engineering

Mar 17, 2014

Researchers Change Coercivity of Material by Patterning Surface

Researchers from North Carolina State University have found a way to reduce the coercivity of nickel ferrite (NFO) thin films by as much as 80 percent by patterning the surface of the material, opening the door to more energy efficient high-frequency electronics, such as sensors, microwave devices and antennas. 

Mar 13, 2014

Heat-Based Technique Offers New Way to Measure Microscopic Particles

Researchers have developed a new heat-based technique for counting and measuring the size of microscopic particles. The technique is less expensive than light-based techniques and can be used on a wider array of materials than electricity-based techniques. The research was performed by faculty at North Carolina State University, the University of North Carolina at Chapel… 

Mar 12, 2014

Surface Characteristics Influence Cellular Growth on Semiconductor Material

Changing the texture and surface characteristics of a semiconductor material at the nanoscale can influence the way that neural cells grow on the material. 

Mar 11, 2014

New Technique Uses ATP as Trigger for Targeted Anti-Cancer Drug Delivery

Biomedical engineering researchers have developed a new technique that uses adenosine-5’-triphosphate (ATP), the so-called “energy molecule,” to trigger the release of anti-cancer drugs directly into cancer cells. Early laboratory tests show it increases the effectiveness of drugs targeting breast cancer. The technique was developed by researchers at North Carolina State University and the University of… 

Mar 6, 2014

Computational Tool Offers New Insight Into Key Biological Processes

Researchers from North Carolina State University have developed a computational tool designed to guide future research on biochemical pathways by identifying which components in a biological system are related to specific biochemical processes, including those processes responsible for gene expression, cell signaling, stress response, and metabolism. 

Mar 5, 2014

New Technique Allows Frequent Water Quality Monitoring for Suite of Pollutants

Researchers from North Carolina State University have developed a new technique that uses existing technology to allow researchers and natural resource managers to collect significantly more information on water quality to better inform policy decisions. 

Mar 4, 2014

New Technique Targets C Code to Spot, Contain Malware Attacks

Researchers from North Carolina State University have developed a new tool to detect and contain malware that attempts root exploits in Android devices. The tool improves on previous techniques by targeting code written in the C programming language – which is often used to create root exploit malware, whereas the bulk of Android applications are… 

Mar 3, 2014

New NSF Dielectrics Center Ties Research Efforts to Product Development

If you want to do research that solves problems facing global industries, it helps to form partnerships with the industries you want to help. That’s the idea behind the National Science Foundation’s new Center for Dielectrics and Piezoelectrics, being led by NC State and Penn State. “Broadly speaking, our goal is to work with industry to… 

Feb 26, 2014

Superabsorbing Design May Lower Manufacturing Cost of Thin Film Solar Cells

Researchers from North Carolina State University have developed a “superabsorbing” design that may significantly improve the light absorption efficiency of thin film solar cells and drive down manufacturing costs. 

Feb 18, 2014

Injured Sea Turtle? Just Print a Splint!

Injured sea turtles are a fairly common sight along the North Carolina coast. Fortunately, these animals are pretty sturdy and have the capacity to heal themselves even without a lot of intervention.  But veterinarians and rehabilitation specialists know that a turtle’s recovery from injury may not be sufficient to allow them to survive in the… 

Feb 7, 2014

Carbonell Elected to National Academy of Engineering

Dr. Ruben Carbonell, Frank Hawkins Kenan Distinguished Professor of Chemical Engineering at North Carolina State University, has been elected to the National Academy of Engineering (NAE). Carbonell is one of 67 new members and 11 foreign associates announced today. He is the 12th current NC State faculty member to be elected to the NAE, a private,… 

Feb 5, 2014

Vanadium Dioxide Research Opens Door to New, Multifunctional Spintronic Smart Sensors

Research from a team led by North Carolina State University is opening the door to smarter sensors by integrating the smart material vanadium dioxide (VO2) onto a silicon chip and using lasers to make the material magnetic. The advance paves the way for multifunctional spintronic smart sensors for use in military applications and next-generation spintronic… 

Jan 30, 2014

Antibiotic ‘Smart Bomb’ Can Target Specific Strains of Bacteria

Researchers from North Carolina State University have developed a de facto antibiotic “smart bomb” that can identify specific strains of bacteria and sever their DNA, eliminating the infection. The technique offers a potential approach to treat infections by multi-drug resistant bacteria. 

Jan 23, 2014

New Microscopy Technique Improves Imaging at the Atomic Scale

When capturing images at the atomic scale, even tiny movements of the sample can result in skewed or distorted images – and those movements are virtually impossible to prevent. Now microscopy researchers at North Carolina State University have developed a new technique that accounts for that movement and eliminates the distortion from the finished product. 

Jan 22, 2014

Atomic-Scale Catalysts May Produce Cheap Hydrogen

Researchers at North Carolina State University have shown that a one-atom thick film of molybdenum sulfide (MoS2) may work as an effective catalyst for creating hydrogen. The work opens a new door for the production of cheap hydrogen.