Articles
2026
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Sputtering Targets: How Material Purity Shapes Thin Film Performance
Target purity is one of the most critical — and frequently underestimated — variables in sputtering. This article examines how chemical purity, grain structure, and target density affect deposited film quality, reviews key materials from ITO and molybdenum to precious metals and refractory oxides, and looks at where specialist target development is heading, from high-entropy alloys to quantum device fabrication.
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Precision at the Point of Care: Medical Grade Metals in Implants, Sensors, and Devices
The materials used in medical devices and implants must meet some of the most exacting standards in all of engineering. Biocompatibility, corrosion resistance, mechanical reliability, and — in many applications — electrical performance are all non-negotiable. High-purity metals sit at the heart of this challenge. From deep-brain stimulation electrodes to MRI superconducting magnets and orthopaedic implants, the selection and purity of the base material directly determines whether a device performs safely over years or decades inside the human body.
Case Study | No Separator Needed: How KTH's Electrografting Breakthrough Used Advent Copper Foil
Batteries are usually passengers. They ride inside vehicles, aircraft, and portable devices, adding weight without carrying any structural load. A structural battery changes that bargain entirely — it stores energy and bears mechanical stress at the same time, replacing passive packaging with active material and reducing total system weight. That ambition has driven years of research at KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, and a 2026 paper in EES Batteries marks one of the clearest steps forward yet.
Iridium Wire for Green Hydrogen Electrolysis
Iridium is the only catalyst material that survives the harsh anode conditions inside a PEM water electrolyzer — making it essential to green hydrogen production but scarce enough to threaten large-scale deployment. New research from Technische Universität Berlin shows how porous iridium oxide structures can cut catalyst loading by 75% without losing performance.
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Titanium Wire in Orthopaedic Implants - Why the Body Bonds to It
Titanium is the dominant material in orthopaedic surgery because bone cells actively bond to its surface — a process called osseointegration — rather than merely tolerating it. Its lower elastic modulus compared to stainless steel reduces the stress-shielding effect that causes bone to weaken around implants over time. This article explains the science, how pure titanium wire is used in cerclage and fracture fixation, and where current research is taking the material.
How SUNY Binghamton Achieved 40 nm Nanoporous Silver Without Toxic Chemistry
Silver with a controlled nanoporous structure has established uses in biosensing, electrocatalysis, and electrochemical actuation. The difficulty has always been making it reliably. Metallurgical routes require high temperatures and complex processing; conventional electrochemical co-deposition typically relies on cyanide electrolytes. A research team at the State University of New York at Binghamton set out to find a cleaner alternative — and high-purity copper and silver from Advent Research Materials played a central role in establishing the validity of their results
Plasma-Facing Materials for Fusion Reactors: Tungsten, Molybdenum, and Refractory Alloys Explained
Fusion energy has long promised a near-limitless, low-carbon power source, and that promise is finally approaching engineering reality. This article examines the key materials used in plasma-facing components, the material science challenges they must overcome, and why research-grade purity is essential for progress in fusion technology.
Gold Wire Electrodes: What Makes Rapid Blood Testing Possible
Blood tests that return results in minutes, at a clinic or at home, depend on electrochemical biosensors built around gold electrodes. Gold's ability to form stable bonds with biological molecules — combined with its conductivity, inertness, and biocompatibility — makes it the standard electrode material for detecting disease biomarkers in blood, urine, and sweat. This article explains how gold wire and gold-film electrodes work, and where they are being used in diagnostic research today.
How Researchers Used Kapton® polyimide film to Harvest Energy from Human Movement
Researchers at the University of Exeter used Kapton® polyimide film supplied by Advent Research Materials as the key flexible component in a knee-joint energy harvester — demonstrating that the motion of walking alone can power a wireless sensor node, no battery required.
High-Performance Polymers in Research and Engineering: PEEK, Polyimide, and PTFE
In laboratories, vacuum systems, precision instruments, and advanced electronics, polymers such as PEEK, Polyimide (Kapton), and PTFE deliver properties that metals cannot match: electrical insulation, chemical inertness, low outgassing, and dimensional stability across extreme temperature ranges. Understanding the distinct characteristics of each material is essential for specifying the right polymer for the right application.