new material

Researchers have created a new class of robots that can shift between solid and liquid forms on demand. In a series of tests, these new bots could change shape to run obstacle courses, carry objects, or even escape from a jail cell like a Terminator.

Modern concrete starts to fall apart within decades – but ancient Roman structures are still standing strong after 2,000 years. Engineers have found an inclusion that helps ancient concrete self-heal cracks, and shown how we can recreate the recipe.

Heating and cooling systems are among the biggest guzzlers of energy. Berkeley Lab has now developed a new technology that heats and cools by switching a material between solid and liquid states, inducing a large temperature change from a small voltage.

Plastics are made to last, which is great while they’re being used but not so great after they’re discarded. Chemists have now developed a new kind of plastic that has all the durability of regular plastic, but biodegrades within months or even days.

Scientists experimenting with the makeup of next-gen metals have developed a novel, copper-based alloy they say would be simple to produce at scale, and boasts unparalleled elasticity at room temperature.

Scientists experimenting with novel materials have made a breakthrough that could shape a new generation of electronic devices, combining two characteristics in a way they say defies a theoretical explanation.

In what they hail as a “new frontier in materials,” engineers at Northeastern University have developed a new type of ceramic that can be fashioned into thin and complex shapes, opening up expansive new applications in electronics.

Engineers at the University of Houston have put forward a new solution to keep planes ice-free, developing an ice-shedding surface coating they say is 100 times stronger than other state-of-the-art materials.

With new manufacturing techniques comes the opportunity for new metal alloys with a range of possible properties. A team of researchers has now developed a new 3D-printable alloy with a specific nanostructure that makes it ultra strong and ductile.

Engineers at the University of Vienna have developed a new composite material that makes an efficient filter for removing organic pollutants from water. The system uses super-porous “nano-sponges” embedded on a sheet of graphene.

Plastics are tough, which is great when in use but not so good in the environment. Scientists have developed a new PET-like plastic derived from waste plant matter that can be chemically recycled or degrade into harmless sugars in the environment.

Water scarcity is a major problem around the world, but with the right equipment drinking water can be wrung out of thin air. Researchers have now demonstrated a low-cost gel film that can pull many liters of water per day out of even very dry air.