materials

ADDITIV Metals World is an international virtual event focusing on the role and influence of metals in additive manufacturing.The goal? Half a day dedicated to panel discussions, workshops and networking to bring together the main players working in metal 3D printing.Join the event for the 1st edition of the show on May 22nd, 2025 from 9:00 AM - 1:30 PM EDT/3:00 PM - 7:30 PM CEST to delve into everything from metal production to industrialization and more!<a href="https://app.swapcard.com/login/event/additiv-metals-world-2025/ticket/VGlja2V0VHlwZV82MzQyOA==/page/UmVnaXN0cmF0aW9uRm9ybV80OTYwMQ==" class="button-main-action">REGISTER HERE</a>SPEAKERS<ul><li>Mike York, Director of Additive Mfg. &amp; Digital Design, Eaton Aerospace</li><li>Nanzhu Zhao, R&amp;D Manager, Nissan Technical Center North America, Nissan</li><li>Ilana Lu, Materials Engineer, AST, NASA</li><li>Henri de Chassey, Spares &amp; Trading - Additive Manufacturing ENG Manager, WABTEC Corpora</li><li>Peter Rosker, Business Development Manager, Conflux Technology</li><li>Giovanni Rizza, Associate Researcher, Integrated Additive Manufacturing, Politecnico di Torino</li><li>David Ramirez, Business Development Manager, HOWCO Additive Manufacturing</li><li>Jeremy Levecq, Application Engineer, Materialise</li><li>Stefan Ritt, Founder &amp; CEO, AM-3D printing market integration</li><li>Sherri Monroe, Executive Director, AMGTA</li><li>Lorenzo Gasparoni, Schematics &amp; Apparatus Leader, Alstom</li><li>Óscar Meabe, Materials Engineer HIP, Hiperbaric</li><li>Dr. Martin White, Director – Technical Operations, Global Advanced Manufacturing Division, ASTM</li><li>Seunghwan Lim, Director, InssTek</li></ul>

Where 3D Printing Meets The Metal World

Event: ADDITIV Metals World 2025

Is soldering paste the same as flux? This technical article clarifies the differences for electronics engineers, covering their functionalities and practical implementations in both manual soldering (repairs, prototyping) and automated soldering (SMT reflow assembly)

Is Soldering Paste the Same as Flux? Differences Explained for Electronics Engineers

<a href="https://hzo.com/conformal-coating-types" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Conformal coatings</a> are polymeric films on printed circuit boards (PCBs) that protect against hazards like moisture, pollution, chemicals, and temperature changes. This layer of material is vital for the longevity and reliability of electronic parts. But sometimes, conformal coating removal or rework is necessary.There are five primary conformal coating materials: acrylics, epoxies, silicones, urethanes, and Parylene. Each material presents its advantages, limitations, challenges, and application methods. Understanding these details can help operators determine how best to remove each material. This is why we will start with a brief summary of each coating material's properties.<h3>Acrylic (AR) Conformal Coating Properties</h3><ul><li>Low moisture absorption</li><li>Relatively short drying times</li><li>Clear protective coating</li><li>Good electrical and physical properties</li><li>Typically brushed, sprayed, or dipped</li></ul><h3>Epoxy (ER) Conformal Coating Properties</h3><ul><li>Very robust</li><li>Excellent chemical and abrasion resistance</li><li>Very rigid conformal coating</li><li>High dielectric strength</li><li>Typically brushed, sprayed, or dipped</li></ul><h3>Silicone (SR) Conformal Coating Properties</h3><ul><li>Good humidity and moisture resistance</li><li>Low toxicity</li><li>Easy to apply</li><li>Easy to repair</li><li>Typically brushed, sprayed, or dipped</li></ul><h3>Properties of Urethane (UR) Conformal Coatings </h3><ul><li>Moisture and oil-resistant</li><li>Fungicidal</li><li>Good flexibility</li><li>Can be thinned to achieve a chosen viscosity</li><li>Typically brushed, sprayed or dipped</li></ul><h3>Properties of Parylene (XY) Conformal Coatings</h3><ul><li>Biostable, biocompatible</li><li>Excellent chemical resistance</li><li>Superior conformality</li><li>Exceptional corrosion resistance</li><li>Applied by chemical vapor deposition (CVD)</li></ul><img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1744699992332-BL0100_HZO_Conformal_Coating_Removal_Inline_1.webp" style="width:100%px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" /><h2 id="isPasted">Why Does Conformal Coating Need to be Removed?</h2><ul><li>Incorrect application - this may lead to incomplete coverage, bubbles, or excessive thickness. If these defects hurt the circuit board's function or reliability, operators must remove and reapply the coating.</li><li>Need for repairs - during repairs, removal allows for precise soldering and component replacement.</li><li>Rework - this often involves altering circuits, necessitating access that is obstructed by existing coatings.</li><li>Failure analysis - failure analysis can prevent future errors. But, technicians must examine the original circuit materials without obstruction.</li></ul><h2>Before Removing Conformal Coatings - Safety Precautions</h2>Safety is paramount before removing conformal coatings from electronic components. The compounds and methods for stripping conformal coatings can be risky. If proper precautions are not followed, they can harm health.<h3>Essential Safety Measures</h3>Dedicated working environments with adequate ventilation are required. This is non-negotiable. Solvent fumes can be harmful if inhaled in high concentrations. So, a well-ventilated area, using natural means or fume extractors, minimizes inhalation risks. Also, some coating removal techniques create dust or aerosols. So, use suitable air filtration systems.Flammability is another factor to consider. Several solvents and chemicals employed in the removal processes are highly flammable. To prevent combustion, keep the workspace free of ignition sources, like sparks or open flames.Electricity poses a significant risk. Turn off and unplug all devices. This will prevent accidents during the conformal coating removal process.<h2>How to Remove Conformal Coating - First Step</h2>Check the coating on the PCB you want to remove. This will help find the best method to remove the conformal coating. You can usually confirm this by contacting your coating supplier. Or, look for a JEDEC or IPC label on the board. Coatings are designated as AR, SR, ER, UR, or XY, indicating which coating you are working with. If there are no labels, you can still identify the material via methods outlined by the IPC below. Each conformal coating has distinct properties. So, you can test for transparency, solubility, hardness, thermal removal, and thickness. These tests will show you which type of coating you have. For more information, see <a href="https://www.ipc.org/TOC/IPC-HDBK-830.pdf" rel="noopener" target="_blank">IPC’s “Coating Removal, Identification of Conformal Coating” guidelines</a>.<h2>Coating Removal Techniques</h2>After identifying your coating, the next step is to choose the removal technique. Popular methods are briefly discussed below:<h3>Peeling Method</h3>For RTV silicone or thick rubber coatings, use a dull blade or knife to slit and peel off the coating.<h3>Chemical Solvent Method</h3>This process effectively removes urethane, acrylic, and silicone coatings. Prep the area with high-temperature tape and apply solvent using a foam swab.<h3>Grinding and Scraping Method</h3>This removal technique can grind away thin, hard coatings with a micro motor or rotary-style tool or soft coatings with a rotary brush.<h3>Thermal Method</h3>Using low-temperature heat, gently burn and melt the coating material.<h3>Micro Sandblaster Method</h3>This technique involves projecting a fine abrasive powder onto the coating to flake off the material.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1744700313082-BL0100_HZO_Conformal_Coating_Removal_Inline_2.webp" style="width:100%px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" /><h2 id="isPasted">Which Technique is Best for My Conformal Coating Material?</h2><h3>Urethane Coatings</h3><ul><li>Grinding and scraping method</li><li>Solvent method</li><li>Micro-blasting method</li></ul><h3>Acrylic Coatings</h3><ul><li>Thermal removal method</li><li>Chemical solvent method</li><li>Scraping and grinding method</li><li>Micro-blasting method</li></ul><h3>Epoxy Coatings</h3><ul><li>Thermal removal method</li><li>Grinding and scraping method</li><li>Micro-blasting method</li></ul><h3>Silicone Coatings</h3><ul><li>Grinding and scraping method</li><li>Micro-blasting method</li><li>Chemical solvent method</li><li>Thermal method</li></ul><h3>Parylene Coatings</h3>Parylene coatings are often hard to remove. You can usually use micro-blasting, grinding, scraping, and thermal methods. But at HZO, we have simplified the reworking process using technology. The<a href="https://hzo.com/blog/how-do-you-remove-parylene-coating" rel="noopener" target="_blank"> next blog in this series</a>, will discuss reworking Parylene in general and detail how we simplify the process.

