Rechargeable lithium-ion batteries are now the power of choice for a variety of portable consumer electronics. A group of researchers from the University of Leeds has invented a new type of polymer gel that could replace the liquid electrolytes currently used in rechargeable lithium cells. It would also enable production of cheaper lithium batteries without ... »
The adhesive surface of gecko’s toes has inspired many research groups to try to mimic this ability in an artificial material. Researchers at the A*STAR Institute of Materials Research and Engineering and co-workers at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore claim that they came up with the closest biomimicry yet, and that their synthetic gecko toe ... »
A Case Western Reserve University researcher has built a prototype blade that is substantially lighter and more durable compared to materials currently used in blades of wind turbines. He came up with a polyurethane blade reinforced with carbon nanotubes, which make the material eight times tougher compared to other materials which are currently used as ... »
Certain biological materials exhibit exceptional strength due to their complex structure which has been perfected through time. Inspired by the perfected structures found in nature, researchers from the Fraunhofer Institute are collaborating on a project named Bionic Manufacturing. It aims to develop plastic products that are lightweight and strong, while being economic in their use ... »
Researchers from Singapore’s Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) Institute of Materials Research and Engineering (IMRE) have created a new polymer that can be used in both new age plastic electronics as well as plastic solar cells. The new polymer enables thinner and lighter electronic components and organic solar cells which can be produced ... »
A team of researchers from the University of Akron (UA) has observed two species of spiders in order to develop stimuli-resistant and stimuli-sensitive materials. The research shows that the sticky glue that coats the silk threads orb-weaving spiders spin has a different structure, property makeup and response to humidity than glues produced by their evolutionary ... »
A team of researchers from University of Connecticut (UConn) perfected a method for creating quick-changing, variable colors in films and displays. They managed to make them less expensive and less wasteful to manufacture compared to any previous method. The technology could be used for displays, solar cells, OLEDs, transistors, vanity glasses, or glasses used by ... »
