Collaborate Disseminate
Most meteorites that fall to Earth belong to one of two broad groups – there are rocky ones, and there are metallic ones that were once molten iron. But one puzzling group of meteorites appears to belong to both camps at once, and now scientists have d… Continue reading Mysterious meteorites came from an asteroid with a liquid metal core
“Strange metals” have that name for a reason – these materials exhibit some unusual conductive properties and surprisingly, even have things in common with black holes. Now, a new study has characterized them in more detail, and found that strange meta… Continue reading Strange metals: New state of matter shares properties with black holes
Radiation is famously damaging, both to living tissue and materials. But now, engineers at MIT have been surprised to discover that radiation may actually help certain alloys to self-heal, extending their useful lifetime. This could obviously help info… Continue reading Radiation appears to help some metal alloys self-heal
Liquid and solid-state batteries each have their own advantages and disadvantages, but now researchers at the University of Texas at Austin claim to have developed a new battery that mixes the best of both worlds. The new design is the first all-liquid… Continue reading Experimental all liquid-metal battery stays liquid at room temperature
Fireworks are a surefire way to create a spectacle of color and light, but research has revealed these dazzling displays could pose a health risk. A study that is said to be the first to look at the impacts of firework exposure on human cells and anima… Continue reading Fireworks leave toxic metals lingering in the air, study finds
A new type of data storage system could be denser, smaller, faster and more energy efficient than silicon chips. The new method involves encoding data in sliding stacks of two-dimensional layers of metals.Continue ReadingCategory: Electronics, ScienceT… Continue reading Shifting stacks of 2D metals could make fast, dense new data storage
Engineers from the Max-Planck-Institut für Eisenforschung (MPIE) in Düsseldorf and the Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology in Aachen have combined ancient and modern technology by developing a way to 3D print Damascus steel.Continue ReadingCatego… Continue reading Legendary Damascus steel 3D printed by varying temperature of layers
Although it’s certainly possible to 3D-print metal objects, such items can’t always be formed down to the sub-millimeter precision required for certain applications. A new technique, however, allows them to be infinitesimally tweaked after being printe… Continue reading Electrochemical tech used to finely shape 3D-printed metal items
It’s a frustrating fact that whenever you try to improve materials like steel, you end up introducing new weaknesses at the same time. It’s a balancing act between different properties. Now, engineers have developed a new type of “super steel” that def… Continue reading “Super steel” breakthrough makes for stronger and tougher alloy
The colorful glaze on that ceramic mug of yours may look nice, but there’s a chance that it could contain toxic substances. US scientists have thus created a safer type of glaze, that incorporates tiny particles of silver and gold.Continue ReadingCateg… Continue reading Silver and gold used to make safer ceramic glaze