ULVAC Technologies
Mini RTA Systems
Gatan Inc.
The Leader in
EM Instrumentation
SPI Supplies
Sample Preparation Equipment and
Consumables for Electron, Scanning Probe and
Light Microscopy
Goodfellow
Metals and Materials … from the Ordinary to the Extraordinary
Ted Pella, Inc.
Microscopy Supplies and
Specimen Preparation Tools
Harrick Plasma, Inc.
Surface Cleaning, Activation,
Pre-bond Preparation
Asylum Research,
an Oxford Instruments Company
The Technology Leader in Scanning Probe/
Atomic Force
Microscopy
Bruker Nano Surfaces
World’s Ultimate AFM
HORIBA Scientific
Tip Enhanced Raman Scattering (TERS) / Nano-Raman
American Elements
Now Invent.™
FEI Company
Fast S/TEM for 2D & 3D Chemical Analysis
Rigaku
Rigaku SmartLab
X-ray Diffractometer
Shimadzu Scientific Instruments
Precise, High-sensitivity EDXRF Analysis
IN FOCUS
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NEWS FROM THE WORLD OF MATERIALS Materials in Focus Researchers Fabricate Powerful, Multifunctional Torsional Micro-Muscles from Vanadium Dioxide by Joseph Bennington-Castro Image caption: Researchers used a multistep microfabrication process to create their VO2-based, bimorph dual coil micro-muscle. Credit: DOE/Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Click image to enlarge.
Micro-motors have become increasingly important in a number of scientific fields, particularly robotics and integrated micro-systems. Over the years, scientists have employed various techniques and materials to create micro-motors, but the devices could only perform a singular function at a time, such as torsional motion. Now, researchers at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) have developed a high-performance vanadium dioxide micro-motor that serves as a torsional actuator, micro-catapult, proximity sensor and memristor. More Read the abstract in Advanced Materials.
Flexible, Transparent Nano-Scale Electronics Can Wrap Around Human Hairs by Rachel Nuwer Image caption: Substrate wrapped around hairs. Credit: Salvatore et al. Click image to enlarge.
Over the years, electronics have evolved from clunky, wire-ridden contraptions to sleek, minimal devices. Just think of the difference between the room-sized computers of the mid-20th century versus a 0.68 inch-thick MacBook Air. But electronics, researchers are proving, can get much thinner still. The most recent of these developments is a 175-nm-thick transparent electronic device so thin and flexible that it can be wrapped around a human hair and still function. More Read the abstract in Nature Communications. Resonant Scattering from Silver Nanoparticles Enhances Transparent Display Performance Image caption: Photographs showing the transparent screen containing the silver nanoparticles (left) in comparison with a regular piece of glass (right). A laser projector projects a blue MIT logo onto both the transparent screen and the regular glass; the logo shows up clearly on the transparent screen, but not on the regular glass. Three cups are placed behind to visually assess the transparency. Credit: Chia Wei Hsu/MIT. Click image to enlarge.
Embedding silver nanoparticles in a thin polymer sheet can produce transparent displays based on narrow-band resonance scattering phenomena, according to research reported recently in Nature Communications by scientists at MIT. The frequency-selective properties of these displays—they can be tuned to scatter light of a desired, single wavelength-along with their wide viewing angle, make them attractive possible alternatives to currently available transparent displays. Eventually, they might be manufactured inexpensively on large scales using roll-to-roll polymer processing, which would give them a cost advantage over other display types. More Industry Focus Non-fluorescent Nanoparticle Observation in Cells and Tissue Fluorescent labeling is required to detect the presence of nanoparticles in cells and tissue with most optical microscopy techniques. However, the CytoViva Hyperspectral Microscope system enables researchers to optically observe and spectrally characterize nanomaterials in these environments without the need for fluorescent labels. With CytoViva's patented, high signal-to-noise darkfield-based microscopy optics, the light scatter from these nanoparticles and their targeted environment is easily observed. Noble metal or liposome nanoparticles, carbon nanotubes and metal oxides are examples of materials that can be optically imaged and spectrally analyzed with the CytoViva Hyperspectral Microscope system. More Image in Focus
A piece of debris on a sample covered with MBE-grown InAs nanowires, viewed with an electron microscope. Credit: Marcel R. Mueller, IMS TU Dortmund, NRW, Germany. (A First Place Winner in the Science as Art competition at the 2013 MRS Fall Meeting) |
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Call for Papers—Two Journal of Materials Research Focus Issues
If you are working in the two fields listed below, please be sure to submit a paper so it can be considered for inclusion in the always-popular JMR Focus Issues.
