This is the fourth article in our exploration of the material world of A Song of Ice and Fire, more familiar to us as the Game of Thrones. You can read the first three articles in this series here.This winter wasn’t about snow or ice. It was about the black material that came in cartloads from

Prefab houses (prefabricated houses) are specialised houses where the components are constructed off-site in standard sections to be assembled and finished on-site. As an alternative to traditional building techniques, this serves as a faster construction method with less waste and a less negative e

A severe steel shortage is currently plaguing the manufacturing industry. While many hoped the end was in sight with COVID-19 starting to wane, that’s not the case. All indications point to a continued shortage for the remainder of the second quarter of 2021 and likely far beyond.The shortage has sw

The emergence of new infectious agents has become a significant concern – now more than ever as the world faces health and economic consequences brought by a global pandemic. The development and use of antimicrobial materials are only expected to rise as we employ more stringent measures in co

With the vast selection of materials available today, there are several challenges in selecting the best materials for modern products. Given the improvements in technology and overall technical know-how, there are more possibilities than ever for which products can be created and which types of mat

For both cosmetics and functionality, the replacement of a missing body part with a prosthesis (Greek for attachment) has always been a necessity. The current technology went beyond the mere mechanical replacement of the limb, elevating it to the biomechanical, thanks to the introduction of myoelec

The transportation sector has been shown to contribute significantly to global climate change and CO2 emissions [1]. Electric vehicles (EVs) are considered of strategic importance in the transition towards a clean energy planet [2].The adoption of EVs promises to bring numerous environmental, societ

Planning a getaway trip to the mountains this holiday season? You have your climbing equipment, your bicycle, or your trekking poles on. You are ready, you are confident with your equipment. But have you ever thought about what your trusty sports gear is made out of?You might not realise it, but pro

Ceramics were used to create art and various kinds of dishes for thousands of years. Today, we can use them to craft ultra sharp durable knives that can make their high tech steel counterparts appear like ancient relics. From life experience, we also know that ceramics do not deal well with sudden s

Top materials used in drones:Carbon fiber-reinforced composites (CRFCs)Thermoplastics such as polyester, nylon, polystyrene, etc.AluminumLithium ion batteriesIt seems like yesterday that drones were novelties, prototypes built by companies and enterprising hobbyists. Now it seems like drones have ta

We are in the midst of a new race to explore outer space, and new materials are at the forefront of technological advancement. Consider the needs of a spacesuit. It must protect the astronaut from the extreme temperatures of space, yet be as thin and light as possible to aid in manoeuvrability.NASA

What is 100 times stronger than steel, yet lighter than aluminium? Carbon nanotubes are among the strongest materials ever discovered, yet engineers are only just starting to unlock their full potential.Carbon nanotubes are an allotrope of carbon, meaning that they are one of several possible arrang

Demand for advanced ceramics is growing from a number of different sources. But to take advantage, suppliers need to evolve not only in terms of their materials but also in the way they bring them to market. In this blog, we highlight five opportunities for suppliers of advanced ceramics, including

Governing bodies around the world are introducing increasingly stringent emission regulations. This has led to a push to develop ever more efficient filters, especially for diesel exhaust systems.Ceramics in exhaust systems offer a highly effective way to purify vehicle emissions, improving air qual

Today virtually every industry is going through digitalisation, and the materials industry is no exception. Changes in digital technology are fundamentally altering the way engineers, designers and procurement teams find, evaluate and purchase materials. In this blog, we examine why suppliers need t

Among the various innovations that the profession of design engineering has experienced in recent times, the marvel of Additive Manufacturing (AM) is perhaps the one with the most influential nature. With AM techniques being widely adopted in industries worldwide, design engineering and manufacturin

The polymers market is rapidly evolving. Since the 1960s, global production of plastics increased twentyfold. According to a study by Grand View Research, the global plastics market is expected to reach USD 654.38 billion by 2020.Continuous innovation and new technologies allowed polymer producers t

One of the most abundant elements on Earth, titanium, is being increasingly used in today’s society. It occurs in the minerals ilmenite, sphene and rutile and is found in titanates and numerous iron ores. As strong as steel but much less dense, titanium is an important alloying agent with many metal

Aluminium, the most abundant metal in the earth’s crust, has – perhaps surprisingly – only been widely used since the early 1900s. Nowadays, though, it’s a hugely important material that is used in countless applications across the globe.In this blog we briefly outline some of the existi

A satellite travels at incredible speeds, encountering atmospheric conditions and temperature fluctuations not experienced within the Earth’s atmosphere. For this reason, the materials used to construct and protect satellite components must be chosen with particular care and consideration.Thermal an