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UCT ELECTRODES ENGINEERING EQUIPMENTS (U.C.T.EEE) Specialty Products is a leading provider of Graphite electrodes for the steel industry, our goal is to provide the latest industry news.

RSS Features

  • The Journal of the European Ceramic Society Highlighted Feature Article (Free access 6 months) February 9, 2022
    This paper reviews the role of defects and dopants, including their dynamics, on the properties of barium titanate, the most widely used ferroelectric ceramic  in electronics. Written by Clive Randall , a world-wide recognized scientist and Director of the Materials Research Institute at The Pennsylvania State University, and his PhD student Pedram Yousefian, it is […]
  • Materials in 2020 December 16, 2020
    Download the full 32 page featureBY ANY MEASURE, 2020 has been a funny old year. But amid all the disruption and difficulties caused by the covid-19 pandemic, materials science has kept on going – research has continued to be conducted and findings published. Materials scientists may have had to change how they work, but they […]
  • Dark material offers a bright energy future March 31, 2020
    Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) systems use an array of reflectors to direct sunlight to a central receiver system where light is converted into heat, which is used to generate electricity. In the journal Scripta Materialia, researchers in Italy report the development of a dark form of aluminium oxide with potential to significantly improve the efficiency […]
  • Synthetic Metals – Editor Highlight February 19, 2020
    In the last issue of Synthetic Metals a review paper appeared co-authored by Corentin Pigot and Frédéric Dumur, two researchers from Aix-Marseille University (“Molecular engineering in 2D surface covalent organic frameworks: Towards next generation of molecular tectons - A mini review” Synthetic Metals 260 (2020) 116265). This paper covers principle aspects of molecular engineering performed […]
  • Making solar cells using waste from lead batteries February 13, 2020
    Simple chemistry takes lead from battery waste into solar cells. Copyright ElsevierIn a fine demonstration of innovative recycling, the waste lead from traditional lead-acid batteries can recovered and used to make perovskite – the promising material for building efficient solar cells. A research team in China report this innovative conversion of the debris from old […]
  • How to better build bone February 13, 2020
    The route to bone repair with magnetic cell sheetsRepairing damaged bones with tissue grafts is no easy task. Its success is limited by the challenge of regenerating the blood vessels that are needed to maintain the grafts. To meet this challenge, researchers at the University of Aveiro, in Portugal are developing layers of cell sheets […]
  • Hair protein delivers golden opportunities for nanoclusters January 27, 2020
    Schematic representing the keratin-templated formation of the gold nanoclusters, modification with silver and gadolinium, loading with drug and imaging by near-infrared light or magnetic resonanceKeratin, the main protein in hair, is surprisingly useful for assembling gold atoms into fluorescent nanoclusters that may help deliver drugs to their targets and image diseased tissues for diagnosis. Guang […]
  • Boosting the photodynamic therapy efficiency by using stimuli-responsive and AIE-featured nanoparticles January 17, 2020
    Abstract: Photosensitizers with aggregation-induced emission (AIE) characteristics are of great interest for cancer theranostics involving both fluorescence imaging and photodynamic therapy (PDT). However, in the purpose of clinical trials of PDT, the development of prominent drug delivery systems for boosting the PDT efficiency of AIE photosensitizers is highly desirable but still remain a challenging task. […]
  • Asymmetric polyelectrolyte multilayer membranes with ultrathin separation layers for highly efficient micropollutant removal November 4, 2019
    Abstract: New membrane materials are urgently needed to address the increasing concentrations of harmful organic micropollutants (e.g. pharmaceuticals, pesticides and plasticizers) in our surface and drinking water. Currently, the densest available membranes can remove micropollutants sufficiently, but only at very low permeabilities and by producing a highly saline, difficult to treat waste stream. We improve […]
  • Making the most of metals from cradle to grave December 24, 2018
    Position Senior Research Fellow Institution School of Engineering, University of Limerick URL www.ul.ie www.bravoeip.eu www.lcdval.eu www.votechnik.com www.revolvproject.eu Lisa O'Donoghue, University of Limerick.The EU's list of Critical Raw Materials (CRM) shows those that have high economic importance and are considered a supply risk with in the region (red dots represent CRMs).EC eco-innovation ReVolv project meeting.Launch event.Algeopolymers project meeting.We live […]

