Effect of microstructure on magnetic properties clarified. Iron oxide nanoparticles are often used in medical technology – as contrast agents for magnetic resonance imaging or as transport agents for drugs in the bloodstream, for example in tumour therapy. For these applications, the nanoparticles have to be biocompatible and superparamagnetic. Thus, they must be strongly magnetizable in a magnetic field and have to lose their magnetization, when the magnetic field is switched off. Using analytical high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, a team…

Developing pioneering technology solutions and bringing them into application – that is the goal of Fraunhofer Institute for Photonic Microsystems IPMS. At this year’s SENSOR+TEST trade fair in Nuremberg, the institute will present its latest developments in optical, chemical and ultrasonic sensor technology. Due to the high demand for sensors in a wide variety of application fields, there are very different requirements for their functionality and performance profile. The core objective of the research work of Fraunhofer IPMS is therefore…

The device would be a key component of a portable mass spectrometer that could help monitor pollutants or perform medical diagnoses in remote parts of the world. Mass spectrometers are extremely precise chemical analyzers that have many applications, from evaluating the safety of drinking water to detecting toxins in a patient’s blood. But building an inexpensive, portable mass spectrometer that could be deployed in remote locations remains a challenge, partly due to the difficulty of miniaturizing the vacuum pump it…

A better understanding of oxide catalysts could inspire solutions for clean energy. Researchers at Binghamton University partnered with the Center for Functional Nanomaterials (CFN) — a U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science User Facility at Brookhaven National Laboratory — to get a better look at how peroxides on the surface of copper oxide promote the oxidation of hydrogen but inhibit the oxidation of carbon monoxide, allowing them to steer oxidation reactions. They were able to observe these quick changes with two…

Together with project partners CG TEC, Cordenka, ElringKlinger, Fiber Engineering and Technikum Laubholz, DITF is developing a new fiber composite material (CELLUN) with reinforcing fibers made of cellulose. CELLUN made from renewable biopolymers enables the replacement of glass or carbon fibers in the production of industrial molded parts.The matrix of the material is a thermoplastic cellulose derivative that can be processed in industrial processing methods such as hot pressing or pultrusion. Organosheets are increasingly being used within the fast-growing segment…

In the RUBIO project, 18 partners are turning the vision of a sustainable plastics industry into reality. Their goal is to use regionally available plant residues to create versatile, sustainable products that are recyclable and biodegradable. As part of the project, the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Polymer Research IAP is developing new types of the bioplastic polybutylene succinate (PBS) so that it can be used for significantly more applications. Together with the company POLIFILM EXTRUSION GmbH, the Fraunhofer IAP has…

SivaS research project: Driver assistance systems and automated driving functions have great potential to improve road safety. Already today, a large number of systems are available in modern motor vehicles that support drivers in driving continuously or in emergency situations. However, there are currently no harmonised European-wide regulations for assessing the safety of highly and fully automated driving functions in the type test, in the regular general inspection and during vehicle operation. On the basis of such an assessment, a…

– of any size or shape. Researchers have developed next-generation smart textiles – incorporating LEDs, sensors, energy harvesting, and storage – that can be produced inexpensively, in any shape or size, using the same machines used to make the clothing we wear every day. The international team, led by the University of Cambridge, have previously demonstrated that woven displays can be made at large sizes, but these earlier examples were made using specialised manual laboratory equipment. Other smart textiles can…

Unique smart fabric is the first to change both colour and shape in response to two different stimuli. A new smart material developed by researchers at the University of Waterloo is activated by both heat and electricity, making it the first ever to respond to two different stimuli. The unique design paves the way for a wide variety of potential applications, including clothing that warms up while you walk from the car to the office in winter and vehicle bumpers…

Fast and effective: The Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology ILT has developed a new hybrid process called Simultaneous Machining and Coating (SMaC), which combines laser material deposition with turning, grinding or milling. SMaC allows high-strength coating materials to be applied quickly and efficiently and machined simultaneously. SMaC will enable the industry to produce components with an extended service life and extended operating cycles, an advantage that is highly attractive for the energy industry, the mobility sector and the chemical industry….

Car2Car project develops technologies for an optimized recycling of end-of-life vehicles. In the Car2Car project, recyclers and scientists addresses the challenges of closing material loops. The focus lies on increasing the quality of the secondary raw materials from end-of-life vehicles by means of innovative dismantling and automated, accurate detection and processing solutions. The Helmholtz Institute Freiberg for Resource Technology, an institute of the HZDR, contributes its expertise in material recognition using spectroscopy-based sensor technology together with efficient data processing solutions….

BMBF Project “MaSSiF” Explores Innovative Battery Concept. A new generation of lithium-sulfur batteries is the focus of the research project “MaSSiF – Material Innovations for Solid-State Sulfur-Silicon Batteries”. The project team dedicates itself to the design, construction and evaluation of lightweight and low-cost sulfur-based prototype cells with high storage capacities. Thanks to high storage capacities and low material costs, the sulfur-based concept potentially enables the construction of very lightweight and cost-effective batteries. Applying silicon as the anode material is also…

… to advance perovskite solar cell manufacturing and commercialization. Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) are considered a promising candidate for next-generation photovoltaic technology with high efficiency and low production cost, potentially revolutionizing the renewable energy industry. However, the existing layer-by-layer manufacturing process presents challenges that have hindered the commercialisation of this technology. Recently, researchers from City University of Hong Kong (CityU) and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in the US jointly developed an innovative one-step solution-coating approach that simplifies the…

New process extracts fragrances. What doesn’t smell good is hard to recycle. This simple rule also applies to the growing volume of plastic waste worldwide. One way to recycle it in an environmentally compatible and climate-friendly manner as high-quality post-consumer recyclates is through improved sorting and reprocessing. Until now, the reduced material quality has considerably limited the reuse of plastic recyclates, and this is mainly due to their odor. Scientists at the Fraunhofer Institute for Structural Durability and System Reliability…

… more sustainable, more cost-effective, gentler. Clinically effective, custom-made, discreet and comfortable – the demands on aligners for the therapy of malocclusions are high. This also applies to the material of these orthodontic splints. A team at the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Polymer Research IAP in Potsdam, Germany, in cooperation with the University Hospital in Düsseldorf, Germany, has now developed a highly innovative material that enables completely new treatment concepts and reduces costs. The scientists focused on polymers with shape…

In a project commissioned by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO), researchers at Nagoya University in Japan have developed poly(styrenesulfonic acid)-based PEMs with a high density of sulfonic acid groups. One of the key components of environmentally friendly polymer electrolyte fuel cells is a polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM). It generates electrical energy through a reaction between hydrogen and oxygen gases. Examples of practical fuel cells include fuel cell vehicles (FCVs) and fuel cell combined heat and power…