Characterization

Sintering smaller grains to build stronger ceramics

By April Gocha / May 8, 2018

Researchers at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory have hit a new low—while their previous work with environmentally controlled pressure assisted sintering achieved grain sizes as small as 28 nm, they now report grain sizes of just 3.6 nm.

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Necessary roughness: Engineering particle surfaces to control how cements and other suspended materials flow

By April Gocha / May 4, 2018

Researchers from ETH Zurich have created a library of silicate particles and precisely studied how the surface roughness of particles affects the viscosity and thickening behavior of suspensions of those particles.

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More MXenes coming? New synthesis method widens range of MAX phases for MXene fabrication

By April Gocha / April 27, 2018

Scientists at Drexel University have devised a new method to produce MXenes from MAX phases containing an “A” element other than aluminum—a development that could open novel opportunities in MXene synthesis.

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Apple’s new robot, Daisy, recycles high-quality materials from up to 200 devices per hour

By April Gocha / April 24, 2018

In an effort to increase its sustainability and materials recycling efforts, Apple just unveiled a new robotic iPhone disassembly system, Daisy, that can separate and recover valuable materials from used iPhone devices in a matter of minutes.

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Preventing corrosion with ultra-thin layers of aluminum oxide

By Faye Oney / April 20, 2018

Researchers have discovered that a solid aluminum oxide protection layer can deform like a liquid, possibly protecting metals from environmental elements. Their discovery could solve degradation problems that contribute to rust and corrosion.

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How are new materials shaping the future of advanced optical fiber systems? This and much more inside May 2018 ACerS Bulletin

By April Gocha / April 19, 2018

The May 2018 issue of the ACerS Bulletin—featuring stories about how novel materials are overcoming limitations and opening new possibilities for glass optical fiber systems, beverage trends shaping the glass container industry, and much more—is now available online.

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Video: Banishing bacteria on biomedical implants—Graphene spikes slice and dice, could prevent infection

By April Gocha / April 18, 2018

Researchers at Chalmers University of Technology have devised a way to contract graphene to kill bacteria on the surface of biomedical implants, using a thin layer of atomically thin graphene spikes to slice bacteria apart.

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Electrophoretic deposition coats metal implants with glass fibers to improve bone-to-implant bonding

By April Gocha / April 17, 2018

An international team of researchers has developed a feasible approach to add bioactivity to metallic biomedical implant surfaces, using electrophoretic deposition to form coatings comprised of oriented bioactive phosphate glass fibers.

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New open-access materials database could save research time, spur material science advances

By Faye Oney / April 13, 2018

Researchers at the National Energy Renewable Laboratory have created a database of inorganic thin-film materials containing 10 years’ worth of research. This open-access database could accelerate research advances in advanced energy and beyond.

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Collaboration between Air Force Research Lab and HRL Labs could bring additively manufactured ceramics to hypersonic travel

By April Gocha / April 10, 2018

The Air Force Research Laboratory’s Aerospace Systems Directorate recently announced that it is working together with HRL Laboratories to additively manufacture high-temperature ceramic materials that are well-suited for hypersonic aircraft.

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