The Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology or Empa (German acronym for "Eidgenössische Materialprüfungs- und Forschungsanstalt") is an interdisciplinary Swiss research and service institution for applied materials sciences and technology. As part of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) Domain ("ETH-Bereich") it is an institution of the Swiss federation. For the longest time since its foundation in 1880, it concentrated on classical materials testing. Since the late 1980s it has developed into a modern research and development institute.
Energy & Green Tech
Paper, tin cans, glass—the world recycles as much as possible. So why not declare the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide (CO2) a recycling product as well? Liquid fuels based on carbon will continue to play an important role ...
Jun 4, 2019
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Automotive
The valve train is the "respiratory organ" of combustion engines: it manages the aspiration of fresh air and the discharge of exhaust gases, which is referred to as "gas exchange." Today, only mechanically driven camshafts ...
Aug 19, 2019
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Energy & Green Tech
Due to climate change, the average global temperature will rise in the coming decades. This should also significantly increase the number of so-called cooling degree days. These measure the number of hours above a certain ...
May 19, 2021
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Engineering
Researchers from Empa in St. Gallen have succeeded in producing optic fibers for sensors that are ideal for textiles. This would enable hospitals to monitor whether a patient is developing pressure sores, for instance.
Mar 14, 2017
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Engineering
To achieve the goal of a climate-neutral Switzerland by 2050, strategies and processes with a negative CO2 balance are necessary. These so-called negative emission technologies (NET) are intended to counterbalance the remaining ...
Jan 8, 2024
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Energy & Green Tech
A thermostat that predictively controls the indoor climate and thereby improves energy efficiency and comfort—Empa researchers Felix Bünning and Benjamin Huber came up with this idea while working in Empa's Urban Energy ...
Sep 1, 2022
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Energy & Green Tech
A group of scientists at Empa has pushed the efficiency of flexible solar cells to a new limit. Independent measurements revealed an efficiency of 21.4 percent when these types of solar cells convert light into electricity. ...
Sep 7, 2021
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193
Software
The approach to an airport runway is a real challenge for pilots: reducing speed, extending flaps and speed brakes and much more—all with as little noise and fuel consumption as possible. Moreover, air traffic control restricts ...
Oct 6, 2022
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Engineering
The pressurized cabins of commercial aircraft, as well as their wings and tail units, are inspected for cracks and damage at regular intervals. Every six to ten years, each jet has to undergo a D-check in a hangar for one ...
Feb 15, 2022
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Electronics & Semiconductors
Compared with computers, the human brain is incredibly energy-efficient. Scientists are therefore drawing on how the brain and its interconnected neurons function for inspiration in designing innovative computing technologies. ...
May 18, 2022
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