, contributing to polarization reversal.
Researchers have developed adaptive microelectronics that can position themselves, manipulate biological tissue, and respond to their environment. These innovative devices use microscopic artificial muscles and sensor signals to adapt to complex anatomical shapes.
Researchers at Pohang University of Science & Technology (POSTECH) have discovered the mechanism behind catalyst transformation, revealing a pathway for improved fuel cell performance. The study found that PBMO catalysts exhibit enhanced stability and conductivity when transforming from perovskite to layered structures.
Researchers have created a new type of 2D material, called a van der Waals heterostructure, which can be rolled up into a thin cylinder. This unique structure holds promise for miniaturized electronics, such as diodes and other devices. The discovery was made by a team of Penn State and University of Tokyo researchers.
A team of researchers at North Carolina State University has developed a novel material produced by bacteria that can effectively separate water from oil. The material consists of cellulose nano-fibers created by the bacteria Gluconacetobacter hansenii, which are then used to filter out the oil from an oily mixture.
Researchers directly observed the evolution of coherence energy scale in a strongly correlated material, clarifying the principle behind it. The study used ARPES and first-principle calculation to verify the kink behavior of electronic band structure, linked to Hund's coupling and coherence energy scale.
Rice University's Carbon Hub has awarded seed grants to six research projects aiming to transform the oil and gas sector into a leading provider of clean hydrogen energy and solid carbon products. The selected teams will investigate various applications, including cement reinforced with carbon fibers, urban smog reduction, and replacin...
A team of scientists has created a novel material with unique properties, exhibiting half-auxetic behavior under both strain and compression. This discovery could lead to breakthroughs in sensing and magneto-optics technologies.
Researchers at Columbia University School of Engineering and Applied Science have developed a new technique to control optical nonlinearity in 2D materials. The twistoptics approach enables giant nonlinear optical responses in small volumes, leading to compact laser systems and potential applications in quantum computing, spectroscopy,...
A team of researchers at POSTECH has successfully developed a high-energy-density cathode material that can stably maintain charge and discharge for over 500 cycles without the expensive and toxic Co metal. This breakthrough enables long-distance electric vehicle travel.
Researchers at Tomsk Polytechnic University have developed a method to create high-strength, electrically conductive composites using laser-driven integration of metals into polymers. The new method offers improved mechanical stability and potential applications in flexible electronics, photocatalysis, sensors, and biomedical products.
Researchers have made a significant advance in understanding oxygen-redox processes involved in lithium-rich cathode materials, proposing strategies to mitigate limitations and increase energy density. The breakthrough offers potential routes to more reversible high-energy density Li-ion cathodes.
Graphene Flagship researchers have developed molecular bridges to overcome defects in transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD) flakes, increasing carrier mobility tenfold. This breakthrough enables the mass production of conductive inks for printed electronic devices, opening up new possibilities for flexible electronics and wearables.
Researchers at Duke University are developing new super-hard materials using chaotic atomic structures, which can enhance stability and strength in a wide range of applications. The team aims to create a material that can solve the friction stir welding problem with steel, revolutionizing ship construction and defense equipment.
Researchers developed novel hydrogel-based 4D materials that can change shape in response to physiological stimuli, supporting high cell densities and mimicking natural tissue development. These materials have potential for bioengineering blood vessels, organs, and studying biological processes involved in early development.
Scientists have developed a smart material that responds to environmental stimuli, such as mechanical pressure or stretching, and can be used to create autonomous grippers. The material's unique properties make it ideal for use in soft robots performing complex tasks or locomotion.
A UC San Diego engineer is developing a research platform to study new materials that melt at temperatures higher than 4000 degrees Celsius. The team aims to increase the melting point of materials by mixing large numbers of different atoms together, reducing the driving force for the solid to melt.
Researchers developed a new sodium-ion conductor that enhances stability in higher-voltage oxide cathodes, resulting in improved efficiency and lifespan. The material, NYZC, can last over 1000 cycles while retaining 89.3% of its capacity, outperforming other solid-state sodium batteries.
Researchers at USC Viterbi School of Engineering used living bacteria to create new materials with superior mechanical properties. These materials exhibit exceptional strength, fracture resistance, and energy dissipation, making them suitable for aerospace panels, vehicle frames, body armor, and defense applications.
Researchers identified 126 substances that can harm children's health, including phthalates, flame retardants, and fragrances. The study recommends prioritizing phase-out of these chemicals and developing benchmarks for safe use in toy materials.
Engineers at the University of California, Riverside developed a flexible film that combines excellent electromagnetic shielding with ease of manufacture, promising for high-frequency communication technologies. The film, made from a polymer matrix filled with bundles of quasi-one-dimensional van der Waals materials, demonstrates excep...
Petroleum engineers at Samara Polytech created a test facility that recreates physical parameters of a deposit located at different depths. The facility allows for the simulation of pressure and temperature conditions, enabling the accurate determination of rock mechanical properties such as hardness, elasticity, and plasticity.
A University of Cambridge study found that the fit of a face mask is more important than its material in providing protection against COVID-19. The researchers discovered that even high-performance masks can perform no better than cloth masks if not fitted properly, highlighting the critical role of proper seal in ensuring effectiveness.
Researchers at NTU Singapore have created a new material that can flex and bend 40 times more than its competitors, opening the way to better micro machines. The hybrid material generates electricity effectively when bent, potentially recharging batteries in gadgets from everyday movements.
Researchers from NUS developed an ultra-thin material with unique properties that could achieve faster and more energy-efficient memory chips. They created 'whirling' nano-structures in anti-ferromagnets, which are stable structures that can be moved at whirlwind speeds, enabling new types of information bits.
Researchers have developed a hyperspectral imaging technique to visualize and test two-dimensional materials at the nanoscale. This allows for the identification of new properties and potential applications, including more-efficient energy transmission and solar- and wind-powered vehicles.