http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/matter_energy/materials_science/ Materials Science News and Research. Read all the latest in materials engineering, chemical engineering, and more. Full-text, images, free. en-us Sun, 08 Nov 2009 09:05:01 EST Sun, 08 Nov 2009 09:05:01 EST 60 http://www.sciencedaily.com/images/logosmall.gif http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/matter_energy/materials_science/ For more science articles, visit ScienceDaily. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091104101539.htm A dentist carrying out root canal treatment will need to use a variety of compounds. These do not always bond together properly and sometimes expensive follow-up treatment has to be performed. But a new class of material meets the requirements, and solves the problem. Sat, 07 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091104101539.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091104111737.htm A theoretical physicist has developed a method for calculating the motions and forces of thousands of atoms simultaneously over a wider range of time scales than previously possible. The method overcomes a longstanding timing gap in modeling nanometer-scale materials and many other physical, chemical and biological systems at atomic and molecular levels. Sat, 07 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091104111737.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091105172421.htm As global temperatures and energy costs continue to soar, renewable sources of energy will be key to a sustainable future. An attractive replacement for gasoline is biofuel, and in two new studies, scientists have analyzed the genome structures of bioethanol-producing microorganisms, uncovering genetic clues that will be critical in developing new technologies needed to implement production on a global scale. Fri, 06 Nov 2009 20:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091105172421.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091104132819.htm Materials scientists have come up with what they believe is a new way to model the formation of glasses, a type of amorphous solid that includes common window glass. Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091104132819.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091105132454.htm Scientists are making progress toward development of an "artificial leaf" that mimics a real leaf's chemical magic with photosynthesis -- but instead converts sunlight and water into a liquid fuel such as methanol for cars and trucks. Fri, 06 Nov 2009 14:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091105132454.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102111834.htm A new generation of high-energy (>kJ) petawatt (HEPW) lasers is being constructed worldwide to study high intensity laser matter interactions, including fast ignition. Fri, 06 Nov 2009 02:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102111834.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091106102656.htm The manufacture of parts by compaction and sintering involves filling a die with metal powder. Research scientists have simulated this process for the first time to achieve an evenly distributed powder density. This improves the cost-efficiency of sintering. Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091106102656.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091106102654.htm Polishing metal surfaces is a demanding but monotonous task, and it is difficult to find qualified young specialists. Polishing machines do not represent an adequate alternative because they cannot get to difficult parts of the surface. A new solution is provided by laser polishers. Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091106102654.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091104132702.htm New insight into how nature handles some fundamental processes is guiding researchers in the design of tailor-made proteins for applications such as artificial photosynthetic centers, long-range electron transfers, and fuel-cell catalysts for energy conversion. Thu, 05 Nov 2009 23:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091104132702.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091104132708.htm Professor Yosi Shacham-Diamand of Tel Aviv University's Department of Engineering, working with a team of European Union scientists, has successfully wired a state-of-the-art artificial hand to existing nerve endings in the stump of a severed arm. The device, called "SmartHand," resembles -- in function, sensitivity and appearance -- a real hand. Thu, 05 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091104132708.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102103325.htm A time-varying bubble of electron density in the wake of an ultra-intense laser pulse traps the ambient plasma electrons and accelerates them to high energy producing collimated monoenergetic beams for medical, technological, and physics applications. Thu, 05 Nov 2009 05:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102103325.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091105143712.htm University of Utah chemists demonstrated the first conclusive link between the size of catalyst particles on a solid surface, their electronic properties and their ability to speed chemical reactions. The study is a step toward the goal of designing cheaper, more efficient catalysts to increase energy production, reduce Earth-warming gases and manufacture a wide variety of goods from medicines to gasoline. Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091105143712.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091103144822.htm Engineers are assessing systematic production methods that could make the costs of algae oil production more reasonable, helping move the U.S. from fossil fuel dependency to renewable energy replacements. Wed, 04 Nov 2009 14:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091103144822.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091029161253.htm Scientists have developed a new building material that is fire resistant to temperatures in excess of 1100 degrees Celsius, is made largely from recycled material and is as versatile as concrete. Wed, 04 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091029161253.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091026105748.htm A Dutch researcher has shown that the yield of propene can be increased by adding cerium oxide during the production process. Propene is an important raw material for the chemical industry and its uses include the production of medical equipment. However, it is difficult to produce. Wed, 04 Nov 2009 02:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091026105748.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091104140812.htm Physicists have created a quantum gas microscope that can be used to observe single atoms at temperatures so low the particles follow the rules of quantum mechanics, behaving in bizarre ways. The work represents the first time scientists have detected single atoms in a crystalline structure made solely of light, called a Bose Hubbard optical lattice. Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091104140812.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091104123029.htm Engineering researchers have fabricated a palm-sized, automated, micro-injector that can insert proteins, DNA and other biomolecules into individual cells at volumes exponentially higher than current procedures, and at a fraction of the cost. This will allow scientists to vastly increase preclinical trials for drug development and genetic engineering, and provide greater control of the process. Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091104123029.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091101132539.htm A tiny cage of gold covered with a smart polymer responds to light, opening to empty its contents and resealing when the light is turned off. The smart nanocages could be used to deliver drugs directly to target sites, thus avoiding systemic side effects. Tue, 03 Nov 2009 14:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091101132539.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102172517.htm Converting sunlight to electricity might no longer mean large panels of photovoltaic cells atop flat surfaces like roofs. Tue, 03 Nov 2009 14:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102172517.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091027103107.htm Italian researchers have developed a technique to effectively remove old polymer layers from sensitive historic artworks. The new cleaning system involves only a tiny proportion of volatile organic compounds. Tue, 03 Nov 2009 14:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091027103107.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102111828.htm An international team of physicists has succeeded in using intense laser light to accelerate protons to energies never before achieved. Using this technique, scientists can now accelerate particles to extremely high velocities that would otherwise only be possible using large accelerator facilities. Physicists around the world are examining laser particle acceleration and laser produced radiation for potential future uses in cancer treatment. Tue, 03 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102111828.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102172024.htm Scientists have unveiled a method for the industrial-scale manufacturing of pure carbon-nanotube fibers, a breakthrough that could lead to revolutionary advances in materials science, power distribution and nanoelectronics. The method builds upon tried-and-true processes the chemical industry has used for decades to produce polymer fibers. Tue, 03 Nov 2009 05:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102172024.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091021115002.htm Aerospace, automotive and airplane construction count on lightweight construction. But to make sure that lightening the load does not come at the cost of safety, researchers are working on new quality assurance systems for material testing. Tue, 03 Nov 2009 02:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091021115002.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102171724.htm Dust samples collected from the stratosphere have yielded an unexpectedly rich trove of relicts from the ancient cosmos, scientists report. The dust includes presolar grains and material from interstellar molecular clouds. This "ultra-primitive" material likely wafted into the atmosphere after the Earth passed through the trail of an Earth-crossing comet in 2003, giving scientists a rare opportunity to study cometary dust in the laboratory. Mon, 02 Nov 2009 23:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102171724.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102112058.htm The first experiments are now underway using the world's most powerful X-ray laser, the Linac Coherent Light Source, located at the Department of Energy's SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory. Illuminating objects and processes at unprecedented speed and scale, the LCLS has embarked on groundbreaking research in physics, structural biology, energy science, chemistry and a host of other fields. Mon, 02 Nov 2009 20:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102112058.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091029141212.htm Using precision techniques for making superconducting thin films layer-by-layer, physicists have identified a single layer responsible for one such material's ability to become superconducting, i.e., carry electrical current with no energy loss. The technique could be used to engineer ultrathin films with "tunable" superconductivity for higher-efficiency electronic devices. Mon, 02 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091029141212.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091023104708.htm A team of engineers has transformed simple nanowires into reconfigurable materials and circuits, demonstrating a novel, self-assembling method for chemically creating nanoscale structures that are not possible to grow or obtain otherwise. Mon, 02 Nov 2009 05:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091023104708.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102171730.htm In all the world, there are about 200 types of zeolite, a compound of silicon, aluminum and oxygen that gives civilization such things as laundry detergent, kitty litter and gasoline. But thanks to computations by researchers, it appears there are -- or could be -- more types of zeolites than once thought. Mon, 02 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102171730.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102111841.htm Physicists have directly observed a reverse shock wave of light in a specially tailored structure known as a left-handed metamaterial. Although it was first predicted over forty years ago, this is the first unambiguous experimental demonstration of the effect. Mon, 02 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102111841.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102103329.htm Using Einstein's theory of special relativity to speedup computer simulations, scientists have designed laser-plasma accelerators with energies of 10 billion electron volts (GeV) and beyond. These systems, which have not been simulated in detail until now, could in the future serve as a compact new technology for particle colliders and energetic light sources. Mon, 02 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102103329.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091101132541.htm Bioengineers have developed a simple and inexpensive method for loading cancer drug payloads into nano-scale delivery vehicles and demonstrated in animal models that this new nanoformulation can eliminate tumors after a single treatment. Sun, 01 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091101132541.