Articles tagged with Materials
Disposable vape sales quadrupled in the UK between 2022 and 2023, contributing to e-waste accumulation. The technology contains valuable resources like lithium, but recycling is often difficult due to lack of clear instructions. Experts call for urgent reform of disposable electronics practices to protect the environment.
Researchers developed a high-throughput multiscale evaluation method to quantify and visualize thermal stress in thermal barrier coatings. The approach considers phase transition of ceramic layers, providing a theoretical basis for life prediction and reverse design of coating materials.
Researchers develop non-equivalent co-doped strategy to reduce oxygen vacancy defects and improve comprehensive electrical properties of BIT-based high-temperature piezoelectric ceramics. The study reveals a significant enhancement in piezoelectric coefficient, Curie temperature, and resistivity at high temperatures.
Researchers discovered an alloy with exceptional strength and toughness across a wide temperature range, outperforming even cryogenic steels. The alloy's unique properties are attributed to the formation of rare kink bands that enable it to resist bending and fracture.
A new NIR phosphor with broadband emission, high luminous efficiency, and thermal stability has been developed for multi-functional applications. The phosphor is composed of Cr³⁺ activated in Y₂Mg₂Al₂Si₂O₁₂ host materials, showing potential for night visualization, bio-imaging, and non-intrusive detection.
Researchers upgraded a photoelectron momentum microscope to use two undulator beamlines, enabling element-selective measurements and precise analyses of valence orbitals. This innovation provides deeper insights into the behavior of electrons in materials, advancing fields like condensed matter physics and materials science.
The team created ten holograms with varying colors and shapes using an inverse design technique driven by artificial intelligence. They integrated an oblique helicoidal cholesterics-based wavelength modulator to accurately implement the designed holograms, enabling the establishment of an optical security system.
Researchers at Linképing University have developed a digital display screen where LEDs react to touch, light, fingerprints, and the user's pulse, among other things. The screen can also be charged through the screen due to its ability to act as solar cells.
Scientists developed a force-controlled release system harnessing natural forces to trigger targeted release of molecules, advancing medical treatment and smart materials. The breakthrough uses rotaxane technology to release multiple functional molecules simultaneously, including medicines and healing agents.
Scientists developed a printable, bio-based aerogel using cellulose that is biocompatible, has high porosity, and excellent heat-insulating properties. Its anisotropy allows for controlled thermal conductivity and precise applications in medicine and microelectronics.
The new metafluid can transition between Newtonian and non-Newtonian states, allowing for programmable viscosity and compressibility. The researchers demonstrated the fluid's capabilities in a hydraulic robotic gripper, picking up objects of varying weights without crushing them.
A team of researchers has created a new photocatalyst that can effectively remove pollutants from water. The Mn₀․₅Cd₀․₅S/BiOBr S-scheme photocatalyst features rich oxygen vacancies, which improve its photocatalytic performance.
The researchers developed a novel tri-layer film structure that improves the energy storage density, efficiency, and stability of ferroelectric capacitors. The sandwiched film features a large energy density and high efficiency, with outstanding cycling stability up to 10^9 cycles.
Scientists create high-throughput automation to calculate surface properties of crystalline materials using established laws of physics. This accelerates the search for relevant materials for applications in energy conversion, production, and storage.
Researchers develop an effective method to improve energy storage performance in (Bi0.5Na0.5)TiO3-based lead-free relaxor ferroelectrics by utilizing high-entropy concept and A-site disorder. The new approach enhances ion disorder, forming isolated polar nanoclusters that promote good energy storage performance.
Researchers created Al2O3 composite ceramics with B4C@TiB2 core-shell structural units, achieving improved fracture toughness due to multi-dimensional synergistic toughening behavior. The resulting ceramics yield a fracture toughness of up to 6.92 MPa·m1/2.
Researchers from Pohang University of Science & Technology developed an economical and efficient water electrolysis catalyst using oblique angle deposition method and nickel. The catalyst resulted in a remarkable 55-fold improvement in hydrogen production efficiency compared to traditional thin film structures.
Researchers from Tokyo University of Science developed a flexible paper-based sensor that operates like the human brain, enabling low-power and efficient health monitoring. The device can distinguish 4-bit input optical pulses and generate currents in response to time-series optical input, with rapid response times.
Researchers have found that the PTPσ-expressing growth cone senses extracellular matrix and drives neuronal migration in injured brains, leading to functional recovery. The study also shows that growth cones can be reversed to promote neuronal migration using heparan sulfate.
