Research management - Today
ERC Consolidator Grants for research on 'politics of the periphery' in Latin America and medieval social norms
ERC Consolidator Grants for research on 'politics of the periphery' in Latin America and medieval social norms
Research management - Today
Sabine van Rijt receives prestigious ERC Grant for her research on biomaterials
Sabine van Rijt receives prestigious ERC Grant for her research on biomaterials
Social Sciences - Today
Analysis: Ukraine war - attitudes to women in the military are changing as thousands serve
Analysis: Ukraine war - attitudes to women in the military are changing as thousands serve
Law - Today
Aristea Koukiadaki awarded ¤2m by the ERC for research on remedies in comparative labour law
Aristea Koukiadaki awarded ¤2m by the ERC for research on remedies in comparative labour law
Health - Today
University of Glasgow to lead international effort to advance cancer care and research
University of Glasgow to lead international effort to advance cancer care and research
Agronomy - Today
Cambridge-led consortium receives $35m to boost crop production sustainably in sub-Saharan Africa
Cambridge-led consortium receives $35m to boost crop production sustainably in sub-Saharan Africa
Social Sciences - Jan 30
Injustice remains: 48-year-old women's prison documentary shows how little has changed
Injustice remains: 48-year-old women's prison documentary shows how little has changed
science wire
« BACK
Innovation - Materials Science - 25.04.2022 
Focus on people
Empa's Annual Report 2021 leads you on a gripping journey through the world of research and innovation; you may be surprised at how broad the term "applied research" is defined at Empa.
Materials Science - Chemistry - 21.04.2022 
New materials for storing flammable industrial gases
How do I store more, and better? This summarizes the challenge of transporting flammable gases. To ensure industrial safety, these gases must be handled at defined temperature and pressure conditions that do not allow for optimal storage and release cycles.
Materials Science - Environment - 21.04.2022
Innovation - Materials Science - 20.04.2022 
GEIC partner community strengthens with arrivals and renewals
The Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre's ecosystem for industrial engagement continues to grow with more Tier 2 partners being added to the roster in recent weeks, while existing partners have also committed to the facility by renewing terms for another year.
Innovation - Materials Science - 20.04.2022
Materials Science - Chemistry - 19.04.2022
Environment - Materials Science - 19.04.2022 
Fueled by sustainability: A conversation with Sara Thoi
Chemist Sara Thoi discusses her research and what drives her to find new materials and systems for renewable energy Sara Thoi has been interested in sustainability since a high school science fair in
Materials Science - Physics - 15.04.2022
Materials Science - Physics - 12.04.2022
Physics - Materials Science - 11.04.2022 
An eye for the smallest things
As head of Empa's Electron Microscopy Center, Rolf Erni has to balance many tasks: negotiating industrial contracts, promoting young scientists, teaching, supporting researchers at other Empa labs.
Materials Science - Environment - 31.03.2022 
CircuBAT improves eco-balance of e-mobility
The research project CircuBAT aims to create a circular business model for the production, application and recycling of lithium-ion batteries used for mobility purposes. Seven Swiss research institutions and 24 companies are joining forces to look for ways to boost sustainability in all stages of a battery's life cycle.
Materials Science - Transport - 31.03.2022 
Environmentally safe, frost-resistant coatings
Airports are busy, especially during the winter. As passengers wait to board, delays get longer when airplanes need to be dowsed with thousands of gallons of deicing fluids that help them fight the frigid winter.
Materials Science - Transport - 31.03.2022 
Electric car batteries could soon get a second lease on life
EPFL has joined six other Swiss research institutions in CircuBAT, an initiative selected for the first Innosuisse Flagship program, in order to develop a circular business model for lithium-ion batteries.
Materials Science - Chemistry - 28.03.2022 
Batteries and solar cells with self-healing properties
The "FuncHeal" project of the University of Jena has been awarded funding by the German Research Foundation worth more than 3.5 million euros over the next four years.
Materials Science - Electroengineering - 28.03.2022 
Research to keep batteries going and going
Flat batteries could be a thing of the past thanks to lithium-ion battery nanotechnology developed by The University of Queensland.
Materials Science - Chemistry - 21.03.2022 
Light makes ions mobile
Lithium-ion batteries, fuel cells and many other devices depend on the high mobility of ions in order to work properly. But there a large number of obstacles to such mobility. A research team led by Jennifer L. M. Rupp of the Technical University of Munich (TUM) and Harry L. Tuller of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have now shown for the first time that light can be used to increase the mobility of ions and improve the performance of such devices.
Physics - Materials Science - 14.03.2022
Physics - Materials Science - 10.03.2022
Physics - Materials Science - 04.03.2022 
How X-Rays Can Make Better Batteries
A Q&A with two scientists gearing up to fight climate change with next-gen batteries Over a three-month period, the average car in the U.S. produces one metric ton of carbon dioxide.
