Materials & Innovations

The discovery of carbon fibers and the practical side of phase diagrams

By Eileen De Guire / September 26, 2012

A carbon fiber propped against a human hair. Was their “discovery” an accident? Credit: Wikimedia Commons. Have you ever wondered how carbon fibers were discovered? It turns out the guy…

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Don’t wait in line for coffee: How to know where the business opportunity is

By Eileen De Guire / September 14, 2012

There are two ways to guess what the future holds: Gaze into the crystal ball or find a guide who knows the terrain. Credit: ACerS. At my office we have…

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ACerS & Wiley publishing update of classic overview, ‘The Magic of Ceramics’

By / September 12, 2012

The 2nd Edition of The Magic of Ceramics will begin shipping Oct. 9. Credit: ACerS; Wiley. In the late 1990s, David W. Richerson (with assistance from across the spectrum of…

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Core-shell particles for acoustic metamaterials by millifluidics

By Eileen De Guire / September 7, 2012

Core-shell acoustic metamaterials microparticles. Credit: Wunenburger; Wiley. OK, this little piece by Stefano Tonzani for Wiley’s Materials Views blog is not about ceramic materials, but it’s really cool, nonetheless. I…

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Other materials stories that may be of interest

By Eileen De Guire / September 4, 2012

Check these out … Waste cooking oil makes bioplastics cheaper ‘Bioplastics’ that are naturally synthesized by microbes could be made commercially viable by using waste cooking oil as a starting…

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China edges rare earth exports ceiling upwards, but demand slack continues; new RE extraction method surfaces

By / August 28, 2012

Relative stock prices of Molycorp (blue line) and Lynas (green) compared to Dow Jones Industrial Average (red) since August increase in China’s rare earth exports quota. Source: Yahoo Finance. Recent…

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Other materials science stories that may be of interest

By / August 27, 2012

These color-enhanced scanning electron microscope images show nanosheets resembling tiny rose petals. The nanosheets are key components of a new type of biosensor that can detect minute concentrations of glucose…

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Friday physics fun: The charm and beauty of temps in the trillions and the Big Bang

By Eileen De Guire / August 24, 2012

Fermilab physicist explains particle physics concepts using water as an example. Credit: YouTube. “That sounds like a job for a refractory,” I thought to myself when I came across the…

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Mullite-like mixed oxides may replace platinum for catalyzing diesel pollution

By Eileen De Guire / August 23, 2012

A schematic view of the stepped structure of Mn-mullite for catalytic conversion of NOx diesel emissions. The red, purple and pale green represent oxygen, manganese and samarium, respectively. Credit: Cho;…

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The who, what and how of staying ahead of an economic downturn

By Eileen De Guire / August 22, 2012

A packed plenary session from last year’s MS&T. This year’s conference focuses on the latest materials science and engineering—all part of gaining and keeping the competitive edge in tough economic…

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