Conformal coatings are polymeric films on printed circuit boards (PCBs) that protect against hazards like moisture, pollution, chemicals, and temperature changes. This layer of material is vital for the longevity and reliability of electronic parts.

Conformal Coating Removal - How to Get Started WReference

New materials are an important driver in the development of additive manufacturing. This is because AM processes often require special powders or filaments. No wonder the AM industry eagerly awaits the new material developments presented at Formnext every year! Visitors will not be disappointed in 2024, either: in the field of metals, new alloys of molybdenum and aluminum will be presented. Both feature impressive special properties that will certainly broaden the range of AM applications even further in the future. Meanwhile, other exciting recent innovations are enabling companies to develop their own materials. And let's not forget the important topic of powder handling, where Formnext will also be presenting new developments.<table><tbody><tr><td><h3>Stay Informed on the Latest FormNext 2025 Updates! Sign up to the FormNext newsletter to get notified as soon as tickets are available.</h3><a href="https://info.mesago.de/-lp/5HKPB14784/p4jkP173" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" class="button-main-action">Sign up here</a></td></tr></tbody></table><h2>Crack-free and ductile at high temperatures</h2>At Formnext, Plansee is presenting MoC0.4, its new molybdenum alloy for Additive Manufacturing. MoC0.4 consists of more than 99.5% molybdenum. According to Plansee, this patented alloy exhibits high strength at both room and elevated temperatures, and also remains crack-free and ductile at high temperatures. MoC0.4 has similar properties to conventionally produced TZM (titanium-zirconium-molybdenum). Plansee will be exhibiting at Formnext together with Ceratizit, which is also part of the Austrian Plansee Group. Together, the two companies will be showcasing a wide range of Additive Manufacturing solutions using the refractory metals molybdenum and tungsten, as well as carbide.<h2>Conductive, strong, and weldable </h2>Feramic will showcase the industrial application of Aheadd CP1 aluminum, also known as Aluminum 320 (Feramic's own designation). According to Feramic, this new aluminum surpasses conventional alloys like AlSi10Mg in several key aspects. Its notable properties include excellent electrical and thermal conductivity, high strength, corrosion resistance, and the ability to be anodized. Aheadd CP1 is also highly weldable, which is a feature that sets it apart. Over the past 18 months, Feramic has worked diligently to optimize the material’s production parameters, ensuring that components made from CP1 can be produced with an ideal balance of cost and performance.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1744699138664-1744699138664.png" class="fr-fic fr-dib" /><img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1744699163582-1744699163582.png" class="fr-fic fr-dib" /><h2 id="isPasted">Full control over powder production </h2>3D Lab, a metal atomization technology company, will be presenting its patented ultrasonic metal atomization solutions. This fully integrated suite, which includes ATO Lab Plus, ATO Noble, ATO Induction Melting System, ATO Sieve, ATO Cast, and ATO Clean – is designed to give customers complete control over their metal powder production processes. Developed for companies active in material engineering and additive manufacturing, these systems enable such firms to produce metal powder from their own alloys. This is meant to make innovations faster and more effective. <img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1744699204493-1744699204493.png" class="fr-fic fr-dib" /><img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1744699240117-3D-lab-IN718-1a.webp.768.webp" style="width:100%px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" />Material analysis. Image: 3D Lab<hr /><table><tbody><tr><td><h3>Stay Informed on the Latest FormNext 2025 Updates! Sign up to theFormNext newsletter to get notified as soon as tickets are available.</h3><a href="https://info.mesago.de/-lp/5HKPB14784/p4jkP173" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" class="button-main-action">Sign up here</a></td></tr></tbody></table>

Components made from a tungsten heavy metal and MoC0.4. image: Plansee

New materials are an important driver in the development of additive manufacturing. This is because AM processes often require special powders or filaments. No wonder the AM industry eagerly awaits the new material developments presented at Formnext every year!