Materials Science - Innovation - 04.03.2022
Materials Science - Career - 23.02.2022
Materials Science - Innovation - 23.02.2022
Innovation - Materials Science - 23.02.2022
Materials Science - Environment - 21.02.2022
Physics - Materials Science - 14.02.2022 
’Exciton surfing’ could enable next-gen energy, computing and communications tech
A charge-neutral information carrier could cut energy waste from computing, now that it can potentially be transported within chips A quasiparticle that forms in semiconductors can now be moved around at room temperature, a University of Michigan-led study has shown. The finding could cool down computers, enabling faster speeds and higher efficiencies, and potentially make LEDs and solar panels more efficient.
Astronomy / Space Science - Materials Science - 11.02.2022 
Manchester satellite program wins national engineering award
Technical advances made through The University of Manchester led DISCOVERER project to create new generation satellites capable of operating at a lower orbit have been honoured at The Engineer's Collaborate to Innovate (C2I) awards.
Electroengineering - Materials Science - 09.02.2022
Materials Science - Innovation - 08.02.2022 
Building lean pays off
Super-insulating materials such as aerogels are expensive. At the same time, they offer a powerful advantage: the thinner the insulation of a building, the larger its usable area.
Materials Science - 02.02.2022 
New record signals bright future for solar tech
Researchers at The Australian National University (ANU) have broken their own record to create a more efficient solar cell. The study, led by Dr Jun Peng, focused on 1cm 2 solar cells made with perovskites - a family of materials with a specific crystal structure. Perovskite solar cells have the potential to be made more cheaply and simply than other solar cells, as well as to produce more power in a given area.
Physics - Materials Science - 31.01.2022 
Carbon nanomaterials for future quantum technologies
Twelve years of intense work are now bearing fruit - researchers at Empa have developed unique carbon materials with quite astonishing, hitherto unattained electronic and magnetic properties, which one day could be used to build quantum computers with novel architectures.
Materials Science - Innovation - 26.01.2022
Materials Science - Physics - 26.01.2022
Materials Science - 18.01.2022
Innovation - Materials Science - 13.01.2022
Physics - Materials Science - 13.01.2022 
Nanostructures get complex with electron equivalents
Complex crystals that mimic metals-including a structure for which there is no natural equivalent-can be achieved with a new approach to guiding nanoparticle self-assembly. Rather than just nanoparticles that serve as "atom equivalents,” the crystals produced and interpreted by Northwestern University, University of Michigan and Argonne National Laboratory rely on even smaller particles that simulate electrons.
Materials Science - Health - 12.01.2022
Environment - Materials Science - 12.01.2022
Materials Science - Chemistry - 12.01.2022 
1,000-cycle lithium-sulfur battery could quintuple electric vehicle ranges
A new biologically inspired battery membrane has enabled a battery with five times the capacity of the industry-standard lithium ion design to run for the thousand-plus cycles needed to power an electric car.
Materials Science - Environment - 07.01.2022
Materials Science - Innovation - 06.01.2022
Materials Science - Innovation - 04.01.2022
Materials Science - Environment - 04.01.2022 
Ecological coating for Bananas
Empa and Lidl Switzerland have jointly developed a cellulose protective coating for fruit and vegetables. The novel coating is made from so-called pomace - squeezed fruit and vegetable peels. The innovative project can reduce packaging and prevent food waste. Plastic packaging in grocery stores protects fruits and vegetables from spoilage, but also creates significant amounts of waste.
Materials Science - Health - 22.12.2021
Materials Science - Environment - 20.12.2021 
Multifunctional construction elements lower buildings' energy needs
Engineers at EPFL have studied the use of construction slabs that serve both as structural building elements and floor heating systems.
Environment - Materials Science - 17.12.2021
Materials Science - Innovation - 15.12.2021 
Building lean pays off
Super-insulating materials such as aerogels are expensive. At the same time, they offer a powerful advantage: the thinner the insulation of a building, the larger its usable area.
Materials Science - Economics / Business - 15.12.2021 
Silence on the tracks
Noise barriers or improved wheel systems and brakes that are less noisy are not the only ways to reduce railway noise for close-by residents. An inconspicuous component under the tracks is a source of hope for a research team including scientists. Railway noise is unhealthy. Hundreds of millions of Swiss francs have already been invested in noise barriers, quieter braking systems and other measures with the goal to protect at least 80 percent of the Swiss population from emissions by the year 2025 - but because railway traffic will continue to increase, a lot remains to be done.
