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5 Ws
Robotics, Automation & Control

5 Ws of a Self-Healing Robot

A team of researchers at Cornell Engineering has developed a soft robot that can detect when and where it was damaged — and then heal itself on the spot.

Briefs
Design

Self-Healing Aluminum Metal Matrix Composite

NASA has developed a new metal matrix composite (MMC) that can repair itself from large fatigue cracks that occur during the service life of a structure.

Briefs
Materials

Soft but Tough: Biohybrid Material Performs Like Cartilage

Producing biomaterials that match the performance of cartilage and tendons has been an elusive goal for scientists.

Briefs
Manufacturing & Prototyping

Additive Manufacturing Utilizing a Novel In-Line Mixing System for Design of Functionally Graded Ceramic Composites

Exploring the development of a direct ink writing system with multimaterial and in-line mixing capabilities for printing inks composed of high solids-loaded ceramic particulate suspensions.

Briefs
Materials

Hierarchical Diamond-Based Ceramic Composites

This research developed and utilized advanced processing, modeling, and micromechanical tools.

Briefs
Materials

Biobased Carbon Fibers and Thermosetting Resins for Use in DOD Composites Applications

The aim was to use renewable resources derived from plants and other sources to prepare high-performance carbon fiber and thermosetting matrix resins with high strength and high thermal resistance.

Articles
Materials

Solving Signal Interference Challenges in Aerospace and Defense Electronics

As the complexity of signal challenges in aerospace and defense technology increases, design engineers need to creatively combine materials to solve multiple problems at once.

Briefs
Aerospace

Corrugated Rollable Tubular Boom

NASA’s new COROTUB boom is flattened, rolled, and stowed in a small package for easy transport to remote locations. When unfurled, it expands into a load-bearing structural boom.

Briefs
Manufacturing & Prototyping

Multi-Material Manufacturing of Molded Composites

Researchers combined additive manufacturing with conventional compression molding to produce high-performance thermoplastic composites reinforced with short carbon fibers. The approach...

Briefs
Photonics/Optics

Nanocomposite Material Protects Against Intense Light

Optical limiting — a manner of telecom switching without the use of electronics — is an all-optical method that could improve the speed and capacity of Internet communications. A...

Briefs
Materials

Injectable, Flexible Electrode Could Replace Rigid Nerve-Stimulating Implants

By electrically stimulating nerves, this therapy can reduce epileptic seizures and soothe chronic pain without the use of conventional drugs like opioids.

Briefs
Test & Measurement

Tool Calculates Materials’ Stress and Strain Based on Photos

The advance could accelerate engineers’ design process by eliminating the need to solve complex equations.

Briefs
Materials

Foldable Solar Cells

Carbon nanotubes are used to create solar cells with unprecedented flexibility and resistance.

Articles
Unmanned Systems

Advancing Metrology at Mach Speed

Drone-mounted inspection tools are breaking barriers for the F-35.

Briefs
Materials

Healable Carbon Fiber Composite

The carbon fiber reinforced material can be repeatedly healed with heat.

Briefs
Green Design & Manufacturing

Tires Turned into Graphene Make Stronger Concrete

An optimized flash process could reduce carbon emissions.

Briefs
Aerospace

Calibration System for Automated Fiber Placement

The system creates accurate defect standards for in-situ inspection systems.

Briefs
Materials

Water Purification System Engineered from Wood

The eco-friendly process removes heavy metals, dyes, and other pollutants.

Briefs
Materials

Fatigue Behavior of an Advanced Melt-Infiltrated SIC/SIC Composite with Environmental Barrier Coating at 1200°C in Air and in Steam

SiC fiber-reinforced SiC matrix composites are being evaluated for aircraft engine hot-section components.

Briefs
Electronics & Computers

Novel Whisker Mitigating Composite Conformal Coat Assessment

DoD electronics have an increased failure risk due to tin whisker short circuits, unless properly mitigated by design.

Briefs
Aerospace

Bio-Based Polyurethane Containing Isosorbide for Use in Composites and Coatings

Polyurethane can be easily molded or cast into a film at ambient conditions.

Briefs
Materials

Deployable Composite Boom

Applications include space structures, emergency shelters, backpack solar collectors, and inspection of hazardous environments.

R&D
Nanotechnology

3D Printable Polymer Nanocomposite Ink

The 3D printable nanocomposite polymeric ink uses carbon nanotubes.

Articles
Energy

2021 Create the Future Design Contest: Sustainable Technologies/Future Energy Category Winner — Multifunctional Bionanocomposite Fruit Coatings

The invention could capture the potential of the edible packaging market.

Articles
Mechanical & Fluid Systems

Developing Thermoplastic Composites for Use in Commercial Aircraft

Thermoplastic composite materials (TPC) are gaining momentum for use in commercial airplanes and other aerospace applications, including electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft.

Briefs
Manufacturing & Prototyping

Macroflash Cup Cryostat

The compact instrument measures thermal conductivity of materials at below ambient temperatures.

News
Manned Systems

Altair Honors Weight-Saving Innovations

Sustainable and stylish: two words not commonly paired but that aptly apply to this year’s Altair Enlighten Award winner for Sustainable Product – Vehicle, the 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E. The...

News
Materials

Weaving a New Future for Composites

The advantages of composites are rarely debated. Born mostly from aerospace research, incredibly light but strong creations such as carbon fiber have upended mass-to-strength formulas, changing the...

Articles
Aerospace

New Composites Target EV Applications

Lightweighting solutions that are financially viable, reliable and sustainable for conventionally powered vehicles are arguably even more important for electric vehicles (EVs). Range anxiety remains...

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Thrust-Augmented Nozzles for Rocket Engines

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