Novel composite coatings are being developed to reduce friction and improve wear resistance in parts where there are rolling and sliding contacts such as ball bearings, chains, gears, pumps, screws and artificial joints.

The products, based on inorganic fullerene-like nanosphere powders. could save energy, extend operating times and reduce maintenance in automotive, aerospace and biomedical fields.

A novel laser-electromagnetic acoustic transducer (EMAT) technique for detecting surface and internal defects in cast steel early in the manufacturing process is being explored by international steelmaker Corus.

A fast and simple technique for producing nanostructured gallium arsenide arrays using lithographic patterning has been developed by researchers at Oxford University, UK. This could be used for improved data storage in advanced optical, electronic or magnetic applications

Demand for small, electrically driven unmanned air vehicles (SEUAVs) in the military and civil sectors has led researchers at The Welding Institute (TWI) in Cambridge, UK, to explore the use of embedded fuel cells to help power lightweight composite structures, typically constructed from carbon or glass fibre-reinforced epoxy. 

Using particle-induced X-ray emission (PIXE) on an ion microprobe, scientists at the University of Surrey, UK were able to pick up trace volumes of gunshot residueselements, which usually go undetected by scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy.

The adoption of the Materials and Articles in Contact with Food Regulations 2008 in May increases the challenges for the packaging industry. The regulation requires a Declaration of Compliance to accompany all food contact plastics. This article examines the changes and how to comply with the new legislation.

PET waste from bottles, cartons and yoghurt pots has been redirected from landfill and transformed into cement-free concrete paving blocks thanks to a EUREKA funded project called Sandplast.

An award-winning method for extracting precious metals such as platinium, palladium and rhodium from street waste adapts processing techniques used for primary ore extraction. 

The largest single use of expanded polypropylene (EPP) in an automotive will be unveiled in autumn 2008. The anti-submarine ramp (which keeps the passenger from sliding around during bumpy rides) in the rear seat bench of the new Volvo XC 60 is made of ARPRO, the EPP produced by manufacturer JSP, based in Minster Lovell, UK. This is estimated to reduce the car’s weight by 100kg and could cut fuel consumption by 900l over its lifetime.

International company Morgan Technical Ceramics acquired Certech and Carpenter Advanced Ceramics from Carpenter Technology Corporation in a US$145m deal earlier this year, creating one of the largest technical ceramics companies in the world.

The UK Science and Technology Facilities Council announced its three-year investment plan, worth nearly £2bln at a meeting on 8 July 2008 at the Royal Society, London, UK. The areas receiving financial support include the ISIS Target Station 2 and the Diamond Light Source, both located at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory near Oxford, UK.

Low-cost, ultra-high strength, low-alloy steels has been developed by researchers at the National Institute for Materials Science, in Tsukuba, Japan. The metal could be used in applications such as bolts and shafts in low-temperatures where ductile-to-brittle transitions occur. Its energy absorbing capabilities are said to be six times greater than highly-alloyed maraging steels.

Researchers at the Advanced Technology Institute (ATI) at the University of Surrey, UK, have developed two thin film silicon transistors that they claim are easier and cheaper to produce than current structures, and deliver improved performance with lower operating voltages. This could lead to devices with increased electronic functions.