Researchers at the University of California, Davis have developed an algorithm for designing and identifying complex structures having custom release profiles for controlled drug delivery.

An innovative approach to joining materials that enhances strength and toughness at interfaces, inspired by natural structures.

The plant species Banksia speciosa relies on wildfires to propagate its seeds. The specialized coating on the seeds, along with the follicle structure, can protect seeds from temperatures over 1,000°C. Inspired by this coating on the seeds of the Banksia plants, researchers at UC Irvine have developed novel, bioinspired coatings, materials, and structures for thermal management, enabling development of cost-effective and ecological thermal management systems.

CoFe-Al2O3 is a soft magnetic composite that can be formed using net shape manufacturing and offering superior magnetic, electrical and thermal properties.

Brief description not available

Brief description not available

Currently, thin films of single-crystalline (SC) alloy material are obtained using costly SC substrates made of a material chemically and physically compatible to that of a SC thin film that is deposited on the SC substrate. Formation of SC thin films of alloy materials on SC substrates are typically achieved through fairly expensive processes such as epitaxy. As a result, the use of a thin film of SC alloy materials or respective multiple thin films is contingent upon the availability of an appropriate SC substrate thereby severely limiting its utilization. Thus, there is a need for alternative methods of forming one or more thin films of SC alloy materials on arbitrary substrates. Crystallization of thin film materials by exploiting laser-induced crystallization has been advancing for the past four decades. This unique thin film technique has been predominantly used in processing thin film materials made of a single chemical element, with a significant emphasis on thin film materials comprised of a single chemical element like silicon (Si), used for the development of thin film transistors. While this approach has worked well for thin film materials comprised of a single chemical element like silicon (Si) it is not easily extended for use with thin film materials containing multiple chemical elements (e.g., metal oxides). For certain bulk manufacturing applications, it would be desirable to efficiently form thin structures on non-single-crystalline (NSC) substrates, such as glass, or on SC substrates that are highly-incompatible, such as silicon. For such applications, it is highly desirable that the treated SC alloy layer(s) have chemical compositions not significantly different from those of their original chemical compositions.

Brief description not available

Brief description not available

Brief description not available

Brief description not available

Brief description not available

Brief description not available

Brief description not available

3D printing of concrete structures is a highly efficient, cheap process. However, imperfections are difficult to detect and can compromise the performance of these structures. UCI researchers have developed a method in which a current sent through the printed structure produces a “fingerprint” that allows the real-time detection of flaws in the concrete structure.

Brief description not available

Brief description not available

UCLA researchers in the Department of Pediatrics have developed a thin and flexible stent that can be implanted in small vessels in the neurovascular system. Normal 0 false false false EN-US ZH-CN X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}

Researchers in the UCLA Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Department of Chemical Engineering and Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry have developed an energy-saving approach to controllably fabricate cemented solids with hybrid microstructures and enhanced properties.

Brief description not available

UCLA researchers in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering have developed a cost-effective method to produce copper-based nanocomposites with excellent mechanical, electrical and thermal properties.

Brief description not available

A revolutionary material capable of dynamically controlling heat flow without external power, designed for applications in clothing, buildings, and insulation.

UCLA researchers in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering have developed a fuel cell catalyst system comprised of platinum-based alloys with a novel carbon support. The fuel cell has improved mass activity targets and increased stability.

Dendritic growth inside a high capacity electrochemical system can initiate self-discharge and a very dangerous set of reactions that result in cell temperatures reaching >500 °C within seconds of internal shorting. Thus, cell components are often designed with shut-off features that engage after shorting occurs and cell temperature begins to rise, but before a threshold temperature is reached (e.g. runaway temperature). For example, some separator membranes can be designed to collapse in response to high temperatures, blocking ion-flow and effectively shutting off the cell. However, this process is irreversible and will not prevent thermal runaway if a critical temperature is reached before proper shutoff can occur. Additionally, such membrane will have little effect if the short circuit occurs from separator penetration by a metallic dendrite. Reversible thermo-responsive membranes have been developed, but share similar drawbacks during internal shorting and rapid self-discharge.