Sensors and Electronics at RISE’s Post

🧪Researchers Develop 'Glassy Gels' - Hard, Durable, Flexible and over 50% Liquid💡 🔬 Researchers at North Carolina State University have introduced an innovative class of materials called "glassy gels" that combine the best of both glassy polymers and gels. These materials are hard, durable, and surprisingly flexible, despite containing over 50% liquid. This breakthrough offers promising applications across various industries. 🏆 What Makes Glassy Gels Special? ✨ Hard Yet Stretchable: Glassy gels are as tough as glassy polymers but can stretch up to five times their original length without breaking. When heated, they return to their original shape. 🔌 Conductive & Adhesive: Containing over 50% liquid, these gels are efficient conductors of electricity and have highly adhesive surfaces, making them unique among hard materials. How Are They Made? 🧪 The process begins with liquid precursors of glassy polymers mixed with an ionic liquid. This mixture is poured into a mold and exposed to ultraviolet light to cure, forming the glassy gel. The ionic liquid, made entirely of ions, interacts with the polymer to make the material both stretchable and hard. Potential Applications 🔧 Versatility: Glassy gels can be made using various polymers and ionic liquids. Their unique properties suggest they could be useful in electronics, medical devices, and more. 🛠️ Ease of Production: The simple production process, which includes curing in molds or 3D printing, makes glassy gels accessible for practical applications. 🧲 Adhesive Properties:The adhesive nature of glassy gels, while not fully understood, opens up possibilities for new industrial uses where sticking power is essential. Research and Collaboration 📜 The study, titled "Glassy Gels Toughened by Solvent," was published in Nature and involved collaboration with researchers from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. 🧑🔬 Researchers are eager to explore further applications and are open to collaboration. Stay tuned for more updates on this groundbreaking material! Follow our page to stay informed about the latest tech news and innovations. 🌟📢 #MaterialsScience #Innovation #Research #TechNews #Engineering #GlassyGels #NorthCarolinaStateUniversity #MaterialInnovation

Exciting insights: development of new materials and technologies The world of science and research never stands still! In laboratories around the world, clever minds are working on ground-breaking innovations that could change our lives in the future. One particularly exciting field is the development of new materials and technologies. What exactly is happening there? Researchers are exploring the properties of atoms and molecules in order to create new materials with previously unimaginable properties. The goal: materials that are lighter, more stable, more conductive or more biocompatible than anything we have known to date. What advantages do these innovations bring us? The potential applications are almost endless! New materials could revolutionise the energy transition, advance medicine or enable lightweight construction in the automotive industry. A look into the future: 3D printing, nanotechnology and biomaterials - these buzzwords characterise the development of new materials and technologies. They harbour the potential to make our world more sustainable, more efficient and more comfortable. #Cosichem #New #Materials #Innovation #development #Science #Technologies

Nano-Printing Revolution: Printing Metal Structures Just Got WAY Faster and Cheaper! Exciting news for anyone in the field of nanotechnology or interested in the future of manufacturing! Researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology have made a significant breakthrough in nano-printing metal structures. Their new technique utilizes light to achieve significantly faster and cheaper production compared to existing methods. This is a game-changer! Traditionally, nano-printing metal structures has been a slow and expensive process. This new light-based approach overcomes these limitations by printing entire structures in one go, rather than painstakingly building them point-by-point. Here's how it works: light from a projection system triggers a chemical reaction within a special solution, transforming it into the desired metal. These metal nanoparticles then bind together on a surface, forming the intricate nano-structures. The implications are vast. This technology has the potential to unlock the potential of numerous applications currently limited by the high cost and slow pace of nano-printing. Imagine: Faster development of new materials and devices in fields like electronics, medicine, and aerospace. Revolutionizing miniaturized technologies like microbots and nanosensors. Opening doors to previously inaccessible research areas in areas like bioprinting and advanced materials science. This breakthrough is a major leap forward in the field of nano-printing. As the technology matures, we can expect to see even more innovative and efficient ways to create these tiny, yet powerful, structures. #nanotechnology #3dprinting #metalprinting #innovation #engineering #futureofmanufacturing #phantomengineers #mechanicalengineering

