HEADLINES ARCHIVE
Biosensors Based on Semiconducting Plastics
Semiconducting plastics such as those used in solar cells and flexible electronics may now find biomedical applications. These materials were used by an international team of researchers to design a low-cost sensor that can track concentrations of lactate, glucose and other critical metabolites.
Watch: Blubber-Inspired Wetsuit, People Mover for LAX, Reducing Diesel Emissions
In this week's Engineering360 news brief: a blubber-inspired wetsuit, people mover for LAX, and reducing diesel emissions.
Watch: Mantis Shrimp’s Club Inspires New Tough Material
Researchers from Purdue University, in collaboration with the University of California Riverside, have created a new material inspired by the mantis shrimp’s dactyl club.
Chemists Develop Possible Plastic Alternative That is Biorenewable, Biodegradable
Polymer chemists from Colorado State University are one step closer to developing a biorenewable, biodegradable plastic — a possible alternative to the much-maligned material.
Seattle Set to Ban Plastic Straws, Cutlery Beginning July 1st
Seattle is set to become the first major city in the United States to outlaw plastic straws and utensils with a ban that will go into effect on July 1st.
Fly Ash Strengthens Concrete with Low Carbon Dioxide Footprint
A composite binder made primarily of fly ash, a byproduct of coal-fired power plants, can replace Portland cement in concrete.
New Building Material Made from Rice, Glass and Fungus
Scientists from Australia have created a low-carbon, fire-resistant building material by combining agricultural and industrial waste and binding it with Trametes versicolor, which is a fungus.
How to Select the Right Thermal Coating
Thermal coating, also known as thermal spray coating, is used to treat surfaces and enhance surface characteristics. In essence, it is an engineered coating designed to address specific applications with an emphasis either on specific corrosive species, performance characteristics or specific operating environments. While thermal spray coatings are known as a superior surface treatment, there are numerous types and application methods. The bigger question isn’t if a thermal coating is the best option but what is the best thermal coating for a given application.
Watch: Stretching the Limits with an Electrically Conductive Hydrogel
A metal carbide-hydrogel composite senses, stretches and heals like human skin for use in medicine and robotics.
A New Material for Splitting Water and Storing Solar Energy
Halide double perovskites are deemed promising photocatalytic materials since they absorb visible light better than titanium dioxide.
Blubber-Inspired Wetsuit Coating Allows Divers to Last in Frigid Water for Two to Three Hours
MIT researchers have developed a new wetsuit for rescue teams and Navy SEALs.
Environmentally-friendly Explosive Being Developed by Los Alamos National Laboratory and U.S. Army
Scientists at Los Alamos National Laboratory and the U.S. Army Research Laboratory in Aberdeen, Maryland, have found a less toxic explosive material as a potential replacement for TNT (trinitrotoluene) in various munitions.
New York 'Ices Out' its Rats
New Yorkers have been waging a war on rats since the middle of the 18th century using as its weapon rodenticide. However, officials have added a new, more effective weapon to their arsenal: dry ice.
Chemists Find Greener, Cheaper Method for Producing Medication
Chemists from Princeton University and Merck & Co. Inc. have found a revolutionary way to produce an epilepsy drug with materials that are cheaper, work faster and are more environmentally friendly than the precious metals currently being used.
Plant Gene Shortcut Could be the Key to Producing Effective Biofuels
Researchers from the Center for Bioenergy Innovation (CBI) have found that an amino acid-producing enzyme has another use: producing biofuels.
Video: Recycled Plastic as Raw Material for New Volvos
At least 25 percent of the plastics used in every newly launched Volvo car will be made from recycled material after 2025.
Give 'em Credit: American Express Cards to be Made of Ocean Plastic
The financial services giant is collaborating with Parley, a group devoted to combating marine plastic pollution, to issue American Express Cards fabricated from plastic retrieved from oceans.
Shark Skin-inspired Surfaces Show Antibacterial Activity
An antibacterial material mimicking the diamond-like pattern of shark skin may take a bite out of the rising incidence of bacterial infections.
Watch the Making of 3D Graphene Foam
Rice University researchers created conductive 3D carbon blocks that can be shaped for applications.
Study Reveals Beliefs Held By General Public Concerning Ocean Pollution
Much of the general public assigns blame for the issue of ocean pollution on the government, retailers and industry, according to a study from the University of Plymouth.