Sustainable Roads: The Evolution of Asphalt Recycling

Switzerland is built, at least as far as the road network is concerned. Therefore – and despite recycling –, significantly more reclaimed asphalt is generated today than can be reused in new roads. Empa researcher Martins Zaumanis has set himself the goal of increasing the recycled content of asphalt – with adapted production methods and Read more about Sustainable Roads: The Evolution of Asphalt Recycling[…]

Printing with Feeling: The Possibilities of Haptic Solutions in 3D Printing

Haptic solutions refer to the use of technology to provide tactile feedback or simulate the sense of touch. While most commonly associated with virtual reality and gaming, haptic solutions have a wide range of potential applications. One area where haptic solutions can be particularly useful is in 3D printing. 3D printing has revolutionized manufacturing, enabling Read more about Printing with Feeling: The Possibilities of Haptic Solutions in 3D Printing[…]

Nanostructured joining materials for the next generation of microelectronics

Electronic components are becoming smaller, more complex and more powerful – this calls for new solutions for joining them. An Empa team is developing nanostructured joining materials for the next generation of microelectronics and other demanding applications. Gordon Moore was right. In April 1965, the US engineer and later co-founder of Intel predicted that the Read more about Nanostructured joining materials for the next generation of microelectronics[…]

How the next-generation of AI can be integrated into the innovation process for designing new and existing materials

More than a century has passed since Thomas Edison developed the first electric light bulb, yet Edison’s hallmark approach of ‘trial and error’ to reach his discovery still remains a large part of today’s inventions. Now, a team of engineers at the University of Missouri is embodying the age-old adage of “work smarter, not harder” Read more about How the next-generation of AI can be integrated into the innovation process for designing new and existing materials[…]

New lightweight materials for energy technologies

The explosion of mobile electronic devices, electric vehicles, drones and other technologies have driven demand for new lightweight materials that can provide the power to operate them. Researchers from the University of Houston and Texas A&M University have reported a structural supercapacitor electrode made from reduced graphene oxide and aramid nanofiber that is stronger and Read more about New lightweight materials for energy technologies[…]

Strange Metals as the Key to Superconductivity

Superconductors allow electrical current to flow without any resistance – but only below a certain critical temperature. Many materials have to be cooled down to almost absolute zero, while some materials keep their superconducting properties up to much higher temperatures. How this “high-temperature superconductivity” works and how it is possible to develop new materials that Read more about Strange Metals as the Key to Superconductivity[…]

New high-performance materials and therapeutics for Soldiers

Synthetic biologists working on a U.S. Army project have developed a process that could lead to a new class of synthetic polymers that may create new high-performance materials and therapeutics for Soldiers. Nature Communications published research conducted by Army-funded researchers at Northwestern University, who developed a set of design rules to guide how ribosomes, a cell Read more about New high-performance materials and therapeutics for Soldiers[…]

Artificial Intelligence used to discover Metallic Glass

SLAC and its collaborators are transforming the way new materials are discovered. In a new report, they combine artificial intelligence and accelerated experiments to discover potential alternatives to steel in a fraction of the time. Blend two or three metals together and you get an alloy that usually looks and acts like a metal, with Read more about Artificial Intelligence used to discover Metallic Glass[…]

ultrasound material

Designing a new material for improved ultrasound

Development of a theoretical basis for ultrahigh piezoelectricity in ferroelectric materials led to a new material with twice the piezo response of any existing commercial ferroelectric ceramics, according to an international team of researchers from Penn State, China and Australia. Piezoelectricity is the material property at the heart of medical ultrasound, sonar, active vibration control Read more about Designing a new material for improved ultrasound[…]

Materials, manufacturing processes and devices for organic and large area electronics

Specific Challenge: Europe is a leader in the development of materials for organic and large area electronics (OLAE) but the materials still need to be improved to maintain this position. In addition, there have been attempts to combine dissimilar manufacturing technologies in order to achieve seamless integration of the new technology into traditional products at Read more about Materials, manufacturing processes and devices for organic and large area electronics[…]

Quantised self-assembly enables design of materials with novel properties

At DESY’s X-ray source PETRA III, scientists have investigated an intriguing form of self-assembly in liquid crystals: When the liquid crystals are filled into cylindrical nanopores and heated, their molecules form ordered rings as they cool – a condition that otherwise does not naturally occur in the material. This behavior allows nanomaterials with new optical Read more about Quantised self-assembly enables design of materials with novel properties[…]

Smart materials, systems and structures for energy harvesting

Specific Challenge: The realisation of the European goals of increased energy efficiency, reduction in CO2 emissions and the circular economy require novel ways of using, harvesting and storage energy. Smart materials and material systems/structures have already demonstrated the potential to reduce energy consumption as well as harvest, generate and store energy. However, implementation has been limited Read more about Smart materials, systems and structures for energy harvesting[…]