The UK’s new Engineering Diploma for 14-19-year-olds is being taught from this September. Rupal Mehta explores its development, and what it means for education in the country and a sector dominated by an ageing workforce.
The EU aims to meet 20% of its energy needs from renewable sources by 2020. Organic photovoltaics — solar cells made from plastics — could be one promising avenue. They take the form of a flexible, light film that can be easily attached to other materials and adapted to different colours and designs. This has led to potential commercial applications in the construction industry, where plastic cells could be used as a thin film on roofs, windows and facades. Moreover, they could feature in foldable chargers for mobile phones and other gadgets on car roofs, or in clothes.
Spintronics has made a major impact on daily life by driving increases in hard drive information storage density over the last decade. However, the discipline has not yet influenced traditional information processing, where circuits of silicon transistors dominate.
A new family of Diamond-Silicon Carbide composites (Skeleton Cemented Diamond) creates low-cost materials with improved thermal and mechanical properties.
A consequence of recent developments in microelectronics, optics and nanotechnology is a demand for wear resistant coatings and the enhanced functionality of conductive films. Thin films are key to the production of new materials and devices using this technology.
Researchers are examining the outstanding physical properties, in terms of strength, elastic stiffness and thermal and electrical conductive applications of carbon nanotube composites.
European companies need to compete more aggresively in an expanding global ceramic manufacturing industry. ABB Robotics, in collaboration with Italian engineering consultancy EMC has developed a robotic application for the tile industry that removes the manual element of cutting and assembly of mosaic squares in tiles, providing one solution that streamlines and automates manufacturing in the ceramic sector.
Research into the magnetic properties of nanostructures, and the application of nanomagnetism on hard disc drive (HDD) magnetic information storage systems, diagnostics, controlled drug delivery. Methods used include magnetic imaging and modelling as well as characterisation.
