Tag: biodegradable

A foam-based pressure bandage helps treat serious wounds. When bones break badly, medical practitioners often use metal plates or 3D-printed implants. Now, a research team in South Korea has developed an easy-to-use glue stick instead. The stick is made from biodegradable plastic, which melts at low temperatures, a phosphate mineral occurring naturally in bones and antibiotics. Using a modified...

The search for new ways to recycle plastic is gathering pace. An English startup is taking the reverse approach and using multilayered neural networks to create new proteins for sustainable textiles. Focusing only on biodegradable fibres free of fossil fuels. The team, formed during a university research project, has developed a deep-learning AI which bases its search on criteria...

Octopus can help give UV protection. Solar cells are also protected from UV rays and coated with an oil-based film for improved functionality. Now, a Finnish-led research team has hit upon an organic alternative. The team used dye from red-onion peel to coat a film made from nano-fine cellulose fibres and the new protective layer was more effective than...

A thoughtful hiker turned citrus fruits into toilet paper. And, as a Sicilian founder has shown with her biodegradable yarn, oranges can play an additional role in the circular economy. Her juicy thought? Only 40% of the fruit gets used during the juicing process. The rest is rich in cellulose, which, thanks to the startup's patented process, can be...

Illuminated marine bacteria make light sources more sustainable. Now, a startup in Singapore has developed an environmentally-friendly source of electricity. Its rechargeable battery is fully biodegradable (except for the casing) and made from cellulose and water-based electrolytes, betting on zinc and manganese. With a similar lifespan to lithium batteries, manufacturing costs per kWh are around 2 times cheaper. But...

Banana paper protects potatoes from parasites. After harvesting, potato stems are often burned, since they are hard to compost and unsuitable as animal feed or fertiliser. A London-based startup has recognised their value. In their patent-pending process, fibres are extracted from stems using biological and mechanical processes and spun into yarn. Like cotton, linen or synthetic fibre, it can...

Self-dissolving medical aids can heal external wounds or restore defective heart valves. Now, using the body’s natural mechanisms, a Canadian-based research team has developed a similar concept to treat corneal abrasions. A certain amount of the enzyme MMP-9 is found naturally in the eye. Released in quantities that are proportional to the wound’s size, it helps the cornea to...

Future high-efficiency computer chips could be made using honey; while supercapacitors could lower CO2 levels. To reduce electronic waste, an Austrian science team has researched materials for printed circuit boards and found… mushrooms. The dried skin of ganoderma fungus, for example, is not only thin and flexible but also acts as a good insulator and can withstand temperatures of...