RSS News

  • Novel titanium alloy produces infection-resistant implants November 23, 2023
    WSU researchers tested the newly developed material for resistance to fatigue. Photo: Washington State University.A novel surgical implant developed by researchers at Washington State University (WSU) was able to kill 87% of the bacteria that cause staph infections in laboratory tests, while remaining strong and compatible with surrounding tissue, just like current implants. The work, […]
  • Two molecules needed to address recombination problem November 23, 2023
    Researchers in the Sargent lab at Northwestern University examine their record-breaking perovskite solar cell. Photo: Sargent Lab/Northwestern University.Researchers at Northwestern University have again raised the standards for perovskite solar cells with a new development that has helped the emerging technology hit new records for efficiency. In a paper in Science, the researchers report a dual-molecule […]
  • Making batteries last longer with a little help from soap November 22, 2023
    A team of scientists in the US have developed a new type of electrolyte that could extend the life of lithium metal batteries based on how soap works. With such batteries seen as crucial for improving the performance of electric vehicles, smart phones and other devices, these electrolytes offer complex nanostructures to improve how much energy batteries can store per cycle […]
  • Defects engineer fracture resistance in 2D materials November 21, 2023
    1.5 × 107 e-nm-2-s-1, and (f) atomic representation of a vacancy line sharing the same characteristic length and orientation as in (e). (g) The evolution of iSe vacancies and vacancy lines as a function of electron dose rate. The total dose was kept constant for the four conditions. Scale bar: (a) 1 nm, (d) 2 […]
  • Recyclable nanosheets as high-performance barrier material November 21, 2023
    New self-assembling and recyclable nanosheets for electronics, energy storage, and health and safety applications have been developed by researchers led by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. The 2D nanosheets could significantly improve the shelf life of consumer products, as well as reducing the amount of single-use packaging and electronics being thrown away.   As reported in Nature [Vargo et al. Nature (2023) DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06660-x], this is the first time […]
  • Nanocomposite stretches performance of artificial synapse November 21, 2023
    Combination of soft-hard-soft triblock copolymers and PeQDs, with specifically selected solvents, produce fully stretchable photosynaptic devices that can perform pattern recognition and other brain-like functions.Researchers have developed a stretchable transistor based on a polymer-perovskite quantum dot nanocomposite that functions as an artificial synapse [Chen et al., Materials Today (2023), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mattod.2023.10.010]. “[This work] targeted the emulation […]
  • Triangular material hosts quantum spin liquid November 20, 2023
    Data from the teams neutron scattering experiments showed strong correlations between KYbSe2 and the simulated spectrum of a quantum spin liquid state. Image: Allen Scheie/Los Alamos National Laboratory, U.S. Dept. of Energy.In 1973, physicist Phil Anderson hypothesized that the quantum spin liquid (QSL) state existed in some triangular atomic lattices, but he lacked the tools […]
  • New 3D-printing system can watch itself print with multiple materials November 20, 2023
    Using the new 3D inkjet printing system, researchers produced a functional, tendon-driven robotic hand with 19 independently actuatable tendons, soft fingers with sensor pads, and rigid, load-bearing bones. Photo courtesy of Wojciech Matusik, Robert Katzschmann, Thomas Buchner, et al.Using 3D inkjet printing systems, engineers can fabricate hybrid structures with soft and rigid components, like robotic […]
  • Laser light shows up true character of metamaterials November 17, 2023
    This optical micrograph shows an array of microscopic metamaterial samples on a reflective substrate. Laser pulses have been digitally added, depicting pump (red) and probe (green) pulses characterizing a sample in the center. Image courtesy of Carlos Portela, Yun Kai, et al.Metamaterials are products of engineering wizardry. They are made from everyday polymers, ceramics and […]
  • Unexpected twist to tweaking non-chiral polymers November 17, 2023
    This optical micrograph shows the chiral liquid crystal phase of a polymer that researchers are exploring to produce highly efficient semiconductor materials. Image courtesy Ying Diao Lab.A new study led by chemists at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign brings fresh insight into the development of semiconductor materials that can do things their traditional silicon […]

RSS Carbon news

  • Graphene sheet gives boost to lithium-oxygen batteries November 16, 2023
    Synthesis of a free-standing and edge-site-free GMS-sheet with hierarchically porous structure. Image: Wei Yu, Hirotomo Nishihara et al.Lithium-air batteries, sometimes known as lithium-oxygen batteries (Li-O2), comprise a lithium metal anode, an organic electrolyte and a porous carbon cathode. During discharge, oxygen in the surrounding air reacts with lithium at the cathode, releasing energy in the […]
  • Under pressure: Tuning the thermal performance of carbon composites November 1, 2023
    Chemical engineers make diverse range of thermally conductive materials using single method Joule heating coupled with an increasing density of components mean that our electronic devices rely heavily on thermal management in order to operate. From polymer coatings that protect circuit boards, to conductive pastes that bridge the gap between devices and heat sinks, there […]
  • Improved toxicity test reveals risk posed by nanomaterials October 31, 2023
    In-vitro analysis finds boron nitride and graphene oxide could irreparably damage DNA The market for 2D materials is booming. Molybdenum disulfide (MoS2), boron nitride (hBN), and a whole host of graphene-related materials are finding widespread use in commercial products. Their unique properties and ever-decreasing manufacturing costs is seeing them play increasingly important roles in sectors […]
  • Five layers of graphene display very rare ‘multiferroic’ state October 23, 2023
    When stacked in five layers in a rhombohedral pattern, graphene takes on a rare multiferroic state, in which the materials electrons (illustrated as spheres) exhibit two preferred electronic states: an unconventional magnetism (represented as orbits around each electron); and valley, or a preference for one of two energy states (depicted in red versus blue). Image: […]
  • Metal nanoclusters and graphene boost lithium–sulfur batteries October 16, 2023
    Schematic of a lithium-sulfur battery with the Au24Pt(PET)18@G-modified battery separator. Image: Yuichi Negishi from TUS Japan.The demand for efficient energy-storage systems is ever increasing, spurred by the emergence of intermittent renewable energy sources and the adoption of electric vehicles. In this regard, lithium–sulfur batteries (LSBs), which can store three to five times more energy than […]
  • New ruler for measuring twisted quantum materials October 6, 2023
    This Illustration depicts two bilayers (two double layers) of graphene, which the NIST team employed in their experiments to investigate some of the exotic properties of moiré quantum material. Inset at left provides a top-level view of a portion of the two bilayers, showing the moiré pattern that forms when one bilayer is twisted at […]
  • Capturing carbon with MXene October 5, 2023
    UCRs Mihri Ozkan. Photo: UCR.Some of the thinnest materials known to mankind may provide solutions to scientists in their quest to curb the effects of global warming. Known as MXene and MBene compounds, these substances are only a few atoms thick, making them two-dimensional (2D). Because of their large surface areas, these materials have the […]
  • Graphene oxide joins battle against Alzheimer's peptides October 5, 2023
    Graphene oxide (orange) can enter yeast cells and reduce the toxicity of harmful protein aggregates (light grey), by promoting the disassembly and degradation of the aggregates. Image: Chalmers University of Technology/Katharina Merl.A probable early driver of Alzheimer's disease is the accumulation of molecules called amyloid peptides. These cause cell death and are commonly found in […]
  • New ions prove effective for new carbon-capture technique October 4, 2023
    New ions can facilitate carbon capture. Photo: Dravid lab/Northwestern University.Even as the world slowly begins to decarbonize its industrial processes, achieving lower concentrations of atmospheric carbon requires technologies that can remove existing carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere – rather than just prevent the creation of it. Typical carbon capture takes CO2 directly from the […]
  • Dispersed copper atoms help produce a highly efficient catalyst September 27, 2023
    Soumyabrata Roy, a postdoctoral research associate in materials science and nanoengineering at Rice University. Photo: Gustavo Raskosky/Rice University.Technologies for removing carbon from the atmosphere keep improving, but solutions for what to do with the carbon once it’s been captured are harder to come by. Together with collaborators, the lab of Pulickel Ajayan, a materials scientist […]

