Articles tagged with Materials
The European Research Council has awarded three ERC Proof of Concept grants to Göttingen University professors, enabling the development of initiatives that can benefit Europe's economy and society. The projects focus on harnessing renewable energy, reducing chemical waste, and improving biomedical image analysis.
The world's first thousand-ton-scale ionic liquid-based regenerated cellulose fiber project has officially commenced operations in Henan Province, China. The technology uses non-volatile, stable ionic liquids as solvents to replace toxic solvents, reducing carbon dioxide emissions by an estimated 5,000 tons per year.
A team of scientists has developed a novel CO2-activated porous carbon adsorbent that selectively traps impurities while purifying target gases. The material achieves a record C3F6/C3F8 uptake ratio and produces 99.999% pure C3F8 at industrial scales.
Researchers at Texas A&M University have developed a new type of adhesive that could improve the comfort and safety of wearable medical devices. The adhesive, made from polyelectrolyte-complex coatings, is water-based and has been shown to match the strength of commercial-grade adhesives while reducing skin irritation.
Researchers developed a novel computational approach that predicts alloy microstructures in minutes, compared to years. The new model streamlines older approaches and avoids the 'curse of dimensionality', enabling rapid and accurate calculations of solidification and alloy microstructures.
Researchers developed a self-driving lab that collects at least 10 times more data than previous techniques, dramatically expediting materials discovery research while slashing costs and environmental impact. The system uses dynamic flow experiments to continuously characterize samples, capturing data every half second.
Researchers at the University of Illinois developed a model predicting contaminant influence on aerosol droplet size, finding it depends on oil layer thickness, viscosity, and surface tension. The study aims to understand airborne contaminants from oil spills and respiratory diseases.
A new approach harnesses radiant cooling to reduce outdoor temperatures by up to 10 degrees Fahrenheit. The technique uses water-cooled aluminum panels and see-through, infrared-reflective thin polymer film to create a cooler space while maintaining visibility.
The study created lightweight, highly deformable materials with tunable mechanical responses using one-DOF mechanisms. These materials enable rapid response switching and reprogramming of force-displacement curves, unlocking new customizable mechanical properties.
MXene materials have been engineered to respond to light, enabling their use in soft robotics applications. This breakthrough could lead to the development of new types of robots that can change shape and function in response to external stimuli.
The collaboration aims to increase print quality and consistency for large-format 3D printing, enabling applications in hydroelectric dams, oil and gas industries, and more. ORNL's slicing software and JuggerBot 3D equipment will be refined to process thermosets independently and simultaneously.
Researchers found that sewage spills from land to sea coincided with winds of at least 6.5m/s on 178 days within a two-year period, potentially sending microplastics into the air. The study suggests that coastal towns and cities may be exposed to billions of airborne microplastic particles.
Scientists at Rice University developed a scalable approach to engineer bacterial cellulose into high-strength, multifunctional materials. The dynamic biosynthesis technique aligns bacterial cellulose fibers in real-time, resulting in robust biopolymer sheets with exceptional mechanical properties.
Researchers have discovered a way for caterpillars to metabolically degrade plastics in a matter of days, storing it as body fat. However, this process comes at a cost, ultimately leading to the caterpillar's death.
Researchers investigated low-density amorphous ice and found it was not fully disordered but contained tiny crystals. This discovery challenges the assumption that space ice is similar to liquid water and has implications for theories like Panspermia.
Researchers have developed a technique to grow stem cells into single sheets, increasing the secretion of signaling proteins that help repair tissue and regulate the immune system. This new approach could improve stem cell-based treatments for conditions such as heart disease, liver damage, and autoimmune illnesses.
Scientists have created a nanoscale 'cloud' metasurface capable of dynamically switching between white and grey states to enable daytime cooling, heating, and thermal camouflage. The system uses multiple scattering, absorption, and polarizonic reflection principles to modulate light and heat.
Artificial intelligence is revolutionizing the design and synthesis of biofunctional materials for medical applications. Machine learning models can predict material properties with over 90% accuracy, enabling faster and more cost-effective discovery.
A nanometer-thin spacer layer has been inserted into exciplex upconversion OLEDs (ExUC-OLEDs) to improve energy transfer, enhancing blue light emission by 77-fold. This design enables the use of previously incompatible materials, paving the way for lightweight, low-voltage, and more flexible OLEDs.
A new silica aerogel has been developed for efficient carbon emission reduction, exhibiting high thermal resistance and gas adsorption capacity. The integration of amine and methyl groups in the aerogel is achieved through a facile and environmentally friendly self-catalyzed sol-gel reaction.
