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Articles tagged with: ‘new materials‘

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New type of solder material eliminates usage of toxic lead

By Dag G.
2 Comments15 March 2010
soldering

Yale University scientists have developed a magnetic solder that can be manipulated in three dimensions and selectively heated, and offers a more environmentally friendly alternative to today’s lead-based solders. It resembles the liquid metal robot from movie Terminator 2 and you can shape it and make it flow by using a magnetic field. Once the ... »

Robotics| Tech»

Peratech Limited QTC – new generation of tactile robotic skin?

By Dag G.
7 March 2010
qtc-robotics

As robotic devices continue to make inroads to our daily life, their ability to understand the presence and interaction with humans and other objects within a space becomes critically important. Peratech Limited, a company devoted to the development of new materials designed for touch technology, has announced that they have been commissioned by the MIT ... »

Bionics| Tech»

Mussel biomimicry could lead to new super-strong polymers

By Dag G.
5 March 2010
mussels

We may like to eat mussels steamed in white wine, but we also like to find mussels at the beach. Researchers at the Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces and collaborators at the University of California at Santa Barbara and the University of Chicago believe they have uncovered the basis how marine mussels use ... »

Tech»

New nanoscopic material enables adults to regenerate cartilage

By Dag G.
5 Comments15 February 2010
knee-cartilage_0

Amateur athletes, professional athletes and people whose joints have just worn out endure health problems, since humans are unable to regenerate cartilage once they are adults and often have to live with painful joints or osteoarthritis. Luckily, Northwestern University researchers are the first to design a bioactive nanomaterial that promotes the growth of new cartilage ... »

Tech»

Superhydrophilic wool fabrics join the club of smart materials

By Dag G.
23 December 2009
fabricating-superhydrophilic-wool-fabrics-1

There is a large focus dedicated to the new material development. The new meta-materials enhance the properties of existing materials. Scientists in China are reporting an advance that may improve the natural wonders of wool, which is already regarded as the “wonder fabric” for its lightness, softness, warmth even when wet, and other qualities. They ... »

Bionics»

Biomimicry of butterfly wings for more powerful solar cells

By Dag G.
One Comment6 August 2009
biomimicry-of-butterfly-wings2

The discovery that butterfly wings have scales that act as tiny solar collectors has led scientists in China and Japan to design a more efficient solar cell that could be used for powering homes, businesses, and other applications in the future. The researchers turned to the microscopic solar scales on butterfly wings in their search ... »

Tech»

Self-healing concrete for better infrastructure

By Dag G.
29 April 2009
healingconcrete_apr_09.jpg

A concrete material developed at the University of Michigan can heal itself when it cracks. No human intervention is necessary—just water and carbon dioxide. New substance could make infrastructure safer and more durable. Self-healing is possible because the material is designed to bend and crack in narrow hairlines rather than break and split in wide ... »