News in Brief
Astronomy - Jun 14
State Secretary Hirayama in Portugal to attend Africa-Europe Space Earth Observation High-Level Forum and hold bilateral talks
State Secretary Hirayama in Portugal to attend Africa-Europe Space Earth Observation High-Level Forum and hold bilateral talks
wire - news in brief
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Materials Science - Physics - 14.06.2021
Materials Science - Environment - 03.06.2021 
The biodegradable battery
The number of data-transmitting microdevices, for instance in packaging and transport logistics, will increase sharply in the coming years.
Materials Science - Environment - 20.05.2021 
With a pinch of rubber
Swiss drivers wear out countless tires. Instead of incinerating them, they could be reused locally: The asphalt of various countries has long contained rubber from used tires.
Materials Science - Innovation - 12.05.2021 
An enormous impact - despite Corona
Empa's Annual Report 2020 leads 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. Last year, hardly anything went as planned - and certainly nothing stayed the same: Right at the beginning Corona challenged us and kept us on our toes throughout the rest of the year.
Materials Science - Economics / Business - 12.05.2021
Physics - Materials Science - 19.04.2021 
Scientists now able to map defects in 2D crystals in liquid
A team of EPFL scientists has studied the behavior of defects on 2D crystals in water in order to better understand the crystals' properties and assess their quality.
Environment - Materials Science - 15.04.2021 
87 million tons of material each year
Empa researchers have analyzed the entire material and energy flows of the Swiss economy. Their final report now provides important data and comparisons. The team also looked into how the behavior of the Swiss population affects greenhouse gas emissions. Buildings, industrial plants, roads, cars, gasoline, electricity and all our consumption: What does Switzerland consume each year?
Materials Science - 13.04.2021 
From dismantling to re-use as fast as possible
At NEST, the research and innovation platform of Empa and Eawag, the new Sprint unit is currently under construction - an office unit built largely from recycled materials.
Environment - Materials Science - 09.03.2021 
The black gold of mushrooms
Empa researchers have succeeded in extracting the pigment melanin in large quantities from a fungus. The gigantic Armillaria fungus in the service of science is one of the largest and oldest living organisms in the world. Potential applications for the "black gold" range from wood preservatives to the construction of water filters and historic musical instruments.
Materials Science - 26.02.2021
Environment - Materials Science - 23.02.2021
Economics / Business - Materials Science - 18.02.2021
Materials Science - Architecture - 05.02.2021 
Digital Bamboo on display
Students at ETH used innovative technology to create an extremely lightweight and filigree pavilion using bamboo.
Environment - Materials Science - 22.01.2021 
Eco-energy without limits?
Even a sustainable circular economy doesn't run without energy. Solar panels and wind farms, tidal and geothermal power plants: They all divert energy from energy fluxes that had remained untapped since time immemorial.
Materials Science - Electroengineering - 10.12.2020
Innovation - Materials Science - 03.12.2020 
Inventions that improve our lives
If innovative projects and achievements in technology transfer stand out, they should be honored accordingly.
Materials Science - Environment - 17.11.2020 
Light, strong, and affordable
Sustainable high-tech materials are expensive. However, this may soon change. Through his ETH Pioneer Fellowship, Christoph Schneeberger is developing a process that enables more efficient production of fibre-reinforced plastics.
Materials Science - Life Sciences - 06.11.2020 
New light on cellular hydration
Researchers from EPFL's Institute of Bioengineering and the University of Geneva have teamed up to develop new tools for studying water flow across cell membranes.
Materials Science - Physics - 02.11.2020
Materials Science - Chemistry - 22.10.2020 
Turning streetwear into solar power plants
Empa researchers succeeded in developing a material that works like a luminescent solar concentrator and can even be applied to textiles.
Materials Science - Physics - 16.10.2020
Materials Science - Innovation - 09.09.2020
Environment - Materials Science - 08.09.2020 
"Do microplastics belong in our environment? No!"
