News

Congratulations, Aerospace Engineering Graduates!

Aerospace Engineering at Illinois welcomed 77 new alumni following Commencement ceremonies May 12.

Space Shuttle Veterans Altman, Nagel, Return to Campus for Talks

Aerospace Engineering alumni speak about their experiences on space missions.

Engineering at Illinois Students Enter Drone in National Challenge

AE students design small drone aircraft for national competition.

Farquhar to Receive College's Distinguished Alumnus Award

AE alumnus receives College of Engineering's Alumni Award for Distinguished Service.

New Energy Management Devices Protect Structures from Damaging Forces, Motions

Engineering at Illinois researchers attempt to mitigate damage from earthquakes.

More News ››

Self-Healing Battery Research Named to Science News List

AE researchers’ work on self-healing battery technology has made the list of “Science News of the Year” in technology for 2011.

'Microcapsules full of liquid metal sit atop a gold circuit. When the circuit is broken, the microcapsules rupture, filling in the crack and restoring the circuit.' Graphic by Scott R. White

The research of AE Prof. Scott R. White, AE Affiliate Prof. Nancy R. Sottos, whose home department is Materials Science & Engineering, and Chemistry Prof. Jeffrey S. Moore was included on the Science News list.

Topping the list was the work of University of Illinois MatSE Prof. John A. Rogers and his group on an ultrathin electronic device that can stretch and bend with human skin, opening the possibility that the human body may one day enter the digital world.

According to Science News, the lithium-ion battery that White’s group has developed may improve the life span and safety of today’s energy-storage technologies. Rechargeable lithium-ion batteries power cell phones, laptops and other portable electronics. But, like any batteries, they tend to break down over time.

"There are many different types of degradation that happen, and fixing this degradation could help us make longer-lasting batteries," said White.

More information on the research is available at http://www.ae.illinois.edu/news/article.html?id=1487 .

Written by Susan Mumm
Posted on January 9, 2012