Basic science

Together again for Electronic Materials and Applications 2023 in Orlando

By Eileen De Guire / February 1, 2023

For the first time since 2020, the Electronic Materials and Applications Conference met in person in Orlando, Fla., Jan. 17–20, 2023. Close to 270 attendees from 20 countries attended the three-day conference.

Read More

Improving lifetime predictions for aircraft components: Insights into the internal oxidation processes of ceramic matrix composites

By Lisa McDonald / January 31, 2023

Though ceramic matrix composites for aircraft have entered commercial operation, there still are some knowledge gaps regarding the oxidation of these materials. Two researchers from the University of California, Santa Barbara, conducted an experiment on internal CMC oxidation that provided new insights into the oxidation processes and highlighted deficiencies in the current standard oxidation model.

Read More

Solidifying knowledge of 3D printing: Effect of particle size distribution on curing behavior of ceramic-filled photothermal resins

By Lisa McDonald / January 10, 2023

To improve the mechanical properties of vat polymerized ceramics, researchers have extensively studied a range of factors that affect the photopolymerization process. In a recent study, two University of Stuttgart researchers elucidated the correlations between particle size distribution and polymerization kinetics.

Read More

New research center for solid-state batteries is MUSIC to researchers’ ears

By Guest Contributor / October 14, 2022

The newly announced Mechanochemical Understanding of Solid Ion Conductors (MUSIC) research center will see the University of Michigan and eight partner institutions explore the use of ceramic ion conductors as replacements for traditional liquid electrolytes. Learn where research on solid-state batteries currently stands.

Read More

Nanostructured diamond capsules maintain high-pressure samples for materials analysis

By Guest Contributor / September 23, 2022

Preserving high-pressure states of novel materials at ambient conditions is a long-sought-after goal for fundamental research and practical applications. A recent joint project by researchers in China and the United States showed that properties of high-pressure materials can be maintained in free-standing, nanostructured diamond capsules without the support of traditional bulky pressure vessels.

Read More

Ensuring safe production of metal goods: A review of alumina spinel castables for steel ladles

By Lisa McDonald / September 9, 2022

Alumina spinel castables play an important role in the steel industry as lining for the ladle sidewalls and bottom. A new review paper published in International Journal of Applied Ceramic Technology provides a detailed overview of these castables, including how various parameters affect their properties and performance.

Read More

M7C3: Unveiling the structure of a misunderstood carbide

By Lisa McDonald / August 26, 2022

The use of data-driven methods to tailor the growth characteristics, stability, and mechanical properties of M7C3-type carbides is hindered by ambiguity surrounding the carbide’s structure. To overcome this uncertainty, researchers from the United States and Israel used a variety of imaging techniques to reveal the atomistic structure of M7C3 carbides.

Read More

Model reveals how to attain dynamic control of ferroionic states in ferroelectric nanoparticles

By Lisa McDonald / August 19, 2022

There still is much to learn about how surface-charge dynamics influence the behavior of ferroelectric materials. In a recent open-access paper, researchers from the United States and Ukraine used finite element modeling to map these dynamics for ferroelectric nanoparticle dispersions.

Read More

Clarifying the definition and role of nucleating agents within glass-ceramic systems

By Lisa McDonald / August 5, 2022

Much research has taken place on glass-ceramics since its discovery in the 1950s. However, the nucleation process within glass-ceramics still is not understood across all glass systems, nor is the specific role of nucleating agents. Researchers in the United States and Brazil aimed to help advance research in this area by clarifying some terms and effects for the glass-ceramics community.

Read More

Baseball physics: ‘Seams’ like an increase in homeruns

By Eileen De Guire / July 29, 2022

When watching the Major League Baseball All-Star game last Tuesday, did you wonder what influenced the ball’s flight path after being hit? In a recent open-access paper, two professors from Washington State University and Delft University of Technology looked closer at the role of materials design in baseball aerodynamics.

Read More