Process Engineer Adriano Joss from Eawag water research institute has been working for many years on wastewater treatment plants and the removal of micropollutants from water.
Research Management - Materials Science - 03.09.2020 
Two Empa researchers receive ERC Starting Grant
Two talented young researchers at Empa will be given the opportunity to develop their own research area over a five-year period with the help of an ERC Starting Grant from the European Research Counc
Environment - Materials Science - 03.09.2020
Materials Science - Chemistry - 02.09.2020
Economics / Business - Materials Science - 24.08.2020 
Binding carbon dioxide using broken concrete
Thanks to technology from ETH spin-off Neustark, concrete recycling plants can store carbon dioxide over the long term.
Materials Science - Environment - 17.07.2020 
Fluorine recycling for lithium-ion batteries
Lithium-ion batteries contain salts rich in fluorine, which decompose in humid air to toxic, highly corrosive hydrogen fluoride. The hazardous nature of this substance makes recycling more difficult and more expensive. A research project entitled "Fluoribat" is now being launched at Empa to solve this problem.
Materials Science - Economics / Business - 24.06.2020 
Towards closed loops
The circular economy is gaining a foothold in more and more areas: Some have already established business models, in others it is only visible in visionary pioneering projects.
Materials Science - Physics - 18.06.2020
Materials Science - Chemistry - 29.05.2020 
Europe’s Response to Elon Musk
Over the next four years, five research institutes and six industrial companies from seven European countries will work together to find solutions for the next generation of lithium-ion batteries.
Environment - Materials Science - 29.05.2020 
Fresh Breeze for Ecology and Economy
The Solar Impulse Foundation is looking for 1000 solutions that will boost the economy - and protect the environment at the same time.
Chemistry - Materials Science - 29.05.2020 
Wanted: The best Storage Battery
The demand for batteries to store renewable energy will grow drastically in the coming years. Could we develop more sustainable technologies to save precious natural resources, besides the familiar lithium-ion batteries?
Materials Science - 20.05.2020 
Manipulated Empa reports in circulation
No sooner had Empa recently developed technologies and quality standards for textile "community masks" together with the Swiss textile industry and other partners within the framework of the national COVID 19 Science Task Force than the first attempts at fraud popped up: Using manipulated Empa reports dubious suppliers promote masks of possibly inferior quality.
Materials Science - Health - 18.05.2020
Materials Science - Environment - 11.05.2020
Materials Science - Innovation - 30.04.2020 
Stuttgart light rail bridge hangs on Swiss carbon ropes
Another milestone for an extremely versatile material with Swiss roots: On May 3, a 127-meter-long railway bridge will be pushed over the A8 motorway near Stuttgart, its 72 suspension cables consisting entirely of carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP).
Health - Materials Science - 23.04.2020 
Joining forces against the mask shortage
During the Corona crisis, protective masks have become a rare commodity. In order to equip Switzerland with sufficient protective equipment during future pandemics, Empa researchers are working together with a national consortium of researchers, health care experts and partners from industry on the "ReMask" project: New types of masks and technologies for reusing existing protective equipment are being developed - for now, but also for future pandemics.
Materials Science - Health - 09.04.2020 
Cost-effective Oxygen Concentrators
People suffering from COVID-19 need air enriched with oxygen, as the Sars-CoV-2 coronavirus attacks the lungs.
Innovation - Materials Science - 08.04.2020
Health - Materials Science - 03.04.2020
Materials Science - Health - 03.04.2020 
Antiviral treatment for textiles
An ETH spin-off has developed a new treatment for textiles that reduces viral infectivity on treated surfaces. The technology can be used for face masks and other textile products. Recently, the ETH spin-off HeiQ Materials presented an innovative antiviral and antibacterial treatment for textiles, which has been tested effectively against coronavirus, for example.
