HEADLINES ARCHIVE
Containing the heat: Refractory moldables for aluminum smelting applications
Refractory moldable materials provide an alternative approach by creating a durable, conformable thermal barrier that can be shaped to the specific geometry of the application.
US launches program to fast-track next-gen chemical protection suits
The MOF-enabled chemical and biological suits will be directly supplied to U.S. Special Operations Forces personnel operating in environments where exposure to chemical and biological threats is possible.
Simple mouth rinse helps detect signals of stomach and colorectal cancer
The team has determined that analyzing the composition of oral microbes could reveal symptoms linked to both gastric and colorectal cancer, thus leading to the creation of new, less invasive tests to screen for such cancers.
Foldable implant could enable long-term health monitoring under the skin
With its accordion-like design, MiFi is composed of flexible polyimide materials that make it possible for the implant to fold itself into a significantly smaller form for insertion into the body.
Seaweed coating keeps strawberries fresh longer than refrigeration
The seaweed-coated strawberries stayed fresher for longer than refrigerated uncoated berries, thus suggesting the coating could one day reduce produce spoilage and food waste during storage and transport.
Laser detection method could improve counterfeit alcohol screening
The new laser system is capable of detecting toxic methanol present within unopened bottles of alcohol — even through colored glass.
Wearable patch could detect overdose, then deliver lifesaving medication
The wearable microneedle patch, dubbed the iNal patch, can detect fentanyl in the body and automatically deliver naloxone when it senses the drug.
Food waste transformed into membrane with 96.1% greater heat-storage rate, 1,000-cycle lifespan
To develop the membrane, the team blended food-waste-derived biochar, graphene and a phase-change material into a paper membrane appropriate for thermal management and energy recovery ventilation.
Two-point versus three-point calibration: Choosing the best method for accurate pH measurement
While two-point calibration offers a quicker and simpler solution for routine checks, three-point calibration provides a more comprehensive adjustment that can account for electrode non-linearity and drift over a wider pH range.
Researchers reinvent food packaging with biodegradable oxygen-scavenging plastic
The researchers produced microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) from bacterial cellulose grown by fermenting coconut water, then incorporated it into a three-layer PLA film.
Butterfly-inspired technology could transform air-quality monitoring
In trials detecting SARS-CoV-2, the device achieved 100 times greater sensitivity than conventional pump-based samplers, the team revealed.
Surrey project taps underground heat to tackle potholes
The team set out to determine if a ground-source heating and cooling system is capable of regulating road temperatures year-round and thus lead to more resilient roadways.
Vanzetti Engineering unveils ESK-IMO for the marine and industrial markets
The ESK-IMO removable submerged cryogenic pump is designed to meet the technological challenges of small-scale LNG terminals, floating storage and regasification units and other fast-growing market segments.
Recyclable glue delivers fast, durable underwater bonds
The team created their so-called superglue by blending a supramolecular ionic liquid — which is a salt-like material whose molecules are held together by temporary, reversible interactions — with a solvent called dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO).
Self-healing coatings could extend gas turbine life and reliability
To develop the coating, the team first looked at how oxides like rust form on engine parts.
New membrane strips over 99.99% of oil from seawater while boosting evaporation
The separation of the membrane’s functions across the two layers prevented oil separation and solar heat generation from interfering with each other — which is a common obstacle for single-layer designs.
New system strips 85% of salt, 92% of heavy metals from wastewater in 4 hours
Wastewater from electronics manufacturing and metal processing contains high levels of salt and toxic heavy metals and expensive treatment processes leave behind concentrated brine and hazardous sludge. This process might recover some value.
Catalyst cuts green hydrogen production cost
The use of an upgraded titanium dioxide catalyst optimizes the adsorption and activation energy of water, offering a low-cost path to increased hydrogen evolution.
Waste plastic as a hydrogen source
Instead of becoming a persistent environment pollutant or requiring complex, energy-intensive processes for recycling, plastic waste can represent a source of hydrogen production.
Ammonia from wastewater: How we’re turning a pollutant into fertilizer and clean fuel
Research demonstrates how new catalysts and renewable electricity can convert nitrate, one of the most common water pollutants, directly into ammonia.