The Materials Science of Additive Manufacturing—September 2014 Issue Guest editors: Todd A. Palmer, Pennsylvania State University; Jens Günster, BAM Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing Germany; and Daniel Gunther, voxeljet AG, Germany Submission deadline: February 28, 2014
Guest editors: Romain Gaume, University of Central Florida; Yiquan Wu, Alfred University; and Thomas Hartnett, Raytheon Company Submission Deadline: March 15, 2014
Visit the JMR Focus Issues web page for more details. Of Interest to the Materials Science Community
SCIENCountErs is an outreach program developed by the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Nanoscale Science and Engineering Center (NSEC) and Institute for Chemical Education (ICE). Initially started in 2005 with the Boys & Girls Clubs (BGC) of Dane County, this successful program now partners colleges, universities and science museums across the country with late elementary and middle school students at their local BGC. Students and/or staff lead fun predesigned, hands-on, inquiry-based science and engineering activities during weekly club meetings, working in small groups to build positive relationships with the children. Through this program, BGC members improve their attitudes towards science and scientists, increase perceptions of their own scientific ability, learn how to communicate science and gain confidence in science classes at school. Volunteers reap the benefits of working with bright, eager children and helping to increase the pipeline of underrepresented students interested in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) degrees.
Materials Genome Initiative (MGI) Southeast Regional Workshop
The Georgia Tech Institute for Materials (IMat) in Atlanta, Georgia, is hosting the 'Materials Genome Initiative (MGI) Southeast Regional Workshop' on March 28, 2014. The event is offered at no cost, with a complimentary breakfast, lunch and closing reception.
The goal of this workshop is to cultivate networking among Southeastern US industry, universities and government entities aimed at the common goal of developing methods to accelerate the discovery, development and deployment of new and improved materials.
For more information or to RSVP, please click here.
International "Materials for Renewable Energy" School 2014 July 12–18, 2014 Erice (Sicily–Italy)
Co-organized by the Materials Research Society and the European Materials Research Society
The aim of the School is to present the state-of-the-art and the future perspectives for materials applied to the generation and storage of renewable and sustainable energy. Lectures will be given by some of the most recognized academic and industrial experts, merging physics, chemistry and engineering knowledge in several fields. A general overview of the global energy landscape will be presented by discussing also conventional energy sources and next generation nuclear production. Topics of the school are: the global warming issue, conventional and sustainable technologies, solar energy conversion (PV and thermal), thermoelectric energy conversion, solar fuels, wind energy conversion, fuel cells, storage and vehicles.
Visit the Erice 2014 Materials for Renewable Energy website to learn more.
NCMS-NSF Nanomanufacturing Survey
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Critical Meeting Deadlines
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MRS Communications
Research Letters: Lithium oxide solution in chloride melts as a medium to prepare LiCoO2 nanoparticles
A new experimental approach for evaluating the mechanical integrity of interfaces between hard coatings and substrates Oxygen vacancy enhanced room-temperature ferromagnetism in Sr3SnO/c-YSZ/Si (001) heterostructures Get your free Android App or iTunes App for MRS Communications for full mobile access to this journal.
Materials for Biological Modulation, Sensing, and Imaging
Letter from the President News & Analysis Posterminaries Journal of Materials Research
Bulge fatigue testing of freestanding and supported gold films An energy analysis of nanovoid nucleation in nanocrystalline materials with grain boundary sliding accommodations |
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Classifieds Partial listing from the upcoming February 2014 issue of MRS Bulletin Center for Sustainable Materials Chemistry City University of Hong Kong Northwestern University Oak Ridge National Laboratory Sandia National Laboratories South University of Science and Technology Stevens Institute of Technology Tongji University University of Connecticut University of Michigan University of Pittsburgh |
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Quiz In honor of the Super Bowl this weekend, we have a football/materials-related question. A football is still often referred to as a "pigskin," even though modern footballs are made of cowhide leather. However, when American football was in its infancy in the 1850s, a part of a pig was used as the ball. Which part of the pig was it? (The answer can be found in the book "Newton's Football: The Science Behind America's Game," by Allen St. John and Ainissa G. Ramirez.) Quote of the Month |
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New FTIR Spectrometers for Infrared Application Techniques
JASCO recently introduced the new FTIR-4000/6000 Series Spectrometers offering the best S/N ratio, unparalleled sensitivity, and vibration-free scanning. The JASCO FTIR-4000/6000 Series instruments redefine the application of this powerful, easy-to-use technique. Each compact model offers reliable operation with the highest signal-to-noise ratio in the industry. All instruments feature a highly stable, corner-cube interferometer and AccuTrac™ DSP technology enabling rapid and accurate tracking of mirror position and velocity for optimum signal-to-noise performance. Miniature Transportation Sample Vacuum Chamber for Micro-manipulated Probe Stations Janis Research Company recently announced that it is offering a patent pending, miniature, transportable sample vacuum chamber capable of maintaining a sample in vacuum during transportation via an atmosphere environment. The vacuum chamber can be used for transferring wafer/substrates under vacuum from a glove box with special environment into a vacuum or cryogenic micro-manipulated probe station (or into a vacuum chamber) and back into the glove box after testing, measurements or preparations. This transportable vacuum chamber protects the wafer/substrates from atmospheric contamination both on loading and unloading. [To suggest items for inclusion in Industry News and New Products Focus, please contact Mary Kaufold at 724-779-2755] |
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Materials360 is edited by Tim Palucka, Science News Editor, Materials Research Society.
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