Glass block walls can be a desirable way to maximize natural light exposure in a building, but their thermal properties do not allow for the best energy efficiency. Researchers at Empa, the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology designed aerogel-filled glass bricks that are translucent as well as thermally insulating and strong.
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Reducing the amount of raw material needed to produce concrete is one way to help cut emissions in this industry. Aerated concrete, a lightweight and porous construction material, contains less raw material per volume than many other building products. Today’s CTT contains a brief overview of this material, including its history, production methods, applications, and ways to improve its end-of-life sustainability.
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The expansive Wari civilization was the first political structure to unify the south-central and north-central Andes. A new study used ceramic geochemical analysis to learn more about this ancient civilization.
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White phosphorus is a synthetic form of phosphorus used to produce many commodity chemicals. But the conventional process for producing white phosphorus has a high carbon footprint. Researchers at Massachusetts Institute of Technology developed a molten salt synthesis process for white phosphorus production that is more cost effective and environmentally friendly.
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Pickleball is the fastest-growing sport in the United States. Learn more about the sport and how ceramics push pickleball to the next level.
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The recent one-year anniversary of the National Science Foundation’s Directorate for Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships is a reminder of the federal government’s commitment to take a larger role in supporting the transition of use-inspired research from the lab to the marketplace. Ideally this support will allow more university researchers to follow in the footsteps of Sublime Systems, a spinout from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology that aims to commercialize a low-carbon cement technology.
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As applications for carbon nanostructures flourish, the exploration for new carbon structures continues. Today’s CTT highlights three discoveries announced during the past few months.
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Traditionally, metalenses offer either spatial or spectral control of light, not both. However, a new metalens developed by researchers from Columbia University and the City University of New York offers both functionalities.
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Bombarding materials with highly charged ions is one way researchers can manipulate and modify 2D heterostructures. TU Wien researchers developed a model to simulate this bombardment and reveal why, when hit, some 2D materials form nanopores and others do not.
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Most explorations of plastic deformation in ceramics have focused on oxide systems. A recent study led by researchers at Tsinghua University in China demonstrated the possibility of plastic deformation in nonoxide ceramics as well, specifically silicon nitride, by harnessing a dual-phase structural configuration.
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