Tag: Material

Foliage can be used to make sustainable paper and packaging material. Similarly, a Swedish startup is using seagrass that has been washed ashore to manufacture environmentally-friendly yarn. Until now the plant, which is present in large quantities on beaches, has simply been discarded. A recent feasibility study has shown it can be made into yarn without the addition of...

In the absence of DNA, hair molecules could hold the key to criminal cases thanks to a special protein fragment (peptide). Now, research conducted by a California-based team has highlighted how a different peptide could be crucial in the fight against skin cancer. Dangerously advanced melanoma cause the body’s catestatin levels to drop. In normal circumstances, catestatin promotes immune,...

Hemispherical solar cells produce more electricity. Solar modules installed on facades or outside windows also allow for increased energy generation, albeit their weight is a drawback. The gossamer thin, translucent perovskite solar cells made by a Singapore research team, however, could generate hundreds of megawatt hours per year on large buildings. The fineness of the parts was achieved through...

Skin cancer is treatable with soap made from salicylic acid and Vitamin A. Meanwhile in California a research team has discovered Vitamin D’s cancer-fighting potential. Pancreatic tumours are often surrounded by protective connective tissue (or fibroblasts), making it hard for medication to reach cancer cells. However, a particular molecule in the tissue is activated by Vitamin D, which in...

A membrane filters wastewater and runs on its own electricity. Inspiration, perhaps, for a US research team, which has created a solar panel from black metal to make seawater drinkable without pre-treatment. Key here: special surface treatment of the metal. Tiny laser-cut grooves make the metal permeable to water without affecting its ability to absorb sunlight. Through the capillary...

Smart ‘pinecones’ warn against wildfires. When it comes to domestic fires or break-ins, however, deaf people are particularly vulnerable. Enter a British research team and its new vibrating pillow jacket. On the reverse four miniature haptic actuators have been woven into the fabric. These are coupled with a smartphone through a microcontroller; the smartphone, in turn, can be connected...

Waste wood isn’t just suitable as a sustainable polystyrene substitute. Now, a Finnish research team has created an alternative to petroleum-based resin using sawdust and straw. The presence of petroleum-based bonding agents makes it tricky to recycle composites, which are used for wind turbines, boats and RVs. The team extracted cellulose and hemicellulose from the waste wood, successfully developing...

Mushrooms are suitable for sound insulation. Spent coffee grounds, as a Chinese university research team just discovered, could be used to deliver sustainable thermal insulation. Initially, the grounds were converted into biochar at 700°C, increasing the granules’ porosity from 40% to 70%. These cavities were then filled with a mix of environmentally-friendly solvents. This in turn prevented ethylcellulose, the...