Multi-component liquid-infused surfaces offer dynamic adaptability, enabling various applications from medical devices to carbon-capture systems. Researchers explore the potential of these advanced coatings, highlighting their versatility and game-changing properties.
Researchers from Songshan Lake Materials Laboratory have developed amorphous soft magnetic composites with improved properties for use in next-generation electronics. The critical state approach enables the creation of strong yet efficient magnetic materials, paving the way for more efficient power transmission and storage.
Researchers at Linköping University developed improved neutron mirrors coating silicon with iron and silicon mixed with boron carbide to increase efficiency in material analysis. This enables more neutrons to reach instruments, improving experiments.
Researchers engineered the electron density of Pd single atoms with twinned Pd nanoparticles, creating strong electronic metal-support interactions for efficient CO2 photoreduction. The team found that Pd-TPs served as an electron donor, enriching electron density on catalytic centers and accelerating carbonyl desorption.
The study successfully synthesizes P-doped hard carbon using coffee grounds as a precursor, demonstrating promising electrochemical performance. The resulting material exhibits a reversible capacity of 341 mAh g-1 at 20 mA g-1, with an initial Coulombic efficiency of 83%, offering an alternative solution to lithium resources.
The team proposed a novel machine learning model with data augmentation, which accurately predicts the plastic anisotropic properties of wrought Mg alloys. The model showed significantly better robustness and generalizability than other models, paving the way for improved design and manufacturing of metal products.
GIST researchers develop tunable optical properties in nanostructures, enabling applications in wound healing, drug delivery, and secure verification. A clock-inspired design featuring magnesium nano-rotamers demonstrates programmable polarization-resolved coloration.
Researchers found that Ti substitution improves oxidation resistance by creating a complex oxide layer structure with crystalline oxycarbides and HfO2. A 30%-40% Ti substitution provides the best enhancement of oxidation resistance.
A Swiss-Polish team has found the answer to why previous attempts to use magnesium hydride for efficient hydrogen storage failed. The researchers developed a new model that predicts local, thermodynamically stable clusters are formed in magnesium during hydrogen injection, reducing hydrogen ion mobility.
Researchers at Brookhaven National Laboratory have developed a universal method for producing functional 3D metallic and semiconductor nanostructures using DNA. The new method produces robust nanostructures from multiple material classes, opening opportunities for 3D nanoscale manufacturing.
Researchers at Osaka Metropolitan University have discovered a magnetoelectric antiferromagnet LiNiPO4 that exhibits large nonreciprocal absorption of light. The material's unique property allows for the switchable optical diode effect, potentially enabling more compact and efficient optical isolators.
Scientists at Kyushu University use machine learning to identify promising green energy materials, accelerating the search for hydrogen fuel cell efficiency and expanding material discovery capabilities. Two new candidate materials with unique crystal structures have been successfully synthesized.
Researchers developed an innovative method to manage construction-generated sludge by utilizing aeration curing, which reduces pH levels and requires less neutralizer. The technique has the potential to improve soil health and support sustainable development goals.
A team of researchers at Shinshu University has successfully extracted mycelial pulp and fibers from fruiting mushroom bodies using sunlight, preserving their intricate mycelial structures. The fibers show excellent formability and potential applications in packaging materials, textiles, and soundproofing.
Researchers have successfully synthesized a new material that exhibits self-recoverable near-infrared (NIR) mechanoluminescence, a property useful for biomedical imaging and other applications. The material's mechanism is attributed to its piezoelectricity, which generates excited states in Cr³⁺ ions upon mechanical stimulation.
Linköping University scientists create an electrically conductive substrate, eSoil, which enhances crop growth by up to 50% in just 15 days. This innovation enables efficient water and nutrient management, making it suitable for urban environments and areas with limited arable land.
Researchers from MIT have developed a new method to integrate fragile 2D materials into devices, opening the path to next-generation devices with unique optical and electronic properties. The technique relies on engineering surface forces available at the nanoscale, allowing for pristine interfaces.
Scientists at National University of Singapore developed a hybrid generative machine learning model to explore structural disorders in complex materials. The model unveiled pathways to material disorder, shedding light on factors affecting piezoelectric response. It also found evidence that domain boundaries maximize entropy.
Palladium diselenide exhibits unique physical properties and demonstrates long-term stability in ambient air. Researchers use Lewis acid treatment to create p-type and n-type doped materials, controlling band gap and improving device performance.
A new composite material, engineered using computer algorithms and 3D printing, can change its behavior in response to temperature changes. The material is designed to perform specific tasks depending on the environment, enabling future generations of autonomous robotics.
