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ANN ARBOR, MI A recent study by the Electronic Research Department provides groundbreaking insights into how polystyrene beads can be sintered to form highly ordered inverse opal (IO) structures—porous materials used in optics, catalysis, and thermal management. The research explores how the sintering process shapes the morphology of copper inverse opals (CIOs), highlighting the critical … Continued

ANN ARBOR, MI In a breakthrough that merges mechanics and magnetism, Dr. Taehwa Lee and his team have developed a novel elastic metamaterial capable of supporting spin angular momentum (SAM) in sound waves. Published in Advanced Physics Research, the study reveals a discrete mechanical system that enables unique control of elastic waves—an achievement with exciting … Continued

ANN ARBOR, MI A recent study by Dr. Taishi Kimura, published in Applied Physics Letters, advances our understanding of divacancy (VV) defect formation in silicon carbide (4H-SiC)—a material gaining attention as a scalable platform for quantum technologies. VV centers, known for their optically addressable spin states, are key candidates for solid-state quantum sensors and communication … Continued

ANN ARBOR, MI Polyhedral boron cluster salts, known for their high ionic conductivity and electrochemical stability, are emerging as promising candidates for solid-state battery electrolytes. However, their mechanical properties—key to maintaining contact and structural integrity during battery operation—have remained largely unexplored. This study addresses that gap by directly measuring the elastic modulus and hardness of … Continued

ANN ARBOR, MI With more than 50% of the combined total of fatal and injury crashes occurring at or near intersections, Toyota’s Collaborative Safety Research Center (CSRC) works diligently to help prevent these outcomes. In a recent collaboration with Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI), the team constructed a driver behavior model in intersection crashes based on … Continued

ANN ARBOR, MI The Collaborative Safety Research Center (CSRC) is proud to share the newly published ISO/PAS 23735:2025, “Road vehicles — Ergonomic design guidance for external visual communication from automated vehicles to other road users.” Published by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), this document provides a standard framework for considering automated vehicle communications with … Continued

ANN ARBOR, MI Toyota’s Collaborative Safety Research Center (CSRC), as part of its mission to advance mobility safety for industry and society, has looked for opportunities to better understand the complicated reasons why drivers continue to exceed speed limits. Beyond our research, one of Toyota’s approaches to safe driving is to give drivers the tools … Continued

ANN ARBOR, MI High-temperature polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (HT-PEMFCs) are crucial for powering heavy-duty vehicles. A key challenge in their performance lies in the use of phosphoric acid (PA) as an electrolyte. While PA enables proton conduction at elevated temperatures, it also strongly adsorbs onto platinum catalysts, blocking active sites and hindering the oxygen … Continued

ANN ARBOR, MI Advancing Green Hydrogen: A Roadmap for Gigawatt-Scale PEMWE Deployment Hydrogen produced with zero greenhouse gas emissions—commonly known as green hydrogen—is a crucial component in achieving global decarbonization targets outlined in the Paris Agreement. Proton exchange membrane water electrolyzers (PEMWEs) are expected to play a significant role in the green hydrogen future business … Continued

ANN ARBOR, MI Small mobility vehicles, such as electric scooters, are essential to the shift towards electrified transportation. However, their limited driving range and lack of onboard charging capabilities remain significant challenges. Addressing this, Dr. Feng Zhou and his collaborators from the University of Michigan-Dearborn, have introduced an innovative bare-die embedding PCB packaging technology, recently … Continued