Materials & Manufacturing

Materials & Coatings

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Access the technical resources for a range of materials and coatings. Design engineers can browse news, technical briefs, and applications for plastics, composites, rubbers, elastomers, and metals.

INSIDER: Medical
New Skin Patch Brings Us Closer to Wearable All-In-One Health Monitor
INSIDER: Connectivity
This Advance May Enable 2D Transistors for Tinier Microchip Components
INSIDER: Energy
Inexpensive Tin Packs a Big Punch for the Future of Supercapacitors
INSIDER: Energy
Compound Normally Found in Candles Lights the Way to Grid-Scale Energy Storage
INSIDER: Materials
Nanoscale Defects Could Boost Energy Storage Materials
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Top Stories

INSIDER: Imaging

Ultra-Thin Terahertz Source Paves the the Way to Next Generation of...

Videos: Manufacturing & Prototyping

Solid Rocket Motor Factory in a Box

Videos: Motion Control

'LOLA' Robot Uses Arms for Balance

Blog: Mechanical & Fluid Systems

A Robotic 'Digger Finger' Senses Buried Items

Blog: Energy

With 'Ghost'-Like Physics, Optical Rectennas Generate Power from Wasted...

INSIDER: Energy

Inexpensive Tin Packs a Big Punch for the Future of Supercapacitors

Latest Briefs & News

White Papers: Automotive
Viton™ Fluoroelastomers: A Material That Will Go the Distance

Growing demands for durability in electric vehicle (EV) engineering has made material selection for high-voltage power cables more critical than ever. We’ve done the research...

Blog: Sensors/Data Acquisition
'Self-Aware' Sensing Material Powers Itself
A "self-aware," self-powering material can be used in heart stents, bridges, and even space.
White Papers: Materials
Viton™ Fluoroelastomers: Selecting The Right Elastomer Makes All The Difference

As innovations in automotive design lead to hotter-running engines and increasingly challenging environments, under-the-hood material selection for...

Briefs: Robotics, Automation & Control
Nanosized Foldable Robots
The machines fold themselves within 100 milliseconds and can flatten and refold thousands of times.
Technology Leaders: Test & Measurement
Smart Batteries Include Force and Pressure Sensing
Ultra-thin piezoresistive sensors can be used in both R&D and as embedded components to develop safer, longer-lasting lithium-ion battery technologies.
Briefs: Electronics & Computers
Large Integrated Circuits Produced in a Printing Press
Complete integrated circuits with more than 1,000 organic electrochemical transistors can be screen-printed.
Briefs: AR/AI
AI System Discovers New Material
The algorithm identified a new compound potentially useful for photonic devices and biologically inspired computers.
Briefs: Transportation
Nanotransistors Stay Cool at High Voltages
The transistors enable power converters to perform at substantially improved efficiencies, especially in high-power applications.
Application Briefs: Transportation
Airless Alloy Tire Has NASA Roots
The SuperElastic Tire — a NASA Glenn innovation — can be used on both Earth and Mars.
Facility Focus: Photonics/Optics
Facility Focus: University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley’s academic research reflects pressing global challenges in the areas of health, energy, and the environment.
Briefs: Materials
Polymer-Based Electrical Insulation for Circuits
The new material could help put more power in smaller microchips.
Briefs: Imaging
Biodegradable Displays for Sustainable Electronics
Thanks to its flexibility and adhesion, the biodegradable display can be worn directly on the hand.
Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems
Mode I Fracture Testing Apparatus
The device uses load frames to test bonded structures in aerospace, automotive, defense, and energy storage applications.
5 Ws: Mechanical & Fluid Systems
5 Ws of the Sunlight-Powered Water Filter
The invention could help solve the problem of providing clean water off the grid or where low-cost, non-powered water purification is needed.
Briefs: Test & Measurement
Smartphone-Based Medical Tests
A smartphone, combined with nanoscale porous silicon, enables inexpensive, simple, home diagnostics.
Briefs: Photonics/Optics
Using Neural Networks for Faster X-Ray Imaging
Artificial intelligence is used to decode X-ray images faster, which could aid innovations in medicine, materials, and energy.
Briefs: Materials
New Process Breaks Down Polystyrene

Due to the chemical stability and durability of industrial polymers, plastic waste does not easily degrade in landfills and is often burned, which produces carbon dioxide and other hazardous gases. In...