The researchers developed a multifunctional phase-change composite that integrates multiple energy conversion capabilities with superior EMI shielding. The novel composite combines solar-thermal, thermoelectric, electrothermal, and magnetothermal energy conversion with high EMI shielding effectiveness.
Researchers at DTU developed a new electronic material that behaves like human skin, offering self-healing and adaptive properties. The material can stretch up to six times its original length, regulate heat, and detect environmental factors, making it suitable for wearable devices, soft robotics, and healthcare applications.
Researchers developed a two-layer aerogel that mimics owl feathers and skin to mitigate sound pollution, offering high-performance, lightweight and durable sound-absorbing materials. The material can cancel out low-frequency noise and dampen high-frequency sounds, alleviating noise pollution from industrial equipment and traffic.
Researchers at ETH Zurich have developed a novel solution for image sensors, utilizing lead halide perovskite to capture every photon of light. This allows for improved color recognition and higher resolution, as well as advantages in hyperspectral imaging.
A research team at TU Wien has demonstrated how electrical current can be generated using 'traffic jam of electrons' in certain materials. By incorporating additional immobile charge carriers into the material, they were able to create a significant improvement in thermoelectric properties.
Bioengineering researchers at Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences developed a soft, thin, stretchable bioelectronic device that can be implanted into a tadpole embryo's neural plate, recording electrical activity from single brain cells with millisecond precision.
Researchers from Shanghai Jiao Tong University develop low-power memristors for neuromorphic computing, overcoming traditional architecture limitations. The innovative design features and applications of these devices hold promise for future advancements in computing technology.
The article reviews sustainable materials for terahertz functional devices, highlighting their potential in wireless communication, biomedical diagnostics, and environmental sensing. Researchers emphasize the need for cross-disciplinary collaboration to overcome challenges and develop hybrid organic-inorganic systems.
Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Solid State Physics launches first room-temperature quantum accelerator, enabling energy-efficient hybrid quantum-classical computing. The QB-QDK2.0 system uses synthetic diamond substrates and NV centers to create stable qubits for industrial applications.
Researchers developed self-propelled ferroptosis nanoinducers to enhance cancer therapy by inducing programmed cell death. The nanotherapeutics exhibited enhanced diffusion and deep tumor penetration while maintaining biocompatibility.
Researchers developed a new resin that simultaneously creates solid objects and dissolvable structural supports depending on the type of light it's exposed to. This approach increases the applications for 3D-printed objects, including tissue engineering scaffolds and joints.
Carbon-based low-dimensional materials from cigarette butts show unique physical and chemical properties, with potential applications in renewable energy. Recent advances in recycling CBs waste are summarized, highlighting its use as a building material in triboelectric nanogenerators and flexible batteries.
Scientists from Institute of Science Tokyo successfully solubilize porous aromatic polymers (PAPs) in water using aromatic micelles, forming giant polycavity materials with high incorporation functions. The method enables the preparation of rare multi-component materials with potential applications in advanced functional materials.
Researchers created dynamic metashells that leap into the air on a predetermined schedule without intervention, jumping up to nine times their height. The structures were engineered to store energy and release it at a controlled timing, with scheduled jumps possible from three seconds to 58 hours in advance.
A new model details the kinetics of exciton dynamics in OLED materials, enhancing lifetime and accelerating material development. The findings have potential to improve fluorescence efficiency, leading to more advanced OLED devices.
A team of researchers from the University of Illinois Grainger College of Engineering has successfully applied metabolic labeling to platelets, enabling targeted drug delivery systems. The innovation uses chemical tags to track platelet activity, allowing for precise cargo loading and reduced long-term exposure.
Scientists have designed human-made molecules that self-assemble into stacked rings, allowing charge and energy to circulate freely, echoing photosynthesis. This breakthrough could lead to improved energy generation and advanced electronics.
Researchers at Rice University confirm a decade-old prediction of boron atoms sticking too tightly to copper, forming a new compound with distinct atomic structure. The discovery expands knowledge on 2D metal boride materials, which could inform future studies in electronics and energy applications.
Researchers at Rice University have developed a new method to fabricate ultrapure diamond films for quantum and electronic applications. By growing an extra layer of diamond on top of the substrate after ion implantation, they can bypass high-temperature annealing and generate higher-purity films.
Materials researchers at Harvard have created a way to produce natural rubber that retains its stretchiness and durability while improving its ability to resist cracking. The new material is four times better at resisting slow crack growth during repeated stretching and 10 times tougher overall.
