MIT

Defect-free surfaces may be key to preventing formation of lithium dendrites, advancing solid-state batteries

By April Gocha / July 14, 2017

New research from MIT shows that firmness isn’t the most important parameter for developing a solid electrolyte that is effective against dendrite formation—instead, a defect-free surface, which doesn’t provide a place for dendrites to form, is key to a better battery.

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Could this structure allow 3-D printed polymers to replace ceramic materials in body armor?

By April Gocha / June 20, 2017

Researchers at Massachusetts Institute of Technology have taken inspiration from conch shells to develop a 3-D printing technique that can build composite materials with incredible toughness.

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Remote sensing technique diagnoses damage in irradiated materials at a distance

By April Gocha / June 15, 2017

MIT scientists recently reported that a novel laser-based spectroscopy technique can sensitively detect small imperfections in materials, opening new possibilities for monitoring irradiated materials in place in real time.

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Clearly advancing: Multiple teams develop technologies to 3-D print high-quality, microstructured glass

By April Gocha / May 4, 2017

Two new papers, one published in Nature and one in Advanced Materials, describe 3-D printing techniques that use silica nanoparticle inks—rather than molten glass itself—to to fabricate optically clear glass components with micrometer-scale resolution, a huge leap forward for the integration of glass materials into additive manufacturing.

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3-D-printed ceramic foams build tailored cellular structures with dual-level porosity

By April Gocha / March 2, 2017

Researchers at Harvard University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology have devised a procedure for fabricating ceramic foams that can be used to 3-D print cellular materials that combine both microscale and macroscale porosity.

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Remembering Millie Dresselhaus—A luminary of excellence

By Eileen De Guire / February 24, 2017

MIT professor emerita Millie Dresselhaus died Monday, February 21. She understood her unique situation as a woman scientist and worked to make her extraordinary story one that could become ordinary for young women.

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Video: Graphene goes 3-D to build porous geometries that are stronger and lighter than steel

By April Gocha / January 11, 2017

Engineers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Cambridge, Mass.) have figured out the key to building strong yet light 3-D structures from graphene.

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Michael Cable: Glass technologist, teacher, eminent scholar

By Eileen De Guire / December 27, 2016

Emeritus Professor Michael Cable, age 82, died August 20, 2016 in Sheffield, U.K. The world of glass technology lost a beloved teacher and an eminent scholar.

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Researchers look to nature for solutions to ‘greener,’ more sustainable concrete production

By Stephanie Liverani / June 3, 2016

Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology are working to identify materials in nature that may be used as inspiration for a sustainable, longer-lasting recipe for cement production.

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Ultrathin, super-light, flexible solar cells could power next-gen portable electronics

By Stephanie Liverani / March 22, 2016

Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have developed a proof-of-concept for “solar cells so thin, flexible, and lightweight they could be placed on almost any material or surface,” according to an MIT press release.

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