Electronics

High-performing ceramic for power-hungry AI

By Jonathon Foreman / June 7, 2019

In the premiere volume of the International Journal of Ceramic Engineering and Science, Japanese researchers review their work on an advanced ceramic semiconductor that could reduce power consumption of devices that use artificial intelligence.

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Breakthroughs with boron nitride could enable more efficient electronics

By April Gocha / June 4, 2019

Recent research may enable integration of boron nitride into next-gen electronics. Researchers have proven boron nitride’s high thermal conductivity and integrated the material into a flexible yet efficient nanocomposite.

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Improving Li-ion battery safety—Oxide ceramic films could replace polymeric separators

By Lisa McDonald / May 31, 2019

Researchers from Donghua University in Shangai showed separators made from oxide ceramic films could improve the safety of lithium-ion batteries, which tend to catch on fire when their polymeric separators fail.

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Color-tunable gallium nitride LEDs may light the future

By April Gocha / May 24, 2019

By controlling the emission states of europium ions in doped gallium nitride, scientists found they can emit various colors of light from a single LED.

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Direct-writing additive manufacturing of lead-free piezoelectric parts

By Jonathon Foreman / April 26, 2019

As additive manufacturing techniques become increasingly sophisticated, they offer a way to effectively construct specialized electronic devices. Two recent papers describe different direct-writing AM methods for constructing lead-free piezoelectric parts.

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Robot uses capacitive sensors in soft hands to separate recyclable materials

By April Gocha / April 23, 2019

Researchers at MIT developed a robot that can effectively separate mixed recyclable materials, using two flexible silicone “hands” to feel the difference between paper, metal, and plastic.

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Shorting out? Multilayer ceramic capacitor shortage limits consumer electronic availability

By April Gocha / April 16, 2019

The market for multilayer ceramic capacitors is ballooning with the rise of connected devices in our homes, automobiles, and pockets—but supply is not keeping pace with demand.

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Video: Smartphone smoothie provides look at rare earth content of phones

By Lisa McDonald / March 27, 2019

University of Plymouth researchers put a smartphone in a blender to quantify the materials composition of an average phone. They hope to encourage greater recycling rates with their project.

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Video: Say goodbye to brick-size wall chargers—and say hello to gallium nitride

By Lisa McDonald / March 6, 2019

Gallium nitride wall chargers are lighter, thinner, and, in most cases, cheaper than comparable silicon-based chargers. Verge Science takes a look at the potential this semiconductor holds to revolutionize the electronics industry.

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The challenges of making foldable smartphones

By Lisa McDonald / November 13, 2018

Multiple companies released plans for foldable smartphones this year, but there are several challenges to making these phones perform as well as traditional smartphones.

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