New powders for Additive Manufacturing with special properties

Metamaterials are artificially-structured materials with extraordinary properties not easily found in nature. With engineered three-dimensional (3D) geometries at the micro- and nanoscale, these architected materials achieve unique mechanical and physical properties with capabilities beyond those of conventional materials — and have emerged over the past decade as a promising way to engineering challenges where all other existing materials have lacked success.Architected materials exhibit unique mechanical and functional properties, but their full potential remains untapped due to challenges in design, fabrication, and characterization. Improvements and scalability in this space could help transform a range of industries, from biomedical implants, sports equipment, automotive and aerospace, and energy and electronics.“Advances in scalable fabrication, high-throughput testing, and AI-driven design optimization could revolutionize the mechanics and materials science disciplines, enabling smarter, more adaptive materials that redefine engineering and everyday technologies,” says <a href="https://meche.mit.edu/people/faculty/cportela@mit.edu" target="_blank">Carlos Portela</a>, the Robert N. Noyce Career Development Professor and assistant professor of mechanical engineering at MIT.In a Perspective published this month in the journal Nature Materials, Portela and James Surjadi, a postdoc in mechanical engineering, discuss key hurdles, opportunities, and future applications in the field of mechanical metamaterials. The paper is titled “<a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41563-025-02119-8" target="_blank">Enabling three-dimensional architected materials across length scales and timescales</a>.”“The future of the field requires innovation in fabricating these materials across length scales, from nano to macro, and progress in understanding them at a variety of time scales, from slow deformation to dynamic impact,” says Portela, adding that it also demands interdisciplinary collaboration.A <a href="https://www.nature.com/nmat/content">Perspective</a> is a peer-reviewed content type that the journal uses to invite reflection or discussion on matters that may be speculative, controversial, or highly technical, and where the subject matter may not meet the criteria for a Review.“We felt like our field, following substantial progress over the last decade, is still facing two bottlenecks: issues scaling up, and no knowledge or understanding of properties under dynamic conditions,” says Portela, discussing the decision to write the piece.Portela and Surjadi’s paper summarizes state-of-the-art approaches and highlights existing knowledge gaps in material design, fabrication, and characterization. It also proposes a roadmap to accelerate the discovery of architected materials with programmable properties via the synergistic combination of high-throughput experimentation and computational efforts, toward leveraging emerging artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques for their design and optimization.“High-throughput miniaturized experiments, non-contact characterization, and benchtop extreme-condition methods will generate rich datasets for the implementation of data-driven models, accelerating the optimization and discovery of metamaterials with unique properties,” says Surjadi.The Portela Lab’s motto is “architected mechanics and materials across scales.” The Perspective aims to bridge the gap between fundamental research and real-world applications of next-generation architected materials, and it presents a vision the lab has been working toward for the past four years.

Mechanical metamaterials research demands interdisciplinary collaboration and innovation, say researchers from MechE's Portela Lab.

Mapping the future of metamaterials

Sometimes big things start small, and that’s certainly true of filament manufacturer Fiberthree. This Darmstadt-based company has developed a process that recycles carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic and significantly minimizes its carbon footprint. At the same time, the recycled material involves no additional costs and offers almost the same mechanical properties. While recycled material still accounts for less than 10 percent its total sales, Klaus Philipp, co-founder and managing director of Fiberthree, wants to position his company more strongly in this field.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1742801418406-Abfall_content.webp.1280.webp" style="width:100%px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" />New filaments are created from support structures, rejects or misprints. Image: Fiberthree.An important driver of this development was the mechanical engineering company Andritz Kaiser, which has been sourcing its filament from Fiberthree for many years. “We generate a lot of waste, particularly when developing new components – be it in the form of support structures, rejects, or misprints,” says Paolo Matassoni, head of development at Andritz Kaiser. “Material is a precious raw material and it's far too good to simply throw away.” Matassoni and his team collect the waste from the 120 kilograms of carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic that is printed at Andritz Kaiser each year and send it back to Darmstadt, along with their empty filament spools. As Andritz Kaiser also has the components for its series machines 3D-printed at Fiberthree, further residual materials from Fiberthree’s PA-CF Pro plastic are collected here, as well.<table><tbody><tr><td><h3>Stay Informed on the Latest FormNext 2025 Updates! Sign up to the FormNext newsletter to get notified as soon as tickets are available.</h3><a href="https://info.mesago.de/-lp/5HKPB14784/p4jkP173" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" class="button-main-action">Sign up here</a></td></tr></tbody></table><h2>Recycling process presents challenges</h2>Klaus Philipp is particularly motivated by the desire to ensure that the remnants of PA-CF Pro do not end up as waste. “In this day and age, we can no longer afford to simply throw away a high-performance material. We have to realize that plastics have value.” This recycling approach is also important because “we have young employees who are very committed to the issue of sustainability,” as Philipp explains.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1742801452704-Fiberthree-02.webp.768.webp" style="width:100%px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" />According to Fiberthree, the recycled material achieves around 90 percent of the performance of the original filament. Images: Fiberthree Fiberthree, which employs four people and sells around three tons of plastic per year, now collects 250 kilograms of PA-CF Pro per year for recycling. In the first step, the material is shredded by a partner in the region. What sounds trivial is a challenge with a material like carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic: “It puts a lot of strain on the machine and can wear it out,” Philipp points out. Next, the shredded material is processed into granulate and then into filament. The intermediate step to granulate takes place “for safety reasons,” Philipp continues. “Otherwise, any contamination could damage the filament extruder.” This makes clean separation even more important.<h2>Technical properties almost like the original</h2>“Technically, the recycled material is almost as good as before; we achieve around 90 percent of the performance of the original filament,” Philipp reports. For Matassoni, the material’s slightly diminished strength is not a problem: “We don't use the recycled material for high-strength applications, but for support structures, for example, or for components such as oil pipes that are not exposed to high tensile or compressive forces.” Further tests are currently underway at Andritz Kaiser to determine the exact technical properties of the material. The results should be available by the end of 2024.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1742801504348-druckservice.webp.1280.webp" style="width:100%px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" />Filament production and tests on the company's own printers are carried out in-house in Darmstadt. Images: Fiberthree<h2 id="isPasted">Up to 90 percent less CO2</h2>PA-CF Pro is a polyamide 6 with a carbon fiber content of 15 percent. Philipp has calculated that producing one kilogram of this material generates 10 to 12 kg of CO2 emissions. This is based on the CO2 footprints of polyamide (around 5 kg of CO2 / kg of material) and carbon fiber (30 kg of CO2 / kg of material) and that of compounding and filament production.Philipp anticipates that Fiberthree’s recycling process will lead to significant reductions in CO2. For large tonnages, the rates achieved can reach 90 percent, and 60–80 percent can still be achieved with smaller quantities. One variable here is the use of electricity – that is, whether you include green electricity or the electricity mix in Germany. On average, Philipp has calculated three kilograms of CO2 emissions for each kilogram of recycled material.Recycling has not yet saved any money, but there are no additional costs, either. The price of the recycled material is the same as that of new filament. “And that's already a strong argument,” asserts a happy Paolo Matassoni. “You reduce CO2 at practically zero cost.” This means that recycling will also be of interest to companies and corporations that are committed to sustainability and are pursuing set goals in this area. “The great thing about this application is that it’s very honest. Sustainability is not glossed over here; it is tangible,” Matassoni points out.<table><tbody><tr><td><h3>Stay Informed on the Latest FormNext 2025 Updates! Sign up to the FormNext newsletter to get notified as soon as tickets are available.</h3><a href="https://info.mesago.de/-lp/5HKPB14784/p4jkP173" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" class="button-main-action">Sign up here</a></td></tr></tbody></table>

Sometimes big things start small, and that’s certainly true of filament manufacturer Fiberthree. This Darmstadt-based company has developed a process that recycles carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic and significantly minimizes its carbon footprint.

