Materials & Manufacturing

Products of Tomorrow

See the products of tomorrow, including a new type of optical receiver able to restore chaotic signals in free-space optical communication links distorted by atmospheric turbulence; a battery that can take any shape; and a new technology for an aircraft configuration that utilizes a strut/truss-braced oblique variable-sweep wing mounted on a constant cross-section geometry fuselage.

A New Method to Design Better Metallic Materials

In a new study, researchers from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign reported that automated high-resolution electron imaging can capture the nanoscale deformation events that lead to metal failure and breakage at the origin of metal failure. Read on to learn more.

Carbon Fiber-Carbon Nanotube Yarn Hybrid Reinforcement

Innovators at the NASA Glenn Research Center have developed a toughened hybrid reinforcement material made from carbon fiber and carbon nanotube (CNT) yarn for use in polymer matrix composites (PMCs). The new material improves toughness and damping properties of PMCs, enhancing impact resistance, fatigue life, as well as structural longevity. Read on to learn more.

Soft Sensing, Self-Healing Materials for Robotic Hands and Arms

These materials can detect when they are damaged, take the necessary steps to temporarily heal themselves, and then resume work.

Single-Step 3D-Printing Process to Build Robots

The piezoelectric “meta-bot” is capable of propulsion, movement, sensing, and decision-making.

Fast-Charging, Long-Running, Bendable Supercapacitor

This technology has potential as a portable power supply in several applications, including electric vehicles, cellphones, and wearable technology.

Ultra-Sensitive Sensor with Gold Nanoparticle Array

Researchers have developed a new type of sensor platform using a gold nanoparticle array. The sensor is made up of a series of gold disk-shaped nanoparticles on a glass slide. When an infrared laser is pointed at a precise arrangement of the particles, they start to emit unusual amounts of ultraviolet light. Read on to learn more.

Gaining a Competitive Edge with Functionally Integrated Components

Machine builders are under intense pressure to keep engineering time in line with shorter delivery schedules and materials, assembly, and inventory cost considerations. Machine builders are also striving to make equipment smaller, lighter, higher-performing, and easier for their customers to maintain. While functionally integrated products have been available for a long time, they are more vital today than ever. And there are more options available to provide solutions. Read on to learn more.

How SmartCap Uses AI-Powered Robots to Manufacture Steel Truck Cap Systems

For the team at SmartCap, building top-notch gear for outdoor adventurers isn’t just a business — it’s a passion driven by their own love for the wild. But as demand for their rugged, modular truck caps soared after their move to North America in 2022, they hit a snag: How do you ramp up production without sacrificing the meticulous quality you are known for, all while navigating a tough labor market? Their answer? Read on to find out.

Wire Feed Laser Welding for Battery Pack Aluminum Enclosure Manufacture in EVs

Lightweight aluminum is a top choice for designing and manufacturing battery pack enclosures due to its durability and ability to enhance vehicle performance. While welding 6000-series aluminum alloys can be challenging, advanced methods like laser welding with filler wire effectively create strong, airtight joints while addressing issues like porosity and cracking. Read on to learn more.

New Products

See the new products, including Intellias' “Smart Charging Portable Kit,” a comprehensive solution accelerator designed to address the most pressing challenges in the EV charging sector; Marposs' solutions for testing prismatic battery cells; a new Lithium Manganese Iron Phosphate (LMFP) cathode active material developed by Integrals Power; and more.

Better Texture for Better Batteries

To create the new batteries needed for EVs, mobile devices, and renewable energy storage, researchers have explored new materials, new designs, new configurations, and new chemistry. But one aspect — the texture of the metals used — has been historically overlooked. Read on to learn more.

A Successful Catalyst Design for Advanced Zinc-Iodine Batteries

Aqueous zinc-ion batteries have attracted extensive attention due to their high safety, abundant reserves, and environmental friendliness. However, the low electrical conductivity of iodine hinders the redox conversion for an efficient energy storage process with zinc. Read on to learn how a research team addressed the existing issues in Zn-I2 batteries.

Leading the Charge to Better Batteries

A team led by Kelsey Hatzell, Associate Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering and the Andlinger Center for Energy and the Environment, has uncovered insights that could help power a new type of battery, called an anode-free solid-state battery, past lithium-ion’s limitations.

Researchers Develop Efficient Lithium Extraction Method, Setting Stage for Sustainable EV Battery Supply Chains

In the race to meet the growing global demand for lithium, a team of researchers from Rice University’s Elimelech lab has developed a breakthrough lithium extraction method that could reshape the industry. Read on to learn more about it.

A Path to Safer, High-Energy Electric Vehicle Batteries

This research has far-reaching implications, offering a path to safer, more efficient batteries that can support the growing demand for electric vehicles. As the world moves towards cleaner energy solutions, these advancements are crucial for making EVs more viable and attractive for consumers. Read on to learn more.

Advanced Microelectronics: Why A Next-Gen Semiconductor Doesn’t Fall to Pieces

The mechanism holding new ferroelectric semiconductors together produces a conductive pathway that could enable high power transistors. A new class of...

Soft Robot Can Carry Cargo Up and Down Steep Aerial Wires

Researchers have created a light-powered soft robot that can carry loads through the air along established tracks, similar to cable cars or aerial trams. The soft robot operates...

Remotely Moving Objects Underwater Using Sound

Sound can do more than just provide a nice beat. Sound waves have been used for everything from mapping the seafloor to breaking apart kidney stones. Thanks to a unique material structure,...

How Compressed Air Led to a Battery Breakthrough

Our current battery industry needs to be re-energized. The decades-old technology isn’t always the ideal match for some of our recent advancements, like EVs, or for more extreme environments. Fortunately, some companies are charging up potentially ground-breaking ideas. Read on to learn more.

Origami-Inspired…Ceramics?!?

In a breakthrough that blends ancient design with modern materials science, researchers at the University of Houston have developed a new class of ceramic structures that can bend under pressure — without breaking.