[Images above] Credit: NIST
NANOMATERIALS
A cheaper way to scale up atomic layer deposition
Using atomic layer deposition in a liquid phase, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne researchers can produce materials indistinguishable from those made in the gas phase, with far cheaper equipment and no excess precursors.
A four-way switch promises greater tunability of layered materials
Researchers from Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Vanderbilt University experimentally observed a material phase that had been predicted but never seen. The newly discovered phase couples with a known phase to enable unique control over material properties, which paves the way to eventual manipulation of electrical conduction in 2D materials.
Scientists design graphene-based antennas for NASA space programs
Texas State University researchers developed graphene-based, 3D-printed antennas to replace silver materials in antennas. Graphene is more resistant to oxidation than silver and resistant to degrading when bent.
ENERGY
Scientists show how perovskite solar cells can capture more electricity
Scientists from Nanyang Technological University in Singapore and the University of Groningen in the Netherlands developed a method to analyse which pairs of materials in next-generation perovskite solar cells will harvest the most energy.
ENVIRONMENT
Power-to-X processes: Highly efficient and climate-neutral
Scientists at the Fraunhofer IKTS in Dresden developed reactors based on ceramics, which use CO2 and water vapor to produce raw materials for the chemical industry. In these reactors, the individual processes are coupled, intensifying material and energy flows intensified and increasing efficiency compared to previous power-to-X processes.
New, slippery toilet coating provides cleaner flushing, saves water
The Pennsylvania State University researchers developed a bio-inspired, two-step spray coating for toilets that essentially makes a toilet self-cleaning. The first spray, created from molecularly grafted polymers, creates an extremely smooth surface; the second spray infuses a thin layer of lubricant to create a super-slippery surface.
MANUFACTURING
High-resolution 3D printing shows promise for lab glassware
Researchers at Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich used a digital light processing printer to create complex multicomponent glass structures. They claim their method offers improved print resolution.
OTHER STORIES
Discovery in ferroelectric material reveals unique property, application potential
A team of physicists and other researchers broke new ground in the study of ferroelectricity. Until now, physicists recognize only two wells as destinations for traveling atoms. The team reports an undiscovered property known as a quadruple potential well, which increases the number of options in ferroelectric switching.
Researchers develop thin heat shield for superfast aircraft
By soaking buckypaper (sheet of carbon nanotubes) in a resin made of a compound called phenol, Florida State University researchers created a lightweight, flexible material that is also durable enough to potentially protect the body of a rocket or jet from the intense heat it faces while flying.
Finding out the factors that most influence the steel corrosion in reinforced concrete
The international research group RILEM investigated how the presence of chlorides in concrete cause steel corrosion and loss of material. Their study catalogs parameters with varying degrees of influence, highlighting which ones should no longer be priorities.
Ductile glass bends instead of breaking
Scientists led by Tampere University used pulsed laser deposition to convert aluminium oxide into a glass-like state. The glass exhibits metal-like properties and, as opposed to conventional glass, is ductile when stretched or compressed.
The hearty, hearty caterpillar
A team from China created a robot from specialized gel, carbon nanotubes, and a layer of biological heart cells that moves like a caterpillar. The heart cells that make up the skin of the robotic legs contract and relax, causing the legs to move.