Materials & Manufacturing

Browse innovative developments in materials and manufacturing that significantly impact military, medical devices, automotive, and industrial manufacturing. Advances in plastics, metals, and composites are transforming 3D printing and rapid prototyping.

Stories

Question of the Week: Automotive

Will Automotive and Aerospace Industries Adopt Self-Healing Composites?

An INSIDER story this month highlighted how researchers from RPI and the University of Washington have created a composite that reverses fatigue damage — after applying some heat.

Blog: Materials

Biocompatible Adhesive Gel Works Underwater

With some help from mussels and spider silk, a team of researchers has developed a strong, biocompatible adhesive that works well underwater.

Question of the Week: Materials

Will Mars Habitats Be Made from Blood?

Transporting a single brick to Mars is extremely expensive. The high cost presents a challenge for those planning the future construction of a Martian colony.

Blog: Materials

With Help from Heat, A Carbon-Fiber Composite Self-Heals

A team has created a new type of carbon fiber reinforced material that reverses any fatigue damage -- you just need a little heat.

Special Reports: Manufacturing & Prototyping

Medical Manufacturing & Outsourcing - November 2021

In this new report from the editors of Medical Design Briefs and Tech Briefs magazines, discover how the latest advances in 3D printing, machining, molding and more are changing the way...

INSIDER: Lighting

Metal-Halide Perovskite Semiconductors Compete with SilicMetal-Halide Perovskite Semiconductors Compete with Silicon Counterparts for Solar Cells, LEDson Counterparts for Solar Cells, LEDs

Climate change and its consequences are becoming...

INSIDER: Photonics/Optics

Seeing the World Through Different Eyes

Infrared (IR) light is invisible to humans. However, some animals, such as rattlesnakes or bloodsucking bats, can perceive IR radiation and use it to find food. But even for humans, the ability to see...

Blog: Aerospace

A New Idea for Cleaning Up Space Debris: Magnets

Prof. Jake J. Abbott is leading a team that has discovered a way to manipulate orbiting debris with spinning magnets.

Question of the Week: Manufacturing & Prototyping

Can Borophane Beat Graphene?

A Tech Brief in our November issue highlights a new material that’s super-thin and super-strong. By combining hydrogen with an atom-thick sheet of boron known as borophane, researchers from Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) have created a potential alternative to the breakthrough 2D material graphene. The Argonne...

Articles: Materials

Inside Story, November 2021: Momentive Materials in Space, Defense, and Aviation

Thanos Yiagopoulos, Chief Technology Officer of Momentive Performance Materials, discusses how engineers can determine the best product for their application.

Articles: Electronics & Computers

Silicon Carbide Optics for High-Energy Applications

Silicon Carbide (SiC) optics are becoming more and more prevalent in high-energy laser (HEL) designs, and manufacturers must be aware of the potential risks