Robotics
Robotics engineers have worked for decades and invested many millions of research dollars in attempts to create a robot that can walk or run as well as an animal. And yet, it remains the case that many animals are capable ...
4 hours ago
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Energy & Green Tech
Whether on Earth or in space, autonomous energy is critical in order to keep power systems running independently for extended periods of time, particularly in remote or unpredictable environments.
5 hours ago
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25
Electronics & Semiconductors
Researchers have found a way to super-charge the 'engine' of sustainable fuel generation—by giving the materials a little twist.
7 hours ago
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19
Energy & Green Tech
Electric vehicles and portable electronic devices such as laptops and mobile phones are unthinkable without lithium-ion batteries. The problem is highly toxic materials such as cobalt are often used for the cathodes of these ...
7 hours ago
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32
Engineering
Many things can go wrong when additively manufacturing (AM) metal and without in-situ process monitoring, defects can only be detected and characterized after a product is built. Most commonly, manufacturers will use a high-speed ...
5 hours ago
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2
Engineering
The world's largest 3D printer has created a house that can cut construction time and labor. An even larger printer unveiled on Tuesday may one day create entire neighborhoods.
Apr 23, 2024
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Engineering
While wind energy is becoming one of the fastest-growing energy sources in the world, wind turbine blade waste emerges as a critical issue. Addressing this urgent environmental concern, Lithuanian researchers have developed ...
Apr 23, 2024
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15
Material is synonymous with Substance, and is anything made of matter - hydrogen, air and water are all examples of materials. Sometimes the term Material is used more narrowly to refer to substances or components with certain physical properties which are used as inputs to production or manufacturing. In this sense, materials are the pieces required to make something else, from buildings and art to stars and computers.
A material can be anything: a finished product in its own right or an unprocessed raw material. Raw materials are first extracted or harvested from the earth and divided into a form that can be easily transported and stored, then processed to produce semi-finished materials. These can be input into a new cycle of production and finishing processes to create finished materials, ready for distribution, construction, and consumption.
An example of a raw material is cotton, which is harvested from plants, and can then be processed into thread (also considered a raw material), which can then be woven into cloth, a semi-finished material. Cutting and sewing the fabric turns it into a garment, which is a finished material. Steelmaking is another example—raw materials in the form of ore are mined, refined and processed into steel, a semi-finished material. Steel is then used as an input in many other industries to make finished products.
This text uses material from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA
