Engineering

How surface roughness influences the adhesion of soft materials

Adhesive tape or sticky notes are easy to attach to a surface, but are difficult to remove. This phenomenon, known as adhesion hysteresis, can be fundamentally observed in soft, elastic materials: Adhesive contact is formed ...

Engineering

Novel solar desalination system for remote areas developed

With summer temperatures soaring, the specter of water scarcity looms large. As a possible solution to increase the availability of clean, potable water, researchers at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) have developed ...

Engineering

Clingfish biology inspires better suction cup

A team of engineers and marine biologists built a better suction cup inspired by the mechanism that allows the clingfish to adhere to both smooth and rough surfaces, such as rocks in the area where the tide comes and goes.

Engineering

Сoconut shells can make concrete more durable

Scientists have found that concrete's compressive strength can be increased by 4.1% and its flexural strength by 3.4% by adding a small amount of coconut shell (only 5%). The material's performance increased by 6.1% compared ...

Engineering

Laser polishes 3D-printed metal parts better than ever before

Researchers from Skoltech and MEPhI have devised a laser polishing technique that effectively removes both surface roughness and subsurface pores in intricately shaped metal parts manufactured with a 3D printer. Described ...

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