Hardware Podcasts

220. How Popcorn Popped an Idea for Sustainable Manufacturing

The Next Byte Podcast · 20 May 2025 · 15m

What this episode covers

Hosts Bo and Maxine discuss a Carnegie Mellon University research breakthrough that uses microwave energy to synthesize MXene ceramics in 90 minutes, reducing energy consumption by 75% compared to the traditional 40-hour furnace process. They explain how these ultra-thin, radiation-blocking materials are critical for protecting GPUs in space satellites, which currently fail within weeks due to radiation exposure. The episode highlights the potential for this sustainable manufacturing technique to scale beyond aerospace to broader electronic and defense applications.

Most relevant to

early-stage companies

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
Mouser Electronics, Carnegie Mellon
Products
PTC thermistors
Materials
MXenes

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