Scientists have synthesized the first belt-shaped molecular nanocarbon with a twisted Möbius band topology—a Möbius carbon nanobelt—that paves the way for the development of nanocarbon materials with complex topological structures. Obtaining structurally uniform nanocarbons—ideally as single molecules—is a great challenge in the field of nanocarbon science in order to properly relate structure and function. Thus, the construction of structurally uniform nanocarbons is crucial for the development of functional materials in nanotechnology, electronics, optics, and biomedical applications. An important tool for…

Strong innovations: “Reference-factory.H2”, intelligent machine components in adaptive process chains, human-robot interaction and soft robotics demonstrate solutions for industrial green hydrogen, the factory of the future, household, and nursing. Reference-factory.H2: advancing the industrial production of electrolyzers and fuel cells Anyone who considers acquiring a photovoltaic system for their domestic roof may con-sider a significantly lower budget than ten or fifteen years ago, in spite of current price fluctuations. Highly efficient industrial large series production realizes the lower prices. An individual…

Incorporating known physics into neural network algorithms allows them to discover new insights into material properties. Researchers at Duke University have demonstrated that incorporating known physics into machine learning algorithms can help the inscrutable black boxes attain new levels of transparency and insight into material properties. In one of the first projects of its kind, researchers constructed a modern machine learning algorithm to determine the properties of a class of engineered materials known as metamaterials and to predict how they…

New material is capable of capturing trace amounts of benzene, a toxic pollutant, from the air and crucially use less energy than existing materials to do so. Researchers at University of Limerick, Ireland have developed a new material that has the ability to capture toxic chemicals from the air. The material is capable of capturing trace amounts of benzene, a toxic pollutant, from the air and crucially use less energy than existing materials to do so, according to the researchers….

Based on similar technology to night-vision goggles, Australian researchers have developed a device that can generate electricity from thermal radiation. The sun’s enormous energy may soon be harnessed in the dark of night following a significant advance in thermal capture technology. Solar radiation heats the earth’s crust significantly during daylight hours, but that energy is lost into the coldness of space when the sun goes down. Now, researchers within the School of Photovoltaic and Renewable Energy Engineering at UNSW Sydney have successfully tested…

The technological advancement of optical lenses has long been a significant marker of human scientific achievement. Eyeglasses, telescopes, cameras, and microscopes have all literally and figuratively allowed us to see the world in a new light. Lenses are also a fundamental component of manufacturing nanoelectronics by the semiconductor industry. One of the most impactful breakthroughs of lens technology in recent history has been the development of photonic metasurfaces — artificially engineered nano-scale materials with remarkable optical properties. Georgia Tech researchers…

The robot grippers designed by Professor Stefan Seelecke and his team at Saarland University can grip and manipulate objects with complex geometries. The system can adapt almost instantaneously to changes in form, switching seamlessly between differently shaped parts. The articulated gripper is driven electrically, is lightweight and accelerates rapidly and is even able to tell whether it is holding the object securely enough. The ultrafine nickel-titanium wires that control the motion of the four fingers of the prototype can rapidly…

Scientists at UMass Amherst can now accurately predict how double-gyroid networks form. Polymer scientists at the University of Massachusetts Amherst recently announced in the journal Nature Communications that they have solved a longstanding mystery surrounding a nanoscale structure, formed by collections of molecules, called a double-gyroid. This shape is one of the most desirable for materials scientists, and has a wide range of applications; but, until now, a predictable understanding of how these shapes form has eluded researchers. “There’s a…

3D printing leads to fabricating a shape memory alloy with increased superelasticity. Laser powder bed fusion, a 3D-printing technique, offers potential in the manufacturing industry, particularly when fabricating nickel-titanium shape memory alloys with complex geometries. Although this manufacturing technique is attractive for applications in the biomedical and aerospace fields, it has rarely showcased the superelasticity required for specific applications using nickel-titanium shape memory alloys. Defects generated and changes imposed onto the material during the 3D-printing process prevented the superelasticity from…

Physicist at TU Graz Develops Multisensory Hybrid Material. The “smart skin” developed by Anna Maria Coclite is very similar to human skin. It senses pressure, humidity and temperature simultaneously and produces electronic signals. More sensitive robots or more intelligent prostheses are thus conceivable. The skin is the largest sensory organ and at the same time the protective coat of the human being. It “feels” several sensory inputs at the same time and reports information about humidity, temperature and pressure to…

Rice-Waseda project ups its game for complexity with aerodynamic model of a moving car and its tires. The complex aerodynamics around a moving car and its tires are hard to see, but not for some mechanical engineers. Specialists in fluid dynamics at Rice University and Waseda University in Tokyo have developed their computer simulation methods to the point where it’s possible to accurately  model moving cars, right down to the flow around rolling tires. The results are there for all to…

Scientists create reliable and renewable biological photovoltaic cell. Researchers have used a widespread species of blue-green algae to power a microprocessor continuously for a year – and counting – using nothing but ambient light and water. Their system has potential as a reliable and renewable way to power small devices. The system, comparable in size to an AA battery, contains a type of non-toxic algae called Synechocystis that naturally harvests energy from the sun through photosynthesis. The tiny electrical current…

Let there be a light: Using fewer resources, avoiding electronic waste, and saving energy: This is possible if the entire production chain for more sustainable lamps is investigated and levelled up. For the SUMATRA project, researchers at Fraunhofer IZM and their industry partners are working together on exactly this mission. The precise eco lifecycle assessments and resulting design recommendations produced by Fraunhofer IZM and the environmental services provider Interseroh will assist lighting brands like TRILUX or OSRAM in making their…

Study describes new mechanism for lowering thermal conductivity to aid search for materials that convert heat to electricity or electricity to heat. In a world of materials that normally expand upon heating, one that shrinks along one 3D axis while expanding along another stands out. That’s especially true when the unusual shrinkage is linked to a property important for thermoelectric devices, which convert heat to electricity or electricity to heat. In a paper just published in the journal Advanced Materials, a…

A low-cost and easy-to-manufacture lighting technology can be made with light-emitting electrochemical cells. Such cells are thin-film electronic and ionic devices that generate light after a low voltage is applied. Researchers at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) and the University of Turin have now used extensive data analysis to create first-class electrochemical cells from copper complexes that emit blue and white light. Light-emitting electrochemical cells (LECs) are the simplest and least expensive thin-film lighting devices available to date. They…

LZH develops a new process… The Laser Zentrum Hannover (LZH), together with an industrial partner, is developing a laser-assisted metal flux-cored welding process for use underwater. The process aims to facilitate welding work underwater and produce better weld seams. Whether for wind farms, coastal protection structures, or harbors: when technical constructions have to be welded underwater, divers usually do it by manual electrode welding. Scientists of the LZH are now developing an alternative process together with AMT GmbH from Aachen….