Materials

Imagine getting a flat tire, and just smearing on a chemical that makes the rubber meld seamlessly back together. That’s the kind of breakthrough researchers are now reporting, with a new material made of waste products and easily recyclable itself.

While the high cost of production has proven a limitation to the widespread adoption of carbon fiber, scientists have found that a small amount of graphene could not only make it more affordable, but possibly stronger and stiffer at the same time.

When a regular material is torn or ruptured, it stays that way unless we tend to it with our hands or a machine to repair the damage. But a new self-healing conductive polymer needs no such help, and can regain full functionality after being severed.

Whenever you try to improve steel, there are usually tradeoffs involved. It’s a balancing act between different properties. Now, engineers have developed a new type of “super steel” that defies this, staying strong while still resisting fractures.

Scientists have developed a new polymer that could be the basis for cheaper, lighter and more environmentally friendly radiation shielding. It is created by introducing bismuth trioxide particles into PMMA resin, which was then cured with UV light.

Graphene is ultrathin, ultra-strong and has some weird electrical properties. MIT researchers previously found a strange pattern emerged in “twisted” graphene structures. Now they’ve studied it more closely and found it works better with more layers.

Although we have seen "morphing" structural materials before, they typically incorporate solenoids, pumps or motors. Now, however, scientists have developed a carbon fiber composite that shifts shape with a simple shot of electricity.

Antioxidants fight oxidation, which can spoil food and alcohol and harm cells in the body. Now, researchers have woven antioxidants into nanofiber mats, which release the vital compounds slowly and could be useful for food coverings or bandages.

Imagine if there were a metallic device that could be transported all squished down, but that would automatically "bloom" out into its useful form when heated. Well, that may soon be possible, thanks to a newly developed liquid metal lattice.

Scientists at Newcastle University have happened upon a particularly promising example if a carbon capture technology, developing a low-cost membrane that assembles one of its own key components as it absorbs CO2.

Perovskite makes for efficient solar cells, but it’s a bit too fragile. Now, a team has found that adding one bulky molecule can stabilize the material, making it stackable in layers and opening up its usefulness in solar cells and other electronics.

Once discarded, spongy polyurethane foam typically just ends up in landfills, where it takes up a lot of space. Thanks to a newly-developed process, however, it could soon be recycled into higher-quality rubbers and hard plastics.