coating

It might be time for space telescopes to ditch their old coating for a more mysterious look, helping them blend in the dark void of space and capture better images of the cosmos. The Fujifilm X100VI is the Most Fun I’ve Had With a Camera in YearsA team of researchers from the University of Shanghai developed an ultrablack thin-film coating for magnesium alloys—the casting material that’s fabricated for telescopes and optical instruments—which they say absorbs nearly all light while still being durable enough to survive…

A protein obtained from mussels could one day keep infections from occurring at the site of bone implants such as artificial hips. And while the protein does kill the microbes, it should still limit the development of antibiotic-resistant "superbacteria."Bacterial infections at the sites of recently installed implants can be very serious, potentially leading to complications such as a weakening of the bond between the implant and the bone. When this happens, subsequent surgeries are often required in order to keep the…

Scraping ice off your car window might get a lot easier in the future thanks to a new spray coating developed by scientists in Austria. That's because of the way the molecules line up – or don't – during its high-tech creation process.While anti-ice coatings aren't new, there have always been problems with them, says a research team at Austria's Graz University of Technology (TU Graz). Primarily, they can often detach from the surfaces they are meant to keep free from freezing.So researchers there set out to improve upon…

Limescale buildup in thermal power plants due to the use of hot water can substantially affect efficiency, prompting researchers to develop a novel soft hydrogel-based surface coating that repels limescale crystals and prevents them from adhering.Mainly consisting of calcium carbonate, limescale buildup can be seen around the home, on the inside of kettles, water tanks and washing machines, especially in areas where the water is hard – that is, high in mineral content – and when the surfaces come into contact with hot…

Scientists applied a simple approach for growing hBN films on the surface of ubiquitous steels and other metal alloys to “armor” them and thus increase their capabilities. Credit: Adam Malin/ORNL, U.S. Dept. of EnergyHexagonal boron nitride coatings on metal alloys enhance durability, reduce friction, and protect against harsh conditions, paving the way for improvements in solar panels, semiconductors, and aerospace components.Researchers demonstrated that stainless steel and other metal alloys coated with hexagonal boron…

Samsung has unveiled its new OLED TVs ahead of the CES 2024 expo. The company's new lineup of OLED TVs uses QD-OLED panels, but Samsung could use LG's WRGB OLED panels in some of its TV models. These new OLED TVs feature higher brightness, faster performance, improved picture quality, and anti-glare coating. The QD-OLED TV lineup from Samsung also runs the 2024 version of the Tizen OS. Samsung has also announced new QLED, Neo QLED, and Micro LED TVs. Samsung's 2024 lineup of OLED TVs has ‘OLED Glare Free' coating and…

Glycobiology, evolving beyond its roots in carbohydrate chemistry, is now a key field in understanding life’s molecular mechanisms. Glycans, essential in various biological functions, are the focus of groundbreaking research and technological innovations, revealing their critical roles in health and disease. Credit: SciTechDaily.comResearchers are working to advance the field of glycoscience, illuminating the essential role of carbohydrates for human health and disease.In the narrowest sense, glycobiology is the study of…

It was just this August that we heard about a super-slippery 3D-printed toilet bowl, which bacteria slide right off of. Well, if you want that same sort of functionality in your existing toilet, a special coating may do the trick.Led by Prof. Mustafa Serdar Onses, a team of scientists at Erciyes University in Turkey set out to develop a new method of grafting hydrophobic (water-repelling) polymers onto surfaces such as porcelain. Although there already are methods of doing so, they're labor-intensive and involve the use…

Hospitals are meant to heal people, but there’s an increasing risk of patients picking up a superbug or two during their stay. Scientists have now developed long-lasting antimicrobial coatings for textiles that could allow things like hospital curtains to quickly kill viruses and bacteria.Despite the best efforts of medical staff, hospitals can be hotbeds of pathogen exchange. And while smooth surfaces like door handles or railings can be fairly easy to disinfect, it’s harder to clean materials like textiles. For the new…

Cross section of the internal structure of a single cell containing an anodic component deposited with WO3. Anodic component deposited with WO3 is (A) BP, (B) GDL, and (C) MEA. Credit: Science Advances (2023). DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adi5696 When purchasing a smartphone, one of your primary considerations is typically finding a durable case and a screen protector to safeguard the device from external harm. Similarly, a group of…