Researchers at Rutgers University have discovered a new class of materials called intercrystals, which exhibit newly discovered forms of electronic properties. These unique properties could pave the way for advancements in more efficient electronic components, quantum computing, and environmentally friendly materials.
Researchers have developed thin films that can compress infrared light, improving its propagation distance and wavelength range. The technology has potential applications in thermal management, molecular sensing, and photonics.
The study, published in PNAS, discovered a new type of behavior called 'countersnapping' where structures shrink when pulled. This finding has exciting applications in soft robotics, vibration control systems, and wearable exosuits, enabling one-way sliding motion, materials that switch stiffness on demand, and structures that dampen e...
A team of scientists has developed a new method for desalination that uses liquid tin to simultaneously purify water and recover valuable metals. The process, powered by concentrated solar energy, can transform desalination brine into a valuable resource.
Researchers at Penn State discover a way to stabilize and produce large quantities of carbyne, a one-dimensional chain of carbon atoms, by encasing it in single-walled carbon nanotubes. This breakthrough could lead to new advancements in materials science and technology, with potential applications in electronics and computing.
Researchers from China summarize recent progress in wearable plant sensing devices for intelligent agricultural monitoring. These devices can monitor plant growth rate, leaf surface temperature, humidity, organic volatiles, and electrophysiological signals in real time.
Scientists have developed a new microscope that accurately measures directional heat flow in materials. This advancement can lead to better designs for electronic devices and energy systems, with potential applications in faster computers, more efficient solar panels, and batteries.
Scientists at Tohoku University discovered that chromium selenide transforms into a magnetic material when reduced to atomically thin layers, challenging previous theoretical predictions. The research opens new possibilities for spintronics applications and could lead to faster, smaller, and more efficient electronic components.
Researchers developed a thermal sensor to measure phonon vibrations at a molecular scale, finding that certain pathways cause destructive interference to reduce heat flow. This discovery could lead to the development of new materials and electronics with improved heat dissipation and efficiency.
Researchers develop new method to simulate Pockels effect, a key phenomenon in optoelectronics, using Density Functional Theory and finite differences. The approach enables accurate modeling of barium titanate's behavior, paving the way for more efficient devices.
Researchers developed a technology to produce high-quality p-type transistors using vapor-deposited tin-based perovskites, achieving high mobility and low power consumption. The innovation enables large-area device arrays and reduces manufacturing costs.
Researchers from UC3M and Harvard University demonstrate reprogrammable mechanical behavior of magnetic metamaterials without changing composition. Flexible magnets allow for modification of stiffness and energy absorption capacity through distribution or external magnetic field manipulation.
Researchers at Texas A&M University have developed a dynamic material that can self-heal after puncturing, changing from solid to liquid and back, allowing it to absorb kinetic energy and leave tiny holes. The polymer's unique properties make it suitable for protecting space vehicles and military equipment.
Scientists at Institute of Science Tokyo develop first-ever wurtzite-structured MgSiN2 thin films, exhibiting piezoelectric properties. The material's unique electronic and bandgap properties make it a promising candidate for next-generation electronics and potential applications in ultrasonic transducers and energy harvesters.
Researchers have developed a new alloy design strategy that combines exceptional strength with superior resistance to hydrogen embrittlement. The approach enables dual nanoprecipitates to trap hydrogen and enhance strength, resulting in a 40% increase in strength and a five-fold improvement in hydrogen embrittlement resistance.
Researchers from Tongji University outline the applications of liquid crystal materials in wearable field, particularly in information visualisation. These devices can change shape or color upon external stimuli, giving visible and intuitive information.
Researchers highlight biodegradable plastics as a promising solution to single-use plastic waste, with the packaging segment accounting for half of single-use plastic production. The market is expected to reach $105 billion by 2024, driven by consumer awareness and corporate response.
Researchers discovered that chirality induces giant charge rectification in an organic superconductor, exceeding theoretical predictions. The nonreciprocal transport was found to be driven by enhanced spin-orbit coupling and mixing of spin-triplet Cooper pairs.
Researchers developed fluorescent polyionic nanoclays that can be customized for medical imaging, sensor technology, and environmental protection. These tiny clay-based materials exhibit high brightness and versatility, enabling precise tuning of optical properties.
Researchers have developed a novel composite material with superior ablation resistance at 3000 °C, marking the first report of such a system. The material's high thermal stability and oxidation resistance are attributed to its complex oxide structure, which prevents erosion caused by high-speed airflow.