Search by tag «New Materials» 60 results

• ITMO’s Monday Science Roundup #90

  Twice a month, we bring you the latest in research, education, and tech. In today’s science news digest: advanced nanomaterials, the everyday impact of Nobel Prizes, and the pros and cons of AI in education.

  20.10.2025

• ITMO Scientists Design Model to Analyze Surfaces of All Sizes

  Researchers at ITMO University have devised a computational model that predicts how the contact area between rough surfaces changes under load. The model is equally efficient on objects of all sizes – be that a tiny nanoparticle or a whole mountain range. The study puts a new perspective on the nature of friction and may potentially be used to produce more wear-resistant parts, explore planet reliefs, and for some other tasks. The study’s findings are published in Materials Horizons.

  23.09.2025

• ITMO's Monday Science Roundup #86

  Our latest science digest was quite a struggle to compile… because there’s just too much to report! From fantastically-sounding biotech research to the essentials of Russian sci-fi, from high-speed space communications to rapidly-growing megapolises – here are the top stories from the past two weeks at ITMO.NEWS.

  25.08.2025

• Real-Life Superpower: Researchers Use Magnetic Nanoparticles to Improve Spider Web Strength

  A team of researchers from ITMO University, Tel Aviv University, and University of Aveiro have come up with a new way to improve the mechanical properties of spider webs. To achieve this, they introduced a solution of magnetic nanoparticles into the spiders’ silk glands. In the future, the modified web can be used to create flexible magnetically controlled elements in soft robots or durable microchip substrates in flexible electronics. The related article was published in ACS Applied Bio Materials.

  12.08.2025

• ITMO’s Monday Science Roundup #83

  If you're hungry for science news, you're in luck: we've got a whole buffet. Here are the most fascinating and intriguing discoveries, inventions, and overviews from the past two weeks – from all-new physical phenomena to a chatbot that keeps an eye on your yogurt.

  15.07.2025

• ITMO’s Monday Science Roundup #67

  Days are growing noticeably shorter – which just means there’s even more time to sit by lamplight and check out all the latest science updates from ITMO.NEWS! In our latest digest, we’ve got: a promising solution to the issue of access to clean water, insights into plant-based compounds, St. Petersburg’s new science merch, and much more!

  04.11.2024

• ITMO’s Monday Science Roundup #57

  Things are heating up and we don’t just mean the weather! We’ve always got something to share when it comes to our regular digest of all things science, but this time around it’s a particularly rich harvest. New materials, medical tech of the future, educational innovations, thought-provoking science art, and the best AI tools for every craft – all in our latest science roundup.

  17.06.2024

• ITMO Fellow Eugene Smirnov On Colloid Chemistry Applications: From Space Telescopes to FoodTech

  Remember the James Webb Telescope? The one that’s recently discovered its first exoplanet? It’s an impressive machine that has 18 mirrors covered with an ultrathin layer of gold. It takes 3.5 years of polishing to produce one such mirror, which then has to be linked to the others and delivered to the orbit. Wouldn’t it be great if we could just make a liquid mirror out of nanoparticles? Sounds like a dream, but colloid chemistry can get us closer to it. What other possibilities does it open? We asked ITMO Fellow Eugene Smirnov, a scientist with international experience from Switzerland, Germany, and China, who now heads a research group at ITMO.

  30.01.2023

• Bright Ideas: ITMO Researchers’ Dynamic Nanostructure Achieves 35x Light Amplification

  The staff of ITMO University’s Faculty of Physics have developed a dynamic nanostructure that changes its optical properties in response to external stimuli. At its core is a polymer that expands and contracts based on its temperature. The researchers have shown that nanostructures containing silicon nanoparticles can amplify light seven-fold – and the number blows up to 35 when the material is combined with gold. What’s more, the polymer can change its form an unlimited amount of times. Its potential uses include the development of automated heat sensors and various other smart devices.

  13.10.2022

• How Biomimetics Helps Scientists Create Materials With New Properties

  Biomimetics is an approach that helps scientists develop new materials and devices based on principles present in nature. We’ve talked about how it’s applied in robotics, but there are many other fields in which it’s also used. For example, physicists working with lasers make use of biomimetics to edit and enhance properties of various materials.

  06.10.2022