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Physics - Materials Science - 19.08.2021

This Exotic Particle Had an Out-of-Body Experience; These Scientists Took a Picture of It
An unexpected finding by scientists at Berkeley Lab and UC Berkeley could advance quantum computers and high-temperature superconductors Scientists have taken the clearest picture yet of electronic particles that make up a mysterious magnetic state called a quantum spin liquid (QSL). The achievement could facilitate the development of superfast quantum computers and energy-efficient superconductors.

Materials Science - Electroengineering - 17.08.2021

Perovskite: the material that allows a greener fabrication of transistors
Physicists find a way to make components for low-cost electronics using a material that's highly rated for its performance in next-gen solar cells and LEDs. Last updated on Tuesday 17 August 2021 Physicists have found a way to make transistors using materials that are highly rated for their performance in next-generation solar cells and light-emitting diodes (LEDs).

Physics - Materials Science - 12.08.2021

Modeling uncovers an ’atomic waltz’ for atom manipulation
Researchers at the University of Vienna's Faculty of Physics in collaboration with colleagues from the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in the USA have uncovered a non-destructive mechanism to manipulate donor impurities within silicon using focused electron irradiation. In this novel indirect exchange process not one but two neighbouring silicon atoms are involved in a coordinated atomic "waltz", which may open a path for the fabrication of solid-state qubits.

Materials Science - 02.08.2021

Neanderthals indeed painted Andalusia’s Cueva de Ardales
The origin and date of appearance of prehistoric cave art are the subjects of ongoing debate. Spain's Cueva de Ardales is one point of discussion. There a flowstone formation is stained red in places. This colouring is apparently almost 65,000 years old 1 but until now, a part of the scientific community attributed it to a natural coating of iron oxide deposited by flowing water.

Physics - Materials Science - 30.07.2021

Science with teeth: Researchers use X-rays to find rare mineral in mollusk tooth
Rare mineral used to create a new ink for 3D printing of prosthetics and devices for space travel A rare mineral inside the teeth of a large mollusk found along rocky coastlines led to a bio-inspired ink for 3D printing and may also one day be used in the emerging field of soft robotics, according to researchers who made the discovery while working at Argonne National Laboratory, a U.S. Department of Energy national lab which is affiliated with the University of Chicago.

Materials Science - Physics - 29.07.2021

Simulated microgravity system created to experiment with materials
Crystallization studies conducted in space laboratories, which are costly and unaffordable for most research laboratories, showed the valuable effects of microgravity during the crystal growth process and the morphogenesis of materials. Now, a research study led by a scientific team of the University of Barcelona, has created an easy and efficient method to achieve experimentation conditions of microgravity on Earth that simulate those in space.

Materials Science - Health - 27.07.2021

First synthetic tissue model developed in which blood vessels can grow
Researchers investigate which material properties support vessel formation / Study published in the journal "Nature Communications" Using lab-created tissue to heal or replace damaged organs is one of the great visions for the future of medicine. Synthetic materials could be suitable as scaffolding for tissue because, unlike natural tissues, they remain stable in the organism long enough for the body to form new natural structures.

Materials Science - Physics - 20.07.2021

Plasma tech could replace one of world’s rarest materials
New plasma coating technology could see the phase-out of rare earth metal indium that is used in smartphone glass and dimmable windows, which is predicted to run out in 10 years. A team led by a researcher from the University of Sydney has developed a low-cost, sustainable, and readily available technology that can dim the screens of electronic devices, anti-reflection automobile mirrors, and smart architectural windows at a fraction of the cost of current technology.

Materials Science - Economics - 15.07.2021

Filled energy saving bar
Insulation webs are essential in aluminum window profiles and facades for good thermal insulation. researchers and their partners have been working for some time on a novel "sandwich" product with an environmentally friendly filling: recycled material from PET bottles. Now the market launch is approaching - with good prospects of success.

Materials Science - 07.07.2021

Soft shell makes hard ceramic less likely to shatter
Rice lab shows complex, 3D-printed schwarzites withstand pressure when coated A thin shell of soft polymer can help keep knotty ceramic structures from shattering, according to materials scientists at Rice University. Ceramics made with 3D printers crack under stress like any plate or bowl. But covered in a soft polymer cured under ultraviolet light, the same materials stand a far better chance of keeping their structural integrity, much like a car windshield's treated glass is less likely to shatter.

