Electronics

Video: Magnetic ink prints self-healing devices that fix themselves in mere milliseconds

By April Gocha / November 16, 2016

Engineers at the University of California San Diego have developed a neodymium-loaded magnetic ink that can be used to print batteries, circuits, and other devices that, if broken or damaged, can self-heal themselves in a matter of milliseconds.

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Gallium nitride has wear resistance that approaches that of diamond

By April Gocha / November 15, 2016

Researchers at Lehigh University report that in addition to gallium nitride’s checklist of other useful properties, the material has a wear rate that approaches that of diamonds—which could open the material’s foray into even more diverse applications.

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Move over silicon: Magnetoelectric multiferroics and tiny transistors could enable faster computers that consume less power

By April Gocha / October 18, 2016

The continuing trend for electronics is to pack more power into a smaller device that requires less energy input. Two significant materials research advances—one published in Nature and one published in Science—are moving precisely in that direction.

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MXene films provide option for better, thinner electromagnetic shielding for electronic devices

By April Gocha / September 20, 2016

Researchers at Drexel University and Korea Institute of Science & Technology are working together to develop new materials into incredibly thin and lightweight films than can more effectively block electromagnetic radiation.

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Video: Lithium-ion hacks to keep your smartphone battery charged and explosion-free

By April Gocha / September 14, 2016

A new Reactions video from the American Chemical Society explains the science behind exploding lithium-ion batteries, in addition to three hacks to keep lithium-ions lasting longer.

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Other materials stories that may be of interest

By April Gocha / August 3, 2016

Engineers bake up nanolayered composites, light-modified chalcogenide glass modifies light, and other materials stories that may be of interest for August 3, 2016.

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Layered perovskites surprise scientists with disappearing polarity under strain

By April Gocha / July 28, 2016

A team of scientists at Northwestern University has discovered that some ferroelectric materials are hiding a surprise. Layered perovskites don’t conform to conventional wisdom—instead, these materials completely turn off polarization if enough strain is applied to them.

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Scaling up and going green—Oak Ridge Lab develops biofermentation technique to manufacture zinc sulfide quantum dots

By April Gocha / July 8, 2016

Researchers at Oak Ridge National Lab (Oak Ridge, Tenn.) have developed a new process that turns to bacteria to manufacture semiconductor nanoparticles, harnessing the bacteria in giant reactors to manufacture zinc sulfide quantum dots via nanofermentation.

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Other materials stories that may be of interest

By April Gocha / June 22, 2016

Developing new material for stronger 3-D printing, new approach to thermoelectric nanomaterials, and other materials stories that may be of interest for June 22, 2016.

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Other materials stories that may be of interest

By April Gocha / May 25, 2016

Alfred Ceramic Art Museum finds home, graphene makes rubber more rubbery, and other materials stories that may be of interest for May 25, 2016.

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