Materials & Coatings

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.

Bubble Bots: Simple Biocompatible Microrobots Autonomously Target Tumors

The potential of microrobots is enormous. These miniature objects can be designed to carry out actions within the body, such as sensing biomarkers, manipulating...

How Much Do You Know About LEDs?

LEDs are pretty much the only lighting game in town these days. How much do you know about them?

Products of Tomorrow

See the products of tomorrow, including a bio-mimetic, light-powered soft lens that mimics the human eye’s ability to refocus and adjust to varying light conditions; a new material for insulating windows that could improve the energy efficiency of buildings worldwide; and more.

Meet ULIS: A Power Module with Unprecedented Efficiency, Power Density, and Manufacturability Cost

Global energy demands are surging, pushed by energy-intensive data centers powering artificial intelligence and increased manufacturing. How will the world meet these rising energy needs? Read on to find out about one way!

Understanding the Pseudogap

Physicists have uncovered a link between magnetism and a mysterious phase of matter called the pseudogap, which appears in certain quantum materials just above the temperature at which they become superconducting.

Making Tungsten Carbide a More Viable Alternative

Marc Porosoff, Associate Professor, University of Rochester, Department of Chemical and Sustainability Engineering, and his collaborators recently achieved several key advancements to make tungsten carbide a more viable alternative to platinum in chemical reactions.

A Stretchable OLED that Can Maintain Most of Its Luminescence

An international collaboration has developed a flexible and stretchable OLED that could put the technology on track for new applications.

Products of Tomorrow

See the products of tomorrow, including a new nanoscale optical device that works at room temperature to entangle the spin of photons (particles of light) and electrons to achieve quantum communication; a dust sensor for use in space environments; and more.

Holey Carbon Allotropes

Researchers at NASA have developed new methods to manufacture carbon materials (e.g., nanotubes, graphene) with holes through the graphitic surface of the particles. The methods generate materials with increased accessible surface area, increased functional groups at damage sites, and improved through-surface molecular transport properties.

New Material Significantly Enhances Green Hydrogen Production Efficiency

Researchers in Korea have successfully developed a new material that significantly enhances the efficiency of green hydrogen production while reducing costs. Read on to learn more about it.

An Autonomous, Programmable Computer in the Form of an Elastic Fiber

MIT researchers have developed an autonomous programmable computer in the form of an elastic fiber, which could monitor health conditions and physical activity, alerting the wearer to potential health risks in real-time. Read on to learn more.

Building a New 3D Material with DNA

In two papers, one released in Nature Materials and a second in ACS Nano, researchers describe a new methodology for fabricating targeted 3D nanoscale structures via self-assembly that can find use in a variety of applications, and they provide a design algorithm for others to follow suit. And it’s all based on the most basic biomolecular building blocks: DNA. Read on to learn more.

Octopus-Inspired Tech Can Operate Underwater

Using mechanisms inspired by nature to create new technological innovations is a signature of one Virginia Tech research team. The group led by Associate Professor Michael Bartlett has created an octopus-inspired adhesive, inspired by the shape of octopus suckers, that can quickly grab and controllably release challenging underwater objects. Read on to learn more about it.

Engineering a Coating for Bacteria-Free Produce

Dr. Mustafa Akbulut, Professor of Chemical engineering, has teamed up with Horticultural Science Professor Luis Cisneros-Zevallos to engineer longer-lasting, bacteria-free produce. Read on to learn more about it.

New Membrane Technology to Extract Lithium from Water

To help meet surging demand and possible supply chain problems, scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory have developed an innovative membrane technology that efficiently extracts lithium from water. Read on to learn more.

Engineers Find New Ways to Connect Concrete Pieces for More Resilient Buildings

Researchers have developed five new ways to securely connect large concrete pieces. These connection methods are intended for a type of material called “precast concrete,” in which parts such as beams and columns are made in a factory and assembled later at a construction site. Read on to learn more.

Meet ReSURF: An Ultrafast, Stretchable, Self-Healing, Recyclable Sensing Device

Clean, safe water is vital for human health and well-being. However, detecting contamination quickly and accurately remains a major challenge in many parts of the world. A groundbreaking new device developed by researchers at the National University of Singapore has the potential to significantly advance water quality monitoring and management. Read on to learn more.

Ultrasound Waves Move Objects Hands-Free

University of Minnesota Twin Cities researchers have discovered a new method to move objects using ultrasound waves, which opens the door for using contactless manipulation in industries in which devices wouldn’t need a built-in power source to move. Read on to learn more.