At the Swissbau construction exhibition in January 2003, Empa (Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Testing and Research) will underline its credentials as a key industry partner in research and development. Under the banner "Progress through research", Empa will be represented by specialists from its building-related departments (Hall 2.0, Stand N68).

The Swiss Centre for Life Cycle Inventories is bringing light into environmental darkness with the «ecoinvent» project. It has recently made high-quality Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) data available via the internet. This new ecological inventory database is setting a new standard on the international stage in terms of coverage, consistency, quality-assurance, transparency and cost.

Researchers at the Empa in Duebendorf were recently paid a visit by high-ranking members of a Russian scientific delegation. The visiting professors were particularly interested in the areas of biotechnology and the nanosciences. The aim of the visit was to evaluate the potential for joint research projects.

New technologies embody both opportunities and risks. This is as true for nanotechnology as it is for all other technologies. The strategy needed in response is always the same: Learn to understand, generate knowledge, act responsibly!

All about nanotechnology at Empa: www.empa.ch/nanotechnology

The seminar, staged on 4 July at the initiative of TOP NANO 21, EMPA and the Swiss Textile Federation, brought together representatives of industry and research. Participants discovered quite a lot about the demands of the textile industry, its expectations of nanotechnology and the basic principles of research in the nanotech sector.

Every day we spend about 20 hours indoors. An important factor in our well being during this time is the quality of the air that we breathe. Our nose lets us know very quickly if it is not fresh. Exactly what is in the air we breathe was the subject of three presentations at the latest Science Apéro on June 30th at the EMPA Academy.

In the course of a fire, everyday, harmless materials can generate a multitude of highly toxic, complex combustion products and residues. How these harmful compounds are identified and what is the best way of renovating fire-damaged buildings was the subject of discussion among about 100 experts on June 24th at the EMPA Academy.

«Nano: is the future quite as bright as it seems?» This was the title of a discussion held at the EMPA Academy by 40 persons from the science, economic and media worlds. Initiated and organized by the Risiko-Dialog Foundation, St. Gallen, it covered the topic «perspectives and risks in nanotechnology».

An increase in scientific output, more doctoral students, more external funding and an increase in income from services characterized the year 2002 at the EMPA. Significant steps have been taken towards achieving the high-priority aim of becoming a national center of competence for nanotechnology.

Switzerland has been honored for the first time at the International Thermal Spray Conference and Exhibition ITSC 2003 in Orlando (USA), the most important conference in the field of thermal surface treatment. This year’s research prize has been awarded to the EMPA’s Dr. Nikolaus Margadant.

Gas or oil ovens for heating, air-conditioners for cooling. Not only are those who think this way wrong, they are also displaying a great disregard for the environment, for in the field of building technology, alternative energy forms have long been in use. This was demonstrated to the public at the EMPA Academy on 6th May 2003, by experts from research and industry, who summarized the current state of the art and showed how the new techniques are applied.

In three years time, the ban on the use of use of lead in electronic solder will come into force. To meet this ban, new production processes in the electronics manufacturing industry are required. A major question is which alloys are suitable as environmentally friendly lead-free alternatives to current solders. EMPA researchers have encapsulated their expertise on modified production techniques and presented their recommendations in a one-day symposium for industry held on the 28th March at the EMPA Academy.

The year 2002 was characterized by an increase of the number of PhD students from a good dozen (average 1999–2001) to 30, an increase of the peer reviewed (SCIE) publications from 70 to 90, and an augmentation of the number of scientific collaborators from 290 to 320.

Open season for asphalt: for the sixth time, road construction professionals gathered together at an international symposium organized by the EMPA to exchange ideas and information on research and development in bitumen-bound materials. The program was comprehensive: fatigue, low-temperature cracking and permanent deformation of bituminous materials were included, as were such topics as the interaction between additives and binders, mix optimization and ageing tests.

Noise is a complex issue: it is difficult to measure, its effects are subjective and it is resistant to counter measures. For political bodies to take effective steps against aircraft noise and make balanced decisions with regard to urban planning, they must be provided with the relevant basic information in adequate detail. This encompasses not only physical measurement data and model calculations, but also information about how and to what extent those affected feel bothered by the noise. This Science Apéro brought together an acoustic specialist, a social psychologist and an urban planner, before a large audience at the EMPA Academy.

Empa has developed a novel hightech product, the lightweight and high performance CARBO-LINK tendon system. Carbon fiber reinforced polymer tapes are used in combination with an innovative system for the load transfer to enable demanding structural engineering applications.

Research projects at Empa are evaluating and optimizing suitable biotechnological process conditions for the production of tailor-made bioplastic. The natural polymer mass’s good biodegradability and environmental compatibility makes it a versatile material with countless possible applications in many industries, including chemicals, pharmacueticals and even medicine.

"When the skirt is on fire – how much can clothing withstand?" A presentation with this title was given by specialists from the Swiss Council for Accident Prevention (bfu), Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Testing and Research (EMPA) and Swiss Federal Office of Public Health (BAG), in the latest "Science-Apéro" organized by the EMPA Academy.

With the setting up of two sections for nanotechnology and functional polymers, EMPA is underscoring the importance of these specialized fields in its materials science research. EMPA’s activities in nanotechnology focus on the creation of nanostructures, nanotubes as electron sources and quasicrystalline layers. Work on functional polymers concentrates on exploring new development techniques and searching for innovative applications.