A research team led by Hokkaido University in Japan have constructed a porous material that is very stable and changes color when exposed to acid vapor. This is believed to be the first reported instance of a hydrogen-bonded organic framework changing color in response to acid. The findings are described in the Journal of the American…
Bamboo Inspires Optimal Design for Lightness and Toughness
The spatial distribution of fibers in hollow bamboo cylinders is optimized to reinforce flexural rigidity, a new finding that sheds light on biomimetic approaches in the development of materials. Light and tough, bamboo is widely used as a natural, functional material in Japan and other Asian countries. Bamboo is light because of its hollow structure,…
New Type of Sensor Material Developed
Hokkaido University scientists have succeeded in developing a nickel complex that changes color and magnetism when exposed to methanol vapor. The new material can potentially be used not only as a chemical sensor, but also with future rewritable memory devices. The phenomenon of color changes in a substance, triggered by volatile organic compound vapors or…
The Switch That Could Double USB Memory
Scientists at Hokkaido University have developed a device that employs both magnetic and electronic signals, which could provide twice the storage capacity of conventional memory devices, such as USB flash drives. Conventional USB flash drives are electronic data storage devices. They store information by using millions of small gates that process information into “words” consisting…