Posts by Lisa McDonald
Video: VCRs are no more—but magnetic tapes are still the rage
Although VHS tapes are viewed as a dead technology in the public entertainment sector, magnetic tapes provide valuable archive storage for companies and organizations handling big data—but an ongoing patent battle makes obtaining the newest tapes difficult.
Read MoreOther materials stories that may be of interest
Damaged hearts rewired with nanotube fibers, precast concrete cures in 24 hours, and other materials stories that may be of interest for August 21, 2019.
Read More“Spring” cleanup: Carbon nanosprings break down marine microplastic pollution
Microplastic pollution is a threat to marine ecosystems. A research collaboration between several Australian and Chinese universities created carbon nanosprings that can break down microplastics into compounds that dissolve harmlessly in water.
Read MoreOpen science, open access, Projekt DEAL, and IJCES
Open science and open access are posed to drastically change the scholarly publishing landscape in coming years. Learn about the different types of OA and what ACerS is doing to support the model.
Read MoreHero or villain? Opposing arguments for the environmental impact of smartphones
The smartphone industry is often considered to have an increasingly negative impact on the environment. But an opposing argument that smartphones are the heroes, rather than villains, of this story exists as well. How could that be?
Read MoreNot so tough now: h-BN more amenable to bonding after reduction reaction
Hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) has many excellent properties but does not bond well with other elements. Chemists at Rice University found a particular reduction reaction allows h-BN to bond readily with carbon chains.
Read MoreCeramic and glass business news of the week
Northern Minerals signs rare earths supply deal with German company, American Glass Research published its second book, and more ceramic and glass business news of the week for August 16, 2019.
Read MoreVideo: Camels provide beauty, milk—and alternative fuel for cement production
In Ras al-Khaimah, the northernmost emirate of the United Arab Emirates, the government’s waste management agency is running a program to divert waste from landfills. Part of that program includes using camel excrement as fuel in cement production.
Read MoreOther materials stories that may be of interest
LEDs made from 3D perovskites, permeable concrete cools city sidewalks, and other materials stories that may be of interest for August 14, 2019.
Read MoreNearing the theoretical limit of strength—nanoparticles toughen oxide glass
Reducing oxide glass brittleness is an active area of research. Researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles, created a tough oxide glass with a stress-modulus relationship near the theoretical limit by dispersing nanoparticles in a glass melt.
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