… to discover its key to success. Researchers at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory were the first to use neutron reflectometry to peer inside a working solid-state battery and monitor its electrochemistry. They discovered that its excellent performance results from an extremely thin layer, across which charged lithium atoms quickly flow as they move from anode to cathode and blend into a solid electrolyte. “We want better batteries,” said ORNL’s Andrew Westover, who co-led a study published…
Michael Bartlett’s team at Virginia Tech has adapted kirigami, the ancient Japanese art of cutting paper, into a method for increasing the adhesive bond of ordinary tape by 60 times. Adhesive tape fulfills many purposes, from quickly fixing household appliances to ensuring a reliable seal on a mailed package. When using tape with a strong bond, removing it may only be possible by scraping and prying at the tape’s corners, hoping desperately that surface pieces don’t tear away with the…
… about fatigue resistance of materials. Recently, flexible and foldable devices have developed at a dramatic rate. More and more foldable devices appear in people’s lives. Long-term service requires the folded parts to endure repeated deformation which might cause fatigue damage to the devices. Consequently, the damage will affect the normal function of the devices. Inspired by the hinge of bivalve Cristaria plicata, which experiences hundreds of thousands of repeating opening-and-closing valve motions throughout the bivalve’s lifetime, a research team…
The Laser Zentrum Hannover e.V. (LZH) will showcase laser technology innovations at LASER World of PHOTONICS from June 27 to 30, 2023 in Hall B3 at Booth 210. In focus: highly specialized lasers, laser components, and individual complete solutions for laser material processing. Optical components for innovative applications, the latest developments in laser material processing, and customized system technology for industry: at the world’s leading photonics trade fair in Munich, the LZH will present current developments from photonic research. The…
Taking a cue from the structural complexity of trees and bones, Washington State University engineers have created a way to 3D-print two types of steel in the same circular layer using two welding machines. The resulting bimetallic material proved 33% to 42% stronger than either metal alone, thanks in part to pressure caused between the metals as they cool together. The new method uses commonplace, relatively inexpensive tools, so manufacturers and repair shops could use it in the near term. With…
Finding could revolutionize electronics, quantum computing. An advance in a topological insulator material — whose interior behaves like an electrical insulator but whose surface behaves like a conductor — could revolutionize the fields of next-generation electronics and quantum computing, according to scientists at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Discovered in the 1980s, a topological material is a new phase of material whose discoverers received a Nobel Prize in 2016. Using only an electric field, ORNL researchers have transformed a normal insulator into a magnetic…
A new material developed by MIT engineers exhibits “record-breaking” vapor absorption. MIT engineers have synthesized a superabsorbent material that can soak up a record amount of moisture from the air, even in desert-like conditions. As the material absorbs water vapor, it can swell to make room for more moisture. Even in very dry conditions, with 30 percent relative humidity, the material can pull vapor from the air and hold in the moisture without leaking. The water could then be heated…
Researchers develop highly durable and efficient device. An international research group has engineered a new energy-generating device by combining piezoelectric composites with carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP), a commonly used material that is both light and strong. The new device transforms vibrations from the surrounding environment into electricity, providing an efficient and reliable means for self-powered sensors. Details of the group’s research were published in the journal Nano Energy on June 13, 2023. Energy harvesting involves converting energy from the environment…
Researchers from the UvA Institute of Physics and ENS de Lyon have discovered how to design materials that necessarily have a point or line where the material doesn’t deform under stress, and that even remember how they have been poked or squeezed in the past. These results could be used in robotics and mechanical computers, while similar design principles could be used in quantum computers. The outcome is a breakthrough in the field of metamaterials: designer materials whose responses are…
Advancements in meta-holographic display enable ultraviolet domain holograms. The term meta means a concept of transcendence or surpassing, and when applied to materials, metamaterials encompass artificially engineered substances that exhibit properties not naturally found in the environment. Metasurfaces, characterized by their thinness and lightness, have garnered considerable interest as a potential component for incorporation into portable augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) devices to facilitate holographic generation. Nonetheless, it is important to note that metasurfaces have inherent limitations, such…
A group of scientists and engineers that includes researchers from The University of Texas at Austin have created a new class of materials that can absorb low energy light and transform it into higher energy light. The new material is composed of ultra-small silicon nanoparticles and organic molecules closely related to ones utilized in OLED TVs. This new composite efficiently moves electrons between its organic and inorganic components, with applications for more efficient solar panels, more accurate medical imaging and…
… with molecular brakes that harness light. Like the brakes that stop cars, a molecular brake exists that can prevent semiconductor chains from slipping, enabling the creation of more groundbreaking devices. Recently, a joint research team led by Professor Kilwon Cho and PhD candidates Seung Hyun Kim and Sein Chung from the Department of Chemical Engineering at POSTECH, and Professor Boseok Kang from the Department of Nano Engineering at Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU) has developed a technology for high-performance organic polymer…
The quality of recyclate materials of plastics significantly affects their application. With the exception of slightly damaged production waste, recycled plastics cannot be used in their original form. Usually, they are sorted, cleaned, and reprocessed to form usable granules. However, the recycled material’s stability and processing ability for its intended application often require post-stabilization with suitable additives. Fraunhofer Institute of Structural Durabiity and System Reliability LBF has developed new formulations for enhance the quality of new recyclate films. At Plastics…
A University of Virginia-led study about a class of materials called associative polymers appears to challenge a long-held understanding of how the materials, which have unique self-healing and flow properties, function at the molecular level. Liheng Cai, an assistant professor of materials science and engineering and chemical engineering at UVA, who led the study, said the new discovery has important implications for the countless ways these materials are used every day, from engineering recyclable plastics to human tissue engineering to…
… enables application-oriented development of marine protective coatings. Marine benthic organisms colonize all available hard substrates – including offshore foundations, leading to altered flow conditions, increased loads, and more difficult inspection tasks. In order to realistically test the development of fouling-control coatings for this application, a test infrastructure was anchored on the seabed in a specially marked research area off the offshore island of Helgoland within the “ROBUST” project. Material and coating samples for the maritime industry can be tested…
… allows researchers to create important materials for quantum, electronic, and spintronic applications. New technique paves the way for easy oxidation of historically “stubborn” metals. A University of Minnesota Twin Cities-led team has developed a first-of-its-kind, breakthrough method that makes it easier to create high-quality metal oxide thin films out of “stubborn” metals that have historically been difficult to synthesize in an atomically precise manner. This research paves the way for scientists to develop better materials for various next-generation applications…
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