Composite materials are heterogeneous physical systems engineered by combining two or more distinct constituent phases—typically a continuous matrix and a dispersed reinforcement—with an interface designed to transfer load and tailor overall properties. The constituents remain microscopically or macroscopically separate and retain their identities, while the composite exhibits effective mechanical, thermal, electrical, or chemical behavior not attainable by simple mixtures of the components. Microstructural architecture (e.g., particulate, fibrous, laminated), volume fraction, orientation, and interfacial bonding critically govern anisotropy, damage evolution, and failure modes, and are modeled using micromechanics and homogenization theories to predict structure–property relationships across multiple length scales.
Plastic pollution is one of the most urgent environmental challenges of the 21st century. As larger plastic debris breaks down through mechanical, photochemical and biological processes, it forms microplastics that have been ...
Nanomaterials
Aug 27, 2026
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The tiny bones in your fingers withstand countless taps and swipes thanks to a precise blend of materials. Flexible collagen fibers form the framework, reinforced by hard calcium phosphate hydroxyapatite crystals. This is ...
Researchers from Skoltech, in collaboration with the Harbin Institute of Technology and Jiangsu University (China), have published a study presenting the first empirical model to explain and predict the sensing behavior of ...
Nanophysics
Jul 20, 2026
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As computer chips become more powerful and compact, the materials that protect them must perform better than ever. In advanced chip packaging, liquid epoxy is widely used because it can flow into tiny spaces before curing ...
Nanophysics
Jul 14, 2026
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Researchers have designed and built the first 3D device that can make objects invisible to heat, an advance that could transform how we protect sensitive electronics, manage heat in microchips and shield equipment from thermal ...
General Physics
Jul 13, 2026
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Colloidal photonic glasses offer an appealing way to produce vivid colors without any chemical dyes—but so far, a stubborn optical effect has long prevented them from generating a true red color. Now, Yuwon Jeon and colleagues ...
Shielding materials are essential in key modern industrial settings—such as spacecraft, nuclear power plants, semiconductor equipment, and advanced medical devices—to protect both equipment and personnel from electromagnetic ...
Space Exploration
Apr 28, 2026
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As space agencies and private companies look toward a sustained human presence on the moon, a fundamental challenge centers on how to build strong, durable infrastructure without hauling every material from Earth. New research ...
Space Exploration
Apr 23, 2026
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Skoltech scientists, in collaboration with colleagues from China and Iran, have taken a major step toward creating highly precise carbon nanotube fiber (CNTF)-based sensors. In a paper published in the iScience journal, the ...
Nanomaterials
Apr 9, 2026
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In a new Nature Physics publication, University of Amsterdam researchers introduce human-made materials that spring to life. These 'metamaterials' don't just learn to change shape, but can autonomously adapt their shape-changing ...
General Physics
Apr 7, 2026
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