Life Sciences - Materials Science - 27.03.2020 
Establishing a creative space
How is teaching at ETH dealing with the explosion of information in research and technology? Besides developing specialist knowledge, teaching is increasingly concerned with interdisciplinary skills such as critical thinking and the ability to filter, understand and apply relevant information.
Materials Science - 13.02.2020 
Bedded on roses
To provide laundry with fragrances without the effect disappearing after the first laundering is quite a challenge.
Materials Science - Chemistry - 10.02.2020
Materials Science - 04.02.2020
Materials Science - 04.02.2020
Materials Science - Pedagogy - 04.02.2020
Environment - Materials Science - 20.01.2020
Microtechnics - Materials Science - 14.01.2020 
Vertical take-off
Mirko Kovac is heading the new Materials and Technology Center of Robotics of Empa and Imperial College London.
Materials Science
Results 1 - 50 of 279.
The number of data-transmitting microdevices, for instance in packaging and transport logistics, will increase sharply in the coming years.
Swiss drivers wear out countless tires. Instead of incinerating them, they could be reused locally: The asphalt of various countries has long contained rubber from used tires.
Empa's Annual Report 2020 leads 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. Last year, hardly anything went as planned - and certainly nothing stayed the same: Right at the beginning Corona challenged us and kept us on our toes throughout the rest of the year.
A team of EPFL scientists has studied the behavior of defects on 2D crystals in water in order to better understand the crystals' properties and assess their quality.
Empa researchers have analyzed the entire material and energy flows of the Swiss economy. Their final report now provides important data and comparisons. The team also looked into how the behavior of the Swiss population affects greenhouse gas emissions. Buildings, industrial plants, roads, cars, gasoline, electricity and all our consumption: What does Switzerland consume each year?
At NEST, the research and innovation platform of Empa and Eawag, the new Sprint unit is currently under construction - an office unit built largely from recycled materials.
Empa researchers have succeeded in extracting the pigment melanin in large quantities from a fungus. The gigantic Armillaria fungus in the service of science is one of the largest and oldest living organisms in the world. Potential applications for the "black gold" range from wood preservatives to the construction of water filters and historic musical instruments.
Bloom Biorenewables develops biomass-based plastics
Thanks to technology developed by start-up Bloom Biorenewables, plant materials can be used as an alternative to petroleum derivatives for producing a wide range of products, including bioplastics, textiles, cosmetics and even perfume.
Thanks to technology developed by start-up Bloom Biorenewables, plant materials can be used as an alternative to petroleum derivatives for producing a wide range of products, including bioplastics, textiles, cosmetics and even perfume.
Students at ETH used innovative technology to create an extremely lightweight and filigree pavilion using bamboo.
Even a sustainable circular economy doesn't run without energy. Solar panels and wind farms, tidal and geothermal power plants: They all divert energy from energy fluxes that had remained untapped since time immemorial.
If innovative projects and achievements in technology transfer stand out, they should be honored accordingly.
Sustainable high-tech materials are expensive. However, this may soon change. Through his ETH Pioneer Fellowship, Christoph Schneeberger is developing a process that enables more efficient production of fibre-reinforced plastics.
Researchers from EPFL's Institute of Bioengineering and the University of Geneva have teamed up to develop new tools for studying water flow across cell membranes.
Empa researchers succeeded in developing a material that works like a luminescent solar concentrator and can even be applied to textiles.
Drying fruit with ionic wind
If fruit or vegetables are dried with heat, nutrients can be destroyed and flavors can be reduced. This is why non-thermal drying of food - i.e. without heating - is preferred by the industry. Among other things, fans are used for this purpose. A new drying process developed at Empa using ionic wind promises to make the non-thermal drying of food much more energy-efficient, faster and even gentler.
