[Images above] Credit: NIST
NANOMATERIALS
A ‘sandwich’ of graphene and boron nitride may lead to next-gen microelectronics
Researchers led by University at Buffalo showed that a specific sandwich of graphene and boron nitride elicits properties that are suitable for use in new technological applications.
ENERGY
Supercomputing breaks boundaries in wind turbine design
Advanced computer simulations revealed new ways to improve offshore wind turbine design to cope with powerful winds called low-level jet streams off the U.S. Atlantic coast, reported researchers at General Electric Global Research Center and National Renewable Energy Laboratory.
Recycling of garnet solid electrolytes with lithium-dendrite penetration by thermal healing
ShanghaiTech University researchers demonstrated a facile method for healing and recycling garnet electrolytes with lithium dendrites through heat treatment. The recycled garnet ceramic pellets showed increased ionic conductivity with higher relative density due to the dendrite-derived species in the grain boundaries promoting further densification.
Microwaving solar panels makes them easier to recycle
Researchers at Macquarie University and the University of New South Wales in Australia showed how commercial microwaves could be used to anneal silicon solar cells. It also makes the panels much easier to disassemble, and thus recycle, at the end of life.
BIOMATERIALS
Ceramic joint surface proves safety after 10 years of study
A joint research team in South Korea found that a fourth-generation ceramic used for artificial hip arthroplasty proved its safety by recording a survival rate of 98.3% in long-term research of 10 or more years.
MANUFACTURING
Research consortium examines the process chain of additive–subtractive manufacturing
In the “Advanced Processing of Additively Manufactured Parts” (Ad-Proc-Add) project, accompanied by ecoplus Mechatronics-Cluster, researchers systematically investigated additive–subtractive manufacturing process chains. They are now sharing these compelling discoveries with the public.
Researchers 3D print a miniature vacuum pump
Massachusetts Institute of Technology researchers devised a way to 3D print a miniaturized peristaltic vacuum pump, which could be a key component of a portable mass spectrometer. Portable mass spectrometers could help monitor pollutants, perform medical diagnoses in remote areas, or test Martian soil.
OTHER STORIES
Want to make better materials? Read between the ‘grain boundaries’
A team of materials scientists and applied mathematicians developed a mathematical model that more accurately describes microstructures by integrating data that can be identified from highly magnified images taken during experiments.
New superconducting technologies for the HL-LHC and beyond
The development at CERN of magnesium diboride cables and other advanced superconducting systems for the High-Luminosity LHC is also driving applications beyond fundamental research.