Ladder polymers — molecules made of adjacent rings sharing two or more atoms — are challenging to synthesize, because they require highly selective, quantitative reactions to avoid the formation of branching structures or of interruptions in the ring sequence in the polymer chain. lire plus…

New research from the laboratory of Ozgur Sahin, associate professor of biological sciences and physics at Columbia University, shows that materials can be fabricated to create soft actuators—devices that convert energy into physical motion—that are strong and flexible, and, most important, resistant to water damage. lire plus…

Polymers are usually the go-to material for thermal insulation. Think of a silicone oven mitts or a Styrofoam coffee cup, both items are manufactured from polymer-based materials that are excellent at trapping heat. lire plus…

In the summer of 2016, Transportation Security Administration screeners at Reno-Tahoe International Airport in Nevada confiscated an oddity: a 3-D-printed handgun in a man’s carry-on baggage. lire plus…

Ali Gooneie simulates on his computer what holds the world together right at its very core: atoms, molecules, molecular chains and bundles—then lumps and fibers, which emerge from these. With his calculations, the Empa researcher can also explain properties we can feel with our fingertips: smooth and rough surfaces, flexible and rigid materials, heat-conductive substances and insulators. lire plus…

L’entreprise suédoise Sandvik a dévoilé un diamant composite fabriqué par stéréolithographie à partir de poudre de diamant et de polymère. Capable de lui donner des formes complexes, l’entreprise entend ouvrir le champ des applications, notamment pour les pièces d’usure ou le spatial. lire plus…

Wearable electronics that adhere to skin are an emerging trend in health sensor technology for their ability to monitor a variety of human activities, from heart rate to step count. But finding the best way to stick a device to the body has been a challenge. lire plus…

Chemists at the University of Illinois have successfully produced fuels using water, carbon dioxide and visible light through artificial photosynthesis. By converting carbon dioxide into more complex molecules like propane, green energy technology is now one step closer to using excess CO2 to store solar energy – in the form of chemical bonds – for use when the sun is not shining and in times of peak demand. lire plus…