Materials & Chemicals Technology News & Analysis

Can Diamonds Succeed Where Silicone Fails?

Researchers at Japan's National Institute for Materials Science are studying transistors based on a much more durable material than silicone: diamonds.

Novel Organic 2-D Polymer for Energy Storage

Scientists at the National University of Singapore have successfully created a 2-D polymer material that is an organic analog of graphene.

Detecting Disease Markers Through Breath

According to researchers, the porous plastic film, which could be the foundation of portable, disposable sensor devices, is sensitive enough to detect disease markers even at levels that are too low to smell.

A T-Shirt That Monitors Breathing Rate

The T-shirt works without attaching wires, electrodes and sensors to the body, explains Younes Messaddeq, the professor who led the team that developed the technology.

Electronic Tattoos That Let You Control Your Mobile Device from...Your Knuckles

Want to control music or lights all from the convenience of your…knuckle? Computer scientists from Saarland University and Google have developed a thin-film electronic tattoo to let you do just that. Similar to a child’s temporary tattoo, the sticker can adhere to parts of the body that weren’t always possible, such as bony structures.

Efficient, Low-Cost Catalyst for Water Splitting

The catalyst is composed of ferrous metaphosphate grown on a conductive nickel foam platform.

3M™ Scotch-Weld™ Structural Acrylic Adhesives Represent the Next Generation

Next-generation adhesives are designed to improve both productivity and performance, while also reducing environmental costs and concerns.

Dams Affect Environment More Than Previously Thought

Dams, water reservoirs created by damming a river, may have more impact on the environment than previously thought.

Plant-Fungal Combo Remediates Phenol-Tainted Soil

The method uses specific plant/fungal combinations adapted to conditions created by phenolic application to soils.

Hand Crank Forge Blowers for Blacksmithing

Modern blacksmiths still use a forge, hammer and anvil to practice their trade. One feature that can really improve the “feel” of a forge for the blacksmith can be found in hand crank forge blowers. In the past 100 years, electric blowers tended to be used for forges, but lately there has been a small but growing movement to return to a more mechanically precise solution.

More Diesel Pollution Than Tests Detect

Thanks to testing inefficiencies and maintenance failures, vehicles worldwide are emitting dangerous nitrogen oxide (NOx)—4.6 million tons more than standards allow, contributing to 38,000 premature deaths a year worldwide.

Demilitarization of New Jersey Beaches: WWI Artillery Removal

Pieces of World War I-era artillery boosters were safely removed from three New Jersey beaches.

Laser Printing with Nanoparticles Promises Advances in Medical Research

Researchers from Missouri University of Science and Technology are attempting to demonstrate how laser printing using nanoparticles will help uncover cost-effective ways to construct sturdier and safer components.

Producing Fertilizer...From Air

A reactor, which converts nitrogen from the atmosphere into NOx (raw material for fertilizer), is thought to make the process of producing the raw materials five times more efficient than existing processes, with current methods of production resulting in about two percent of global CO2 emissions.

Coatings for Nuclear Fuel Preventing Explosions in Reactors

In an effort to reduce hydrogenation of containers where nuclear fuel is stored and to protect reactors from a Fukushima-like radiation disaster, physicists from Tomsk Polytechnic University are developing protective titanium nitride-based coatings for shells of fuel elements (fuel rods) of nuclear reactors.

Applying Data Science to Better Predict Effect of Weather and Other Conditions on Solar Panels

In an effort to extend the life of solar panels, researchers from Case Western Reserve University and Gebze Technical University (GTU) in Turkey are employing data science to understand what effect weather exposure and other conditions have on the materials that create solar panels.

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