Coatings & Adhesives

Building Magnetically Responsive Robots and Materials

A lollipop gripper is one demonstration of a new type of soft magnetic hydrogel developed by engineers at MIT and their collaborators at EPFL in Switzerland and the University of Cincinnati. The MIT team reports on a new method to print and fabricate the gel, which can be made into complex, magnetically activated three-dimensional structures. Read on to learn more.

How Electroadhesion Can Hold Materials Together

Is there a way to stick hard and soft materials together without any tape, glue, or epoxy? A new study published in ACS Central Science shows that applying a small voltage to certain objects forms chemical bonds that securely link the objects together. Read on to learn more.

A Shield for the Next Generation: Lithium Batteries Get a Major Upgrade

Researchers found a silver coating that toughens the surface of an electrolyte fivefold against fracturing from mechanical pressure. It also makes existing imperfections much less vulnerable to lithium burrowing inside, especially during fast recharging.

New Products

See the new products, including Plasmatreat's HydroPlasma, a solution for the removal of stubborn contaminants from glass and metal surfaces; TDK Corporation's 3000-watt TDK-Lambda brand HWS3000G programmable AC-DC power supplies; Zircotec's new range of proprietary ceramic coatings; Thermo Fisher Scientific's expanded solutions for battery manufacturers; and more.

This Paint Can Cool Buildings Without Energy Input

Researchers at the University of Sydney and start-up Dewpoint Innovations have developed a nanoengineered polymer paint-like coating that can passively cool buildings and capture water directly from the air — all without energy input.

Aerogel Art Attracts Attention

NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory perfected aerogel for the Stardust mission. Now this comet-catching NASA technology is enabling Greek artist to create exotic works of art.

Dust-Powered 3D Printing

AI SpaceFactory sells 3D printers informed by its work on Marshall Space Flight Center’s Centennial Challenge, which the company won with print material containing crushed basalt similar to ground cover on Mars.

Spray Drying Tech Used in Instant Coffee Applied to High-Capacity Battery Production

The Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute (KERI) and the Korea Institute of Materials Science have jointly developed spray drying technology-based high-performance dry electrode manufacturing technology for the realization of high-capacity secondary batteries. Read on to learn more.

Test Your Knowledge of Solid-State Batteries

Solid-state battery technology offers several major advantages but also presents some engineering challenges. Test your knowledge of solid-state batteries in this quiz.

Extreme Environments, Precise Solutions: Technologies Enabling Space Vehicles Advancement

John Mark, Space & Defense Business Manager, Omniseal Solutions, is the guest on this sponsored interview episode of the Aerospace & Defense Technology podcast to explain the role that advanced materials and sealing technologies provide in space vehicles.

How MXenes Can Improve Air Filtration

An interdisciplinary team of researchers has introduced a new way to improve textile-based filters by coating them with a type of two-dimensional nanomaterial called MXene.

Power Line Test Bed Energizes Technologies for Increasing Grid Capacity

As population growth and extreme temperatures strain the United States power grid, utilities and equipment manufacturers are looking for ways to increase the amount of...

Leveraging the Plasma Pen for Solving Complex Adhesion Challenges

By leveraging plasma pen technology into inline processes, manufacturers can achieve stronger, more reliable bonds, improved wettability, and enhanced performance across various materials. Read on to learn more about what this means.

NASA’s Electric Thrusters Keep Commercial Satellites on the Clock

NASA’s advancements in materials research for ion thrusters enabled Orbion Space Technology to bring high-efficiency ion thrusters to the commercial satellite industry.

Large Format Windows: From Material to Mission

Defense applications, in particular, are always tasked with the balancing act that optimizes size, weight, power, and cost (SWaP-C) efficiencies when specifying new equipment. The challenge is how to balance beneficial trade-offs for optimal performance. Read on to learn more.

Looking to Kirigami to Shape Modern Wireless Technology

Researchers showed how kirigami — a variation of origami — can transform a single sheet of acetate coated with conductive MXene ink into a flexible 3D microwave antenna whose transmission frequency can be adjusted simply by pulling or squeezing to slightly shift its shape.

3D-Printed Engines Propel Next Industrial Revolution

The new possibility of 3D-printed aluminum engine parts will mean significant savings for NASA in terms of time, money, and, most importantly, the weight of future spacecraft. Elementum 3D Inc., a partner on the project, is now bringing the benefits of that technology to its customers.

Coating Hides Temperature Change from Infrared Cameras

If the outside of clothing or a vehicle were covered with the coating, an infrared camera would have a harder time distinguishing what is underneath. Read on to learn what this means.

Manufacturing & Materials Finalist: RHOBARR™ Barrier Dispersions Platform

Meet Allyson Marianelli, Lead Researcher at Dow, whose RHOBARR™ Barrier Dispersions Platform is a Manufacturing & Materials Finalist.