Reducing CO2 at zero cost

In addition to lowering the carbon intensity of the cement and concrete industry, the process could enable new uses for construction and demolition waste, of which concrete is a significant component. In 2018 in the United States, the total amount of <a href="https://www.epa.gov/facts-and-figures-about-materials-waste-and-recycling/construction-and-demolition-debris-material">construction and demolition waste</a> was more than twice that of household waste. “Construction waste typically ends up either in a landfill, or, if it’s recycled, will be used in low-grade applications such as in pavements or in soils,” said research leader <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Sergio-Angulo-7">Sérgio Angulo</a>, a professor of Civil and Urban Construction Engineering at the University of São Paulo. “It’s exciting to show that we can, in fact, recycle this recovered cement waste into a high-quality application.”In their <a href="https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acssuschemeng.4c06567">paper</a>, published in ACS Sustainable Chemistry &amp; Engineering, the researchers demonstrated that mixtures containing up to 80% of this recycled cement were just as strong as conventional Portland cement by itself while generating a fraction of the carbon emissions. Portland cement is the most common binder used to create concrete, but its high carbon intensity is the main reason the cement and concrete industry is responsible for around 8% of global emissions.If fully realized and deployed in coordination with other emerging technologies that replace cement, the researchers estimated that emissions from the cement industry could be cut by up to 61%. The estimated reductions blow past the 9% emissions cuts that the Global Cement and Concrete Association <a href="https://gccassociation.org/concretefuture/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/GCCA-Concrete-Future-Roadmap-Document-AW-2022.pdf">projected</a> to be possible with so-called clinker replacement approaches.“The leap forward here is that you can now get short- and long-term properties that are essentially the same as Portland cement by itself with a low-carbon alternative overwhelmingly composed of recycled materials,” said co-author <a href="https://engineering.princeton.edu/faculty/claire-white">Claire White</a>, a professor of <a href="https://cee.princeton.edu/">civil and environmental engineering</a> and the <a href="https://acee.princeton.edu/">Andlinger Center for Energy and the Environment</a>.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1742519589778-recycled_cement-scaled-2-2048x880.jpg" style="width:100%px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" />A comparison of recycled cement by itself (left), ordinary Portland cement (middle), and the researchers’ optimized blend of recycled cement and finely ground Portland cement (right), before the addition of water. The optimized cement blend demonstrates similar water requirements, strength gain, and workability to ordinary Portland cement while generating a fraction of the carbon emissions. (Photo courtesy of first author Mateus Zanovello, a Ph.D. student working with Angulo at the University of São Paulo).<h2 id="isPasted">Enabling circular cements</h2>At the core of the recycling approach is heat.After pulverizing or crushing concrete into a fine powder ­— the researchers estimated that of the five gigatons of concrete waste produced annually, around one gigaton of this powder could be recovered by the industry — the team heated it to 500 °C. This temperature was high enough to dehydrate the cement powder and restore its properties as a binder but low enough to prevent the decomposition of carbonate components in the material, which would lead to additional carbon dioxide emissions.While this ‘thermoactivated’ cement could be used on its own to make concrete, the researchers found that its high surface area and water demand during the mixing process led to a final material with high porosity and diminished strength. But by combining the recycled cement with small amounts of finely ground Portland cement or limestone, the resulting cement binder demonstrated strength gains and workability on par with industry standards.The strength gain occurs because the finely ground Portland cement or limestone fills the pores in the recycled cement with a material other than water, reducing the overall water demand and even forming new products after the mixing process, called hydration products, that increase the material’s strength.“Previously, if you only used thermoactivated recycled cement, it didn’t perform well enough to be an acceptable replacement,” White said. “But by lowering the surface area and optimizing the packing of particles in the material’s microstructure, we get something that behaves quite comparably to Portland cement.”<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1742519613689-recycled_cement_2-scaled-2-2048x638.jpg" style="width:100%px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" />A comparison of recycled cement by itself (left), ordinary Portland cement (middle), and the researchers’ optimized blend of recycled cement and finely ground Portland cement (right), after the addition of water. (Photo courtesy of Mateus Zanovello).Since the process repurposes construction waste, the researchers said the process could move the world toward a more circular carbon economy while generating fewer carbon emissions than other emerging low-carbon cement alternatives. In the paper, for instance, the team estimates their cement emits between 198 to 320 kilograms of carbon dioxide per metric ton, up to 40% fewer emissions than a commercially available low-carbon alternative known as limestone calcined clay cement (LC3).“With this technology, you could imagine cities becoming much more circular than today,” Angulo said. “Materials from demolished infrastructure can be directly used in new building projects.”Despite such benefits, Angulo and White noted several technological, economic, and policy hurdles to the technology’s wide-scale deployment.For instance, they explained that scaling the recycled cement would require a better approach for sorting and processing demolition waste, one that considers circularity rather than the landfill. The technology would also be most practical in mature cities with a reliable supply of aging building stock instead of rapidly developing areas with primarily new buildings.Lastly, building codes developed when Portland cement was the dominant binder for concrete production would need to be updated, moving away from ‘recipe-based’ standards that specify certain cement compositions to ones that instead focus on performance-based requirements. Angulo said that several countries in Europe and Latin America have already begun to adopt such performance-based standards, which could permit the use of not just the recycled cements he studies but also a wide array of low-carbon alternatives.“In Brazil, we are already beginning to implement performance-based standards for non-structural building envelopes and floors,” said Angulo. “Updating construction codes is important for allowing innovation in the building sector.”<h2>Laying the foundations for an ongoing collaboration</h2>The work on recycled cements results from a collaboration formed when Angulo came to Princeton as a visiting researcher in White’s group for a year, beginning in 2023.Both researchers said that the collaboration — which has been ongoing even after Angulo’s return to Brazil — unlocked new research capabilities and perspectives that have improved their groups’ work.For Angulo, tapping into White’s expertise in characterization techniques such as total X-ray scattering has helped him to better understand the driving mechanisms behind the materials he studies. For example, White and Angulo performed experiments during Angulo’s visit that will help them better understand how the atomic structure of the material changes as it undergoes thermal activation. This will help them answer questions about the durability of the recycled cement over multiple cycles of use and whether it is truly a ‘circular’ material.For White, the collaboration allowed her to work on a class of cements that she had previously never studied, despite her extensive background in low-carbon concrete. Even beyond the recycled cement project, White said that Angulo’s visit provided her group with a totally new perspective on many of their projects, even those that appear far-removed from the world of recycled cements.“This collaboration has had benefits in both directions,” White said. “Sergio’s brought his domain knowledge, my group has brought our expertise in advanced characterization techniques, and together, we’ve been able to tackle some of the biggest challenges about this material.”<hr />The paper, “<a href="https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acssuschemeng.4c06567">Engineered Blended Thermoactivated Recycled Cement: A Study on Reactivity, Water Demand, Strength-Porosity, and CO2 Emissions</a>,” was published December 27, 2024 in ACS Sustainable Chemistry &amp; Engineering. In addition to Angulo and White, co-authors include Mateus Zanovello and Vanderley M. John of the University of São Paulo. The work is part of the National Institute on Advanced Eco-Efficient Cement-Based Technologies project, which is funded by Brazil’s National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq), the São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP), and the University of São Paulo. The work was also supported by the <a href="https://cmi.princeton.edu/">Carbon Mitigation Initiative</a> at Princeton University, which is sponsored by bp and administered by the High Meadows Environmental Institute.

