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VIDEO: Natascha Hedrich explains the principle of a new storage medium based on domain walls in a single antiferromagnetic crystal. view more
Credit: (Video: Swiss Nanoscience Institute, University of Basel)
Physicists from Switzerland, Germany and Ukraine have proposed an innovative new data storage medium. The technique is based on specific properties of antiferromagnetic materials that had previously resisted experimental examination.
Using nanoscale quantum sensors, an international research team has succeeded in exploring certain previously uncharted physical properties of an antiferromagnetic material. Based on their results, the researchers developed a concept for a new storage medium published in the journal
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IMAGE: Smaller, more uniformly-sized pores are made in the PDMS membrane by mixing PDMS, toluene, citric acid, and ethanol. Toluene dilutes PDMS so it can easily mix with the other two. view more
Credit: Professor Young-Ho Cho, KAIST
- A silicone membrane for wearable devices is more comfortable and breathable thanks to better-sized pores made with the help of citric acid crystals. -
A new preparation technique fabricates thin, silicone-based patches that rapidly wick water away from the skin. The technique could reduce the redness and itching caused by wearable biosensors that trap sweat beneath them. The technique was developed by bioengineer and professor Young-Ho Cho and his colleagues at KAIST and reported in the journal
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In civil engineering, flexural beams are used to control the effect of vibrations that can cause cracks to appear in surfaces (concrete slabs) and beams. This is particularly important in buildings that require high tensile strength and where the use of machinery can cause a lot of vibrations that can disturb structural integrity. One metric to determine the reliability of beams is the deflection value, which should be appropriately low relative to the structure the beams are used in. Engineering codes such as ACI codes include provisions for such values and there are a number of methods to calculate them. Deflection is altered practically by reinforcing the construction materials with concrete or steel.
Electric current is deflected by a magnetic field - this leads to the so-called Hall effect. A surprising discovery has now been made at TU Wien: an exotic metal was examined and a giant Hall effect was found to be produced by the material, in the total absence of any magnetic field.
Lithium-sulfur batteries, given their light weight and theoretical high capacities, are a promising alternative to conventional lithium-ion batteries for large-scale energy storage systems, drones, electric vehicles, etc. But at present, they suffer from poor battery life, limiting their applicability. Now, scientists from Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Korea, have discovered a new catalyst material s ability to significantly improve lithium-sulfur battery life, opening doors to their near-future practical commercial realization.