Materials Science - Health - 15.12.2021 
In the heat of the wound
A bandage that releases medication as soon as an infection starts in a wound could treat injuries more efficiently. researchers are currently working on polymer fibers that soften as soon as the environment heats up due to an infection, thereby releasing antimicrobial drugs. It is not possible to tell from the outside whether a wound will heal without problems under the dressing or whether bacteria will penetrate the injured tissue and ignite an inflammation.
Materials Science - Health - 15.12.2021
Materials Science - Health - 14.12.2021 
A polymer patch for the abdominal cavity
Operations on the digestive tract involve particularly high risks. To enable wounds on the intestinal wall to be sealed tightly in the future, Empa researcher Alexandre Anthis has developed a patch that prevents dangerous leaks.
Materials Science
Results 101 - 150 of 759.
Empa's Annual Report 2021 leads you on a gripping journey through the world of research and innovation; you may be surprised at how broad the term "applied research" is defined at Empa.
How do I store more, and better? This summarizes the challenge of transporting flammable gases. To ensure industrial safety, these gases must be handled at defined temperature and pressure conditions that do not allow for optimal storage and release cycles.
Q&A: Making Earth-friendly electronics
The very components that make electronics fast and easy to use also make their disposal an environmental nightmare.
The very components that make electronics fast and easy to use also make their disposal an environmental nightmare.
The Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre's ecosystem for industrial engagement continues to grow with more Tier 2 partners being added to the roster in recent weeks, while existing partners have also committed to the facility by renewing terms for another year.
Chemist Sara Thoi discusses her research and what drives her to find new materials and systems for renewable energy Sara Thoi has been interested in sustainability since a high school science fair in
As head of Empa's Electron Microscopy Center, Rolf Erni has to balance many tasks: negotiating industrial contracts, promoting young scientists, teaching, supporting researchers at other Empa labs.
The research project CircuBAT aims to create a circular business model for the production, application and recycling of lithium-ion batteries used for mobility purposes. Seven Swiss research institutions and 24 companies are joining forces to look for ways to boost sustainability in all stages of a battery's life cycle.
Airports are busy, especially during the winter. As passengers wait to board, delays get longer when airplanes need to be dowsed with thousands of gallons of deicing fluids that help them fight the frigid winter.
EPFL has joined six other Swiss research institutions in CircuBAT, an initiative selected for the first Innosuisse Flagship program, in order to develop a circular business model for lithium-ion batteries.
The "FuncHeal" project of the University of Jena has been awarded funding by the German Research Foundation worth more than 3.5 million euros over the next four years.
Flat batteries could be a thing of the past thanks to lithium-ion battery nanotechnology developed by The University of Queensland.
Lithium-ion batteries, fuel cells and many other devices depend on the high mobility of ions in order to work properly. But there a large number of obstacles to such mobility. A research team led by Jennifer L. M. Rupp of the Technical University of Munich (TUM) and Harry L. Tuller of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have now shown for the first time that light can be used to increase the mobility of ions and improve the performance of such devices.
A Q&A with two scientists gearing up to fight climate change with next-gen batteries Over a three-month period, the average car in the U.S. produces one metric ton of carbon dioxide.
A charge-neutral information carrier could cut energy waste from computing, now that it can potentially be transported within chips A quasiparticle that forms in semiconductors can now be moved around at room temperature, a University of Michigan-led study has shown. The finding could cool down computers, enabling faster speeds and higher efficiencies, and potentially make LEDs and solar panels more efficient.
Technical advances made through The University of Manchester led DISCOVERER project to create new generation satellites capable of operating at a lower orbit have been honoured at The Engineer's Collaborate to Innovate (C2I) awards.
Biodegradable microchips could help reduce electronic waste
A new research project is setting out to find a solution to the growing problem of electronic waste by creating the world's first controlled degradable integrated circuits. Researchers from the University of Glasgow's James Watt School of Engineering have won a £1.5m grant from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) for the project.
A new research project is setting out to find a solution to the growing problem of electronic waste by creating the world's first controlled degradable integrated circuits. Researchers from the University of Glasgow's James Watt School of Engineering have won a £1.5m grant from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) for the project.
Super-insulating materials such as aerogels are expensive. At the same time, they offer a powerful advantage: the thinner the insulation of a building, the larger its usable area.
Researchers at The Australian National University (ANU) have broken their own record to create a more efficient solar cell. The study, led by Dr Jun Peng, focused on 1cm 2 solar cells made with perovskites - a family of materials with a specific crystal structure. Perovskite solar cells have the potential to be made more cheaply and simply than other solar cells, as well as to produce more power in a given area.
Twelve years of intense work are now bearing fruit - researchers at Empa have developed unique carbon materials with quite astonishing, hitherto unattained electronic and magnetic properties, which one day could be used to build quantum computers with novel architectures.
