New Materials in design

The potential of advanced carbon/glass hybrid reinforced composites with secondary carbon nanotube
reinforcement for wind energy applications is investigated here with the use of computational experiments.
Fatigue behavior of hybrid as well as glass and carbon fiber reinforced composites with and
without secondary CNT reinforcement is simulated using multiscale 3D unit cells. The materials behavior
under both mechanical cyclic loading and combined mechanical and environmental loading (with phase
properties degraded due to the moisture effects) is studied. The multiscale unit cells are generated
automatically using the Python based code. 3D computational studies of environment and fatigue analyses
of multiscale composites with secondary nano-scale reinforcement in different material phases
and different CNTs arrangements are carried out systematically in this paper. It was demonstrated that
composites with the secondary CNT reinforcements (especially, aligned tubes) present superior fatigue
performances than those without reinforcements, also under combined environmental and cyclic mechanical
loading. This effect is stronger for carbon composites, than for hybrid and glass composites.

"These days, whether you're designing a building or a toaster, a savvy knowledge of materials is increasingly critical. And keeping up with the constant flow of new materials, let alone their applications, properties, and sources, is an increasingly difficult and time-consuming task. Blaine Erickson Brownell, author of Transmaterial, known to thousands of web users for his ""product of the week"" email service alerting designers to new materials that are reshaping our world, has created this handy and affordable reference to the most interesting and most useful new materials now available.

Transmaterial is indexed in multiple ways for the sake of maximum convenience, and utilizes the new CSI Master-Format 2004 product categorization system. With more than 200 materials, organized by category, described, pictured, and annotated with technical and sourcing information, this catalog is an essential tool for any architect or designer interested in keeping up with the rapid developments in the field of materials, looking for a source of inspiration for their designs, or just eager to get their hands on real materials in an effort to understand the incredibly innovative palette now available to us."

Aerogels are open-porous, high-performance thermal insulation materials that can be used for very thin building insulation. So far, the application conditions of these materials and their potential in heritage buildings have not yet been described comprehensively. This review shows the technical properties of commercially available aerogel materials – such as blankets, boards and renders – and their use scenarios in heritage buildings, taking into account the heritage criteria of authenticity, integrity, reversibility and compatibility. Additionally, historic buildings that were refurbished using aerogels are presented. The study by theoretical evaluations and calculated U-values indicates that superinsulating aerogel materials have an exceptional potential in the refurbishment of heritage buildings. The presented examples show the feasibility of refurbishments with aerogel and the resulting improvements in terms of both comfort and thermal properties. Hence, aerogel materials are well suited to be used in preservation of heritage objects according to generally known rules and conditions of heritage preservation, thus contributing to the reduction of energy consumption in the building sector.

We present calculations of the band structure, density of states and the real and imaginary parts of the dielectric functions in intrinsic TlN and AlN, both for wurtzite and the zinc-blende polytypes. They are based on the local density approximation (LDA) within the density functional theory (DFT), employing the first-principles, full-potential linearized augmented plane wave (FPLAPW) method. We correct the band gap of the AlN by using a quasi-particle method proposed by Bechstedt and Del Sole. The calculated energy gaps, lattice constants and dielectric constants for AlN are in good agreement with available experimental values while for TlN there is no experimental investigation.

Since the 2006 publication of his best-selling first volume of Transmaterial, author Blaine Brownell has become the undisputed master of new materials, inspiring architects and designers looking to transform the structure, spaces, and surfaces of their projects with the latest high-tech and environmentally friendly products. The third volume in the critically acclaimed series presents over two hundred emergent materials, products, and systems that have significant potential to transform the constructed world. Transmaterial 3 provides a broad synopsis of the state of technological advances in materials today with a special emphasis on new developments in the field of biopolymers and various agriculturally derived products; biomimetic products, systems, and processes that seek to emulate natural examples including low-embodied-energy and biochemically manufactured products; "grown" materials; nanoscale marvels; renewable energy technologies; "second-life" materials derived from repurposed waste; and responsive, interactive, and transformational digital interfaces that harness pervasive communication networks and are powered by low-energy illumination sources. An excellent ideas generator, Transmaterial 3 is an indispensable tool for any architect or designer looking to keep up with the current trends in the field of materials.

In addition to the mitigation of carbon emissions through the reduction of building energy consumption, the prevention of fire spread in buildings is important an important task globally. Therefore, a growing interest towards building materials that can simultaneously contribute to energy savings and provide good flame-re-tardant performance in buildings exist. The flame-retardant performances of buildings can be improved through the use of inorganic building materials during construction. Meanwhile, among the different types of construction waste, more than 70% of ceramics can be recycled, which would reduce carbon emissions in the production process. Ceramics are inorganic and non-flammable, and can thus secure the flame-retardant performance of buildings. In this study, recycled ceramic-based inorganic insulation to secure the flame-retardant performance of a building are analyzed for their energy saving values. A case study building was modeled and the flame-retardant performance and building energy consumption were analyzed. Setting the thermal trans-mittance of the external wall according to the energy conservation design standards in South Korea, the tradeoff between model calculates annual energy consumption fire protection and minimization of material environmental impacts are discussed. As a result of simulation, when a wall constructed according to the energy conservation design standards of buildings, the building energy was saved by 18.6% and fire resistance performance was secured.

