Empa (Eidgenössische Materialprüfungs- und Forschungsanstalt)

Voltage from the parquet

Researchers at Empa and ETH Zurich have made wood compressible and turned it into a micro-generator. When it is loaded, an electrical voltage is generated. In this way, the wood can serve as a bio-sensor - or generate usable energy. The latest highlight: To ensure that the process does not ... more

"Crispr/Cas" for the chemical industry

After a successful career in research at Empa, Matthias Koebel has now ventured into the private sector and founded the start-up Siloxene. The young entrepreneur has a construction kit filled with a miracle material, a lot of know-how and – despite the general mood of crisis – a refreshing ... more

When damaged ropes change color

High-performance fibres that have been exposed to high temperatures usually lose their mechanical properties undetected and, in the worst case, can tear precisely when lives depend on them. For example, safety ropes used by fire brigades or suspension ropes for heavy loads on construction s ... more

A water-based, rechargeable battery

First step to produce a cheap aquous electrolyte for powerful rechargeable batteries: Seven grams of sodium FSI (precise name: sodium bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide) and one gram of water produce a clear saline solution with an electrochemical stability of up to 2.6 volts – twice as much as other ... more