Materials Science

At ETH Zurich, there is a room where the sun shines at the touch of a button; one hour it’s noon in the Sahara, the next it’s January in Berlin. Researchers use it to test newly developed building systems, components and materials.

Researchers at ETH Zurich have developed a sensor that utilises energy from sound waves to control electronic devices. This could one day save millions of batteries.

Not every wound can be closed with needle and thread. Empa researchers have now developed a soldering process with nanoparticles that gently fuses tissue. The soldering technique is expected to prevent wound healing disorders and life-threatening complications from leaking sutures. The team recently published the promising method in the journal Small Methods and applied for a patent.

Researchers at ETH Zurich are developing a new method to remove CO₂ from the atmosphere. It involves molecules that become acidic when exposed to light. Their new process requires much less energy than conventional technologies.

Future-oriented research requires facilities that are continually brought up to date. That’s why PSI is currently planning a significant upgrade to its proton accelerator with the project IMPACT. Physicist Daniela Kiselev is head of Accelerator Operation and Development at PSI. In addition, she is leading the project management team for IMPACT. In this interview, she talks about the smallest particles and the big plans for the renovation.

Researchers have trained an artificial intelligence to design the structure of so-called metamaterials with desired mechanical properties for a wide range of applications.