This research work evaluates the impact of stormwater infiltration on the removal of organics, solids, nitrogen and phosphorus in a LECA-based horizontal subsurface flow constructed wetland. Stormwater runoff for the period between January 2008 and June 2010 (30 months) was estimated for the drainage basin of the Vila Fernando wastewater treatment plant (constructed wetland system) and it was observed proportionality between the increase in surface runoff and the infiltration flow rate that reached the plant. The average stormwater infiltration rate that reached the plant was 67.4 m(3) d(-1) (77% of the influent flow rate into the plant). The 30 month monitoring campaign set up at one of the reed beds showed that stormwater infiltration led to a high variation of the hydraulic loading rate (HLR) throughout the bed, which affected its performance in the removal of organic matter, suspended solids and nitrogen. For a HLR below 20 cm d-1 the removal efficiencies for BOD5, COD and TSS doubled. The removal of nitrogen was too low and was associated with the weak development of nitrifying biofilm and the poor growth of reeds. However, it was observed a good relationship between the applied and removed loads for most of the parameters, which seems to indicate that the organic, solid, nitrogen and phosphorus loading rates influenced the respective removal rates. The use of a bed material with high specific surface area, such as LECA, can only improve the treatment capacity of horizontal subsurface flow systems if the organic and solid loading rates, as well as the HLR, can be effectively controlled.

En este artículo se presentan los resultados del análisis de dos metodologías propuestas para disminuir las diferencias en la  resistencia mecánica de hormigones fabricados con altos porcentajes de árido reciclado con respecto a un hormigón tradicional. Las metodologías fueron aplicadas a hormigones estructurales fabricados con un 40% de áridos reciclados y se compararon los resultados obtenidos con un hormigón de control. El primer método consistió en  aumentar  la cantidad de cemento en la mezcla del hormigón  en razones de 2,5% hasta llegar a un 10%. El segundo método utilizado, consistió en aplicar un procedimiento de desgaste  a los áridos reciclados con el efecto de disminuir la cantidad de mortero adherido. Se evaluaron diferentes grados de desgaste. Los resultados obtenidos muestran que, a largo plazo, ambas metodologías resultan beneficiosas obteniéndose, en todas las muestras realizadas, resistencias mecánicas equivalentes a las del hormigón de control.

PACS: 81.05.Zx

The electronic band-edges of lead chalcogenides PbY and tin chalcogenides SnY (where Y = S, Se, and Te) are investigated by the means of a full-potential linearized augmented plane wave (FPLAPW) method and the local density approximation (LDA). All six chalcogenide binaries have similar electronic structures and density-of-states, but there are differences in the symmetry of the band-edge states at and near the Brillouin zone L-point. These differences give the characteristic composition, pressure, and temperature dependences of the energy gap in Pb 1Àx Sn x Y alloys.

In this paper, a multilayer ReS2 p–n homojunction is fabricated on an oxidized Si substrate, and its photoemission under a forward bias and its photodetection under a reverse bias are reported for the first time. Au nanoparticles were used to make lateral p–n homojunctions. The device shows room temperature photoemission in the IR range, and in the photodetector mode, it shows a 0.41 A/W responsivity under illumination by a 660 nm red laser.

X-ray powder diffraction data for CuGa 0.15 In 0.85 Se 2 and CuGa 0.50 In 0.50 Se 2 are reported. Indexing of the X-ray diffraction powder pattern and the Rietveld refinement confirmed that these compounds crystallize in the tetragonal crystal system, with space group I-42d No. 122 and lattice parameters of a = 5.75282 Å and c = 11.52253 Å for CuGa 0.15 In 0.85 Se 2 and a = 5.68471 Å and c = 11.28171 Å for CuGa 0.50 In 0.50 Se 2. The CuGa x In 1−x Se 2 system presents the chalcopyrite type crystal structure CuFeS 2 and corresponds to two stacked zinc-blende unit cells. The metal atoms Cu, In, and Ga are regularly ordered in the unit cell. Every Se atom is tetrahedrally bonded to two Cu and two In and Ga atoms.

