Tag Archives: Empa

EMPA Unveils Five-Tier Model to Quantify Energy Supply Security and Guide Future Policy

(IN BRIEF) Empa, in partnership with ETH Zurich and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, has developed a five-tier pyramid model to quantify energy supply security, addressing a longstanding gap in energy-system planning. Each tier—from self-production through complete autarky—provides quantitative indices that … Read the full press release

Empa’s 4D X-Ray Breakthrough Reveals Shoulder Instabilities with Sub-Millimeter Precision

(IN BRIEF) Empa has introduced a novel 4D X-ray diagnostic that combines synchronized biplanar X-ray videos with CT-derived 3D bone models to quantify shoulder joint motion with 0.1–0.5 mm precision. This approach uncovers instabilities invisible to static imaging or skin-marker … Read the full press release

Empa Wins Building Award 2025 for Carbon Negative Concrete Innovation

(IN BRIEF) Empa’s Concrete and Asphalt Lab won the Building Award 2025 for its groundbreaking CO₂-storing concrete, featuring biochar-based carbon pellets that replace traditional aggregates. This innovation can yield CO₂-neutral or CO₂-negative concrete without sacrificing performance. Empa is partnering with … Read the full press release

Empa and TCS Demonstrate Quiet Advantage of Electric Cars During Urban Acceleration

(IN BRIEF) Empa and the Touring Club Switzerland partnered to measure noise differences between electric and combustion-engine vehicles using nine matched car pairs on a controlled 100 m track. Their analysis, employing custom sensor modules for repeatable driving tests, shows … Read the full press release

EMPA-Led Campaign Cuts Romanian Oil & Gas Methane Emissions by up to 60%

(IN BRIEF) Empa-led teams conducted two methane measurement campaigns in southern Romania (2019, 2021), employing ground devices, drones, and the AVIRIS-NG airborne spectrometer to map leaks from oil and gas infrastructure. They discovered actual emissions two to three times higher … Read the full press release

Empa Unveils Synchronized Floating Potential HiPIMS Method for Advanced Piezoelectric Thin Films at Low Temperatures

(IN BRIEF) Researchers at Empa have developed a revolutionary process for producing high-quality piezoelectric thin films at low temperatures using the Synchronized Floating Potential HiPIMS (SFP-HiPIMS) method. This process enables the production of piezoelectric films on insulating substrates, which are … Read the full press release

Empa Researchers Develop Safe Nanomedicines to Treat Inflammation During Pregnancy

(IN BRIEF) An international team of researchers, including Empa scientists, is developing nanozymes to treat inflammation during pregnancy without harming the mother or fetus. These tiny particles, which have enzyme-like properties, could provide a safer alternative to traditional medications. Initial … Read the full press release

Empa Researchers Develop Groundbreaking Biodegradable Mycelium Material for Sustainable Applications

(IN BRIEF) Empa researchers have developed a new biodegradable material using fungal mycelium, which shows great potential for various applications. This material, which uses the mycelium’s natural extracellular matrix, is tear-resistant and can be used as a plastic-like film or … Read the full press release

Empa Study Finds Urban Green Spaces Crucial for Stress Relief Amid Noise Pollution

(IN BRIEF) A comprehensive study by Empa and the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL), funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF), has revealed the significant role of urban green spaces in alleviating stress caused … Read the full press release

Empa Develops 3D-Printed Fish Gelatin Hydrogel to Engineer Living Skin Models

(IN BRIEF) Empa researchers have developed a printable, non-swelling hydrogel made from cold-water fish gelatin, enabling the creation of 3D living skin models. Designed to replicate the full complexity of human skin, including its layered architecture and cellular composition, the … Read the full press release

Urs Leemann appointed Deputy Director of Empa

(IN BRIEF) Dr. Urs Leemann will assume the role of Deputy Director at Empa on 1 April 2025, taking over from Peter Richner. With a long-standing tenure on the Directorate since 2012 and experience in both corporate and start-up environments, … Read the full press release

Empa Breakthrough: Nanographene “Quantum Lego” Brings Heisenberg’s Theories to Life in New Spin Chain Models

(IN BRIEF) Empa researchers from the nanotech@surfaces laboratory have experimentally recreated two fundamental quantum physics models originally inspired by Werner Heisenberg using innovative “quantum Lego” constructed from nanographenes. Building on a previous success with the alternating Heisenberg model, the team, … Read the full press release

Empa Researcher Eve Ammerman Receives Fellowship to Explore Quantum Technologies and Light Integration

(IN BRIEF) Eve Ammerman, a researcher at Empa, has received a two-year Young Scientist Fellowship to explore the intersection of quantum technologies and light. Her project seeks to enable quantum devices to communicate with existing technologies by combining nanographene molecules … Read the full press release

Empa Researchers Create 3D-Printed Biodegradable Fungal Battery for Sustainable Power Solutions

(IN BRIEF) Empa researchers have developed a groundbreaking 3D-printed, biodegradable fungal battery, capable of powering sensors for agriculture and research in remote regions. This living battery uses two types of fungi, a yeast fungus and a white rot fungus, to … Read the full press release

Empa Researchers Develop Nanocomplexes to Combat Antibiotic-Resistant Infections in Eye Surgery

(IN BRIEF) Researchers at Empa and the Cantonal Hospital of St. Gallen are developing new nanocomplexes to combat antibiotic-resistant bacteria and protect eye tissue following cataract surgery. Supported by the Heinz A. Oertli Fund for Ophthalmology, these nanocomplexes, based on … Read the full press release

Switzerland’s Untapped Wood Potential: Researchers Reveal Path to Sustainable Usage

(IN BRIEF) Researchers from Empa and WSL have revealed significant opportunities to better utilize Switzerland’s wood resources, a key material for achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. Their study, part of the SCENE initiative, analyzed 2020 data and found that 40% … Read the full press release

Empa Researchers Develop Bioluminescent Wood Using Natural Fungal Processes

(IN BRIEF) Empa researchers have developed bioluminescent wood by infusing hardwood with the honey fungus (Desarmillaria tabescens), a naturally luminous organism. This innovation offers sustainable uses for hardwoods, which are increasingly planted in Swiss forests to combat climate change. The … Read the full press release

European Project TIMBERHAUS Aims to Revolutionize Timber Construction for a Greener Future

(IN BRIEF) The TIMBERHAUS project, a European research initiative launched in Copenhagen, aims to promote sustainable timber construction to reduce the carbon footprint of the building industry. Co-funded by the EU and Switzerland’s SERI, the four-year project involves 19 partners … Read the full press release

Empa’s DroneHub Launches Cutting-Edge Research Platform for Autonomous Flying Robots

(IN BRIEF) Empa, in partnership with Imperial College London, has launched the DroneHub, a cutting-edge research facility for autonomous flying robots designed to address infrastructure maintenance, environmental restoration, and biodiversity monitoring. The hub features specialized spaces for 3D printing repairs, … Read the full press release

Empa Researchers Unveil Key Insights into “Superspreader” Protein Fibrils in Alzheimer’s

(IN BRIEF) Empa researchers, in collaboration with the University of Limerick, have identified a highly active type of protein fibril, termed “superspreader,” that may play a key role in the progression of Alzheimer’s disease. Using advanced atomic force microscopy, they … Read the full press release