New Loqski glass fibre ski lock to keep your skis safe this season
With winter being the ski season many skiers will be off on holiday, possibly taking their own expensive skis When leaving your skis for a break from the slopes they-re at risk of being taken intenti
With winter being the ski season many skiers will be off on holiday, possibly taking their own expensive skis When leaving your skis for a break from the slopes they-re at risk of being taken intenti
Complex crystals that mimic metals-including a structure for which there is no natural equivalent-can be achieved with a new approach to guiding nanoparticle self-assembly. Rather than just nanoparticles that serve as "atom equivalents,” the crystals produced and interpreted by Northwestern University, University of Michigan and Argonne National Laboratory rely on even smaller particles that simulate electrons.
A new biologically inspired battery membrane has enabled a battery with five times the capacity of the industry-standard lithium ion design to run for the thousand-plus cycles needed to power an electric car.
Empa and Lidl Switzerland have jointly developed a cellulose protective coating for fruit and vegetables. The novel coating is made from so-called pomace - squeezed fruit and vegetable peels. The innovative project can reduce packaging and prevent food waste. Plastic packaging in grocery stores protects fruits and vegetables from spoilage, but also creates significant amounts of waste.
Coating surfaces with a thin layer of copper has the potential to kill the virus causing COVID-19 faster
Preparing for an online start to the winter term: for more information. Engineering research team tested coatings that were 1,000 times thinner than a human hair Researchers have discovered that using a thin-film coating of copper or copper compounds on surfaces could enhance copper's ability to inactivate or destroy the SARS-CoV-2 virus responsible for COVID-19.
Preparing for an online start to the winter term: for more information. Engineering research team tested coatings that were 1,000 times thinner than a human hair Researchers have discovered that using a thin-film coating of copper or copper compounds on surfaces could enhance copper's ability to inactivate or destroy the SARS-CoV-2 virus responsible for COVID-19.
Engineers at EPFL have studied the use of construction slabs that serve both as structural building elements and floor heating systems.
’Lithium will not decarbonise our world’
Are rechargeable batteries that are high in energy density a promising tool to tackle climate change? They can make our transport cleaner, for example.
Are rechargeable batteries that are high in energy density a promising tool to tackle climate change? They can make our transport cleaner, for example.
Super-insulating materials such as aerogels are expensive. At the same time, they offer a powerful advantage: the thinner the insulation of a building, the larger its usable area.
Noise barriers or improved wheel systems and brakes that are less noisy are not the only ways to reduce railway noise for close-by residents. An inconspicuous component under the tracks is a source of hope for a research team including scientists. Railway noise is unhealthy. Hundreds of millions of Swiss francs have already been invested in noise barriers, quieter braking systems and other measures with the goal to protect at least 80 percent of the Swiss population from emissions by the year 2025 - but because railway traffic will continue to increase, a lot remains to be done.
A bandage that releases medication as soon as an infection starts in a wound could treat injuries more efficiently. researchers are currently working on polymer fibers that soften as soon as the environment heats up due to an infection, thereby releasing antimicrobial drugs. It is not possible to tell from the outside whether a wound will heal without problems under the dressing or whether bacteria will penetrate the injured tissue and ignite an inflammation.
Operations on the digestive tract involve particularly high risks. To enable wounds on the intestinal wall to be sealed tightly in the future, Empa researcher Alexandre Anthis has developed a patch that prevents dangerous leaks.
Research management - Today
ERC Consolidator Grants for research on 'politics of the periphery' in Latin America and medieval social norms
ERC Consolidator Grants for research on 'politics of the periphery' in Latin America and medieval social norms
Research management - Today
Sabine van Rijt receives prestigious ERC Grant for her research on biomaterials
Sabine van Rijt receives prestigious ERC Grant for her research on biomaterials
Social Sciences - Today
Analysis: Ukraine war - attitudes to women in the military are changing as thousands serve
Analysis: Ukraine war - attitudes to women in the military are changing as thousands serve
Law - Today
Aristea Koukiadaki awarded ¤2m by the ERC for research on remedies in comparative labour law
Aristea Koukiadaki awarded ¤2m by the ERC for research on remedies in comparative labour law
Health - Today
University of Glasgow to lead international effort to advance cancer care and research
University of Glasgow to lead international effort to advance cancer care and research
Agronomy - Today
Cambridge-led consortium receives $35m to boost crop production sustainably in sub-Saharan Africa
Cambridge-led consortium receives $35m to boost crop production sustainably in sub-Saharan Africa
Social Sciences - Jan 30
Injustice remains: 48-year-old women's prison documentary shows how little has changed
Injustice remains: 48-year-old women's prison documentary shows how little has changed