Media Watch
Squid skin inspires versatile new "tunable" insulating material
New Atlas -
A team of engineers led by [associate engineering professor] Alon Gorodetsky at the University of California, Irvine, has come up with a new infrared-reflecting, metalized polymer film inspired by the color-changing skin of the squid. The tunable insulating properties of the composite could make it useful in everything from coffee cups to shipping containers, plus its recyclable and can be manufactured economically at scale. Read More
Squid skin inspires material that keeps stuff hot (or cool)
Futurity -
Taking inspiration from squid skin, researchers have invented an adaptive composite material that can insulate beverage cups, restaurant to-go bags, parcel boxes, and even shipping containers. … “The metal islands in our composite material are next to one another when the material is relaxed and become separated when the material is stretched, allowing for control of the reflection and transmission of infrared light or heat dissipation,” says Alon Gorodetsky, associate professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering at the University of California, Irvine. Read More
Squid skin-inspired cup cozy will keep your hands cool and your coffee hot
Phys.org -
Drawing inspiration from cephalopod skin, engineers at the University of California, Irvine invented an adaptive composite material that can insulate beverage cups, restaurant to-go bags, parcel boxes and even shipping containers. The innovation is an infrared-reflecting metallized polymer film developed in the laboratory of Alon Gorodetsky, UCI associate professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering. In a paper published today in Nature Sustainability, Gorodetsky and his team members describe a large-area composite material that regulates heat by means of reconfigurable metal structures that can reversibly separate from one another and come back together under different strain levels. Read More
UCI Professor Starts Fundraiser For Ukrainian Scholars Fleeing Violence
KCBS -
It’s been 20 years since professor Iryna Zenyuk, [engineering associate professor], left Ukraine, but even as time passes all she remembers is the peaceful childhood she had. … Recently, Zenyuk launched a $100,000 fundraising campaign to make UCI the host for at least four Ukrainian scholars and their families. … “For now this is an opportunity for them to come here to continue their research and continue their scientific activities until the war ends,” she said. Read More
UCI Professor Hopes To Offer Sanctuary To Ukrainian Scholars
MSN (KCBS) -
It’s been 20 years since professor Iryna Zenyuk left Ukraine, but even as time passes all she remembers is the peaceful childhood she had. “It was very peaceful,” said the UC Irvine engineering [associate] professor. … Recently, Zenyuk, launched a $100,000 fundraising campaign to make UCI the host for at least four Ukrainian scholars and their families. … To help with the fundraiser, the university said it will match donations up to $150,000 and will accept scholars from various disciplines. Read More
Ultrahard chiton teeth discovery offers clues to next-generation advanced materials
Phys.org -
David Kisailus, UC Irvine professor, and graduate student Taifeng Wang, both in materials science and engineering, took a close look at the ultrahard teeth of the Northern Pacific Cryptochiton stelleri or gumboot chiton. … "The findings in our work are critical, as it not only provides an understanding of the precision of natural systems in mineralization to form high-performance architected materials, but also provides insights into bioinspired synthetic pathways to a new generation of advanced materials in a broad range of applications from wear-resistant materials to energy storage systems," said Kisailus. Read More
Research Bits: March 15 - NFC clothing
Semiconductor Engineering -
Engineers at the University of California Irvine propose an e-textile “body area network” that can enable near-field communication (NFC) at larger ranges. “If you’ve held your smartphone or charge card close to a reader to pay for a purchase, you have taken advantage of near-field signaling technologies. Our fabrics work on the same principle, but we’ve extended the range significantly,” said Peter Tseng, UCI assistant professor of electrical engineering & computer science. “This means you could potentially keep your phone in your pocket, and just by brushing your body against other textiles or readers, power and information can be transferred to and from your device.” Read More
Entrepreneur Drove Computing and Audio Forward Through Decades of Disease
The Wall Street Journal -
Thomas Yuen spent the final decades of his life funding and promoting stem-cell therapy research, in hopes of finding treatments for chronic diseases like the one that runs in his family. He donated to the University of California, Irvine’s stem research department and spared no expense outfitting his own R&D firm, PrimeGen Biotech, which has been accumulating stem-cell patents since 2004 …. Mr. Yuen immigrated to America and attended community college before transferring to UC Irvine to study electrical engineering. [Subscription required, campus-wide access provided by UCI Libraries. Sign-up here: https://guides.lib.uci.edu/news/wsj] Read More
PC manufacturing pioneer Tom Yuen passes away at 70
Venture Beat -
Tom Yuen (’74 electrical engineering) was on dialysis for 42 years, and I’m sad to learn that the serial entrepreneur who cofounded AST Research passed away at age 70 on February 13. But I’m glad to know that he beat the odds on his kidney disease for far longer than doctors expected. … To commemorate Yuen’s passion for philanthropy, the family has asked that instead of sending flowers, friends and family donate to two causes he was truly passionate about: Support Stem Cell and Kidney Disease Research and UC Irvine – https://secure.give.uci.edu/ThomasYuenMemorialGifts .... Among his accolades, he earned a TechAmerica Lifetime Achievement Award in 2012 and the UCI Alumni Association’s Extraordinarius Award in 2014. Read More
SoCalGas begins developing 100% clean hydrogen pipeline system
Utility Dive -
"We are on the precipice of huge growth in the production, distribution, and use of green hydrogen to enable high renewable use and zero emissions in all sectors of the economy," Jack Brouwer, director of the National Fuel Cell Research Center at the University of California, Irvine, said in a statement. "For nearly a decade, SoCalGas has worked together with us and others to make the hydrogen economy a reality, including helping us build the very first power-to-gas-to-power system in the country right here on the UCI campus." Read More