If fruit or vegetables are dried with heat, nutrients can be destroyed and flavors can be reduced. This is why non-thermal drying of food - i.e. without heating - is preferred by the industry. Among other things, fans are used for this purpose. A new drying process developed at Empa using ionic wind promises to make the non-thermal drying of food much more energy-efficient, faster and even gentler.
Process Engineer Adriano Joss from Eawag water research institute has been working for many years on wastewater treatment plants and the removal of micropollutants from water.
Two talented young researchers at Empa will be given the opportunity to develop their own research area over a five-year period with the help of an ERC Starting Grant from the European Research Counc
Thanks to technology from ETH spin-off Neustark, concrete recycling plants can store carbon dioxide over the long term.
Lithium-ion batteries contain salts rich in fluorine, which decompose in humid air to toxic, highly corrosive hydrogen fluoride. The hazardous nature of this substance makes recycling more difficult and more expensive. A research project entitled "Fluoribat" is now being launched at Empa to solve this problem.
The circular economy is gaining a foothold in more and more areas: Some have already established business models, in others it is only visible in visionary pioneering projects.
Graphene with sodium could make better batteries
Graphene doped with sodium can be a key player in making cheap batteries and spintronic devices, EPFL scientists discover.
Graphene doped with sodium can be a key player in making cheap batteries and spintronic devices, EPFL scientists discover.
Over the next four years, five research institutes and six industrial companies from seven European countries will work together to find solutions for the next generation of lithium-ion batteries.
The Solar Impulse Foundation is looking for 1000 solutions that will boost the economy - and protect the environment at the same time.
The demand for batteries to store renewable energy will grow drastically in the coming years. Could we develop more sustainable technologies to save precious natural resources, besides the familiar lithium-ion batteries?
No sooner had Empa recently developed technologies and quality standards for textile "community masks" together with the Swiss textile industry and other partners within the framework of the national COVID 19 Science Task Force than the first attempts at fraud popped up: Using manipulated Empa reports dubious suppliers promote masks of possibly inferior quality.
Another milestone for an extremely versatile material with Swiss roots: On May 3, a 127-meter-long railway bridge will be pushed over the A8 motorway near Stuttgart, its 72 suspension cables consisting entirely of carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP).
During the Corona crisis, protective masks have become a rare commodity. In order to equip Switzerland with sufficient protective equipment during future pandemics, Empa researchers are working together with a national consortium of researchers, health care experts and partners from industry on the "ReMask" project: New types of masks and technologies for reusing existing protective equipment are being developed - for now, but also for future pandemics.
People suffering from COVID-19 need air enriched with oxygen, as the Sars-CoV-2 coronavirus attacks the lungs.
3D printing silicone for breathing apparatus
Right now, the 3D printers at the ETH spin-off Spectroplast are working at full capacity as never before: the young company has started producing silicone attachments for breathing masks on behalf of medical companies.
Right now, the 3D printers at the ETH spin-off Spectroplast are working at full capacity as never before: the young company has started producing silicone attachments for breathing masks on behalf of medical companies.
An ETH spin-off has developed a new treatment for textiles that reduces viral infectivity on treated surfaces. The technology can be used for face masks and other textile products. Recently, the ETH spin-off HeiQ Materials presented an innovative antiviral and antibacterial treatment for textiles, which has been tested effectively against coronavirus, for example.
How is teaching at ETH dealing with the explosion of information in research and technology? Besides developing specialist knowledge, teaching is increasingly concerned with interdisciplinary skills such as critical thinking and the ability to filter, understand and apply relevant information.
To provide laundry with fragrances without the effect disappearing after the first laundering is quite a challenge.
Mirko Kovac is heading the new Materials and Technology Center of Robotics of Empa and Imperial College London.
News in Brief
Astronomy - Jun 14
State Secretary Hirayama in Portugal to attend Africa-Europe Space Earth Observation High-Level Forum and hold bilateral talks
State Secretary Hirayama in Portugal to attend Africa-Europe Space Earth Observation High-Level Forum and hold bilateral talks