RSS Materials Science news

  • Novel titanium alloy produces infection-resistant implants November 23, 2023
    WSU researchers tested the newly developed material for resistance to fatigue. Photo: Washington State University.A novel surgical implant developed by researchers at Washington State University (WSU) was able to kill 87% of the bacteria that cause staph infections in laboratory tests, while remaining strong and compatible with surrounding tissue, just like current implants. The work, […]
  • Two molecules needed to address recombination problem November 23, 2023
    Researchers in the Sargent lab at Northwestern University examine their record-breaking perovskite solar cell. Photo: Sargent Lab/Northwestern University.Researchers at Northwestern University have again raised the standards for perovskite solar cells with a new development that has helped the emerging technology hit new records for efficiency. In a paper in Science, the researchers report a dual-molecule […]
  • Making batteries last longer with a little help from soap November 22, 2023
    A team of scientists in the US have developed a new type of electrolyte that could extend the life of lithium metal batteries based on how soap works. With such batteries seen as crucial for improving the performance of electric vehicles, smart phones and other devices, these electrolytes offer complex nanostructures to improve how much energy batteries can store per cycle […]
  • Defects engineer fracture resistance in 2D materials November 21, 2023
    1.5 × 107 e-nm-2-s-1, and (f) atomic representation of a vacancy line sharing the same characteristic length and orientation as in (e). (g) The evolution of iSe vacancies and vacancy lines as a function of electron dose rate. The total dose was kept constant for the four conditions. Scale bar: (a) 1 nm, (d) 2 […]
  • Recyclable nanosheets as high-performance barrier material November 21, 2023
    New self-assembling and recyclable nanosheets for electronics, energy storage, and health and safety applications have been developed by researchers led by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. The 2D nanosheets could significantly improve the shelf life of consumer products, as well as reducing the amount of single-use packaging and electronics being thrown away.   As reported in Nature [Vargo et al. Nature (2023) DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06660-x], this is the first time […]
  • Nanocomposite stretches performance of artificial synapse November 21, 2023
    Combination of soft-hard-soft triblock copolymers and PeQDs, with specifically selected solvents, produce fully stretchable photosynaptic devices that can perform pattern recognition and other brain-like functions.Researchers have developed a stretchable transistor based on a polymer-perovskite quantum dot nanocomposite that functions as an artificial synapse [Chen et al., Materials Today (2023), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mattod.2023.10.010]. “[This work] targeted the emulation […]
  • Triangular material hosts quantum spin liquid November 20, 2023
    Data from the teams neutron scattering experiments showed strong correlations between KYbSe2 and the simulated spectrum of a quantum spin liquid state. Image: Allen Scheie/Los Alamos National Laboratory, U.S. Dept. of Energy.In 1973, physicist Phil Anderson hypothesized that the quantum spin liquid (QSL) state existed in some triangular atomic lattices, but he lacked the tools […]
  • New 3D-printing system can watch itself print with multiple materials November 20, 2023
    Using the new 3D inkjet printing system, researchers produced a functional, tendon-driven robotic hand with 19 independently actuatable tendons, soft fingers with sensor pads, and rigid, load-bearing bones. Photo courtesy of Wojciech Matusik, Robert Katzschmann, Thomas Buchner, et al.Using 3D inkjet printing systems, engineers can fabricate hybrid structures with soft and rigid components, like robotic […]
  • Laser light shows up true character of metamaterials November 17, 2023
    This optical micrograph shows an array of microscopic metamaterial samples on a reflective substrate. Laser pulses have been digitally added, depicting pump (red) and probe (green) pulses characterizing a sample in the center. Image courtesy of Carlos Portela, Yun Kai, et al.Metamaterials are products of engineering wizardry. They are made from everyday polymers, ceramics and […]
  • Unexpected twist to tweaking non-chiral polymers November 17, 2023
    This optical micrograph shows the chiral liquid crystal phase of a polymer that researchers are exploring to produce highly efficient semiconductor materials. Image courtesy Ying Diao Lab.A new study led by chemists at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign brings fresh insight into the development of semiconductor materials that can do things their traditional silicon […]