A construction worker levels a concrete pavement. (stock.adobe.com)

Giving a second life to construction materials after demolition, engineers at the University of São Paulo and Princeton have developed an approach for recycling cement waste into a sustainable, low-carbon alternative that is comparable in performance to the industry standard.

Recycled cements drive down emissions without slacking on strength

In this episode, we discuss how Harvard researchers cracked the code of 3D printing “shapeshifting” materials and why their efforts lay the groundwork for other innovations in the material science field.

Podcast: 3D Printing Robot Muscles

This article was discussed in our <a href="https://www.wevolver.com/profile/the.next.byte" rel="noopener noreferrer">Next Byte podcast</a>. <iframe height="200px" width="100%" frameborder="no" scrolling="no" src="https://player.simplecast.com/434a4b4b-ba28-42a8-9a58-57c6e373ea44?dark=false" class="fr-draggable"></iframe> The full article will continue below.<hr />MXenes are a lightweight two-dimensional, or 2D, material capable of protecting everything from spacecrafts, mechanical components, and maybe even people, from harmful radiation. Because traditional synthesis requires multi-step processes that can take up to 40 hours, MXene is difficult to produce.By introducing a rapid single-step microwave synthesis method, Reeja Jayan has reduced MXene production time to ninety minutes and cut energy consumption by 75%.<iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/QHTSzywEa0Y?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0&amp;enablejsapi=1&amp;origin=https://www.wevolver.com" frameborder="0" class="fr-draggable" id="204480504">  </iframe>“Our work has implications for the global production of chemicals because almost a third of green-house gas emissions come from chemical manufacturing and production,” said Jayan, a professor of mechanical engineering at Carnegie Mellon University.Our work has implications for the global production of chemicals because almost a third of green-house gas emissions come from chemical manufacturing and production.Reeja Jayan, Professor, Mechanical EngineeringThe research, published in <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S136980012400862X" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Materials Science in Semiconductor ProcessingOpens in new window</a>, also demonstrates a unique ability to customize MXene’s composition to change the type of radiation that the material can protect against. To date, the team has tested their material across the X-band–radio frequencies ranging from 8.0-12.0 GHZ–but to protect against electronic materials in outer space, more testing against cosmic radiation is needed.“We assumed that, because we sped up the process, we would lose some of the shielding performance in return,” said Jayan. “We were pleasantly surprised that, although there are subtle structural differences, we didn’t see any shielding efficiency tradeoff at the lab scale.”<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNzQxODQ3Mzk4MzUwLTAzMTAtZW0tc3VzdGFpbmFibGUtc3ludGhlc2lzICgxKS5wbmciLCJlZGl0cyI6eyJyZXNpemUiOnsid2lkdGgiOjk1MCwiZml0IjoiY292ZXIifX19" style="width:100%px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" />Moving forward, Jayan will test her synthesis process at a larger scale. In partnership with an aerospace materials manufacturer, her team will integrate MXene into test panels for radiation testing.“We’ve developed a low carbon process that significantly saves energy. If it can be scaled up now, more than ever before, we stand to create a critically needed and substantial environmental impact.”

Microwave synthesis produces MXene 25x faster than traditional methods while using 75% less energy, according to new research from the Department of Mechanical Engineering.

What do popcorn and sustainable synthesis have in common?

