Synthesis of Yttrium Aluminum Garnet by modifying the citrate precursor method

Yttrium Aluminum Garnet (YAG) is an important material used in the production of laser systems, for coating electronic devices, for tubes of cathodic rays and recently it has been considered as a suitable material for structural applications at high temperatures. In order to be successful in these applications the material properties such as optical properties, chemical stability at high temperature

A NASA study is offering new insight into how the Earth’s water cycle might be influenced by global change.

In recent years, scientists have warned that the water cycle may be affected by temperature changes, as warmer temperatures can increase the moisture-holding capacity of air.

The global water cycle involves the transfer of water molecules between the Earth’s land masses, cryosphere, oceans and atmosphere. It’s a gigantic system powered by the su

The EU is launching a new research project to develop cost-effective and environmentally friendly methods to mass produce ethanol as fuel for motor vehicles. The commitment is a major step toward the goal of an EU directive of replacing fossil fuels in the transport system by 5.75 percent by 2010. The initiative for the project comes from Lund Institute of Technology in Sweden and the French research institute Institut Français du Petrol.

The project, funded with €12.8 million,

Surface alignment of liquid crystal multilayers evaporated on a photoaligned polyimide film observed by surface profiler

In order to successfully fabricate a commercial Liquid Crystal Display, uniform orientation of the liquid crystal (LC) molecules is required. Traditionally this molecular alignment of liquid crystal is achieved by physically or chemically treating the surface. A simple method used to achieve preferred orientation is rubbing but this may produce dust, static chargi

An automatic guard has been developed to check that houses or other buildings do not sway, or move away from their true vertical position. If dangerous degrees of tilt are found, the device immediately notifies engineers. This spatial meter, called PIKiN-03, has been designed by Moscow engineers to measure vibrations and tilts in three dimensions.

Such measuring devices designed by engineers of the Conus (Cone) company are capable of around the clock checking that the permissible

On the occasion of Productronica 2005 phoenix|x-ray will be presenting a world premiere the new highly resolving X-ray inspections system microme|x.

A novelty to the industry phoenix|x-ray has developed a system that combines all features for an optimum comprehensive inspection of printed circuit board assemblies. The microme|x disposes of an extra large scanning area of 20″ x 24″, a highly precise manipulation unit with 360° rotation axis and the approved ovhm technology for obliq

The Ikerlan Centre for Technological Research is part of the team which is to work on, from this December onwards, the Flame Sofc Europeo project, the object of which is to design and develop a household electrical appliance based on a fuel cell that produces electricity and heat in a way that the dwelling can be self-sufficient and reduce the emission of contaminant elements.

The Flame Sofc project will last for four years and has an overall budget of 13,545,627 Euro. Ikerlan,

Imagine being able to paint your roof with enough alternative energy to heat and cool your home. What if soldiers in the field could carry an energy source in a roll of plastic wrap in their backpacks?

Those ideas sound like science fiction þu particularly in the wake of the rising costs of fossil fuel.

But both are on the way to becoming reality because of a breakthrough in solar research by a team of scientists from New Mexico State University and Wake Forest Universi

With oil and gas prices in the United States hovering at an all-time high, interest in renewable energy alternatives is again heating up. Researchers at the UCLA Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science hope to meet the growing demand with a new and more affordable way to harness the sun’s rays: using solar cell panels made out of everyday plastics.

In research published today in Nature Materials magazine, UCLA engineering professor Yang Yang, postdoctoral resea

There may be a different fish to see for every day of the year at the London Aquarium at County Hall, but there’s a new variety that has never swum any of the world’s oceans. From 6 October the Aquarium’s unique robotic fish will be swimming in a specially-designed tank, open to the public for the first time ever.

Three stunningly beautiful robotic fish have been created with jewel-bright scales and sinuous, astonishingly life-like movements. They have been produced by Professor Hu

Editorial: Sports utility vehicles and older pedestrians BMJ Volume 331, pp 787-8

Sports utility vehicles (SUVs) should carry health warnings to raise awareness of the increased risk to pedestrians compared with ordinary cars, argue researchers in this week’s BMJ.

They believe that this should form part of an integrated approach from public health, transportation and road safety agencies to address this growing threat.

Among road users, pedestrians are a

National laboratory practices “Leave No Trace” environmental sampling

“Leave No Trace” is a popular ethic for outdoor recreationists who advocate a natural landscape. Now it is also applicable to groundwater sampling collection sites along the Columbia River in southeastern Washington State.

Hydrologists from the Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory are using a simple apparatus of ¼-inch-diameter plastic tubing to collect samples at varying levels

Science researchers from the University of Versailles (France), in collaboration with the ID31 beam line at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF), report their progress in the design and characterisation of microporous materials. The combination of adept chemistry and computational design made possible the synthesis of a new material, named MIL-101 by its originators, (where MIL stands for Matériaux de l’Institut Lavoisier), with very large internal pores (ø~3.4nm) and surface area

Using a new precision bonding process they developed, Penn State researchers have designed and fabricated tiny new piezoelectric microactuators — the largest only a hair’s breadth wide — based on coupling commercially available materials with existing micromachining technology.

The new actuators promise to be low cost, and capable of providing controlled force, high resolution and large displacements appropriate for applications in RF switches for cell phones, for exa

Purdue University nuclear engineers have developed an advanced nuclear fuel that could save millions of dollars annually by lasting longer and burning more efficiently than conventional fuels, and researchers also have created a mathematical model to further develop the technology.

New findings regarding the research will be detailed in a peer-reviewed paper to be presented on Oct. 6 during the 11th International Topical Meeting on Nuclear Reactor Thermal Hydraulics in Avignon,

Fracture toughness of Si3N4/S45C joint with an interface crack

Ceramic/metal joints have been increasingly applied in a wide range of engineering fields because the ceramic has stable mechanical properties at high temperature and good resistance to wear, erosion and oxidation. However, the difference of material properties between metal and ceramic induces stress singularities at the interface edge. The stress singularity together with the thermal residual stress degrades the st