Materials & Coatings

Access our comprehensive library of technical briefs on materials and coatings, from engineering experts at NASA and government, university, and commercial laboratories.

Briefs: Electronics & Computers

“One-Way” Electronic Devices

These non-reciprocal devices on a compact chip pave the way for applications from two-way wireless to quantum computing.

Briefs: Materials

3D-Printed Soft, Rubbery Brain Implants

This technique may enable speedy, on-demand design of softer, safer neural devices.

Briefs: Manufacturing & Prototyping

Method Turns Nearly any Object into a Data Storage Unit

This technology makes it possible to save extensive data in objects such as shirt buttons, water bottles, or the lenses of glasses and then retrieve it years later.

Briefs: Manufacturing & Prototyping

Laser Inversion Enables Multi-Material 3D Printing

The technique could enable the printing of circuit boards, electromechanical components, and robots.

Briefs: Robotics, Automation & Control

Nanocardboard Aircraft with No Moving Parts

Tiny aircraft that weigh as much as a fruit fly could serve as Martian atmospheric probes.

Briefs: Energy

3D Additive Manufacturing with a High-Power Electron Gun

Applications include rapid prototyping, medical, aerospace, and automotive.

Briefs: Sensors/Data Acquisition

Quantum Switch Turns Metals into Insulators

This approach could engineer quantum materials atom-by-atom for new electronic, magnetic, and sensing applications.

Briefs: Test & Measurement

AI Software Enables Real-Time 3D Printing Quality Assessment

The software assesses the quality of parts in real time, without the need for expensive characterization equipment.

Briefs: Sensors/Data Acquisition

Wavy Surfaces for Better Light Control

This method could impact optical technologies such as smartphone cameras, biosensors, or autonomous vision for robots and self-driving cars.

Briefs: Energy

Perovskite Solar Cells Take the Heat

Perovskites could be the active ingredient that makes the next generation of low-cost, efficient, lightweight, and flexible solar cells.

Briefs: Manufacturing & Prototyping

Fluoride Materials for Extra-Thin Computer Chips

To make electronic components smaller, semiconductor 2D materials are combined with new types of insulator materials.

Briefs: Medical

Soft, Self-Actuated Pump for Mechatronic Devices

A soft hydrogel, driven by an oscillatory chemical reaction, produces an autonomous integrated pump for microfluidic applications.

Briefs: Data Acquisition

Occulter for CubeSat Coronagraph

The instrument has uses in photography where the goal is to image a dim object near a bright one.

Briefs: Manufacturing & Prototyping

Blinking Artificial Human Eye Replica for Disease Modeling and Drug Testing

This eye-on-a-chip can help treatment of dry eye disease.

Briefs: Aerospace

Biomaterial Shields Against Harmful Radiation

A new form of melanin can protect human tissue from X-rays during medical treatment or spaceflight.

Briefs: Materials

Thermally Conductive, Stretchable Rubber Material

This material could be used for artificial muscles that power bio-inspired robots.

Briefs: Nanotechnology

Aerogels Protect Against Electromagnetic Interference

Aerogels based on cellulose nanofibers can effectively shield electromagnetic radiation over a wide frequency range.

Briefs: Sensors/Data Acquisition

Acoustic Monitoring of Laser Welds

Empa researchers were able to demonstrate real-time acoustic monitoring of laser weld seams.

Briefs: Nanotechnology

Spider Silk Can Create Lenses Useful for Biological Imaging

One unexpected application for spider silk is its use in the creation of biocompatible lenses.

Briefs: Sensors/Data Acquisition

T-Ray Camera Speed Boosted a Hundred Times Over

Real-time terahertz imaging with a single-pixel detector.

Briefs: Software

Graphene-Reinforced Carbon Fiber

This high-strength material could be used to improve safety and reduce the cost of producing cars.

Briefs: Robotics, Automation & Control

Nanomaterial Gives Robots Chameleon Skin

Features include unusual color changes and high touch sensitivity.

Briefs: Materials

Liquid-Repelling Substance Works on All Surfaces

The new coating can eliminate complex disinfectant procedures for protective face shields.

Briefs: Wearables

Breathable Electronics for Wearable Technologies

The material was designed specifically for biomedical or wearable technologies, since sweat and volatile organic compounds evaporate away from the skin.