The optical properties in terms of dielectric function ϵ (ħω) = ϵ1(ħω) + iϵ2(ħω) of rocksalt Pb1–xSnx Te alloys (0 ≤ x ≤ 1) are investigated experimentally by spectroscopic ellipsometry and theoretically by first-principles electronic band structure calculation. We find a strong optical response in the 0.5–2.0 eV region arising from optical absorption around the LW-line of the Brillouin zone. The response peak of the imaginary part of the dielectric functions at E = 1.6–1.8 eV shifts towards lower energies for high Sn compositions as a consequence of narrower W-point band-gap Eg(W) for the Sn-rich alloys. (© 2008 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Virtually every revolution in architecture has been preceded by a revolution in materials: think iron, glass, steel, concrete, plastics, or composites. What is the next revolutionary material that will reshape the very nature of architecture? A solid that's lighter than air, metal latticework so delicate it rests on a dandelion, building insulation made from processed seaweed, self-generating microbial glue that repairs cracks in concrete, or transparent solar panels?

Materials expert Blaine Brownell, author of our bestselling Transmaterial series, reveals emerging trends and applications that are transforming the technological capacity, environmental performance, and design potential of architecture in Transmaterial Next. This book is an essential compendium for thinking architects, designers, and other creative professionals passionate about materials and looking for their bleeding edge and practical implementation.

This article presents a study in which new materials are developed through experimental knowledge construction and knowledge exchange between different disciplines. The New Silk research project (2017- 2020) is the building block for the research. New Silk aims to produce new types of silk-like materials in the context of synthetic biology. In this article we discuss the initial experimental touch points between material science, synthetic biology, design and art encountered during the project’s first year. Firstly, the study shows that shared material experiences in the setting of workshops build foundational understanding of perceived material agency leading to discussion on material activity and research ethics. Secondly, our research identified that all of these disciplines, material science, synthetic biology, design and art, approach materials research through experimental methods, even if the goal of the research differs in each discipline.

It can be argued that Japan contains a higher number of internationally significant architects and designers relative to its geographic size than anywhere else in the world. Japanese designers regularly implement radical experiments in new materials and building systems that successfully address imminent energy and resource challenges. These technological achievements are combined with an acute awareness of the ephemerality of existence, creating a rich dialogue between the concrete and the abstract.

This article examines, from the energy viewpoint, a new lightweight, slim, high energy efficient, light-transmitting envelope system, providing for seamless, free-form designs for use in architectural projects. The research was based on envelope components already existing on the market, especially components implemented with granular silica aerogel insulation, as this is the most effective translucent thermal insulation there is today. The tests run on these materials revealed that there is not one that has all the features required of the new envelope model, although some do have properties that could be exploited to generate this envelope, namely, the vacuum chamber of vacuum insulated panels (VIP), the monolithic aerogel used as insulation in some prototypes, and reinforced polyester barriers. By combining these three design components — the high-performance thermal insulation of the vacuum chamber combined with monolithic silica aerogel insulation, the free-form design potential provided by materials like reinforced polyester and epoxy resins—, we have been able to define and test a new, variable geometry, energy-saving envelope system.

In the contemporary art, the conservation of the original matter is not as important as the conservation of the authenticity of the work, because of this it is very important to know the artist and his work, to be able to conserve the most important values. In this process it is very important the documentation and the research. Therefore the criteria of restoration has changed, we can not conserve the patina of the contemporary art as a historic document, if this means the loss of the aesthetic value of the work. Nowadays the art is different, and therefore its conservation is different too. ¿Dónde está la autenticidad del arte contemporáneo? Resumen: En el arte contemporáneo la conservación de la materia original no es tan importante como la conservación de la autenticidad de la obra, por ello es muy importante conocer al artista y su creación para poder conservar los valores más importantes. En este proceso es muy importante la documentación y la investigación. Por lo tanto los criterios de restauración han cambiado, ya no podemos conservar la pátina del arte contemporáneo como documento histórico si esto significa la pérdida de valor estético de la obra. El arte de hoy en día es diferente y por lo tanto su conservación también.

This paper presents a life cycle cost analysis of carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) reinforced concrete highway bridges. This study shows that despite the higher initial construction cost of CFRP reinforced bridges, they can be cost effective when compared to traditional steel reinforced bridges. The analysis considers the cost items of initial construction, maintenance, repair, rehabilitation and demolition activities and the associated user costs as determined by traffic volume, speed, operation and crashes. The analysis is performed for a 100-year service life. The cost information has been obtained from the literature, FHWA, and Michigan DOT. The most cost efficient alternative for side-by-side box beam bridges was a medium span CFRP bridge located in a high traffic area. Depending on traffic volume and bridge geometry, a probabilistic analysis revealed that there is greater than a 95% probability that the CFRP reinforced bridge will become the least expensive option between 20 and 40 years of service. The break-even year for the CFRP reinforced bridge is typically at the time of the first major repair activity, a shallow deck overlay, on the steel reinforced bridge.