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091029160532.htm High-performance energy storage technologies for the automotive industry or mobile phone batteries and notebooks providing long battery times – these visions of the future are being brought one step nearer. Researchers have developed a new method that utilizes silicon for lithium-ion batteries. Its storage capacity is ten times higher than the graphite substrate which has been used up to now, and promises considerable improvements for users. Fri, 30 Oct 2009 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091029160532.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091027162001.htm Scientists have always attempted to develop spin transistors by incorporating local ferromagnets into device architectures. A far better and practical way to manipulate the orientation of an electron's spin would be by using purely electrical means. Researchers have now found an innovative and novel way to control an electron's spin orientation using purely electrical means. Fri, 30 Oct 2009 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091027162001.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091029111911.htm A researcher said that developing bio-based adhesives to replace environmentally hazardous materials also could produce high-value products needed to sustain the biofuels economy. Fri, 30 Oct 2009 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091029111911.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091029111917.htm How nanowires evolve under stress has been simulated atom-by-atom over a period of time that is closer than ever to experimental reality, thanks to the new Roadrunner supercomputer. Fri, 30 Oct 2009 02:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091029111917.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091027132957.htm Researchers have developed a process that can mix tiny volumes of liquid, even in complicated spaces. The discovery of how to mix tiny liquid volumes arose from research directed at improving the sensitivity of the chemical sensors developed in his lab. While their original project did not lead to the expected results, researchers were surprised by the wide variety of physical effects they discovered along the way, including magnetic mixing. These effects, they said, ended up being much more interesting and important than the original goal. Thu, 29 Oct 2009 23:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091027132957.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091001095606.htm By re-thinking ideas about packaging size and shape, major environmental gains can be made. Smaller-sized, more easily handled boxes require less goods transport. Focusing on size will get us further than the usual preoccupation with recycling packaging materials. Wed, 28 Oct 2009 02:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091001095606.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091026125535.htm The world's fastest supercomputer, Roadrunner, at Los Alamos National Laboratory has completed its initial "shakedown" phase doing accelerated petascale computer modeling and simulations of a variety of unclassified, fundamental science projects. Mon, 26 Oct 2009 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091026125535.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091026093849.htm Researchers have created a nanoscale crystal device that, for the first time, allows scientists to confine both light and sound vibrations in the same tiny space. Mon, 26 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091026093849.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091016224157.htm Researchers have demonstrated some of the first commercially viable plasmonic devices, paving the way for a new era of high-speed communications and computing in which electronic and optical signals can be handled simultaneously. Mon, 26 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091016224157.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091025194629.htm Current prosthetics may look natural, but they're still primitive -- offering patients no real neurological control other than opening or closing their hand. But for U.S. soldiers who have lost arms and hands in the battlefield, two new studies may bring "real" feeling to artificial limbs. Mon, 26 Oct 2009 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091025194629.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091025162459.htm The remarkable eyes of a marine crustacean could inspire the next generation of DVD and CD players, according to a new study. Mon, 26 Oct 2009 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091025162459.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091025162530.htm Researchers have developed the world's first acoustic hyperlens, a device that provides an eightfold boost in the magnification power of ultrasound, underwater sonar and other sound-based imaging technologies. Mon, 26 Oct 2009 02:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091025162530.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091022164245.htm By adding select small molecules to mixtures of nanoparticles and polymers, researchers can direct the self-assembly of the nanoparticles into arrays of one, two and even three dimensions with no chemical modifications. Sun, 25 Oct 2009 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091022164245.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091022182414.htm Scientists have uncovered the physical mechanism by which arrays of nanoscale pillars can be grown on polymer films with very high precision, in potentially limitless patterns. This nanofluidic process could someday replace conventional lithographic patterning techniques now used to build three-dimensional nano- and microscale structures for use in optical, photonic, and biofluidic devices. Sun, 25 Oct 2009 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091022182414.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091019122844.htm Scientists have developed a biologically active "scaffold" made from soluble fibers which may help humans replace lost or missing bone. Sat, 24 Oct 2009 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091019122844.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091022101542.htm Polluting industrial processes can be made safer with enzymes. But only a short range of enzymes have been available for the chemical industry. Researchers in Denmark have recently succeeded in producing an artificial enzyme that points the way to enzymes tailor-made for any application. Sat, 24 Oct 2009 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091022101542.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091022141110.htm Scientists take an important step in converting methane gas to a liquid, giving the potential of making it more useful as a fuel and as a source for making other chemicals. Fri, 23 Oct 2009 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091022141110.htm