Tag: Material

Elephant trunks have inspired a microhydraulic robot. Meanwhile a research team in China has taken its lead from the ancient lamprey fish’s mouth to create its new hybrid suction disc, complete with a soft silicon lip which doubles as a seal on the outer edge. Instead of teeth the disc calls on the knobs of a Shape Memory Polymer...

No one needs kidney stones. Nevertheless, a mineral present in animals’ urinary calculus is helping to make construction materials from sawdust fire resistant. A research team in Switzerland mixed sawdust and struvite (a crystalline ammonium magnesium phosphate), adding an enzyme extracted from watermelon seeds for stickiness. The mixture was then pressed for two days into chipboards. Tests showed that...

The future of salmon could lie in cell cultures. Meanwhile, a California-based startup is betting on a similar process for cacao in a bid to avoid further deforestation. A reduction in rainforests not only causes drought, but increases the likelihood of flooding - both harming cacao yields. In a bioreactor, cell cultures from the cacao plant are naturally fermented...

A protective film from seagrass shows whether food has spoiled. Now, a Texas-based research team is looking at how to detect substances in liquid food products using electric signals from bacteria. The molecules in bacteria which create the signal can be toxic and are often swept away by liquids. Leading the team to enclose the bacteria safely in the...

A robot banishes harmful algae slicks to the ocean floor. And, according to an Australian research team, oil spills could soon be hoovered up by mini-robots. Key here: a new filter with small, air-filled pouches, coated with a water-resistant nanolayer of graphene oxide. It separates oil with 95% purity and can be extensively reused. The 3D-printed, electrically-operated mini-robot complete...

Contorting molecules can store energy for as long as necessary. Meanwhile, a Hong Kong research team has turned to tofu in its drive to develop an environmentally-friendly, durable, cost-efficient battery. Water with salts of magnesium and calcium (similar to tofu brine) created the electrolyte. Due to its pH-neutrality, it attacked neither the highly conductive polymer anode nor the Prussian...

In the Netherlands, corn is a source of sustainable tiles. In California, however, a startup is using corn waste to create a super-absorbent and biodegradable material to replace the petrochemical liners in products like nappies and hygiene pads. The team developed special microorganisms to convert the corn’s sugar into a polymer, which can absorb as much liquid as materials...

A rope with liquid crystals twists when exposed to infrared light, enabling it to transport items. Now a California-based research team knows the ropes when it comes to efficiently storing solar energy thanks to a newly developed molecule. When hit by sunlight, it contorts itself into a strained shape and can remain that way for years. If acid is...