<html><head></head><body>3D printing, also known as additive manufacturing, is a relatively new but rapidly maturing production method that is transforming how products are developed and manufactured across industries like healthcare, aerospace, energy, and electronics. The technology, which dates back to the 1980s, is based on the principle that components are constructed additively rather than subtractively, which <a href="https://xtpl.com/understanding-the-additive-manufacturing-process-from-design-to-finished-product/">results in benefits</a> like greater design freedom and less material waste.&nbsp;Historically, 3D printing has primarily been used as a prototyping technology, allowing for the rapid iteration of physical prototypes from a 3D CAD model without the need for any costly tooling. Today, however, the technology is increasingly being used for end-use applications in addition to prototyping, as the quality of the manufacturing processes improves and material options continue to grow.&nbsp;When talking about 3D printing materials, you’d be forgiven for first thinking of spools of thermoplastic filament or vats of photopolymer resin. While these are among the more common types of 3D printing consumables, there are actually a wide range of additive manufacturing processes that require different types of materials, from thermoplastic filaments, to photopolymer resins, to polymer, ceramic, and metal powders, to nanomaterials.&nbsp;<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1741248119212-rob-wingate-nHRfTeqAxjs-unsplash.jpg" style="width: 100%px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Photo by Rob Wingate on Unsplash<h2>What Are Nanomaterials?&nbsp;</h2>Today, nanomaterials are at the frontier of additive manufacturing technology as they allow for the production of parts with superior properties compared to neat materials. In the simplest terms, nanomaterials are made up of a matrix material, such as a polymer, which is embedded with nanoparticles (measuring between 1 and 100 nanometres in diameter). The nanoparticles used in nanomaterials or nanocomposites can vary and the type of nanoparticle plays a central role in determining the properties and functions of the material in question.&nbsp;For example, there are different categories of nanomaterials including: carbon-based nanomaterials that are filled with carbon nanotubes or graphene and are notable for their conductive properties; metallic nanomaterials with silver or gold nanoparticles; semiconductor nanomaterials like quantum dots; and ceramic nanocomposites with insulating and strengthening properties. Typically, these nanoparticles are contained within a matrix material of polymer, metal, or ceramic, which can be used in various 3D printing technologies.<h2>3D Printing Nanomaterials: Challenges and Outlook</h2>Unlike more conventional nanomaterial production methods, like chemical vapour deposition (CVD), 3D printing offers a number of benefits, including more complex geometries, greater customization, and more control over material distribution. There are several different additive manufacturing processes that can use nanomaterials, including directed energy deposition (DED), fused filament fabrication (FFF), powder bed fusion (PBF), photopolymerization processes like stereolithography (SLA) and digital light processing (DLP), and material jetting.&nbsp;Among the main challenges of bringing nanomaterial 3D printing more into the mainstream is achieving uniform dispersions of nanoparticles in the matrix material. This is a challenge across different additive manufacturing processes, including extrusion, resin, and material jetting technologies, since nanoparticles can agglomerate in the matrix, which can result in inconsistent results and uneven material properties. If you can imagine a 3D printed wound dressing where the antimicrobial properties are concentrated in just one area, you can understand the severity of this challenge. Other challenges are associated with how the addition of nanoparticles can alter the printability of materials, whether the viscosity of an ink, the curing properties of a resin, or the abrasiveness of a filament. On top of that, the processing conditions, such as temperature and speed, need to be precisely controlled in the 3D printing process to prevent the degradation of nanomaterial properties.&nbsp;Presently, the use of nanomaterials or nanocomposites in 3D printing technologies is still largely limited to the research realm. However, the potential applications for the materials in the 3D printing process are highly promising. For example, integrating silver nanoparticles into a 3D printed structure could add antimicrobial properties useful for applications like medical implants and wound dressing.[1] Graphene nanoparticles and carbon nanotubes, for their part, are being investigated for their ability to add conductive properties to parts made using FFF 3D printing.[2] And at a university in Oklahoma, researchers are investigating the use of flame-retardant nanoparticles in a biopolymer matrix to make certain plastics more fire resistant.[3]&nbsp;Despite the fact that 3D printing nanomaterials is still a nascent field, there are commercialized products that integrate nanoparticles. SLA specialist Formlabs, for example, sells a nano- ceramic filled Class II biocompatible material for the dental industry. The photopolymer resin offers superior strength and wear resistance thanks to its ceramic nanoparticles.[4]&nbsp;<a href="https://xtpl.com/nanomaterials-in-3d-electronics-printing-xtpl/">Nanomaterial additive manufacturing</a> technology is also expanding into areas like microelectronics, facilitating the fabrication of complex, miniaturized components with enhanced electrical conductivity and mechanical properties using a combination of conductive and dielectric nanomaterials. Companies like XTPL are leading on this front, bringing to market a range of conductive inks and pastes as well as a precision dispensing process for creating miniaturized electrical circuits.&nbsp;<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1741248190075-andrea-g-Yc9ROfBvWEw-unsplash.jpg" style="width: 832px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Photo by Andrea G on Unsplash<h2>The Future of 3D Printing is Nanomaterials</h2>These applications are just the tip of the iceberg: as it advances, nanomaterial additive manufacturing can and will transform 3D printing applications in industries like healthcare, aerospace, and electronics through the development of stronger, more lightweight components as well as products with unique characteristics, like antibacterial properties, conductivity, and more.&nbsp;<hr><h3>Resources&nbsp;</h3>[1] Astaneh ME, Fereydouni N. Silver Nanoparticles in 3D Printing: A New Frontier in Wound&nbsp; Healing. ACS omega. 2024 Sep 16;9(40):41107-29. [2] Bajpai A, Jain PK. Investigation on 3D printing of graphene and multi-walled carbon&nbsp; nanotube mixed flexible electrically conductive parts using fused filament fabrication. Journal of&nbsp; Materials Engineering and Performance. 2023 Jul;32(14):6319-28. [3] OSU research focuses on improving fire safety in 3D-printed materials [Internet]. Oklahoma&nbsp; State University, January 30, 2025.&nbsp;https://news.okstate.edu/articles/engineering-architecture- technology/2025/ osu_research_focuses_on_improving_fire_safety_in_3d_printed_materials.html#h_6010598121 71738267359042 [4] Formlabs’ Premium Teeth Resin Receives FDA 510(k) Clearance for Temporary Crowns and Bridges [Internet]. Formlabs, August 6, 2024.&nbsp; https://dental.formlabs.com/company/press/premium-teeth-resin-receives-fda-clearance- temporary-crowns-and-bridges/</body></html>

3D printing materials filled with precise quantities of nanoparticles are making a profound impact on industries like electronics, healthcare, and aerospace

New Horizons in Additive Manufacturing Technology: Utilizing Nanomaterials in 3D Printing

In this episode, we chat about the efforts of researchers at ETH Zurich to dehumidify indoor spaces using waste material in an effort to reduce energy consumption & help Switzerland hit their net zero emissions goal by 2050!

Podcast: Dehumidifying Walls Help Switzerland Hit Net Zero By 2050

<h2 id="isPasted">Beyond the Microscope: How Nanopastes and Nanoinks Are Shaping Tomorrow’s Electronics</h2>Open up an old radio or TV – if you can find one. You’ll spot large components, heavy wires, and thick, heavy metal traces connecting them all. Early electronics relied heavily on materials like copper and silicon, but as devices grew smaller and more complex, the need for advanced materials became apparent. Enter nanoinks and nanopastes, two cutting-edge materials that are driving innovation in the electronics industry.These nanoparticle-based materials are reshaping how circuits are designed and produced. The transition from traditional materials to nanoparticles is critical because it allows for more precise manufacturing, better conductivity, and enhanced performance in smaller, more efficient devices. As industries move towards higher-density electronics, materials like nanoinks and nanopastes are becoming essential for developing the next generation of electronics.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1741153651287-Firefly-silver-nanoparticles-chemistry-nanoink-nanopaste-make-it-look-more-like-SEM-picture-48403-2048x1170.jpg.webp" style="width: 100%px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"><h2 id="isPasted">Understanding Nanoinks and Nanopastes</h2><a href="https://xtpl.com/product/high-performance-materials/">Nanoinks and nanopastes</a> are composed of nanoparticles suspended in a solution or paste. These materials can be printed or applied to surfaces with extreme precision, making them ideal for electronic manufacturing. The primary difference between the two is their viscosity and application method. Nanoinks are more fluid and typically used for high-resolution nano ink printing on delicate substrates, while nanopastes are thicker and used for filling gaps or creating thicker conductive layers.One of the key components of both materials is silver. Silver nano ink is widely used due to its excellent conductivity and stability. In the nano silver conductive ink market, silver nano ink has emerged as a leading solution for improving the performance of microelectronics. The ability of silver-based nano-materials to provide superior electrical properties at such small scales has revolutionized how circuits are designed and manufactured.<h3>Advancements with Silver Nanoinks and Nanopastes</h3>Silver nanoinks&nbsp;and nanopastes&nbsp;have been at the forefront of innovation due to their high bulk silver conductivity. Their exceptional conductive properties make them ideal for a range of applications, from flexible circuits to photovoltaic devices. With their superior aspect ratios and ability to print on various substrates, silver nanoink is driving advances in everything from <a href="https://xtpl.com/consumer-electronics/">consumer electronics</a> to<a href="https://xtpl.com/healthtech/">&nbsp;medical devices</a>.The advantages of silver-based <a href="https://xtpl.com/nanomaterials-in-3d-electronics-printing-xtpl/">nanomaterials&nbsp;</a>extend beyond conductivity. For instance, these materials are highly stable, making them suitable for long-lasting devices. They also offer flexibility, which is crucial for wearable electronics that must bend and move without losing functionality. The high resolution provided by&nbsp;nanoink printing allows manufacturers to create complex circuits with fine details, enabling more sophisticated electronic designs. The growth of the nano silver conductive ink market is a testament to the increasing demand for these materials. As companies seek to improve the electrical performance of their devices while reducing size and weight, silver nano ink has become a go-to solution.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1741153676513-offshelf0.jpg.webp" style="width: 100%px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"><h2 id="isPasted">Exploring Gold-Based Alternatives</h2>While silver nanoinks dominate the market, gold-based nanoinks and nanopastes offer an intriguing alternative. Gold nanoparticles, though more expensive, provide unique benefits, particularly in specialized applications. One of the key advantages of gold over silver is its biocompatibility, making gold-based nanoinks ideal for medical devices, sensors, and implants. Comparing silver nano ink to gold-based nanoinks, the choice often comes down to the specific requirements of the application. Silver offers excellent conductivity and is more affordable, while gold provides greater stability, especially in harsh environmental conditions where oxidation can be a concern. In areas like aerospace or medical electronics, where long-term durability and resistance to corrosion are critical, <a href="https://xtpl.com/material/high-performance-materials-gold-nanopaste/">gold-based nanopastes</a> may be preferred.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1741153690760-6_3pipe.jpg.webp" style="width: 100%px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Gold nanoparticles<h2 id="isPasted">Future Directions: Innovations &amp; Challenges Ahead</h2>As the demand for miniaturization and <a href="https://xtpl.com/deep-dive-ultra-high-resolution-dispensing-in-flexible-hybrid-electronics-fhe/">high-performance electronics&nbsp;</a>continues to grow, the development of nano-materials is accelerating. One emerging trend is the creation of hybrid materials that combine the best properties of both silver and gold-based nanoinks. These hybrid materials aim to offer the conductivity of silver with the stability and biocompatibility of gold, opening new possibilities for advanced electronic applications.Despite the rapid advancements, challenges remain. One of the most significant hurdles is the cost of production. While the nano silver conductive ink market is expanding, the scalability of these materials remains a challenge. The production processes for nanoinks and nanopastes are still costly, which can hinder widespread adoption. Additionally, there are environmental considerations, as the manufacturing of nanoparticle-based materials can have ecological impacts if not managed properly.Ongoing research aims to address these issues by developing more cost-effective and environmentally friendly production methods. As these technologies evolve, the potential for broader adoption in mainstream electronics manufacturing grows. Nanoinks and nanopastes are shaping the future of electronics by offering improved performance, flexibility, and precision. Silver nano ink has already proven itself as a game-changer in the nano silver conductive ink market, and the potential of gold-based alternatives adds to the excitement surrounding these materials. As research continues to push the boundaries of what is possible with nanoparticles, the future of electronics looks increasingly promising. Embracing these advanced materials will not only enhance the performance of today’s devices but also pave the way for sustainable growth in the tech industry, ensuring that tomorrow’s electronics are more efficient, durable, and innovative than ever before.

