Materials & Innovations

Video of the Week: Titanium dioxide to convert optical energy to mechanical energy

By / June 2, 2010

In a recent interview with Nanowerk, Ayusman Sen, a professor at the Department of Chemistry at Penn State, explained how he uses titanium dioxide to convert optical energy to mechanical…

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Electric field yields triple sintering gain: improved ceramic properties, greater speed and lower temps

By / June 1, 2010

Two months ago, I wrote about how North Carolina State University’s Hans Conrad had apparently discovered that sintered ceramic materials could be deformed and shaped by applying an electric field.…

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Chinese team: Use superabsorbent carbon nanotube sponges on oil spills

By / May 28, 2010

Imagine a lightweight durable floating sponge for use at an ocean oil spill that attracts only oil, expands to hold nearly 200 times its weight and 800 times the volume…

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S&T’s Engineers Without Borders bring biosand filtration to Bolivia

By / May 24, 2010

Students from Missouri University of Science and Technology will bring sustainable, clean water to portions of rural Bolivia this summer. Students with the university’s Engineers Without Borders chapter are making…

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School of fish offers new school of thought for turbine design

By / May 20, 2010

Researchers at CalTech have found that schooling fish unlock clues to better vertical axis wind turbines, which could yield as much as 10 times more energy from the same amount…

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Group shows hysteretic behavior of ferroelectric materials changes at nanoscale

By / May 20, 2010

A collaborative group of researchers from Oak Ridge National Lab, Penn State, the Univ. of Sheffield (U.K.) and EPFL (Switzerland) have made a discovery that overturns some 100-year-old assumptions about…

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Aerogel nanotech ultrathin, high-altitude Champion Supersuit on Mt. Everest: ‘It’s warm’

By / May 18, 2010

Hanesbrands says that mountain climber Jamie Clarke, reached the summit of the world’s highest peak this morning. Clarke is quoted in a news release as saying, ““The Champion Supersuit did…

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U.S. science funding at risk because of America COMPETES amendments

By / May 18, 2010

The update to the America COMPETES Act appears to be in trouble, threatening continued expansions of funding for NSF, NIST and DOE. Readers of this blog should contact their Representatives…

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Solar material wins MIT Clean Energy Prize

By / May 17, 2010

The Boston Globe reported that a company founded by Stanford University students Ajay Virkar and Melbs LeMieux has been named the winner of this year’s MIT Clean Energy Prize and…

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Monday materials mind candy: Bicycle wheel LEDs add safety, art to night riding

By / May 17, 2010

This is Bike-to-Work week and Bike Month in a lot of communities and cities across the U.S., and one of the accessories being increasing offered is a set of lightweight…

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