Researchers from the University of Rochester have developed an extremely buoyant metal that can be used to make unsinkable ships. The researchers have drawn inspiration from fire ants and diving bell spiders, which have the remarkable ability to remain afloat or survive underwater for long periods of time. These creepy-crawlies are able to do this by trapping air in an … Continue reading Inspired by spiders and fire ants, researchers develop a new unsinkable metal
Researchers look to nanopores for new water treatment methods
For a while now, scientists have been looking into the use of nanomaterials as a way to clean water. The idea is that nanofilters made from these materials would be able to remove even the smallest impurities and contaminants in water. In a recent study published in The Journal of Physical Chemistry, a team led by researchers at the Massachusetts Institute … Continue reading Researchers look to nanopores for new water treatment methods
Single-use no more: Plastic bottles can be upcycled to more durable materials
Single-use plastics cause plastic pollution, a problem that affects rivers, lakes, and oceans. To address this concern, researchers from the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) developed a recycling process that turns various materials made of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) into other useful products that will last longer. NREL’s research was published in the journal Joule. What is polyethylene terephthalate (PET)? Polyethylene terephthalate … Continue reading Single-use no more: Plastic bottles can be upcycled to more durable materials
New material made from recycled plastic bottles could help reduce water pollution
Singaporean researchers have come up with a new incentive for people to recycle disposable PET plastic bottles instead of just throwing them away. They can turn the plastic waste into a group of very useful materials called aerogels, which would make the disposable bottles well worth the effort of holding on to or recovering from landfills. Aerogels … Continue reading New material made from recycled plastic bottles could help reduce water pollution
Researchers have recycled clothing waste into an “aerogel” supermaterial that can help stop wound bleeding
Cotton-based fabric waste has a multitude of uses that range from being recycled into polishing and wiper clothes to automotive insulation. Though, as researchers from the National University of Singapore (NUS) have discovered and demonstrated, this type of waste could be turned into cotton aerogels that have their own practical applications. The cotton aerogels, which are comprised of … Continue reading Researchers have recycled clothing waste into an “aerogel” supermaterial that can help stop wound bleeding
Dr. Eddy Bettermann MD 