Nanoinks and nanopastes are composed of nanoparticles suspended in a solution or paste. These materials can be printed or applied to surfaces with extreme precision, making them ideal for electronic manufacturing.

How Nanopastes and Nanoinks Are Shaping Tomorrow's Electronics

The same material you drink your morning coffee from could transform the way scientists detect disease, purify water, and insulate space shuttles, thanks to an entirely new approach to ceramic manufacturing.Published in <a href="https://advanced.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/advs.202405334" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Advanced ScienceOpens in new window</a>, 3D-AJP is an aerosol jet 3D nanoprinting technique that allows for the fabrication of highly complex ceramic structures that at just 10 micrometers (a fraction of the width of human hair) are barely visible to the naked eye. These 3D structures are made up of microscale features including pillars, spirals, and lattices that allow for controlled porosity, ultimately enabling advances in ceramic applications.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1741135450193-0225-em1-3d-printing-ceramics.png" style="width: 100%px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">CAD design (left) and SEM images (right) of multi-spiral, pyramidal micro-lattice and wavy microwalls“It would be impossible to machine ceramic structures as small and as precise as these using traditional manufacturing methods,” explained <a href="https://engineering.cmu.edu/directory/bios/panat-rahul.html">Rahul Panat</a>, professor of <a href="https://www.meche.engineering.cmu.edu/index.html" rel="noopener" target="_blank">mechanical engineeringOpens in new window</a> at Carnegie Mellon University and the lead author of the study. “They would shatter.”Ceramics are believed to be the key to emerging engineering systems because of their wear resistance, thermal stability, thermal insulation, high stiffness, and biocompatibility. While existing 3D printing techniques have opened doors for ceramics fabrication, oftentimes severe shrinkage and/or defects are observed during post-printing processing due to the removal of additives from the ink that were needed to support the material during printing. With shrinkage ranging from 15-43%, it is challenging for fabricators to set printing parameters that would output the ideal part.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1741135468685-0225-em2-3d-printing-ceramics.png" style="width: 100%px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Chunshan Hu and Rahul Panat working in the lab3D-AJP does not rely on additives in the ink and therefore sees only a 2-6% shrinkage rate, so manufacturers can feel confident that the structure they want is the structure they’ll print. To ensure this, the team performed a detailed manufacturability study to identify the CAD programs needed to produce the final shape.Additionally, the team, including postdoc Chunshan Hu, demonstrated 3D-AJP’s unique ability to print two ceramic materials in one single structure which allows for advanced applications.“Using these structures, we can detect breast cancer markers, sepsis, and other biomolecules from a blood sample in just 20 seconds,” said Panat.<blockquote>Using these structures, we can detect breast cancer markers, sepsis, and other biomolecules from a blood sample in just 20 seconds.<cite>Rahul Panat, professor, Mechanical Engineering</cite></blockquote>This application, which is an extension of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYiHrOrs86I&embeds_referring_euri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.meche.engineering.cmu.edu%2F&embeds_referring_origin=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.meche.engineering.cmu.edu&source_ve_path=Mjg2NjY" rel="noopener" target="_blank">past researchOpens in new window</a> wherein he developed a metal biosensor to detect Covid-19 in just ten seconds, is advantageous because compared to metal, ceramic sensors can be manufactured nearly five times faster.Panat also cites the benefit of this technology in water purification and thermal insulation.“In the presence of UV light and zinc oxide, chemicals can be degraded, so by creating a 3D structure with a higher surface area, we can increase the speed and the effectiveness of water purification by four times,” he said. “Additionally, our ability to control the porosity of these structures, allows us to control and tailor thermal conductivity of structures such as the insulators used in space shuttles.”

New 3D printing technique fabricates highly complex and controllable ceramic nanostructures that could be the key to emerging engineering systems.

