Posts by Lisa McDonald
Ceramics for clean water: Nanofiltration membranes break separation limits
Researchers at Fraunhofer Institute for Ceramic Technologies and Systems (IKTS) (Hermsdorf, Germany) have harnessed the power of ceramics to develop nanofiltration membranes that can generate completely clean drinking water from wastewater—even industrial sewage.
Read MoreEnvironmentally friendly batteries use electrodes from rusty stainless steel
A research group in China has created electrodes for potassium-ion batteries made from rusty stainless steel mesh. The result is an environmentally friendly, stable, and less expensive battery suitable for electronic devices.
Read MoreVideo: New paint generates clean hydrogen fuel from solar energy and water vapor
Could paint be the next material to generate hydrogen fuel? Researchers recently developed a way to produce hydrogen fuel from solar energy and humid air. They mixed synthetic molybdenum sulfide with titanium oxide to create a paint that produces hydrogen fuel from solar energy and moist air.
Read MoreOther materials stories that may be of interest
Beetles spark development of color-changing nanoparticles for commercial use, one step closer to practical fast charging batteries, and other materials stories that may be of interest for June 21, 2017.
Read More‘Group additivity’ approach to Pourbaix diagrams predicts metals’ reactions with water
Researchers have developed a computational method to predict how metals react in water. Their “group additivity” approach to Pourbaix diagrams enables them to determine metals’ potential for corrosion.
Read MoreCould this structure allow 3-D printed polymers to replace ceramic materials in body armor?
Researchers at Massachusetts Institute of Technology have taken inspiration from conch shells to develop a 3-D printing technique that can build composite materials with incredible toughness.
Read MorePump electrolytes instead of gas? New flow battery technology for electric vehicles
Electric cars may soon see another resurgence, as a research team from Purdue University recently developed a flow battery that recharges instantly—by replacing spent battery fluids with electrolytes.
Read MoreRemote sensing technique diagnoses damage in irradiated materials at a distance
MIT scientists recently reported that a novel laser-based spectroscopy technique can sensitively detect small imperfections in materials, opening new possibilities for monitoring irradiated materials in place in real time.
Read MoreVideo: Reducing energy and manufacturing costs of ceramic materials with cold sintering
By reducing typical sintering temperatures from >1000ºC to <300ºC, cold sintering offers the potential to both increase energy efficiency and drastically reduce manufacturing costs—a win–win for manufacturers and consumers alike.
Read MoreOther materials stories that may be of interest
New approach could transform semiconductor tech, cold conversion of food waste into renewable energy, and other materials stories that may be of interest for June 14, 2017.
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