Researchers discover chemical injection strengthens sandy soil through increased cohesion and internal friction angle, with no long-term strength loss. The treatment also enhances water-sealing capacity, mitigating flood risks and improving infrastructure durability.
Researchers at Osaka Metropolitan University develop a method to incorporate PFAS into NHCs, enabling easy transformation of harmful substances into functional compounds. The findings have significant roles in stabilizing unstable molecules and enhancing transition metal complex performance.
Researchers at City University of Hong Kong have developed a passive radiative cooling material that achieves high-performance optical properties. The cooling ceramic reduces thermal load, provides stable cooling performance, and can be used in various building applications.
A team of researchers has developed a novel experimental system to simultaneously measure the mechanical properties and internal structure of rubber-like materials. The study found that strain within these materials is non-uniform, depending on the shape and size of composite particles.
Scientists have developed a new, efficient ethanol catalyst made from copper nanoparticles, which is cheaper than platinum and could increase the potential of ethanol fuel cells. The catalyst was created through laser melting and shows great promise for improving ethanol oxidation.
Researchers will investigate high-entropy materials to create more sustainable and durable catalysts. The goal is to improve the efficiency of electrocatalysis, paving the way for a new generation of catalysts and reducing the reliance on rare and expensive materials.
Scientists at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln have developed a system that can adjust the size, shape, and refractive index of microscopic lenses in real-time. The design uses hydrogels and polydimethylsiloxane to create a dynamic platform for soft robotics and liquid optics applications.
A team of researchers developed soft yet durable materials that glow in response to mechanical stress, using single-celled algae and a seaweed-based polymer. The materials demonstrate inherent simplicity, no electronics needed, and can be used as mechanical sensors or soft robotics, while also being resilient and self-sustaining.
Researchers from Monash University have introduced a new theoretical study on quantum impurities, exploring their behavior in two-dimensional semiconductors. The 'quantum virial expansion' method sheds light on the complex interactions between impurities and their surroundings in 2D materials.
Researchers developed and characterized nitric oxide-storing MOFs embedded in polymers with novel antibacterial potential. The nickel and copper MOFs combined to create a composite material that achieved an optimal, two-stage NO delivery system.
Researchers at Shibaura Institute of Technology developed a cellulose-based thickener to reduce environmental risks associated with liquefied stabilized soil. The thickener prevents bleeding, loss of fine particles, and unwanted settling, while maintaining soil strength.
The interdisciplinary team, led by Kaiyuan Yang, will focus on leveraging the spin and charge of electrons in multiferroics to process and store information. The goal is to improve energy efficiency for computing devices, potentially reducing energy consumption by three orders of magnitude.
Researchers from SUTD successfully applied reinforcement learning to a video game problem, creating complex movement designs that outperformed top human players. The study's findings have the potential to impact robotics and automation, ushering in a new era of movement design.
Researchers found an average of 41 microplastic particles per square meter per day settled from the atmosphere, while sediment samples contained denser particles with higher population densities. The study suggests clothing is likely the prominent source of microplastics to the Ganges River system.
Lehigh University researchers have discovered that applying magnetic forces to individual 'microroller' particles can spur collective motion, allowing the grains to flow uphill, up walls, and climb stairs. This counterintuitive phenomenon has potential applications in mixing, segregating materials, and microrobotics.
A research team from the Chinese Academy of Sciences explores how plants regulate motion speed and proposes potential strategies for biomimetic actuators. They draw inspiration from plant tissues with unique structures and compositions to develop artificial actuators responsive to humidity, solvents, heat, light, and electricity.
The study introduces a novel approach to boost cycling stability and optical modulation of typical electrochromic materials by introducing a nanostructured SnO2 nanosheet scaffold. This leads to improved color changes, optical modulation, and cycling stability in composite films.
A team of chemists at Purdue University has created a sustainable adhesive system that uses epoxidized soy oil, malic acid, and tannic acid. The new adhesive is inexpensive, effective, scalable, practical to produce and completely sustainable.
GIST researchers found that nano-sized pits on AlN surfaces cause graphene degradation at higher temperatures, leading to GaN film exfoliation failure. The study's results demonstrate the importance of substrate chemical and topographic properties for successful remote epitaxy.
The Graphene Flagship project has produced significant contributions to Europe's GDP and GVA, with an estimated return on investment of 14.5-fold. By 2030, the project aims to create over 81,000 jobs internationally.
The University of Missouri is launching a five-year, $3 million doctoral training program to prepare the next generation of scientists and engineers for emerging fields like materials science and data science. The program aims to empower future workers with both technical expertise and data-driven insights.