An oxide glass that can plastically deform under unconfined loading conditions would be a big asset in potential applications. An international team of researchers found alumina glass films exhibit such an ability.
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When grain sizes in ceramics become critically small, ceramics can appear to soften. Researchers led by the University of California, Davis, show this false impression is due to an extensive network of nanocracks caused by increased grain boundary energy.
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To improve ceramic devices, one factor ceramists and ceramic engineers consider is the strength of ceramic bonds. Two recent papers published in an ACerS journal explore ways to improve ceramic bonds in different applications.
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High-entropy materials present significant potential for numerous applications due to their unique chemistries, but such materials’ optical properties have not been studied fundamentally yet. Two researchers at Alfred University begin to fill this knowledge gap by investigating a transparent high‐entropy fluoride laser ceramic.
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Bioglass brittleness limits the implantation of bioglass encapsulated RFID tracking devices in animals that butt heads for dominance. Florida A&M University researchers used force distribution models to develop a sturdier bioglass capsule design.
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Different research groups have measured different values for bending stiffness in graphene that span across orders of magnitude. Researchers led by the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign now say the different values stem from the fact that graphene becomes softer the more you bend it.
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The National Academies recently released a materials research decadal survey claiming large investments by countries in Europe and East Asia jeopardize U.S. leadership in materials science. Could elevating materials research from a division to directorate within NSF help focus national attention and increase funding?
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Dilatant fluids, commonly termed shear-thickening fluids, can complicate manufacturing by jamming pumping and mixing equipment. Cornell University researchers investigated softening dilatant fluids using ultrasonic waves to make them easier to handle.
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Despite its ubiquity, the influence of grain shrinkage on cracking remains largely unexplored. Researchers from Princeton University investigated the phenomenon, and the results of their studies are described in two papers published this year.
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Atomic structure plays an important role in understanding element properties. As the International Year of the Periodic Table nears its end, a new study looks at the potential superhydrides, specifically CeH9, hold as high-temperature superconductors.
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