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May 17 | News
The
U.S. Army Research Laboratory-led Army ManTech program has achieved a
breakthrough in the ability to process thermoplastic-based composites for
use in the helmets of soldiers. The new material grades have produced
several types of head protection, each of which saves at least
one-quarter the weight and up to 35% higher tolerance from fragmenting
munitions.
May 17 | News
Scientists
in the U.K. have discovered a previously unrecognized volcanic process
called “fluidized spray granulation”, which can occur during kimberlite
eruptions to produce well-rounded particles containing mantle, most
notably diamonds. This physical process is remarkable similar to the gas
injection and spraying process used to form smooth coatings on
chocolates.
May 9 | News
Gallium
nitride, a semiconductor material found in bright lights since the
1990s, is used in wireless applications because of its high efficiency
and high voltage operation. However, it’s difficult to remove heat from
GaN electronics, which limits applications and markets. Researchers at
the University of California, Riverside, have made a material from
graphene that does the job, and it looks a lot like a patterned quilt.
May 7 | News
Researchers
in Switzerland have created a new nanocomposite that combines the best
features of graphene and protein fibrils, the two main ingredients of a
specialized type of paper. The material is created in much the same way
as normal cellulose paper, but the properties are far different. Shape
memory, electrical conductivity, and hydrophobia all offer interesting
application possibilities.
Apr 27 | News
In
collaboration with researchers in Japan, U.K. scientists have grown
highly boron-doped diamond layers just 1 nm in thickness. The technique
is known as d-doping, and the researchers believe the layers will be the
basis for high-performance field-effect transistors that offer the
prospect of highly sensitive biochemical agent detection.
Apr 26 | News
Silicon
germanium (SiGe) has been valued for its performance in
high-temperature thermoelectric applications, but its low-temperature
performance and high cost have prevented broader applications. By
altering the design of bulk SiGe with a process borrowed from the
thin-film semiconductor industry, however, researchers have
substantially increased its electrical conductivity.
Apr 18 | News
Using
a combination of computer modeling and laboratory experiments,
researchers at Johns Hopkins University and other institutions, have
determined the smallest crystal configuration, or as they call it, a
“baby crystal,” of lead sulfide. In this form, just 32 units large, the
crystals show the same structural properties as they would at the
macroscale.
Apr 18 | News
Stratasys,
Inc., a manufacturer of 3D printers and production systems for
prototyping and manufacturing applications, and privately-held Objet
Ltd., a manufacturer of 3D printers for rapid prototyping, have approved
a definitive merger agreement under which the companies would combine
in an all-stock transaction worth approximately $1.4 billion.
Apr 16 | News
Glass,
one of the oldest man-made materials, is a non-crystalline amorphous
material produced by the fusion of crystalline powder mixtures heated to
high temperatures Using high-energy X-rays, scientists have for the
first time visualized the transformation of powder mixtures into molten
glass.
Apr 13 | News
Thermal
stress can cause debonding between thin layers in microelectronics.
Taking advantage of the force generated by magnetic repulsion,
researchers have developed a new technique for measuring the adhesion
strength between thin films of materials used in these devices, and they
hope to apply the method improve solar cells or microelectromechanical
devices.