Progettare architetture sostenibi-li è un'attività che impegna pre-valentemente la parte sinistra del cervello. L'obiettivo di realizzare edifici più efficienti dal punto di vista ambientale richiede l'utilizzo di metriche, checklist, linee guida e certificazioni: strumenti indi-spensabili per valutare le prestazioni, ma inefficaci per rispetto al controllo della qualità architettonica. Essi infatti inducono spesso ad adottare scelte progettuali che si allontanano dagli standard abituali, ma nello stesso tempo producono risultati da essi indi-stinguibili. È per questo che tali strategie rimangono nascoste, o risultano troppo simili alle soluzioni convenzionali per poter esse-re apprezzate. Ne consegue che la sostenibilità non riesce a espri-mere una propria estetica, uno stile, una forma, o una specifica espressione materica, mentre la comunicazione del cosiddetto "green-design" viene affidata alla narrazione del progetto-un te-sto scritto, una targa di certificazione, o una descrizione orale-invece che all'architettura stessa. Non che la sostenibilità debba avere un linguaggio proprio, ma la mancanza di una chiara rico-noscibilità è un' occasione perduta: l'architettura dovrebbe guarda-re alle istanze ambientali come a un' opportunità per sviluppare nuove forme di espressione, e ciò costituisce un cambiamento che richiede un ripensamento sulla materialità dell'architettura.

Blaine Brownell's best-selling Transmaterial series has introduced designers to hundreds of emergent materials that have the potential to transform our built environment. In our new Architecture Brief, Material Strategies, Brownell shows architects how creative applications of these materials achieve such transformations. Chapters based on fundamental material categories examine historical precedents, current opportunities, and future environmental challenges. Case studies featuring detailed illustrations showcase pioneering buildings from today s most forward-thinking architectural firms.

The evolution of technology in recent decades has led to the progressive changes in the structure of the materials that make up the building envelope. In particular, we are witnessing a general process of specialization of the layers of matter involved in defining the quality of the building at different levels: the configuration of the material, which becomes a composite or resulting from the assembly of multiple layers made by the integration of different materials, until the accurate characterization of the different layers, from the most internal to the most external skin that become real building. Working on the skin of the buildings means carefully investigate the relations between inside and outside the envelope of a building includes and defines, the ability to filter or shield the light, the hybrid spaces of the passage from outside to inside that can dilate or compress. All this implies the need of designing the "skin" of the building as a system consisting of products and components that are required to interface between them, not just physically, but also and above all from the point of view of performance.

Photoacoustic spectroscopy was used to study nitrogen-doped titanium dioxide film. The energy positions of defect and impurity centre levels are reported. The energy levels were obtained using the excitation method and the mechanisms of the photoacoustic signal generation are discussed. The visible light absorption of the yellow film was explained considering electronic transitions between localized states within the band gap and the transitions from these states into the conduction band. Moreover, first principles calculations revealed that nitrogen doping and oxygen vacancies in titanium dioxide induce defect levels within the gap which account for the absorption in the visible light.

The optical absorption and the dielectric functions of PbI2 and Sb x Bi 1-x I 3 have been investigated experimentally by means of absorption measurements and spectroscopic ellipsometry respectively, and theoretically by a full-potential linear muffin-tin-orbital method. These materials have been recognized as very promising detector materials with large technological applicabilities. The calculated band-gap energies, optical absorption and the dielectric functions were found to be in a very good agreement with the experimental results. The electron-energy-loss functions are also obtained for both experiment and theory for comparison. The band-gap energy as a function of temperature, for PbI 2 has also been measured by optical absorption. The temperature dependence has been fitted by a new relation, and a discussion of this fitting is given.

En el presente libro se explica cómo el diseño es una alternativa que puede ser usada con posibilidades para continuar el ejemplo de otros negocios que han seguido la ruta del éxito a un largo plazo. Asimismo, se hace una clara descripción de marca, envase y embalaje, satisfaciendo la necesidad de información accesible que tienen los alumnos y profesionales del diseño y la mercadotacnia, así como el público en general, con el fin de poder brindar soluciones originales, frescas y adecuadas.

¿Que tienen en común los productos de compañías tan diferentes como los productos de Apple, Nike, Nokia o BMW?
Bueno, pues además de ser líderes en sus diferentes segmentos de mercado, estas compañías están ahora desarrollando productos con un alto grado de innovación. De hecho, todas ellas están creando sus productos con una nueva metodología de diseño conocida como “innovation driven by desgin”, que traducida al castellano sería “Innovación dirigida por diseño”.
El principio de esta metodología de diseño es la de crear experiencias asociadas a cada producto (Nathan, 2008), siendo estas experiencias intensas y de fácil recordación. Y es aquí que para lograr esas experiencias y sensaciones en el uso de los productos se recurre al uso de nuevos materiales, desarrollados en muchos de los casos especialmente para ser aplicados a productos específicos.