Biological materials from bone to spider-silk and wood are lightweight fibre composites arranged in a complex hierarchical structure, formed by directed self-assembly to demonstrate outstanding mechanical properties.
Materials that are both strong and lightweight could improve everything from cars to body armor. But usually, the two qualities are mutually exclusive. Now, University of Connecticut researchers and colleagues have developed ...
Nanophysics
Jul 25, 2023
1
830
Mechanical metamaterials are an emerging class of materials primarily governed by their architecture to create lightweight materials with extreme mechanical properties. The functionality of such materials is limited by their ...
Materials Scientists at Duke University have developed a lightweight material that traps thermal energy when dry, but opens a series of tiny vents to let heat escape when a person starts sweating. The vents close again to ...
Materials Science
Dec 15, 2021
0
182
A lightweight material full of holes is nearly as hard as diamond. The mere dents left by speeding bullets prove it.
Nanomaterials
Nov 13, 2019
7
463
A newly developed material that is so perfectly transparent you can barely see it could unlock many new uses for solar heat. It generates much higher temperatures than conventional solar collectors do—enough to be used ...
Nanomaterials
Jul 2, 2019
2
8
Providing protection against impacts from bullets and other high-speed projectiles is more than just a matter of brute strength. While traditional shields have been made of bulky materials such as steel, newer body armor ...
Nanomaterials
Nov 7, 2012
0
0
A new class of organic materials developed at Northwestern University boasts a very attractive but elusive property: ferroelectricity. The crystalline materials also have a great memory, which could be very useful in computer ...
Condensed Matter
Aug 22, 2012
1
0
Single-use hard plastics are pervasive: utensils, party decorations and food containers, to name a few examples. These items pile up in landfills, and many biodegradable versions stick around for months, requiring industrial ...
Materials Science
Apr 12, 2023
0
37
2D materials get their strength from their atom-thin, sheet like structure. However, stacking multiple layers of a 2D material will sap it of the qualities that make it so useful.
Polymers
Apr 3, 2023
0
240
