Scientists at the United Technologies Research Center and UConn are using advanced additive manufacturing technology to create ‘smart’ machine components that alert users when they are damaged or worn. The researchers also applied a variation of the technology to create polymer-bonded magnets with intricate geometries and arbitrary shapes, opening up new possibilities for manufacturing and product design. The key…
Novel Smart Materials Inspired by Sea Creatures
A suite of new materials developed in the lab of UConn researcher Luyi Sun can change their appearance and quickly revert to their original state, just like the squid and jellyfish that inspired them. The research was published recently in Nature Communications. The materials, which are stretchable, thin, and slightly squishy, have potential applications in smart windows,…