Sol-gel is a relatively inexpensive and easily controlled coating method to potentially strengthen glass. In a recent ACerS journal article, researchers look at the three key factors affecting the ability of sol-gel coatings to strengthen glass: elastic modulus, residual stress, and filling ratio.
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Classic physics teaches there are four states of matter, but better understanding of matter’s more exotic properties has led to identification of additional states. New studies suggest the possibility of two new electronic states of matter.
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Roughness plays a big role in determining friction and adhesion between materials, which greatly affects processes in both scientific and industrial fields. So understanding roughness can help control these factors. Researchers led by the University of Freiburg investigate the origins behind a particular characteristic of roughness—self-affinity.
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Just as car models build upon the successes and failures of the previous generation, so too do journal articles. See how such a process takes place through the comparison of two JACerS articles from 1981 and 2019 on indentation crack testing.
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Fabricating dense, complex-shaped items from silicon carbide can be challenging due to the material’s properties. Manufacturers benefit from studies on reducing viscosity of SiC slurries, such as two recent ones published in an ACerS journal, but open access to the data behind such studies may benefit them even more.
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Pressure treatment is a method to prevent wood rot, but it does have its downsides. Researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology explored treating wood using atomic layer deposition and found they could manage moisture content, mold growth, and thermal conductivity.
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Perovskite solar cells are expected to become a leading contender to silicon-based solar cells, or for use in tandem with them, once several challenges are overcome. Researchers at Brown University found cracks in perovskite films are easily healed by applying compression or moderate heat.
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The International Conference on Advanced Ceramics and Composites (ICACC 2020) took place January 26–31 in Daytona Beach, Fla. Over 1,000 people attended, with 50% coming from outside the United States.
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Faster than a speeding bullet: A review on fiber reinforced UHTCMCs for hypersonic aircraft and more
Ultra-high temperature ceramic matrix composites could be used on some of the hottest portions of hypersonic aircraft if their brittleness is reduced. Research on using fibers to reinforce these materials increased greatly in the past decade, and a recent review article in an ACerS journal discusses the progress and challenges in this field.
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Chicken litter is a good fertilizer due to a composition rich in nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus. However, transporting the residue is difficult because it crumbles. Researchers from Brazil investigate using ceramic additives to increase waste hardness for easier transport.
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