Collaborate Disseminate
We’ve said it before, but we cast a wary eye at any superlative claims that come our way. “World’s fastest” or “world’s first” claims always seem to be quickly debunked, but when the claim of “World’s Smallest Benchy” is backed up by a tugboat that two dozen E. coli would …read more
Continue reading World’s Smallest Benchy Shows off What 3D-Printing Can Do for “Microswimmers”
Biological machines such as human and animal bodies are quite incredible. Your body seamlessly incorporates materials as different as muscle, bone, and tendons into an integrated whole. Now Texas A&M researchers think they can imitate nature using polymer networks that have a tunable stiffness. As a bonus, similar to biological …read more
Optical fibers are already used in many fields, but they would have even more applications if they could be manufactured faster and cheaper. An experimental new process is claimed to deliver on both counts, and it utilizes mostly existing technologies…. Continue reading New technique promises less expensive, quickly-made optical fibers
Optical fibers are already used in many fields, but they would have even more applications if they could be manufactured faster and cheaper. An experimental new process is claimed to deliver on both counts, and it utilizes mostly existing technologies…. Continue reading New technique promises less expensive, quickly-made optical fibers
Scientists at the National University of Science and Technology Center for Composite Materials (NUST MISIS) in Russia are developing a new bioactive polymer-ceramic composite derived from common eggshells that can be used to treat skull injuries and ot… Continue reading Eggshell-based polymer helps implants fuse with living bone tissue
Researchers at Donghua University in China have developed a new type of fabric they claim can keep the wearer much cooler. The material is made from several different polymers in a relatively simple way, and can efficiently transfer heat and wick away … Continue reading New active cooling fabric helps beat the heat while repelling water
Whenever someone receives a steel implant such as an artificial hip, there’s always a risk that it won’t integrate with the surrounding bone, ultimately causing it to separate and fail. A new coating, however, has been created to keep that from happeni… Continue reading Polymer coating may help anchor implants to bone
We’ve already heard about implantable materials with a scaffolding-like microstructure, that help heal broken bones by giving bone cells a place to migrate into. A new one could work even better, though, by also providing electrical stimulation.Continu… Continue reading Electrified scaffolding could one day heal broken bones
We’ve already heard about implantable materials with a scaffolding-like microstructure, that help heal broken bones by giving bone cells a place to migrate into. A new one could work even better, though, by also providing electrical stimulation.Continu… Continue reading Electrified scaffolding could one day heal broken bones
When it comes to replacing faulty heart valves, there are two options – a metallic artificial valve, or a biological one obtained from a pig or cow. There could soon be a third and perhaps better choice, though, in the form of a polymer replacement hea… Continue reading Polymer heart valve is said to combine best features of other types