Metals
Study: Nanosilver from consumer products quickly breaks down in water
April 18, 2013 10:07 am | News | Comments
Nanosilver in wastewater can cause severe environmental damage if it occurs as a metal. A study recently conducted in Switzerland. now shows that nanosilver is quickly transformed into less problematic substances on its way to the wastewater treatment plant. In addition, it is efficiently retained in the sewage sludge so that only a small portion of it reaches the water systems.
New filtration material could make petroleum refining cheaper, more efficient
May 23, 2013 10:55 pm | News | Comments
A newly synthesized material might provide a dramatically improved method for...
Scientists discover 3D magnetic vortices
May 7, 2013 11:15 am | News | Comments
Magnetic vortices typically occur in nanometer-scale magnetic disks, which are studied...
Researchers develop unique method for creating uniform nanoparticles
May 6, 2013 12:41 pm | by Rick Kubetz, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign | News | Comments
University of Illinois researchers have developed a new way to produce highly uniform...
Nanoscale alloys shine bright for medical applications
May 14, 2013 12:15 pm | News | CommentsAlloys like bronze and steel have been transformational for centuries, yielding machines necessary for industry. As scientists move toward nanotechnology, however, the focus has shifted toward creating alloys at the nanometer scale—producing materials with properties unlike their predecessors. Now, research demonstrates that nanometer-scale alloys possess the ability to emit light so bright they could have medical applications.
One order of steel; hold the greenhouse gases
May 8, 2013 2:52 pm | by David L. Chandler, MIT News Office | News | CommentsAnyone who has seen pictures of the giant, red-hot cauldrons in which steel is made—fed by vast amounts of carbon, and belching flame and smoke—would not be surprised to learn that steelmaking is one of the world’s leading industrial sources of greenhouse gases. But remarkably, a new process developed by Massachusetts Institute of Technology researchers could change all that.
New imaging technique visualizes bio-metals and molecules simultaneously
May 2, 2013 2:25 pm | by Juliette Savin, RIKEN | News | CommentsMetal elements and molecules interact in the body, but visualizing them together has always been a challenge. Researchers at RIKEN in Japan have developed a new molecular imaging technology that enables them to image bio-metals and bio-molecules at the same time in a live mouse. This new technology will enable researchers to study the complex interactions between metal elements and molecules in living organisms.
Zinc: The perfect material for bioabsorbable stents?
May 1, 2013 9:49 am | by Marcia Goodrich, Michigan Technological University | News | CommentsIn 2012, more than 3 million people had stents inserted in their coronary arteries. But the longer a stent is in the body, the greater the risk of late-stage side effects. Studies have investigated iron- and magnesium-based bioabsorbable stents, but iron rusts and magnesium dissolves too fast. Recent research shows that a certain type of zinc alloy might be the answer.
Graphene layers reduce wear, friction on sliding steel surfaces
April 26, 2013 8:48 am | News | CommentsSometimes, all it takes is an extremely small amount of material to make a big difference. Scientists at Argonne National Laboratory have recently discovered that they could substitute one-atom-thick graphene layers for oil-based lubricants on sliding steel surfaces, enabling a dramatic reduction in the amount of wear and friction.
Softening steel problem expands computer model applications
April 16, 2013 8:11 am | News | CommentsSandia National Laboratories researchers Lisa Deibler and Arthur Brown had a ready-made problem for their computer modeling work when they partnered with the National Nuclear Security Administration’s Kansas City Plant to improve stainless steel tubing that was too hard to meet nuclear weapon requirements.
A new understanding of metallic glass
April 3, 2013 9:00 am | by David L. Chandler, MIT News Office | News | CommentsGelatin sets by forming a solid matrix full of random, liquid-filled pores—much like a saturated sponge. It turns out that a similar process also happens in some metallic glasses, substances whose molecular behavior has now been clarified by new Massachusetts Institute of Technology research detailing the “setting” of these metal alloys.
Technique creates stronger, lightweight magnesium alloys
March 13, 2013 8:37 am | News | CommentsResearchers from North Carolina State University have developed a new technique for creating stronger, lightweight magnesium alloys that have potential structural applications in the automobile and aerospace industries. To create these magnesium alloys, the researchers introduced nanospaced stacking faults to the alloy using conventional hot rolling technology that is widely used by industry.
Super nanowire composite solves “valley of death” riddle
March 12, 2013 3:03 pm | News | CommentsIn a world first, a team of researchers from Australia, China, and the U.S. has created a super strong metallic composite by harnessing the extraordinary mechanical properties of nanowires. According to the study’s authors, the work has effectively overcome a challenge that has frustrated the world's top scientists and engineers for more than three decades, nicknamed the "valley of death" in nanocomposite design.
Study: Glaciers contribute significant iron in Atlantic Ocean
March 11, 2013 4:24 pm | News | CommentsAll living organisms rely on iron as an essential nutrient. In the ocean, iron’s abundance or scarcity means all the difference as it fuels the growth of plankton. A new study from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution identifies an unexpectedly large source of iron to the North Atlantic—meltwater from glaciers and ice sheets, which may stimulate plankton growth. This source is likely to increase as melting of the Greenland ice sheet escalates under a warming climate.
Quantum refrigerator offers extreme cooling and convenience
March 6, 2013 3:21 pm | News | CommentsResearchers at the NIST have demonstrated a solid-state refrigerator that uses quantum physics in micro- and nanostructures to cool a much larger object to extremely low temperatures. What's more, the prototype NIST refrigerator, which measures a few inches in outer dimensions, enables researchers to place any suitable object in the cooling zone and later remove and replace it, similar to an all-purpose kitchen refrigerator.
