HEADLINES ARCHIVE
Surface-protective films in alternative energy
High-durability, surface-protective films are a key technology in maintaining the performance, life and appearance of wind, solar, fuel cell and other alternative energy equipment that is exposed to weathering, dirt build-up and other sources of damage.
Detecting norovirus with a smartphone
Taking expensive diagnostics out of the lab, the team devised a low-cost, water quality device to detect norovirus in the field.
Wooden chips shrink medical device environmental footprint
Wood has been demonstrated as an alternative to plastic for one single-use medical device application: microfluidic diagnostics.
Prosthetics produced from plastic water bottles
Researchers are applying recycling technology to the resolution of two modern problems: The abundance of abandoned plastic water bottles and the provision of affordable prosthetics for patients in developing areas.
Scientists are making a plastic alternative from lignocellulose
To develop an alternative to single-use plastic packaging and other plastic waste, a team of scientists from the Physical Chemistry of the Polish Academy of Sciences (IPC PAS) is turning waste into a fully biodegradable plastic alternative.
Video: Extracting rare earth elements from electronic waste
The Department of Energy has developed a process to make recovering materials easier.
Snow brings microplastics to Earth's arctic
Snowfall is now implicated as an agent in the transport and deposition of this durable pollutant.
Researchers develop new thin-film material for color-changing road signs
A collaboration between researchers from Fudan University in China and the University at Buffalo in New York has resulted in the development of a new thin-film material that reflects light in such a way that would call attention to important traffic signs at night.
Desalination membrane based on nanowood
A nanostructured wood membrane was demonstrated to be more efficient relative to petroleum-based plastic membranes commonly used for desalination.
Video: A FRESH approach to 3D bioprinting heart tissue
A technique pioneered at Carnegie Mellon University enables 3D bioprinting of tissue scaffolds based on collagen and offers scope for fabricating a full-sized, adult human heart.
Scientists create vodka with ingredients from Chernobyl Exclusion Zone
After the scientists distilled the rye, the only detectable radioactivity discovered in the alcoholic byproduct was in the form of carbon-14, present in the same amounts as in any other spirit.
How do you minimize bubbles in a two-part epoxy system?
Watch this video demonstration on minimizing air bubbles in a two-component epoxy system.
Minimizing pump cavitation: What is the ideal NSPH margin?
Learn about the damaging phenomenon known as cavitation in pumps and how to avoid it by designing systems with sufficient NSPH margin to provide acceptable pump performance and service life.
Team of engineers and chemists develop artificial tongue for distinguishing among whisky types
Engineers and chemists from Scotland’s University of Glasgow and the University of Strathclyde have developed an artificial tongue to accurately distinguish among a variety of whiskies.
Nano-sized, reactive tubes break down microplastics
Under observation, the team discovered a 30% to 50% reduction in the presence of microplastics after eight hours.
Rust and saltwater: A new renewable energy team
California Institute of Technology and Northwestern University researchers have paired thin films of the degradation product with saltwater to generate electricity.
Getting the lead out of solar cells
A stable, lead-free solar cell semiconductor was identified through data analytics and quantum-mechanical calculations.
Linear bearing corrosion resistance test
What happens when you submerge a recirculating linear ball bearing and a self-lubricating plastic linear bearing from igus in water and vinegar for five days? Watch to find out!
Watch: Viruses self-assemble into antibacterial gel
A hydrogel incorporating billions of bacteriophages forms a material that is not only self-healing but also offers antibacterial services for medical and environmental applications.
Dressing actively contracts to close wounds
An adhesive alginate-based hydrogel is combined with a thermoresponsive polymer that both repels water and shrinks at around 90° F.