Articles: Imaging
Products of Tomorrow: June 2021
Head-up displays, health-monitoring sensors from NASA, and a pollen sponge.
Briefs: Sensors/Data Acquisition
Fully Recyclable Printed Electronics
Nearly 100% of all-carbon-based transistors are reclaimed while retaining future functionality of the materials.
Briefs: Materials
High-Capacity Optical Data Storage Disk
Using gold nanomaterials, this disk can hold data securely for more than 600 years.
Articles: Manufacturing & Prototyping
Linear Bearings: What You Need to Know
Learn the distinct forms that linear bearings take, and where the bearings are being used today.
Blog: Materials
Researchers Make 3D-Printable Jelly (For Robots, Not Toast)
A better aerogel features a kind of biological scaffold made from a surprising ingredient found in nature: seaweed.
Question of the Week: Materials
Will Metal-Free Batteries Catch On?

Our lead story today highlighted a metal-free battery that degrades on demand. While a cobalt-less battery has its sustainability benefits, more work will need to be done for the Texas A&M-developed technology to compete with the lithium-ion standard.

Blog: Manufacturing & Prototyping
Metal-Free Battery Degrades on Demand
A team from Texas A&M developed a battery that's metal-free and replaces cobalt with organic, recyclable materials.
Question of the Week: Materials
Will ‘Living Materials’ Catch On?

Our lead story today highlighted the possible applications for a "living material" made from microalgae and cellulose.

Blog: Manufacturing & Prototyping
How to Design an Antiviral Surface for the COVID-19 Era
By adjusting a surface's wettability and texture, IIT Bombay researchers demonstrate how to best limit the spread of coronavirus.
Blog: Materials
A 'Living Material' of Microalgae Offers New Ideas, From Energy to Fashion
An international team used 3D printers and a novel bioprinting technique to print algae into living, photosynthetic materials that are tough and resilient.
White Papers: Electronics & Computers
Customized Silicone Solutions for EV Battery Packs and Electronic Components

Achieve your design requirements with CHT’s silicone series of 1-part adhesives, potting compounds, encapsulants, and gels to seal and protect sensitive...

Articles: Photonics/Optics
Harnessing SWIR Line Scan Imaging Technology
Learn about the benefits of SWIR imaging, from food inspection to surveillance.

Webcasts

Tech Talks: Robotics, Automation & Control

Developing Realistic Scenes to Enable Virtual Automated Driving Testing

Upcoming Webinars: Defense

Unmanned Aircraft Technology

Upcoming Webinars: Test & Measurement

Reducing Battery Thermal Runaway Risks Through Testing and...

Upcoming Webinars: RF & Microwave Electronics

Component Level Test Methodology for Phased Array Antennas

Webinars: Medical

Turning Vision into Reality: How Advanced Performance Materials...

Upcoming Webinars: Motion Control

Auto, Aero and Defense Electrification: Optimizing Induction...

Trending Stories

Briefs: Wearables

Tattoo Made of Gold Nanoparticles Revolutionizes Medical Diagnostics

INSIDER: Energy

Compound Normally Found in Candles Lights the Way to Grid-Scale Energy Storage

Articles: Test & Measurement

The Modern Industrial Workhorse: PID Controllers

NASA Spinoff: Aerospace

Nanotechnology Repairs Engine Damage in Cars

Briefs: Materials

Low-Density Titanium-Based Bulk Metallic Glasses with High Glass-Forming Ability

Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems

Tool for Inspecting Alignment of Twinaxial Connectors

Videos