New research provides a general formula for understanding how layered materials form different surface patterns.
Continue readingThe secret of wrinkling, folding, and creasing
Science solves seashell material mystery
Scientists have long been puzzled by a process that is crucial to much of the life in Earth’s oceans: Why does calcium carbonate, the tough material of seashells and corals, sometimes take the form of calcite, and at other times form a chemically identical form of the mineral called aragonite?
Continue readingBuilding race cars from snail teeth
Researchers from the University of Portsmouth, UK, discovered that limpets—small aquatic snail-like creatures with conical shells—have teeth with biological structures so strong they could be copied to make cars, boats, and planes of the future.
Continue readingNew facilities to expand jet-engine research
Purdue University, West Lafayette, Ind., is expanding the nation’s largest university propulsion laboratory for research aimed at reducing fuel consumption and emissions for next-generation jet engines.
Continue readingPaper shines spotlight on materials informatics
A paper recently published in International Materials Reviews provides an insightful look at materials informatics and how it is being employed to overcome obstacles in computational materials engineering. “Data science and cyberinfrastructure: Critical enablers for accelerated development of hierarchical materials,” by Surya R. Kalidindi of the Georgia Institute of Technology, also identifies specific areas of research that offer the most promise based on the success of earlier work.
Continue readingOSTP officials call for more data sharing
The White House recently said that the Obama Administration is stepping up efforts to increase the availability of materials data in support of the Materials Genome Initiative and in the interests of U.S. competitiveness and growth.
Continue readingBetter understanding of steel fracturing
Researchers from the Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (UC3M), Spain, visualized step-by-step and on a microscopic level how certain steels fracture when extreme loads are applied to them.
Continue readingImproved sintering zone boosts quality of MIM parts
Advances by Linde LLC and Megamet Solid Metals Inc. show that a best practice in the control of the carbon potential in the sintering zone can significantly improve the quality of metal-injection molded parts.
Continue readingNoncommittal material acts as magnetic direction detector
While the mysterious, unseen forces magnets project are now (mostly) well-understood, they can still occasionally surprise experts.
Continue readingFloating in affordable energy
It’s a balloon that lifts a wind turbine.
Continue readingMaterials experts challenged to protect athletes
The NFL, GE, and Under Armour, have joined with the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology to launch Head Health Challenge III, an open innovation competition to advance materials that better absorb or dissipate energy.
Continue readingSummer tradeshow covers international metallurgy market
A metallurgy trade fair quartet—GIFA, METEC, THERMPROCESS, and NEWCAST 2015—known as “The Bright World of Metals,” is taking place June16-20 at the fairgrounds in Düsseldorf, Germany.
Continue readingFlying around the world without fuel
The countdown has started for a visionary project: In a few weeks the futuristic Solar Impulse aircraft will embark on its unprecedented flight around the world—powered only by the sun and supported by high-tech materials.
Continue readingMethod measures residual stress in 3D printed parts
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Calif., researchers developed an efficient method to measure residual stress in metal parts produced by powder-bed fusion additive manufacturing.
Continue readingMultiferroic materials and devices integrated with silicon chips
A research team led by North Carolina State University, Raleigh, made two advances in multiferroic materials, including the ability to integrate them on a silicon chip, which will allow the development of new electronic memory devices.
Continue readingGraphene enhances XPS
X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) is one of the most sensitive and informative surface analysis techniques available.
Continue readingSensor could improve nanoresearch microscope
Spotting molecule-sized features—common in computer circuits and nanoscale devices—may become both easier and more accurate with a sensor developed at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Gaithersburg, Md.
Continue readingNew alloy is as light as aluminum, strong as titanium alloys
Researchers from North Carolina State University, Raleigh, and Qatar University developed a new high-entropy metal alloy that has a higher strength-to-weight ratio than any other existing metal material.
Continue readingVoltage controls material properties
A new way of switching the magnetic properties of a material using just a small applied voltage, developed by researchers at MIT could signal the beginning of a new family of materials with a variety of switchable properties.
Continue readingTown Hall Meeting focuses on data infrastructure
Over 40 representatives from the materials data community gathered for a Town Hall Meeting during MS&T14 to assess strategic data initiatives and their potential impact on infrastructure development. The interactive event, organized by representatives from NIST and the National Nanotechnology Coordination Office, opened with a series of presentations (linked below) and concluded with a panel-led question-and-answer session.
Continue readingOvercoming magnesium barriers in aircraft interiors
For decades, magnesium has been banned for use on aircraft interiors due to the perceived threat of intense fire producing high heat and bright light.
Continue readingSimplifying superconducting circuits
New circuit design could unlock the power of experimental superconducting computer chips.
Continue readingSpinning molten metals on ESA’s centrifuge
The European Space Agency’s (ESA) Large Diameter Centrifuge provides research teams with easy access to hypergravity. Based at ESA’s technical center in Noordwijk, the Netherlands.
Continue readingBringing integrated photovoltaics to the UK
Dyesol Ltd., Australia, signed a letter of intent with Tata Steel, UK, which provides a first right of refusal to distribute its proposed steel substrate based 3rd Generation photovoltaic products through TSUK’s extensive product distribution channels.
Continue readingLaser solid forming produces metallic parts
Laser solid forming (LSF) is an innovative method for direct fabrication of metallic components in additive manufacturing.
Continue readingBattelle elects ASM Fellow Subra Suresh to its Board of Directors
Battelle Memorial Institute, Columbus, Ohio, announces the election of Carnegie Mellon University President Subra Suresh to its Board of Directors.
Continue readingSaving the world, one material at a time
Comic-tanium is a traveling, non-profit educational exhibit that makes a connection between the real world of materials science and the fictional worlds of well-known comic book heroes, like Iron Man, Captain America, Spider-Man, Batman, and others.
Continue readingMaking the perfect atom sandwich
Like the perfect sandwich, a perfectly engineered thin film for electronics requires not only the right ingredients, but also just the right thickness of each ingredient in the desired order, down to individual layers of atoms.
Continue readingMechanical carbon materials for aircraft applications
Modern mechanical carbon materials are being used in a wide variety of applications, including aircraft gear boxes, air turbine motor starters, and main shaft seals for both aircraft turbine engines and aircraft auxiliary power units (APUs).
Continue readingLead-free hunting bullets
A new study concerning terminal ballistics of lead-containing and lead-free bullets shows that both materials are equally suitable for hunting in accordance with animal welfare.
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