Materials
Whether it's the latest wonder material, such as graphene, or uncovering the secrets to the longevity of ancient Roman concrete, material science is the reason so much of our technology is more than the sum of its parts.
Latest News
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Novel coating repels limescale to improve thermal power plant efficiency
February 11, 2024Limescale buildup in thermal power plants due to the use of hot water can substantially affect efficiency, prompting researchers to develop a novel soft hydrogel-based surface coating that repels limescale crystals and prevents them from adhering. -
Sustainable process turns sewage sludge into high-value activated carbon
February 07, 2024Researchers have developed a simplified, sustainable method of converting sewage sludge from wastewater treatment into high-value activated carbon that can be used in a wide range of industrial and residential applications. -
Researchers create green steel from toxic red mud in 10 minutes
February 06, 2024Researchers have devised an economical way of reducing the environmental impact of both the steel and aluminum industries by using hydrogen to melt down the toxic red mud left over from aluminum production to produce green steel in around 10 minutes. -
Nano-scale inks could lighten airliners by hundreds of kilograms
January 30, 2024Kobe University researchers have created a new "structural color ink," just 100-200 nanometers thick, that shows bright colors from wide viewing angles, without fading, while weighing less than half a gram per square meter (0.002 oz per square foot). -
Graphene replaces sand to make lighter, stronger concrete
January 28, 2024Thanks to our high demand for concrete, the world may eventually run out of accessible sand. Scientists at Rice University have now shown that substituting graphene can not only save sand, but makes concrete lighter, stronger and tougher. -
Airborne infection risk plummets in face of metal nanoparticle spray
January 25, 2024As recent history proves, airborne respiratory infections are not to be trifled with. Now, a new sprayable coating applied to standard air filters might give us a leg up in the war against the pathogens that cause these diseases. -
Artificial spider gland spins scalable spider silk just like nature
January 22, 2024Scientists believe lightweight, ultra-strong and flexible spider silk is now one step closer to commercial use thanks to a deceptively complex 'box' that can spin nature's wonder fiber in a "spontaneous, extremely rapid, and highly reproducible" way. -
Laser-based morphing could lead to self-optimizing airplane wings
January 17, 2024A plane wing that changes shape in flight to better handle the airflow crossing it could be on the horizon thanks to a materials science advance from researchers in Stockholm. The trick involves the melting and hole-punching power of lasers. -
Gold nanorod films clear surfaces of ice – just add sunlight
January 16, 2024Preventing or clearing ice build-up on surfaces is a major winter problem, as some areas are currently experiencing. Scientists at KAIST have now developed a new thin film coating made of gold nanorods that can passively melt ice using just sunlight. -
Climate alchemy: Team turns carbon dioxide into super-strong fibers
January 12, 2024In an effort to mitigate human-caused climate warming, scientists are focused on ways to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. One of the more novel ways to do this has just been announced by scientists employing a smart dual-method process. -
Blue-ringed octopus inspires self-healing camouflage & signaling tech
January 07, 2024Inspired by the blue-ringed octopus, researchers have created a technology that rapidly changes color and appearance under various kinds of light, enabling camouflaging and signaling. The tech could be used in the military, medicine, and robotics. -
Induction welding joins metal foams without cramping their style
December 15, 2023Composite metal foams (CMFs) offer big advantages over traditional solid metal. And while the welding of CMFs usually poses some challenges, it has now been been discovered that the use of an alternative type of welding works like a charm. -
Unbreakable material nearly as hard as diamond, with high energy density
December 13, 2023It’s taken more than three decades, but scientists have cracked the code and created a material that’s near-impossible to break and rivals diamond as the hardest substance on the planet. The applications for this long-sought-after substance are vast. -
Smart textile fiber places conductivity and flexibility side-by-side
December 11, 2023Electrically conductive "smart fabrics" have many potential applications, but their specialized fibers typically aren't as soft and flexible as those made of regular materials. An experimental new fiber, however, is both flexible and conductive. -
Graphene oxide used to strengthen and electrify 3D-printed concrete
December 05, 20233D-printed concrete structures are claimed to be faster and cheaper to build than their traditional counterparts, but they're not always as strong. That problem may soon be solved by adding a pinch of graphene oxide, which could also be used to detect cracks.
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