Advanced Materials

As part of the device miniaturization trend happening worldwide, consumer electronics are becoming increasingly streamlined, with conductive inks, flexible batteries, and other technologies making this possible.

Cobalt-chromium (CoCr) has long been the gold standard for articulating surfaces in hip and knee implants, but concerns over metal ion release are driving a wave of alternative materials. This article explores how ceramics, ceramic coatings, ceramicized metals, and PEEK are positioning to challenge CoCr's dominance.

With graphene having been coined a 'wonder material' and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) serving niche and emerging applications, IDTechEx uncovers material truths in the form of research data that show the highlights and lowlights of these two advanced materials.

The surge in silver prices is placing increasing pressure on conductive ink manufacturers to develop alternative solutions for printed electronic applications, either with different conductive elements or lower silver content. This article details the technical challenges involved in developing a new ink formulation.

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) and polyethylene furanoate (PEF) are both emerging bioplastics with significant disruptive potential. In this article, IDTechEx explores how the worldwide production of PHAs and PEF will grow as technical hurdles are overcome and costs fall, with advantageous material properties unlocking new commercial applications.

Materials informatics is transforming modern materials R&D, accelerating the discovery and development of new materials while expanding what can be achieved through artificial intelligence. This article explores three applications driving the field today: AI-assisted screening, formulation development and generative design.

A world where plastic products are biodegradable and biofuels are increasingly available is one that would see far less harmful emissions being released into the atmosphere. This article by IDTechEx covers bioplastics, biofuels, and sustainable chemicals.

Silicon, silicon carbide, gallium nitride, and ultra-wide bandgap (UWBG) semiconductors all compete for space in the power electronics market. While data centers drive further commercialization of wide bandgap semiconductors to support increasingly power-hungry servers, other industries such as wind energy are reluctant to switch to newer, less proven technologies. At the same time, UWBG R&D continues to push these materials closer to commercialization, further complicating the power electronics industry's future.

Humanoid actuators are responsible for bringing humanoid robots to life with physical motion, allowing humanoids to walk, lift objects, handle tools, and interact with the environment. As the humanoid robot market grows, there are increasing opportunities for materials and component suppliers to enter the supply chain. This article from IDTechEx looks at the current state of humanoid actuators and highlights some of the directions and outlook for next generation of humanoid actuation.