3d printing tomorrow's ceramics for high-performance systems

<section id="isPasted">Collaboration efforts between the Texas A&amp;M University Artie McFerrin Department of Chemical Engineering and the U.S. Department of Energy Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) have led to innovative research on how petroleum coke is processed.This almost $3 million three-year research project will convert petroleum coke to graphite for energy storage. The newer process uses a lower temperature and shorter time to produce graphite from petroleum coke.&nbsp;This new catalytic graphitization technology will decrease the emissions, cost, and processing time associated with conventional synthetic graphite production.&nbsp;The research team includes groups from Associate Department Head Dr. Micah Green, Associate Professor Dr. Faruque Hasan, and the National Energy Technology Laboratory.&nbsp;The project is part of the ARPA-E VISION OPEN program that looks to transform energy in critical areas across the energy spectrum, like nuclear fusion, grid reliability and approaches to developing chemicals and fuels, according to the ARPA-E website. &nbsp;&nbsp;Petroleum coke is produced from crude oil. Petroleum coke can then be turned into graphite through a long, high-temperature process, Green said.&nbsp;Ultimately, this new study looks to develop new technologies to process petroleum coke to graphite where it converts fossil feedstocks into valuable carbon products rather than fuels.“Our grant is about changing the process by using catalysts so we can make petroleum coke into synthetic graphite that's good for applications like batteries and for reducing American reliance on foreign sources of graphite,” Green said.&nbsp;</section><blockquote>We are not only just solving one problem, in a sense this also reduces emissions.<cite>- Dr. Faruque Hasan</cite></blockquote><section>Graphite is valuable for its use in batteries. If converted from petroleum coke, this approach could lead to new sources for components in Li-ion batteries, according to the ARPA-E website.&nbsp;“We are not only just solving one problem, in a sense this also reduces emissions,” Hasan said.Typically, the process involves heating petroleum coke to 3000 °C in a days-long process where the petroleum coke is formed into a powder. It is then mixed with an iron powder and is heat-treated. &nbsp;“My group is very involved in the actual synthesis and developing the catalyst and showing how that process can be scaled up,” Green said. “We have already done some proof-of-concept experiments at the lab scale, but to transition into industry, we need to show that it can be done at a large scale.”&nbsp;Hasan's group plans on analyzing the technology for its impact in terms of reducing cost, life cycle emissions, and greenhouse gases.&nbsp;With new technologies, challenges arise to scale-up due to lack of reliable designs and estimates on their techno-economic viability at different scales, Hansan said. The goal is to bridge this gap.“My group specializes in computational modeling, simulation and optimization of emerging technologies,” Hasan said. “In particular, we will determine optimal process design and operability domains for this exciting new technology developed in Dr. Green’s lab for producing highly value-added chemical products from petroleum coke in a sustainable manner.”&nbsp;Once the scaleup demonstration is successful, an industry partner, Oxbow Carbon, will do pilot-plant runs for the preliminary assessment for large-scale processing.</section>

Research teams are developing a new technology for producing graphite for improved energy storage.

Graphite Production Gets a Makeover

The AI revolution has ushered in an era of exponential power and energy consumption. According to the <a href="https://www.energy.gov/articles/doe-releases-new-report-evaluating-increase-electricity-demand-data-centers" rel="noopener" target="_blank">US Department of EnergyOpens in new window</a>, energy consumed by AI data centers could triple by 2028. Today, up to 40% of data center power use comes from cooling high-power chips—an astounding amount equivalent to the state of California’s entire electricity consumption.To combat this, Sheng Shen, professor of mechanical engineering at Carnegie Mellon University, has developed an innovative thermal interface material (TIM) that outperforms existing state-of-the-art solutions. His design, now published in <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-56163-8" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Nature CommunicationsOpens in new window</a>, achieves ultra-low thermal resistance while increasing cooling efficiency via improved heat dissipation. It also proves to be highly reliable.<blockquote>While an immediate need is cooling data centers, this innovation can break through in industries that have been stuck using outdated thermal interface materials.<cite>Sheng Shen, Professor, Mechanical Engineering</cite></blockquote>“The material is like a bridge between the nano- and macroscopic worlds,” explained Zexiao Wang, Ph.D. candidate in Shen’s lab. “Because the nanoscale material can be created using macroscale approaches, we can see with our own eyes the impact of the material on the world.”Not only is Shen’s thermal interface material the best-performing on the market, it is also highly reliable. The team tested the material at extreme temperature ranges from -55 to 125 degree Celsius for more than 1,000 cycles, and the material showed no performance degradation.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1740445088809-0211-em-ai-data-center-cooling-breakthrough.png" style="width: 100%px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Novel thermal interface material designed by Sheng Shen.&nbsp;Source:&nbsp;College of Engineering“This material solves a lot of existing challenges, and is ready to be used today,” said Shen. “While an immediate need is focused on cooling data centers, the application for this innovation is extensive. It can break through in industries that have been stuck using outdated thermal interface materials. It can be used for pre-packaging, reworked when using non-adhesives, and enables thermal bonding of two substrates at room temperature.”“Oftentimes work at the nanoscale is foundational for a device that we might not see for decades,” said Qixian Wang, Ph.D. candidate. “It’s been exciting to see the real-world impact our material can have today because it is so easy to use.”“Our material will have great benefits to the field of AI computing,” said Rui Cheng, postdoc and innovation commercialization fellow of CMU and the lead author of the paper published in Nature Communications. “Beyond reducing energy consumption, we can make AI development more affordable, more renewable, and more reliable.”<iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/BG4Ct4jYh3k?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;enablejsapi=1&amp;origin=https://www.wevolver.com" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable" data-lf-form-tracking-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" data-lf-yt-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" data-lf-vimeo-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true"></iframe>This research was supported by the National Science Foundation and ARPA-E (Advanced Research Projects - Energy). Collaborators included Tianyi Chen and Ana V. Garcia-Caraveo from the Oregon State University, and Navid Kazem and Loren Russell from Arieca, Inc.<hr>Sheng Shen and Rui Cheng are making this technology commercially available via their startup company,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.novolinc.com/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">NovoLINC, Inc.Opens in new window</a>

Novel thermal interface material cools chips better than existing state-of-the-art solutions.

Slashing AI data center cooling cost, GPU-CPU power use

Warping occurs when 3D printed parts curl away from the build plate

Warping is typically caused by poor bed adhesion and inconsistent printing temperatures. Here’s how to fix the 3D printing problem.

3D Print Warping (PLA, PETG, ABS): 6 Simple Fixes

LGA uses flat pads for connections, while BGA relies on solder balls for permanent mounting. This guide compares their thermal performance, electrical traits, reliability, and assembly pros and cons to help you choose the best IC package for your needs.

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This article explores the principles, methods, and real-world applications of the solderability test, offering insights into how it enhances quality assurance across modern electronics manufacturing processes!

Solderability Test - Principles, Methods, and Applications in Electronics Manufacturing

Here’s what you need to know about recycling PLA 3D printer filament and cutting back on 3D printing plastic waste.


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ABS can endure moderate temperatures before it melts

ABS is a widely used 3D printing filament with good impact resistance and flexural strength. It also exhibits moderate heat resistance, making it a go-to material for mid-temperature 3D printing applications.

Materials

Technical Guides

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