Category: Materials Science and Engineering
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Quantum metallurgy: Electron crystals deform and melt
Electrons can arrange into crystalline patterns that accumulate defects as they melt; controlling the degree of melting may advance superconductors and artificial neurons.
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A color-changing phosphor for encoding information
Applying heat or a solvent makes a new purely organic phosphor reversibly switch between glowing green and blue at room temperature.
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Protecting whales–and fisheries
Ryan Halonen (MSE NAME ‘05) co-designed a modified crab trap that protects humpback whales while enabling crabbers to do their jobs.
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Powering the next generation of nuclear energy
Rita Baranwal’s (MS MSE ‘96, PhD ‘98) helps lead a team developing the world’s first mass-produced microreactor.
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OLED lighting: Corrugated panel design extends longevity and efficiency
The new design uses microscale ridges to pack more OLED into a given lighting panel area and lasts 2.7 times as long, with 40% higher efficiency, compared to conventional devices.
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Model predicts best cooling and aging regimen to form strong alloys
A new multiscale materials modeling framework predicts microstructures to control the final strength of lightweight aluminum alloys for fuel-efficient vehicles.
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Michigan startup reimagines clothing labels for recycling and authenticating brands
Tags get cut off and tagless labels wear away, but new photonic fibers could serve as permanent barcodes.
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$2.5M aluminum research partnership aims to expand use in auto industry
U-M to collaborate with Hydro, one of the world’s largest aluminum companies.
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Pottery-inspired method stencils nanoparticles for building advanced materials
The technique allows engineers to more precisely place patches on microscopic building blocks, so they can control their assembly into designer structures.
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Conquering Disorder: Modeling a solid with liquid-like ion movement
A new method reveals copper selenide’s elusive electrical properties and vibrational patterns, moving towards thermoelectric generators, solid-state batteries or silent fridges.
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Microscopes can now watch materials go quantum with liquid helium
A new specimen holder gives scientists more control over ultra-cold temperatures, enabling the study of how materials acquire properties useful in quantum computers.
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U-Michigan ‘Battery Lab 2.0’ expansion open for innovation
Open to industry and academic researchers, the lab will help move more battery technology to market.