Materials Science
STEP2: A new NEST unit is taking shape
TechTransfer
Empa
Construction is underway, once again, at the research and innovation building NEST. The new unit goes by the name of STEP2. Over the past three years, project partners from various disciplines have developed innovations with high market potential, which will be implemented in a real-world construction project for the very first time.
Concrete as CO2 trap – right at the plant
Research
Empa
After their production, which emits a lot of carbon dioxide, cement-based building materials such as concrete absorb the climate gas again – a process that takes decades and can hardly be controlled. What if it could be accelerated to protect the climate? Empa researchers are collaborating with numerous partners in an elaborate project to find a solution that already takes place in the concrete production plant. Initial results are encouraging.
Clean dirt
Research
Empa
Environmentally friendly, ubiquitously available and recyclable: Clay is a clean alternative among building materials. Empa researcher Ellina Bernard is trying to find out how the coveted material can actually be used to build in a sustainable and stable way. Her research project is being funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) with an Ambizione grant.
3D insights into an innovative manufacturing process
Research
PSI
3D printing can produce highly complex shapes. But printing ceramic objects with the help of a laser is a more difficult challenge. Now researchers at the Paul Scherrer Institute PSI have for the first time taken tomograms revealing what happens at microscopic level during this fabrication process. The findings will help improve this very promising technology.
Made from waste instead of trees
TechTransfer
ETH Zurich
The start-up Treeless Pack produces cellulose with microorganisms - entirely without wood. The cellulose can be used to produce paper, packaging material or composites for the construction industry in a resource-saving way.
New epoxy resin resists flames and reduces waste
Research
Empa
Empa researchers have developed an epoxy resin that can be repaired and recycled, in addition to being flame-retardant and mechanically strong. Potential applications range from coating for wooden flooring to composites in aerospace and railways.
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