Processing

Sintering smaller grains to build stronger ceramics

By April Gocha / May 8, 2018

Researchers at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory have hit a new low—while their previous work with environmentally controlled pressure assisted sintering achieved grain sizes as small as 28 nm, they now report grain sizes of just 3.6 nm.

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More MXenes coming? New synthesis method widens range of MAX phases for MXene fabrication

By April Gocha / April 27, 2018

Scientists at Drexel University have devised a new method to produce MXenes from MAX phases containing an “A” element other than aluminum—a development that could open novel opportunities in MXene synthesis.

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Preventing corrosion with ultra-thin layers of aluminum oxide

By Faye Oney / April 20, 2018

Researchers have discovered that a solid aluminum oxide protection layer can deform like a liquid, possibly protecting metals from environmental elements. Their discovery could solve degradation problems that contribute to rust and corrosion.

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Electrophoretic deposition coats metal implants with glass fibers to improve bone-to-implant bonding

By April Gocha / April 17, 2018

An international team of researchers has developed a feasible approach to add bioactivity to metallic biomedical implant surfaces, using electrophoretic deposition to form coatings comprised of oriented bioactive phosphate glass fibers.

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New open-access materials database could save research time, spur material science advances

By Faye Oney / April 13, 2018

Researchers at the National Energy Renewable Laboratory have created a database of inorganic thin-film materials containing 10 years’ worth of research. This open-access database could accelerate research advances in advanced energy and beyond.

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Not-so-rare-earth elements? Massive discovery of rare earth deposit near Japan could allay supply woes

By April Gocha / April 13, 2018

Scientists reportedly discovered a massive deposit of rare-earth elements off the coast of Japan in 2013—and now, they report that not only is the deposit sufficiently massive in terms of its estimated rare-earth resource supply, but that recovery of said minerals is rather feasible.

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Video: Making sense of data—Research initiative aims to bridge human–data disconnect

By April Gocha / April 4, 2018

In an effort to develop more intelligent data analysis to drive informed nanomaterials design, a unique research initiative at Lehigh University is taking the human element into account in its quest to evolve how we analyze data.

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Additive manufacturing reaches new dimensions for bulk metallic glasses

By April Gocha / March 30, 2018

Researchers at North Carolina State University (Raleigh, N.C.) have now broken the critical casting thickness—the previous maximum possible size—for fabricating bulk metallic glass by using laser-based powder bed additive manufacturing.

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Zeolite filter removes potentially dangerous compounds while retaining the flavor of smoked foods

By April Gocha / March 27, 2018

Researchers from the University of Reading in the U.K. report that they have devised and tested a zeolite filter that can significantly reduce the presence of carcinogens yet preserve that delicious flavor of smoked foods.

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Ceramics in the semiconductor industry and more inside April 2018 ACerS Bulletin, now available online

By April Gocha / March 15, 2018

The April 2018 issue of the ACerS Bulletin—featuring articles about ceramics in the semiconductor industry, refractory firebricks for energy storage, high-temperature furnace coatings, ceramic proppant supply, and additive manufacturing at Ceramics Expo 2018—is now available online.

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