Along with breakthroughs in energy generation technology, various alternative power generation technologies gain a lot of attention in media. The issue of sustainability in energy storage is commonly neglected, but the dwindling resources needed to manufacture energy storage devices as well as the environmental impact during their disposal are inspiring researchers to find better solutions…. »
Researchers at the Vienna University of Technology (TU Vienna) made a major breakthrough in speeding up the “two-photon lithography” 3D printing technique that enables their high-precision-3D-printer to print object in orders of magnitude faster compared to similar devices. Since dramatically increased speed of printing enables creation of much larger objects, the technique could find its… »
University of California, San Diego bioengineers have developed a smart and easy-to-synthesize self-healing hydrogels that consist of linked chains of polymer molecules which are capable to self-heal in aqueous environment. This jello-like material’s ability to self-heal, bind in seconds and form a bond strong enough to withstand repeated stretching could find uses in biology, medicine,… »
We already published several articles about studies where spiders served as inspiration for biomimicry and analysis, but the new study by the researchers from the University of Akron developed the new biocompatible synthetic material similar to a specific kind of silk spun by orb spiders. The material could be used as new kinds of medical… »
Rechargeable lithium-ion batteries are now the power of choice for a variety of portable consumer electronics. A group of researchers from the University of Leeds has invented a new type of polymer gel that could replace the liquid electrolytes currently used in rechargeable lithium cells. It would also enable production of cheaper lithium batteries without… »
The adhesive surface of gecko’s toes has inspired many research groups to try to mimic this ability in an artificial material. Researchers at the A*STAR Institute of Materials Research and Engineering and co-workers at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore claim that they came up with the closest biomimicry yet, and that their synthetic gecko toe… »
A Case Western Reserve University researcher has built a prototype blade that is substantially lighter and more durable compared to materials currently used in blades of wind turbines. He came up with a polyurethane blade reinforced with carbon nanotubes, which make the material eight times tougher compared to other materials which are currently used as… »
Certain biological materials exhibit exceptional strength due to their complex structure which has been perfected through time. Inspired by the perfected structures found in nature, researchers from the Fraunhofer Institute are collaborating on a project named Bionic Manufacturing. It aims to develop plastic products that are lightweight and strong, while being economic in their use… »
