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Using nanotech to make Robocops

Researchers have developed a way to use carbon nanotubes to stop bullets from penetrating material and even rebound their force. This could lead to more effective bulletproof materials that avoid blunt force trauma and critical organ damage.

SourceIOP Publishing·JournalNanotechnology·DateOct 31, 2007

University of Pennsylvania engineers discover natural 'workbench' for nanoscale construction

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania have identified a naturally occurring material that can be used as a template for building nanodevices. The discovery, published in Nature Materials, provides a simpler method for creating nanostructures by leveraging the spontaneous phase separation of a ceramic material at the nanoscale.

SourceUniversity of Pennsylvania·JournalNature Materials·DateJul 17, 2007

Another step toward a liquid telescope on the moon

Researchers at Université Laval have successfully developed a highly reflective liquid mirror capable of functioning under harsh lunar conditions. The discovery, published in Nature, brings the project one step closer to building a liquid telescope on the moon, which could be up to 1,000 times more sensitive than current space telescopes.

SourceUniversité Laval·JournalNature·DateJun 20, 2007

A walk along an interface yields its mobility

Researchers at Colorado School of Mines and Northeastern University report a new computational methodology to quantify interface mobility, overcoming limitations of past studies. The method efficiently addresses the effect of impurities, revealing a more severe impact on interface motion than previously thought.

SourceNortheastern University·JournalScience·DateNov 2, 2006

Nanotubes act as 'thermal velcro' to reduce computer-chip heating

Researchers at Purdue University have developed thermal interface materials with carbon nanotubes that conduct heat more efficiently than conventional materials. The nanotube-based interfaces can reduce the temperature rise of computer chips by up to 5 degrees Celsius, improving overall performance and reducing the risk of damage.

SourcePurdue University·JournalInternational Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer·DateMay 2, 2006

Nanostructures in 3D

The new microscope enables crystallographic information to be measured at a lateral resolution of about 40 cubic nanometres, and depending on the material, even more finely. Researchers have already used it to study steel-related iron-aluminium intermetallic alloys, which show promise for high-temperature gas turbines.

SourceMax-Planck-Gesellschaft·JournalActa Materialia·DateFeb 23, 2006

Saving soldiers: Better body armor expected from new material formation process

A Georgia Institute of Technology researcher has developed a new boron carbide formation process that increases the hardness and improves the ballistic performance of the material used in body armor. The new method can yield higher relative densities and better ballistic performance than currently available methods.

SourceGeorgia Institute of Technology Research News·JournalJournal of Materials Research·DateDec 6, 2005

Carbon-rich molecules 'supersized' for the first time

Scientists have successfully produced giant superstructures of unnatural carbon, exceeding twice the size of previously developed fragments. These supersized molecules exhibit high density of pi-electrons useful for electronics and optics, with potential applications in optical electronics and switches used in telecommunications.

Magnetic fields revealed in technicolour

A team of scientists has successfully created a new material that induces magnetic vibrations at visible light frequencies, allowing for the creation of ultra-small optical lenses and miniature lasers. This breakthrough could lead to significant advancements in optics, optoelectronics, and biosensing.

SourceUniversity of Manchester·JournalNature·DateNov 16, 2005

Yale scientists confirm how crystals form

Researchers at Yale University have devised a way to predict the microstructure of crystals as they form in materials. This new method enables the estimation of grain size and subsequent material properties dependent on microstructure, opening up possibilities for tailoring material characteristics.

SourceYale University·JournalApplied Physics Letters·DateNov 3, 2005