Spintronics research at its best with astounding results which may push the boundaries of many an applications including but not limited to ultrafast very high capacity non volatile memories. I had a vision of printing solar cell boards by retrofitting paper board machines so as to lay it over top of cross country fresh water canals providing petawatts of electricity and as well control evaporation. These scientists have laid out foundation for exploring spin chirality and its control using inexpensive scalable methods that may results in the creation of such commercially viable option. It is known that CISS-driven charge-to-spin conversion works efficiently in chiral semiconductors, but everybody want to know why. And an easy way to understand the puzzling mechanics of such a process is to reverse it, that is, to look at spin-to-charge conversion via the inverse CISS effect. These researchers developed printing processes to assemble conjugate organic polymers into chiral helical structures. By making the structure of organic material chiral one can leverage it to convert between spin and charge. They used microwave excitation as a spin-pumping technique to inject pure spin into the organic polymer and measure the resulting current. The researchers found that spin lifetimes up to nanoseconds were achievable in the chiral organic polymer at room temperature, as opposed to the picosecond lifetimes in traditional spintronic materials. The beauty of this material—among other things—is its tunability. One can change chirality, conductivity, and see how that affects spin or efficiency. We now have a way to really gain insight into why CISS-related spintronic devices work, which could help us design better and more efficient ones. Polymer-based electronics are much less energy-intensive to fabricate than current electronics, and are easy to scale up for production. Since polymer semiconductors are printable—they can be printed in the same way newspapers are—they would be ideal for portable, flexible and stretchable applications ranging from solar cells to new forms of computers. #climatechange #spintronics #solarenergy #polymerelectronics

Gen Materials Reshaping Manufacturing The future of industrial manufacturing is being reshaped by innovations in advanced materials engineered at the nanoscale level. Materials like graphene, which is stronger than steel yet incredibly thin, and metamaterials with unprecedented ability to manipulate energy, are leading a new revolution. 3D printing is also evolving rapidly, now able to print with metals, ceramics and even biological materials like living cells. This allows for the creation of complex shapes and designs that were previously impossible or too costly to produce through traditional methods. As these cutting-edge materials make their way into production lines, they promise stronger, more efficient and sustainable products. From lightweight vehicles to smart buildings that regulate their own energy use, the possibilities enabled by next-gen materials are vast. Challenges remain around scalability, cost and potential environmental impacts as these technologies mature. But the benefits of harnessing advanced materials are too compelling to ignore. We are inching towards a future where the products we use and the world we live in are fundamentally transformed by materials that were once science fiction. The next industrial revolution is being built with these new material marvels. And that future is an exciting frontier that demands our curiosity, our innovation, and our optimism as we explore the boundless potential of next-generation materials. #AdvancedMaterials #MaterialScience #Nanotechnology #Graphene #Metamaterials #3DPrinting #AdditiveManufacturing #SustainableManufacturing #IndustrialRevolution #Manufacturing #Innovation #Engineering #Technology #FutureOfTech #RandD #SmartMaterials #GreenTech #STEM #ScienceAndTechnology #EmergingTech #ModernManufacturing #DigitalTransformation #IndustryTrends #IndustrialIoT #industry40

