http://ceramics.org/ceramictechtoday News in the field of ceramic, glass and related materials science and engineering. Wed, 08 Feb 2012 21:45:31 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en   Conversion efficiencies of the best research solar cells worldwide from 1976 through 2011 for various photovoltaic technologies; efficiencies determined by certified agencies/laboratories. Credit: NREL. The steady march to grid parity for solar energy devices continues: A Santa Clara, Calif., maker of gallium arsenide photovoltaic panels, Alta Devices, announced Tuesday that the ... http://ceramics.org/ceramictechtoday/2012/02/08/alta-devices-reports-nrel-verification-of-235-efficiency-for-counter-intuitive-solar-panel/ Graphene nanoribbon band structures for arm-chair type. Tightbinding calculations show that armchair type can be semiconducting or metallic depending on width (chirality). Credit: SR Mehrotra and G Klimeck; Wikipedia. The Office of Naval Research has announced that it is interested in encouraging "research and innovation in bottom-up chemical synthesis and ... http://ceramics.org/ceramictechtoday/2012/02/07/navy-looks-to-use-6m-to-lure-ideas-for-bottom-up-building-of-carbon-based-nanoelectronics/ Photographs of sample films at room temperature. Credit, Gao et al.; RSC Energy Environ. Sci. The notion of making functional and flexible ceramic foils is fascinating, but a little counterintuitive, isn't it? Thus, I am always intrigued when new techniques and applications are discovered. A while back I wrote about a group from ... http://ceramics.org/ceramictechtoday/2012/02/07/vo2-foils-eyed-for-mass-production-for-thermochromic-window-applications/ Check ' em out: On relaxations and aging of various glasses Slow relaxation occurs in many physical and biological systems. "Creep" is an example from everyday life. When stretching a rubber band, for example, the recovery to its equilibrium length is not, as one might think, exponential: The relaxation is slow, in ... http://ceramics.org/ceramictechtoday/2012/02/07/other-materials-stories-that-may-be-of-interest-21/ Ferroelectric lead titanate nanodots were shattered using an atomic force microscope tip to make nanodots less than 10 nm diameter. Credit: Son and Jung, JACerS; Wiley. Jim O'Neil, a fellow graduate student a good while ago, liked to say, "Ceramic engineering is all about making big rocks into little rocks, and then ... http://ceramics.org/ceramictechtoday/2012/02/07/making-ferroelectric-nanorocks-with-an-atomic-force-microscope-hammer/ • The owner of glass manufacturer Pilkington, Nippon Sheet Glass, has announced that it will close one of its three UK production lines in an effort to cut costs. The job cuts are the second major headcount reduction in two years: In March 2010, the firm cut 6,700 jobs in ... http://ceramics.org/ceramictechtoday/2012/02/07/news-on-glass-refractory-world/ GE's Super Bowl commercial features engineers making power plant turbines that "make the power that makes the beer." Credit: GE; NFL. So, the Super Bowl is all about three things: football, the commercials and the half-time show. Super Bowl XLVI is history now and will be deconstructed for quite some time. As ... http://ceramics.org/ceramictechtoday/2012/02/06/monday-morning-quarterbacking%e2%80%94a-materials-review-of-super-bowl-xlvi/ A year ago, Corning published a promotional video, "A Day Made of Glass... Made possible by Corning" that provide an intriguing peek into some of the technologies the company is considering—and how it may affect our lifestyles. It proved to be a popular video, racking up well over 17 million ... http://ceramics.org/ceramictechtoday/2012/02/03/video-of-the-week-%e2%80%93-cornings-a-day-made-of-glass-2-unpacked-the-story-behind-cornings-vision/ Here is what we are hearing: Integration of Hanse Chemie Inc. USA, into Evonik Goldschmidt Corp. As of Jan. 1, 2012, the US Hanse Chemie business of Hanse Chemie AG and Nanoresins AG, has been merged into Evonik Goldschmidt Corp. At the same time, Hanse Chemie Inc. USA has been dissolved ... http://ceramics.org/ceramictechtoday/2012/02/03/ceramics-and-glass-business-news-of-the-week-25/   Screenshot from live webcam of the "Pitch Drop Experiment" at the University of Queensland in Australia. The experiment, begun in 1927, demonstrates the fluid nature of tar pitch at room temperature. Credit: U. Queensland, Australia. Would you start an experiment that took three years to set up, yielded it's first ... http://ceramics.org/ceramictechtoday/2012/02/03/the-%e2%80%98pitch-drop%e2%80%99-experiment-is-one-for-the-generations/