Materials Science - Environment - 05.07.2021

A jacket from a jacket from a jacket
Manufacture, wear, wash, incinerate: This typical life cycle of garments, which pollutes the environment, is to be changed in the future - towards principles of circular economy with recycling at its core. Using an outdoor jacket made from PET bottles and recycled materials, researchers have investigated whether the product actually delivers what the idea promises.

Materials Science - 30.06.2021

Prestressed plasters for old buildings
The technology of stabilizing concrete structures with carbon fiber-reinforced polymers, thus helping them to last longer, was developed decades ago; among others at Empa. Today, researchers in Dübendorf are working on a new variant with prestressed lamellas - with good prospects for practical application.

Physics - Materials Science - 29.06.2021

This Crystal Impurity Is Sheer Perfection
Scientists at Berkeley Lab, UC Berkeley design 3D-grown material that could speed up production of new technologies for smart buildings and robotics Crystallization is one of the most fundamental processes found in nature - and it's what gives minerals, gems, metals, and even proteins their structure.

Computer Science - Materials Science - 29.06.2021

’Edge of chaos’ opens pathway to artificial intelligence discoveries
Some neuroscience theories suggest the human brain operates best 'at the edge of chaos'. Now scientists in Australia and Japan have found that keeping a nanowire network at the edge of becoming chaotic is the best state for it to produce useful results. Scientists at the University of Sydney and Japan's National Institute for Materials Science ( NIMS ) have discovered that an artificial network of nanowires can be tuned to respond in a brain-like way when electrically stimulated.

Environment - Materials Science - 25.06.2021

Crown ethers improve perovskite solar cell stability
Scientists have used an unprecedented method with multimodal host-guest complexation to greatly improve the stability of perovskite solar cells while also reducing the release of lead into the environment. Perovskites are hybrid compounds made from metal halides and organic constituents, and show great potential in a range of applications, e.g. LED lights, lasers, and photodetectors.

Materials Science - Physics - 24.06.2021

Nano-Architected Material Resists Impact Better Than Kevlar
Thinner than a human hair, new material can absorb impacts from microparticles traveling at supersonic speeds Engineers at Caltech, MIT, and ETH Zürich have developed a nano-architected material made from tiny carbon struts that is, pound for pound, more effective at stopping a projectile than Kevlar, a material commonly used in personal protective gear.

Materials Science - Physics - 23.06.2021

Low-cost imaging technique shows how smartphone batteries could charge in minutes
Researchers have developed a simple lab-based technique that allows them to look inside lithium-ion batteries and follow lithium ions moving in real time as the batteries charge and discharge, something which has not been possible until now. This technique could be an important piece of the puzzle in the development of next-generation batteries Christoph Schnedermann Using the low-cost technique, the researchers identified the speed-limiting processes which, if addressed, could enable the batteries in most smartphones and laptops to charge in as little as five minutes.

Environment - Materials Science - 23.06.2021

Harvesting drinking water from humidity around the clock
Researchers at ETH Zurich have developed a condenser for countries where water is in short supply. Theirs is the first zero-energy solution for harvesting water from the atmosphere throughout the 24-hour daily cycle. It relies on a self-cooling surface and a special radiation shield. Fresh water is scarce in many parts of the world and must be obtained at great expense.

Physics - Materials Science - 23.06.2021

Argonne National Laboratory celebrates 75 years of scientific discovery
The nation's first national lab continues to make breakthroughs across science, engineering Argonne National Laboratory traces its birth from a secret mission-the Manhattan Project during World War II-to create the world's first self-sustaining nuclear chain reaction.

Physics - Materials Science - 21.06.2021

Solar energy collectors grown from seeds
Engineers create seeds for growing near-perfect 2D perovskite crystals Rice University engineers have created microscopic seeds for growing remarkably uniform 2D perovskite crystals that are both stable and highly efficient at harvesting electricity from sunlight. Rice University chemical engineering graduate student Siraj Sidhik holds a container of 2D perovskite "seeds” (left) and a smaller vial containing a solution of dissolved seeds that can be used to produce thin films for use in highly efficient optoelectronic devices like high efficiency solar panels.