Effort to build bottom-up chiral polymers with unique functions

14-Feb-2019

As below, so above. That seems to be an operating principle for molecules that start with a basic chirality - or "handed-ness" -- and pass it on as they combine into larger structures. An international team that included Rice University materials scientist Edwin Thomas pried a new, fundamental ...

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08-Feb-2019

Either fast or precise – both cannot be achieved in the production of the finest polymer structures with the laser. Or maybe they can? Combining stereolithography and multiphoton polymerization should make it possible: Scientists at the Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology ILT are developing ...

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3D printed tires and shoes that self-repair

07-Feb-2019

Instead of throwing away your broken boots or cracked toys, why not let them fix themselves? Researchers at the University of Southern California Viterbi School of Engineering have developed 3D-printed rubber materials that can do just that. Assistant Professor Qiming Wang works in the world of ...

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Transforming flat elastomers into 3D shapes

06-Feb-2019

Mechanical systems, such as engines and motors, rely on two principal types of motions of stiff components: linear motion, which involves an object moving from one point to another in a straight line; and rotational motion, which involves an object rotating on an axis. Nature has developed far ...

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04-Feb-2019

Kyocera Corporation announced that its Germany-based European headquarters, Kyocera Fineceramics GmbH has concluded an agreement with H.C. Starck GmbH to acquire 100% of the shares of its subsidiary H.C. Starck Ceramics GmbH, a European advanced ceramics manufacturing and sales company based in ...

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Novel cooling concept for eco-friendly mobility

04-Feb-2019

The two key components of an electric drive train are the electric motor and the battery. And there are three issues that play a particularly important role when it comes to using an electric motor for eco-friendly mobility: high power density, a compact configuration that fits snugly within the ...

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31-Jan-2019

Antireflection (AR) coatings on plastics have a multitude of practical applications, including glare reduction on eyeglasses, computer monitors and the display on your smart-phone when outdoors. Now, researchers at Penn State have developed an AR coating that improves on existing coatings to the ...

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Most treated clothing over-engineered for consumer purposes

31-Jan-2019

Rain-repelling fluorochemicals used in waterproof clothing can and should be phased out as unnecessary and environmentally harmful, textile researchers argue. And yet they remain the only effective option for medics and emergency service personnel. New research demonstrates how waterproofs using ...

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Could be used to develop intelligent materials and self-adaptive infrastructures and transducers

23-Jan-2019

The piezoelectric materials that inhabit everything from our cell phones to musical greeting cards may be getting an upgrade thanks to work discussed. Xiaoyu 'Rayne' Zheng, assistant professor of mechanical engineering in the College of Engineering, and a member of the Macromolecules Innovation ...

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21-Jan-2019

The organic polymer PEDOT is probably one of the world's most intensely studied materials. Despite this, researchers at Linköping University have now demonstrated that the material functions in a completely different manner than previously believed. The result has huge significance in many fields ...

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