🔬 Exploring New Frontiers in Polymer Research 🌟 Polymer research is constantly evolving, opening up exciting new possibilities that push the boundaries of science and technology. Here are some of the latest concepts in polymer research that are shaping the future: 1. Bioinspired Polymers: Nature has always been a source of inspiration for innovative materials. Bioinspired polymers mimic the structure and function of natural materials, leading to advances in self-healing materials, responsive surfaces, and sustainable alternatives to traditional plastics. 2. Polydopamine Coatings: Derived from the adhesive proteins of mussels, polydopamine is making waves in surface modification. Its versatility allows it to adhere to virtually any surface, enabling applications in biomedical devices, water purification, and energy storage. 3. Stimuli-Responsive Polymers: These “smart” polymers can change their properties in response to external stimuli such as temperature, pH, or light. They hold great promise for drug delivery systems, where precise control over release rates can significantly improve therapeutic outcomes. 4. Conductive Polymers: With the growing demand for flexible electronics, conductive polymers are at the forefront. They combine the electrical properties of metals with the processing advantages of polymers, paving the way for innovations in wearable electronics, sensors, and energy harvesting devices. 5. Recyclable Polymers: Sustainability is a major focus in polymer research. New developments in recyclable polymers aim to reduce environmental impact by designing materials that can be easily reprocessed and reused, supporting a circular economy. 6. 3D Printing and Polymers: Advances in polymer chemistry are enhancing the capabilities of 3D printing. High-performance polymers designed for additive manufacturing are enabling the production of complex, customized structures for aerospace, medical implants, and beyond. These cutting-edge concepts are just the tip of the iceberg. As polymer research continues to advance, we can expect even more groundbreaking innovations that will transform industries and improve our daily lives. To all the researchers and scientists driving these innovations, your work is paving the way for a brighter, more sustainable future. Keep pushing the boundaries and exploring the limitless potential of polymers. #PolymerResearch #InnovativeMaterials #BioinspiredPolymers #SmartPolymers #ConductivePolymers #Sustainability #3DPrinting #BiomedicalEngineering

In a first for communications, researchers at KTH 3D printed silica glass micro-optics on the tips of optic fibres – surfaces as small as the cross-section of a human hair. The advances could enable faster internet and improved connectivity, as well as innovations like smaller sensors and imaging systems. The study’s lead author, Lee-Lun Lai, says the researchers printed a silica glass sensor that proved more resilient than a standard plastic-based sensor after multiple measurements. “We demonstrated a glass refractive index sensor integrated into the fibre tip that allowed us to measure the concentration of organic solvents. This measurement is challenging for polymer-based sensors due to the corrosiveness of the solvents,” Lai says. Reporting in the journal ACS Nano, researchers at KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm say integrating silica glass optical devices with optical fibres enables multiple innovations, including more sensitive remote sensors for the environment and healthcare. The printing techniques they report also could prove valuable in the production of pharmaceuticals and chemicals.  Read more: https://lnkd.in/d9-mFjPc #Materialsscience #3dprinting #glass #opticalfibers

Who ever said research can't include a little gravity-defying fun? Civil and Environmental Engineering research associate professor Johan Vanneste, with graduate students Alexandre Bray and Alexander Schwiebert, joined a team from bioplastic producer startup Mango Materials on parabolic flights to simulate lunar gravity, microgravity and the gravity on Mars. On these flights the team ran tests to see how a bioreactor that incorporates gas exchange technology to create plastic for 3D printing performs in low gravity environments. This technology could be used in space to create bioplastic for medical devices on the spot, having huge potential for enhancing space exploration. Read more: https://bit.ly/4cOGsIi

⛓️ Researchers have demonstrated a technique for printing thin metal oxide films at room temperature, and have used the technique to create transparent, flexible circuits that are both robust and able to function at high temperatures. 💬 “Creating metal oxides that are useful for electronics has traditionally required making use of specialized equipment that is slow, expensive, and operates at high temperatures,” says CBE Prof. Michael Dickey, co-corresponding author of a paper on the work. 🎥 Watch the video here: https://lnkd.in/e9s966bG 📖 Read the article here: https://lnkd.in/eSGzbeuG #chemicalengineering #ncstatecbe #thinkanddo

New AI approach accelerates targeted materials discovery and sets the stage for self-driving experiments The method could lead to the development of new materials with tailored properties, with potential applications in fields such as #climate change, quantum #computing and drug design. Scientists have developed an AI-based method that helps gather data more efficiently in the search for new materials, allowing researchers to navigate complex design challenges with greater precision and speed. The ability to design materials with specific catalytic properties, for example, could improve chemical processes that lead to more efficient and sustainable ways to manufacture goods and materials, reducing #energy consumption and waste. In manufacturing, new materials could enhance processes such as 3D printing, allowing for more precise and sustainable production. Link to full news article is in comments. #EnergyEfficiency #GreenComputing