Metal-organic framework offers efficient carbon capture
March 5, 2013 2:31 pm | by Vickie Chachere, University of South Florida | News | CommentsChemists at the University of South Florida and King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in Saudi Arabia have discovered a more efficient, less expensive and reusable material for carbon dioxide capture and separation. The highly efficient mechanism utilizes a previously underused material—known as SIFSIX-1-Cu—that attracts carbon atoms.
Analytical theory may bring improvements to lithium-ion batteries
March 5, 2013 10:58 am | by Emil Venere, Purdue University | News | CommentsA new analytical theory has been developed at Purdue University that shows how to design experiments to study ways of controlling dendrite growth on electrodes in lithium-ion batteries. Using this approach, the researchers have shown theoretically how to control or eliminate the formation of these dendrites, which cause lithium-ion batteries to fail. The advance could help improve safety and might enable the batteries to be charged within a matter of minutes instead of hours.
Organic electronics: Better contact between carbon compounds and metals
February 18, 2013 9:00 am | News | CommentsA recurring problem in organic electronics technology has been the difficulty in establishing good electrical contact between the active organic layer and metal electrodes. Organic molecules are frequently used for this purpose, but, until recent research at the Helmholtz Center in Germany unraveled this mystery, it was practically impossible to accurately predict which molecules performed well on the job.
Liquid metal makes silicon crystals at record low temperatures
January 25, 2013 7:35 am | News | CommentsA new way of making crystalline silicon, developed by University of Michigan researchers, could make this crucial ingredient of computers and solar cells much cheaper and greener. The researchers discovered a way to make silicon crystals, directly at just 180 F, the internal temperature of a cooked turkey, by taking advantage of a phenomenon seen in your kitchen.
Liquid crystal’s chaotic inner dynamics
January 24, 2013 4:08 pm | News | CommentsPhysicists have recently demonstrated that the application of a very strong alternating electric field to thin liquid crystal cells leads to a new distinct nonlinear dynamic effect in the response of the cells. Researchers were able to explain this result through spatio-temporal chaos theory. The finding has implications for the operation of liquid crystal devices because their operation depends on electro-optic switch phenomena.
Nanosponge filters out herbicide poisons
January 21, 2013 8:19 am | News | CommentsNew research has demonstrated the potential of a new kind of nanomaterial to filter out environmental toxins in water. A team of researchers has developed a highly porous metal organic framework (MOF) that, almost uniquely, is stable and able to filter substances in water. This study is one of the first to demonstrate MOFs separation applications in an aqueous environment.
DOE launches rare earth metals research hub
January 11, 2013 10:37 am | News | CommentsThe U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has launched a research hub that focuses on solutions to the domestic shortages of rare earth metals and other materials critical for U.S. energy security.
Deuterium produced from a quantum sieve
December 6, 2012 9:52 am | News | CommentsThe double mass of deuterium and its relative scarcity make it a valuable research tool for chemists hoping to trace hydrogen reactions or analyze metabolic processes. A team of scientists in Europe have applied a new method that more efficiently separates hydrogen and its heavier isotope deuterium, and it involve the use of a metal-organic framework as a quantum sieve to isolate the isotope.
Deuterium produced from a quantum sieve
December 6, 2012 9:42 am | News | CommentsThe double mass of deuterium and its relative scarcity make it a valuable research tool for chemists hoping to trace hydrogen reactions or analyze metabolic processes. A team of scientists in Europe have applied a new method that more efficiently separates hydrogen and its heavier isotope deuterium, and it involve the use of a metal-organic framework as a quantum sieve to isolate the isotope.
Predicting material fatigue
November 29, 2012 1:51 pm | News | CommentsDetection of material failure is a difficult task for engineers, because cracks inside a material block can’t readily be identified from the outside. Researchers in Germany have now developed so-called self-reporting composite materials that can communicate their internal condition. The concept utilizes zinc oxide tetrapod crystals as a filler material for composites which at the same time reveals material failure by a visual signal under UV light.
Modeling the breaking points of metallic glasses
November 26, 2012 7:44 am | News | CommentsMetallic glass alloys (or liquid metals) are three times stronger than the best industrial steel, but can be molded into complex shapes with the same ease as plastic. These materials are highly resistant to scratching, denting, shattering, and corrosion. Mathematical methods developed by a Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory scientists will help explain why liquid metals have wildly different breaking points.
Study offers new insights into catalytic activity of copper
November 9, 2012 12:38 pm | News | CommentsCatalysis is an incredibly valuable tool in the field of chemistry, but it typically requires precious metals that are both expensive and potentially harmful to the environment. Researchers in Sweden say they have discovered that copper, which is not typically known for its catalytic properties, had unexpectedly been responsible for catalytic activity as part of research into iron catalysts.
High-strength material advancements may lead to life-saving steel
November 5, 2012 12:45 pm | News | CommentsA group of researchers at Wayne State University have been working to create advanced materials with high-yield strength, fracture toughness and ductility. Their efforts have led to the development of a new material consisting of bainitic steels and austempered ductile iron that has all these characteristics, ultimately resisting fatigue that can cause fractures in materials often with catastrophic consequences.
The hunt for electron holes: A molecular glance on solar water splitting
October 30, 2012 1:18 pm | News | CommentsHydrogen production by solar water splitting in photoelectrochemical cells (PEC) has long been considered the holy grail of sustainable energy research. Iron oxide is a promising electrode material, and now an international team of researchers gained in-depth insights into the electronic structure of an iron oxide electrode, while it was in operation. This opens up new possibilities for an affordable hydrogen production from solar energy.
