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Materials Science - Life Sciences - 29.01.2020

Hydrogel coating is first to prevent ice formation in 3 different ways
Materials scientists at the UCLA Samueli School of Engineering and colleagues in China have developed a coating that prevents ice from forming. The way it works is inspired by a natural mechanism that keeps blood from freezing in several species of fish that live near Antarctica. Their study, which is published in Matter, suggests that the new coating could be an inexpensive and versatile solution for preventing critical parts on airplane wings, outdoor pipes and other equipment from freezing over in cold temperatures.

Materials Science - 29.01.2020

The paint testing machine
How can you prevent cracks from forming after painting? TU Wien has recently patented two new measuring processes that show which paint is best. It's a familiar problem for anyone who has renovated a house or flat: no building is a perfectly rigid body. Walls and ceilings can move slightly over time, which often leads to cracks in the paint on the walls.

Chemistry - Materials Science - 27.01.2020

A real alternative to crude oil
The synthesis of bio-based high-performance polyamide from biogenic residues A research team from the Fraunhofer Society and the Technical University of Munich (TUM) led by chemist Volker Sieber has developed a new polyamide family which can be produced from a byproduct of cellulose production - a successful example for a more sustainable economy with bio-based materials.

Environment - Materials Science - 26.01.2020

For cheaper solar cells, thinner really is better
Solar panel costs have dropped lately, but slimming down silicon wafers could lead to even lower costs and faster industry expansion. Costs of solar panels have plummeted over the last several years, leading to rates of solar installations far greater than most analysts had expected. But with most of the potential areas for cost savings already pushed to the extreme, further cost reductions are becoming more challenging to find.

Materials Science - 23.01.2020

Discovery sheds new light on how cells move
Assistant Professor Jacob Notbohm (left) and doctoral student Aashrith Saraswathibhatla observe cells in Notbohm's Lab. Photo by UW-Madison College of Engineering When we cut our skin, groups of cells rush en masse to the site to heal the wound. But the complicated mechanics of this collective cell movement - which are facilitated by rearrangements between each cell and its neighbors - have made it challenging for researchers to decipher what's actually driving it.

Physics - Materials Science - 20.01.2020

Record-breaking Terahertz Laser Beam
A new, extremely efficient source of terahertz radiation has been developed at TU Wien (Vienna): Lasers turn air into plasma, thereby producing terahertz rays for many possible applications. Terahertz radiation is used for security checks at airports, for medical examinations and also for quality checks in industry.

Physics - Materials Science - 17.01.2020

A New Look at "Strange Metals"
For years, a new synthesis method has been developed at TU Wien (Vienna) to unlock the secrets of "strange metals". Now a breakthrough has been achieved. The results have been published in "Science". Superconductors allow electrical current to flow without any resistance - but only below a certain critical temperature.

Physics - Materials Science - 16.01.2020

Finds billions of quantum entangled electrons in ’strange metal’
Physicists provide direct evidence of entanglement's role in quantum criticality In a new study, U.S. and Austrian physicists have observed quantum entanglement among "billions of billions” of flowing electrons in a quantum critical material. The research, which appears this week in Science, examined the electronic and magnetic behavior of a "strange metal” compound of ytterbium, rhodium and silicon as it both neared and passed through a critical transition at the boundary between two well-studied quantum phases.

Materials Science - 14.01.2020

Researchers break the geometric limitations of moiré pattern in graphene heterostructures
Researchers at the University of Manchester in collaboration with CMT theorists (M. Andelkovic, S. Milovanovic, L. Covaci and F. Peeters) have uncovered interesting phenomena when multiple two-dimensional materials are combined into van der Waals heterostructures (layered 'sandwiches' of different materials).

Materials Science - Physics - 13.01.2020

A new approach to making airplane parts, minus the massive infrastructure
Carbon nanotube film produces aerospace-grade composites with no need for huge ovens or autoclaves. A modern airplane's fuselage is made from multiple sheets of different composite materials, like so many layers in a phyllo-dough pastry. Once these layers are stacked and molded into the shape of a fuselage, the structures are wheeled into warehouse-sized ovens and autoclaves, where the layers fuse together to form a resilient, aerodynamic shell.

