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Archive for the ‘materials’ category: Page 281

Jan 20, 2016

Electromagnetic properties of graphene-boron nitride materials

Posted by in categories: materials, nanotechnology

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The electromagnetic properties of graphene and boron nitride hybrids has been defined by new research. The results provide a roadmap for new nano-engineered applications.” id=” metasummary.

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Jan 20, 2016

Switchable material could enable new memory chips

Posted by in categories: computing, materials

Retaining information even when loss of power.


Small voltage can flip thin film between two crystal states — one metallic, one semiconducting — new research indicates. The research involves a thin-film material called a strontium cobaltite, or SrCoOx.”

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Jan 20, 2016

Graphene ‘optical capacitors’ can make chips that mesh biophysics and semiconductors

Posted by in categories: computing, materials, physics

Graphene’s properties make it a tantalizing target for semiconductor research. Now a team from Princeton has showed that flakes of graphene can work as fast, accurate optical capacitors for laser transistors in neuromorphic circuits.

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Jan 20, 2016

New Breakthrough Material: Graphene Elastomer is More Sensitive Than Human Skin

Posted by in categories: biotech/medical, cyborgs, materials, robotics/AI

This new material is remarkably soft, and it could revolutionize robotics and prosthetics.

Researchers from the Monash University have discovered a new sponge-like material called graphene elastomer. This revolutionary material is expected to be used for robots designed to help take care of elderly people.

The graphene-based elastomer is exteremely sensitive to pressure and vibrations. Also called G-elastomer, the material has the ability to bounce back despite the pressure given to it. It is described to be very soft and elastic compared to other substances such as rubber or foam.

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Jan 19, 2016

Painless electrical zaps may replace dental anesthesia needles

Posted by in categories: biotech/medical, materials

As much as some people fear getting dental fillings or root canals, what many of them are really afraid of is the needle that delivers the anesthetic into the mouth tissue. Even though the skin in the “jabbing area” is usually pretreated with a topical anesthetic, it can still hurt. Before long, however, a shot of electricity could make that topical treatment deep-acting enough that the needle isn’t even needed.

In a recent study, scientists from the University of Sao Paulo in Brazil combined two commonly-used anesthetic drugs – prilocaine hydrochloride and lidocaine hydrochloride – with a polymer to form a hydrogel. The polymer was included to make it sticky, so that it could be applied to the lining of a pig’s mouth.

Using a process known as iontophoresis, a mild and painless electrical current was then passed through the hydrogel. As a result, there was a 12-fold increase in how well the prilocaine hydrochloride permeated through the tissue. The anesthetic effect was claimed to be not only fast-acting, but also long-lasting.

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Jan 18, 2016

Cheaper solar cells with 20.2 percent efficiency

Posted by in categories: materials, solar power, sustainability

EPFL scientists have developed a solar-panel material that can cut down on photovoltaic costs while achieving competitive power-conversion efficiency of 20.2%.

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Jan 18, 2016

Jan Woerner: ESA chief wants to establish a Moon Village

Posted by in categories: 3D printing, materials, robotics/AI, space travel

European Space Agency building a space colony by 2030.


The European Space Agency unveiled plans on Friday to build a “lunar village” by 2030 as a stepping stone to Mars.

ESA chief Jan Woerner said the lunar “village” would be a series of structures made by robots and 3D printers that use moon dust as building material.

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Jan 18, 2016

Space elevators will become feasible

Posted by in categories: materials, satellites, space

The material to create space elevators will be developed by 2030, enabling a new golden age of space travel, according to a study published in the journal New Space.

“The material needed to have a 100,000 km rope will become real before 2030 and enable the creation of this low-cost access to space,” wrote Cathy W Swan, of SouthWest Analytic Network, Peter A Swan and John M Knapman, of the International Space Elevator Consortium, and David I Raitt, retired from the European Space Agency.

A space elevator would make launching people, satellites and craft into geostationary orbit dramatically cheaper than at present, with the researchers estimating it would drop from the current prices of $25,000 per kg for commercial launches and $40,000 per kg for governmental launches to $100 per kg for materials.

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Jan 16, 2016

European Space Agency unveils ‘lunar village’ plans as stepping stone to Mars

Posted by in categories: 3D printing, materials, robotics/AI, space travel

Moon “village”, a successor to International Space Station, would be series of structures made by robots and 3D printers that use moon dust as building material.

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Jan 13, 2016

Half of plastic trash in oceans comes from 5 countries

Posted by in categories: economics, health, materials

If true, this might mean there’s a “low hanging fruit” solution to ocean gyre garbage — a targeted effort to improve garbage collection in a small number of cities in developing nations, might dramatically reduce it. Hint, hint, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation! Side benefit would be greatly improving the lives of people in those cities, with some obvious health benefits along the way.


Economic growth in these countries is outpacing infrastructure, and their trash is collecting in the sea.

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