A NIMS research team fabricated heat-resistant steel test specimens using laser powder bed fusion (LPBF)—a form of metal 3D printing—and subjected them to creep testing for up to 10,000 hours. The results demonstrated that LPBF significantly extended the creep lives of the specimens, achieving at least a 10-fold increase over heat-resistant steel produced through conventional heat-treatment processes.

CLEVELAND—On Tuesday, Jan. 14, President Biden awarded nearly 400 scientists and engineers the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE), the highest honor bestowed by the U.S. government on outstanding scientists and engineers early in their careers. Four of the awardees are Case Western Reserve University engineering faculty: A. Bolu Ajiboye, Christine Duval, Burcu Gurkan and Steve Majerus.

Researchers from Shibaura Institute of Technology, Japan, have developed a novel 6D pose dataset designed to improve robotic grasping accuracy and adaptability in industrial settings. The dataset, which integrates RGB and depth images, demonstrates significant potential to enhance the precision of robots performing pick-and-place tasks in dynamic environments.

In a major advancement for energy storage, researchers have developed an innovative in situ polymerized quasi-solid polymer electrolyte (DS-QSPE) that addresses critical challenges in room-temperature sodium-sulfur (Na-S) batteries. This breakthrough technology effectively mitigates common issues such as void-filled interfaces and the polysulfide shuttle effect, which have long hindered the practical application of Na-S batteries. By significantly enhancing ionic conductivity and sodium-ion transference, the DS-QSPE extends the lifespan and boosts the electrochemical performance of these batteries, offering a promising solution for large-scale energy storage and paving the way for more reliable and efficient energy systems.

DDT soil pollution is still a major problem in many parts of the world. Researchers at Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden, have developed a new method to manage ecological risks from the toxin by binding it with biochar. When they mixed biochar into contaminated soil at a former tree nursery, DDT uptake by earthworms in the soil was halved. This method may enable the growing of certain crops on land that is currently considered unusable due to the environmental risks.

Paper-thin optical lenses simple enough to mass produce like microchips could enable a new generation of compact optical devices. A team with researchers at the University of Tokyo and JSR Corp. fabricated and tested flat lenses called Fresnel zone plates (FZPs), but did so for the first time using only common semiconductor manufacturing equipment, the i-line stepper, for the first time. These flat lenses currently lack the efficiency of in-production lenses, but have the potential to reshape optics for industries ranging from astronomy to health care and consumer electronics.