University of California Davis

Observing at the extremes— nanomechanical materials testing at over 2,000°C

By Lisa McDonald / March 3, 2020

Performing microscale experiments at ultrahigh temperatures is difficult because the high heat can destroy the testing mechanisms. Researchers demonstrated a new method, which combines targeted laser heating and transmission electron microscopy, that may overcome this problem.

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Cracking the case of ceramic “softening”: Size-induced grain boundary energy affects hardness of ceramics

By Lisa McDonald / December 20, 2019

When grain sizes in ceramics become critically small, ceramics can appear to soften. Researchers led by the University of California, Davis, show this false impression is due to an extensive network of nanocracks caused by increased grain boundary energy.

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Two theories, one goal—new formula also describes heat flow in both crystals and glass

By Lisa McDonald / August 30, 2019

In May, a formula was published that could describe thermal transport in both crystals and glass. Now, a new formula by researchers in Italy and the United States based on a different mathematical framework can also model such thermal transport.

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Flexible glasses in bulk form: A look at sulfur–selenium glasses

By Lisa McDonald / April 16, 2019

While researching the structure of sulfur-selenium glasses, University of California, Davis researchers discovered something exciting—these glasses are flexible in bulk form!

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Turning carbon dioxide into fuel: Improved nanocatalyst stability boosts artificial photosynthesis efficiency

By Lisa McDonald / February 26, 2019

Improved artificial photosynthesis methods would allow production of alternative fuels without burning fossil fuels. New research lays the foundation for designing ultrastable nanocatalysts for such methods.

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Lower SOFC operation temperatures by smoothing grain boundaries

By Lisa McDonald / January 11, 2019

Solid oxide electrochemical cells offer a sustainable alternative to current fossil energy combustion technologies, if scientists can get them to operate well at lower temperatures. New research offers a step toward this goal.

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Improving toughness of nanocrystalline ceramics

By Faye Oney / July 10, 2018

Researchers have demonstrated a new toughening mechanism for nanoceramics by studying weak interfaces in nanocrystalline ceramics. Their method could improve impact resistance without compromising functional properties.

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PACRIM12–GOMD viewed through the lens of youth

By Eileen De Guire / June 6, 2017

University of North Dakota assistant professor, Surojit Gupta, has made it his mission to help grad students attend ACerS conferences. Six students who attended PACRIM12–GOMD in Hawaii—with NSF funding from Gupta—report on their experiences.

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PacRim forum takes mystery out of journal publishing

By Eileen De Guire / June 4, 2017

[image above] Lunch sponsored by Saint-Gobain made efficient use of the lunchtime publishing workshop. Credit: ACerS By Hui Li University of California, Davis Now in the third year of my…

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Coming in August—NSF career development workshop for young academics

By Eileen De Guire / June 18, 2013

  Lane Martin will be one of the speakers at a NSF-sponsored workshop for young faculty in August. Credit: ACerS.   In a few weeks—August 13–14— the National Science Foundation’s…

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