Thermosetting polymers, or thermosets, are a type of polymer that becomes irreversibly hard when heated and cured. Unlike thermoplastics, which can be melted and re-shaped multiple times, thermosetting polymers undergo a chemical change during the curing process that results in a rigid, inflexible material. This curing process typically involves a reaction with a hardener or cross-linking agent, which links the polymer chains together, creating a three-dimensional network.

The Vicat softening point is a measure of the temperature at which a material, typically a thermoplastic polymer, begins to soften and deform under a specified load. This point is determined using a standardized test, often the Vicat test, where a needle or other specified indenter is pressed into a material sample at a controlled rate while being heated.

Rosickýite is a rare mineral that belongs to the category of chalcogenides. It is primarily composed of elements such as copper, iron, and sulfur. Named after Czech geologist and mineralogist Tomáš Rosický, the mineral is often found in association with other sulfide minerals in specific geological environments. Due to its rarity and specific formation conditions, it is of interest primarily to mineral collectors and researchers in the field of geology and mineralogy.

Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) are a class of porous materials composed of metal ions or clusters coordinated to organic ligands, creating a three-dimensional structure with high surface area and tunable porosity. Due to their unique structural properties, MOFs have garnered significant attention in various fields, including gas storage, separation, catalysis, drug delivery, and sensing.

Relative permeability is a measure of a porous material's ability to transmit fluids compared to a reference fluid, typically water or air. It quantifies the ease with which different fluids can move through a porous medium, such as soil, rock, or a filter cake, under conditions of partial saturation with multiple fluid phases. In the context of multiphase flow, relative permeability is defined for each phase (e.g.

Zeolite is a naturally occurring or synthetic mineral that belongs to a group of hydrated aluminosilicate minerals. They have a crystalline structure and are characterized by an open framework that contains cavities or pores, which can hold water and various cations like sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium. This unique structure allows zeolites to have the ability to exchange ions and to absorb and release water, making them useful in a wide range of applications.

Hibakujumoku refers to trees that survived the atomic bombings in Japan during World War II, particularly those in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The term literally translates to "explosion-affected trees." These trees are significant as they symbolize resilience and recovery in the aftermath of the catastrophic events. Many hibakujumoku are now recognized as important historical and cultural artifacts. They have been studied to understand the effects of radiation on living organisms, and efforts have been made to preserve them.

Self-cleaning glass is a type of glass that has been specially treated to reduce the accumulation of dirt and grime, making it easier to keep clean. This technology typically utilizes a combination of hydrophilic and photocatalytic properties. 1. **Hydrophilic Coating**: The surface of self-cleaning glass is coated with a hydrophilic substance, which means it has an affinity for water.

Radiolysis is a process in which molecules are dissociated due to the absorption of radiation, typically ionizing radiation such as gamma rays, X-rays, or high-energy particles. When these types of radiation interact with matter, they can cause the ionization or excitation of atoms within molecules, leading to the breaking of chemical bonds and the formation of free radicals and other reactive species.

The YORP effect, which stands for Yarkovsky-O'Keefe-Radikowski-Paddack effect, refers to a phenomenon that affects the rotation of small celestial bodies, such as asteroids and comets, in space. It results from the way these bodies absorb solar energy and then re-radiate that energy as thermal radiation. Here's how it works: 1. **Absorption and Re-radiation**: When an asteroid absorbs sunlight, it heats up.

Forisome is a term that refers to a type of specialized structure found in certain plants, particularly in the family of legumes (Fabaceae). These structures are typically slender, elongated, and may be involved in the dispersal of seeds or in other biological functions related to the plant's reproduction or survival. In some contexts, the term "forisome" is used to describe a specific type of cell or tissue that can expand or contract in response to environmental stimuli.

Shape-memory coupling is a concept often related to materials science and engineering, particularly concerning shape-memory alloys (SMAs) and their coupling with other mechanisms or systems, such as actuation and control applications. In the context of shape-memory alloys, these materials can undergo phase transformations that allow them to "remember" a specific shape. When deformed at a lower temperature, they can return to their original, pre-deformed shape upon heating to a certain temperature (the transformation temperature).

Sun SPOT (Sun Small Programmable Object Technology) was a platform developed by Sun Microsystems for programming small, wireless devices. Launched in the mid-2000s, it aimed to facilitate the development of embedded systems and applications by providing hardware and software tools. The Sun SPOT hardware featured a small microcontroller, along with sensors and wireless communication capabilities. It allowed developers to write applications in Java, leveraging the language's portability and ease of use.

Octadecyltrichlorosilane (OTS) is a silane compound that consists of a long hydrocarbon chain (specifically an octadecyl group) attached to a silicon atom, which is further bonded to three chlorine atoms. Its chemical formula is C18H37Cl3Si. OTS is primarily used as a surface-modifying agent.

Stranski–Krastanov growth is a fundamental process in the field of materials science and nanotechnology, specifically concerning the growth of thin films and semiconductor materials. It describes a two-stage mechanism of heteroepitaxial film growth, where a thin layer of material (the "film") grows on a different substrate.

Thin-film memory refers to a type of memory technology that utilizes thin films—very thin layers of materials—deposited on a substrate to store data. This technology can be employed in various types of memory devices, including non-volatile memory, such as flash memory and certain types of dynamic random-access memory (DRAM).

Guy Maunsell was a British civil engineer and inventor, best known for his design of the Maunsell Army Forts during World War II. These were large, offshore forts built in the Thames estuary to protect against German attacks. The forts were notable for their unique design, which included a central tower surrounded by several smaller towers, all elevated above the water to provide visibility and firepower.

Joseph Monier (1823–1906) was a French gardener and inventor who is best known for his development of reinforced concrete. He originally experimented with combining concrete with metal reinforcements to create stronger and more durable structures, allowing for new architectural designs and applications. His work laid the foundation for the widespread use of reinforced concrete in construction, which has become a fundamental material in modern civil engineering and architecture.

Prestressed concrete is a type of concrete that is specially designed to withstand tensile stresses that occur in structures. This is achieved by introducing internal stresses to the concrete before it is subjected to external loads. The main objective of prestressing is to improve the performance of the concrete, allowing it to resist cracking and increasing its load-bearing capacity.

The term "fine electronic structure" generally refers to the detailed arrangement of electrons in an atom or molecule and how this arrangement affects the physical and chemical properties of the system. In quantum mechanics and atomic physics, electronic structure involves the distribution of electrons around nuclei and the energy levels they occupy. However, the phrase "fine electronic structure" is often associated with concepts in atomic physics, particularly in relation to fine structure splitting.