The word "perovskite" describes a naturally occurring mineral, but also a whole range of highly specialized synthetic compounds that have promising applications in electronics and photovoltaics. But what do they actually have in common? Who discovered them? And how are researchers using them to create innovative technology? This is the focus of the new issue of Empa Quarterly.

Rain jackets, swimming trunks or upholstery fabrics: Textiles with water-repellent properties require chemical impregnation.

We hope to lead you on a gripping journey through the world of research and innovation; you may be surprised at how broad the term "applied research" is defined at Empa.

Automated building systems offer a great potential for reducing the energy consumption of properties. Studies on such systems show that optimized solutions can reduce the energy requirements of buildings by around 30 percent on average. In order to avoid the necessity to produce new and emission-heavy computer chips, Empa researcher Hanmin Cai is currently investigating the extent to which damaged smartphones that are no longer used could perform these control and maintenance tasks.

At the final of the Not-a-Boring Competition 2024 in Bastrop, Texas, the team from Swissloop Tunneling came out on top thanks to a successful drilling process with a self-developed micro-tunneling machine. The team of students from ETH Zurich, supported by Empa, has thus won this year's Champion Award. After several years of intensive work, this is a major milestone for the team in the development of highly complex and innovative tunnel drilling technologies.

Zero heat waste: This is the goal of a dozen European companies and research institutions, including Empa, in the Horizon Europe project HEATWISE. The focus is on buildings with extensive IT loads. All waste heat from these systems is to be integrated and utilized in the buildings.

Ultra-light, thermally insulating and biodegradable: Cellulose-based aerogels are versatile. researchers have succeeded in 3D printing the natural material into complex shapes that could one day serve as precision insulation in microelectronics or as personalized medical implants.

From the desert to Swiss industry: As part of the new Mining the Atmosphere initiative, researchers are pursuing the goal of harvesting renewable energy in the Earth's sun belt, converting it several times and transporting it over long distances to where it is needed. A look at the energy and greenhouse gas balances shows: Although the concept requires a lot of energy, it can lead to negative CO₂ emissions overall.