Posts by Lisa McDonald
Video: Stackable GaN wall chargers expand charging capabilities while saving space
Having enough outlet space on campus is a perennial problem for college students. A new Kickstarter campaign looks to fund creation of stackable gallium nitride wall chargers, which could expand USB charging capabilities while saving space.
Read MoreOther materials stories that may be of interest
Ultrasound signals converted directly to visible images, cement-free concrete beats corrosion, and other materials stories that may be of interest for September 30, 2020.
Read MoreCeramics Expo Connect covers wide range of new and emerging ceramic applications
Ceramics Expo Connect, the virtual version of Ceramics Expo, took place Sept. 21–25, 2020. Panels, interviews, and roundtables covered a wide range of new and emerging ceramic applications across the five days.
Read MoreDesigning Li-S battery cathodes: Polarity rather than conductivity leads to long-term cycling stability
Highly conductive carbon materials are frequently investigated as host materials for sulfur in lithium-sulfur batteries, but such cathodes struggle with loss of sulfur due to the carbon surface being nonpolar. An international team of researchers explored if using polar silica instead as the host material may improve cycling stability, even though silica is nonconductive.
Read MoreCeramic and glass business news of the week for September 28, 2020
International Year of Glass gathers momentum, ASTRO America proposes AM hypersonic missile production facility, and more ceramic and glass business news of the week for September 28, 2020.
Read MoreMachine learning model predicts superhard materials from crystal structure
Conventionally, theoretical models are unable to predict a material’s hardness from its crystal structure because the underlying physical principles are complex. A new machine learning model developed by two researchers at Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology succeeds in making such predictions in a fast and reliable manner.
Read MoreLatin America—Indigenous invention, plus more inside October/November 2020 ACerS Bulletin
The October/November 2020 issue of the ACerS Bulletin—featuring an overview of research and markets in Latin America—is now available online. Plus—remembering Ted Day
Read MoreVideo: How Crystal Palace Dinosaurs brought paleontology to the people
More than 100 years before the movie Jurassic Park captured public interest, curiosity in dinosaurs was piqued by the Crystal Palace Dinosaurs, the first life-sized models of extinct animals ever made. Though the scientific accuracy of the sculptures is largely incorrect based on current knowledge, the sculptures’ impact on public interest in paleontology is recognized to this day.
Read MoreOther materials stories that may be of interest
Fisheye metalens, mirror-like photovoltaics, and other materials stories that may be of interest for September 23, 2020.
Read MoreFrom mechanical behaviors to coloring mechanisms, modeling illuminates properties of ancient ceramics
Modeling offers a way to learn about ancient ceramics without damaging the priceless items. Two recent articles in International Journal of Ceramic Engineering & Science illustrate how modeling provides insights into myriad properties, including mechanical behaviors and coloring mechanisms.
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