Posts by Lisa McDonald
Video: Even an industrial steamroller can’t break this nearly indestructible ceramic
There are many elements critical to today’s technology that are in danger of running out—and they’re the subject of a fascinating new BBC TV documentary called “Secrets of the Super Elements” hosted by Mark Miodownik.
Read MoreRaw materials on everybody’s mind at UNITECR 2017 in Santiago, Chile
The refractory community met at UNITECR 2017 in Santiago, Chile, the last week of September. Raw material prices and trends, as well as advances in technology, were at the forefront.
Read MoreOther materials stories that may be of interest
Optoelectronics advance thanks to 2-D material phototransistors, hybrid indium-lithium anodes provide fast interfacial ion transport, and other materials stories that may be of interest for October 4, 2017.
Read MoreLooming threat of sand scarcity is masked by mirage of a nearly limitless natural resource
There’s a looming sand scarcity that’s being hidden by the mirage of endless sand supply, according to the authors of a new perspective article published in Science. According to their research, sand scarcity is such an imminent threat that we now need to develop a global sand governance strategy.
Read MoreAsphalt derivative charges lithium batteries faster, prevents dendrite formation
Researchers have developed battery anodes made of an asphalt derivative that has the capability of charging lithium metal batteries 10–20 times faster than current lithium batteries already on the market. The material also helps prevent formation of dendrites.
Read MoreLong-range backscatter system enables devices to communicate longer distances with less power
Researchers have found a way to send and receive signals between electronic devices over long distances. Long-range backscatter is a low-cost process that uses low power and represents a breakthrough for many applications, including flexible medical devices.
Read MoreGlass could replace aluminum in hard disk drives that store 20 TB of data
Japanese company Hoya is developing thin glass disks that the company is betting will be increasingly incorporated into larger hard disk drives used in computers—Hoya is setting its sights on large-scale glass data storage, with reported capabilities of reaching 20 TB capacities by 2020.
Read MoreVideo: No more rivet guns—Unweldable metals can now be 3-D printed, thanks to nanoparticles
Researchers have successfully 3-D printed unweldable aluminum alloys, incorporating zirconium-based nanopowders into the additive manufacturing process, which prevents hot cracking. They say they can now make any unweldable metal weldable using this process.
Read MoreOther materials stories that may be of interest
Assembly of nanoparticles proceeds like a zipper, advanced lithium-ion and metal-air batteries, and other materials stories that may be of interest for September 27, 2017.
Read MoreParaffin offers superior solution to road salt for melting snow, ice
Salt has long been used on roads and sidewalks to melt snow and ice, but it can destroy vehicles and the environment over time. Researchers have developed a method for melting snow and ice using paraffin, which is less expensive and environmentally-friendly.
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