Materials Science - Chemistry - 10.01.2020

An 18-carat gold nugget made of plastic
ETH researchers have created an incredibly lightweight 18-carat gold, using a matrix of plastic in place of metallic alloy elements. Lovers of gold watches and heavy jewellery will be thrilled. The objects of their desire may someday become much lighter, but without losing any of their glitter. Especially with watches, a small amount of weight can make all the difference.

Materials Science - Health - 09.01.2020

Bandage material helps stop bleeding without adhering to the wound
Researchers from ETH Zurich and the National University of Singapore have developed a new kind of bandage that helps blood to clot and doesn't stick to the wound. This marks the first time that scientists have combined both properties in one material. "We did not actually plan this, but that is just how science works sometimes: you start researching one thing and end up somewhere else," says ETH Professor Dimos Poulikakos.

Materials Science - 08.01.2020

Early humans optimised stone tool use at Tanzania’s Olduvai Gorge
Early Stone Age populations living up to 1.8 million years ago made complex decisions in selecting different types of stone to optimise a variety of cutting tools, according to a new study by UCL, University of Kent and the Centre for Human and Social Sciences, Spain. The study, published in the Journal of Royal Society Interface , offers new insight into the complexity of stone tool use, design and production.

Environment - Materials Science - 07.01.2020

Tiny pharmaceuticals in the environment
Nanomedicine is making headways. However, the tiny nanoparticles that are being used as carriers for drugs could find their way into water, soil and air. Empa researchers are investigating potential risks. Fear is a bad counselor. In the comic book series "Asterix", the Gaul chief Vitalstatistix may be afraid that the sky may fall on his head.

Materials Science - Life Sciences - 30.12.2019

Materials ’remember’ past stresses as they age
A new study by University of Chicago and University of Pennsylvania scientists shows that as materials age, they 'remember' prior stresses and external forces, which researchers can then use to create new materials with unique properties.    The study, published Dec. 20 in  Science Advances , found that certain types of materials have a "memory" of how they were processed, stored, and manipulated.

Materials Science - Physics - 26.12.2019

How a ’vegetable ion’ helped scientists unlock theory behind transitions of materials
A puddle freezing on the sidewalk, your humidifier pumping out water vapor, salt trucks melting icy streets-wintertime in Chicago is full of examples of a physics phenomenon called a "phase transition," in which a material changes state. Physicists are fascinated by this phenomenon, which is useful in technology from the basic steam turbine all the way to MRIs.   In a paper published Dec.

History / Archeology - Materials Science - 19.12.2019

New archaeological discoveries reveal birch bark tar was used in medieval England
Scientists from the University of Bristol and the British Museum, in collaboration with Oxford Archaeology East and Canterbury Archaeological Trust, have, for the first time, identified the use of birch bark tar in medieval England - the use of which was previously thought to be limited to prehistory.

Health - Materials Science - 19.12.2019

Skin and Mucous Membrane Lesions as Complication of Pneumonia
Painful inflammatory lesions of the skin and mucous membranes may occur in children who develop bacterial pneumonia. A research group at the University Children's Hospital Zurich has recently developed a new diagnostic blood test, which reliably diagnoses bacteria as the causative pathogen at an early stage, allowing more specific treatment and prediction about prognosis.

Materials Science - Agronomy / Food Science - 19.12.2019

Making chocolate colourful
ETH researchers are making chocolates shimmer in rainbow colours without the addition of colourants. They have found a way to imprint a special structure on the surface of the chocolate to create a targeted colour effect. By playing this video, you agree to the use of cookies by YouTube This may include analytics, personalization, and ads.

Materials Science - Physics - 18.12.2019

New coating hides temperature change from infrared cameras
An ultrathin coating developed by University of Wisconsin-Madison engineers upends a ubiquitous physics phenomenon of materials related to thermal radiation: The hotter an object gets, the brighter it glows. The new coating - engineered from samarium nickel oxide, a unique tunable material - employs a bit of temperature trickery.