Showing Spotlights 9 - 16 of 559 in category All (newest first):
3D printing with stimuli-responsive materials is called 4D printing. 4D printing enables 3D printed structures to change its configurations over time and is used in a wide variety of fields such as soft robotics, flexible electronics, and medical devices. The development of a water-responsive cholesteric liquid crystal ink and the accompanying direct ink writing (DIW) procedure is extending 4D printing to structurally colored inks. This is the first demonstration of a humidity-responsive color changing ink for extrusion 3D printing.
May 20th, 2022
Researchers estimate that global PV module waste, 90% of which are made from crystalline silicon, will reach 1.7-1.8 million tonnes by 2030 and 60-78 million tonnes by 2050, which will likely reach the same order of magnitude as global electronic waste. A novel upcycling strategy adds value to this otherwise economically low-value waste silicon. With proper chemical doping, it allows silicon waste to be turned into high-performance thermoelectrics for heat energy harvesting.
May 16th, 2022
Researchers demonstrate rapid cutting and folding of a printed circuit board (PCB) into complex 3D electronics using only a simple laser cutter. This origami manufacturing technology has the potential to allow faster and cheaper production of 3D electronic devices based on thin shells such as antennas that are poorly suited for current 3D printing methods. The technique relies on a method known as laser forming, where heat from a focused laser generates bending within a target.
Mar 22nd, 2022
Researchers have developed a multifunctional wireless smart mask, capable of identifying mask-wearing conditions and monitoring the frequency and pattern of coughing - which is a common symptom of many respiratory diseases. This novel smart mask is capable of simultaneously monitoring coughs and mask-wearing conditions in a remote and battery-free manner, and most importantly, it provides excellent wearing comfort and breathability. The mask fabric is embedded with a soft and battery-free radio-frequency harmonic transponder that enables continuous, real-time wireless monitoring of coughs and mask wearing.
Mar 21st, 2022
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, researchers have intensified their efforts to improve the performance of antiviral and antibacterial face masks by adding various functionalities such as metal nanoparticles and herbal extracts to inactivate pathogens, using graphene to make masks photothermal and superhydrophobic, and even using triboelectric nanogenerators to prolong mask lifetime. Based on these works, manufacturers have developed different mask styles and air filtration materials using various nanomaterials.
Mar 14th, 2022
Scientists estimate that at any one instant, the Earth's atmosphere contains about 12 900 cubic kilometers of water vapor. Extracting water from the air, that is, atmospheric water harvesting(AWH), becomes a promising alternative technology to produce freshwater. Atmospheric water harvesting can be achieved through three different approaches: fog collection, dew harvesting, and sorbent-based AWH. Here is a review of the recent materials engineering-enabled water management strategies for improving AWH performance at different working conditions (i.e., saturated humidity, dew point, and unsaturated humidity).
Feb 24th, 2022
Perovskite semiconductor solar cells are a very exciting photovoltaic technology possessing similar efficiencies to silicon but cast or printed in thin films via liquid inks. Researchers have developed a new method that uses a simple sheet of paper to deposit the perovskite films that does without any expensive equipment. The trick to achieve high performance with this remarkably cheap method is to soak the paper applicator in anti-solvent which almost doubles efficiencies compared to when using it dry, reaching 11% on flexible plastic substrates.
Feb 15th, 2022
Nucleic acid nanoparticles (NANPs) have found success in a variety of biochemical applications ranging from nanoscaffolds for coordinated delivery of multiple therapeutic nucleic acids (TNAs) to potent immunoregulators and biosensors. Despite their potential, the true viability of NANPs and TNAs is limited by their relative chemical instability and sensitivity to higher temperatures. Shipping and transportation of NANPs and TNAs currently relies on a cold-chain storage. Newly developed methods could reduce the need for cold chain storage and dramatically improve vaccine shelf life.
Feb 10th, 2022
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