Researchers in Japan have developed a new technique for creating polymers. This discovery is expected to lead to the development of plastics that are more environmentally friendly, heat resistant, and transparent.
Previous research, such as that performed by Nobel laureate Giulio Natta’s group in the 1960s, created polymers using a technique called asymmetric cationic polymerization. However, their group could not
A strain-sensing smart skin developed at Rice University that uses very small structures, carbon nanotubes, to monitor and detect damage in large structures is ready for prime time.
The “strain paint” first revealed by Rice in 2012 uses the fluorescent properties of nanotubes to show when a surface has been deformed by stress.
Now developed as part of a non-contact
In firefighting, the worst flames are the ones you don’t see coming. Amid the chaos of a burning building, it is difficult to notice the signs of impending flashover — a deadly fire phenomenon wherein nearly all combustible items in a room ignite suddenly. Flashover is one of the leading causes of firefighter deaths, but new research suggests that artificial … Read More
Direct air capture technology removes carbon dioxide from the air and compresses it for sequestration or utilization and promises to help us meet net-zero emissions goals. However, the process of direct air capture can be energy and land intensive and expensive. To design a direct air capture process that uses less energy and less land, a multi-disciplinary team outlines a … Read More
When is something more than just the sum of its parts? Alloys show such synergy. Steel, for instance, revolutionized industry by taking iron, adding a little carbon and making an alloy much stronger than either of its components.
Supercomputer simulations are helping scientists discover new types of alloys, called high-entropy alloys. Researchers have used the Stampede2 supercomputer of the Texas
For machines with mechanical elements, friction is an unavoidable enemy. It is a major source of service failure and can reduce the lifespan of any machinery, from bicycles and cars to airplanes and assembly lines.
New research led by the University of Pittsburgh unveils the atomic-scale friction of a single tungsten asperity, or rough edge, in real time, showing atomic
