Materials Science
Feb 4, 2020
High-tech printing may help eliminate painful shots
Painful hypodermic needles may not be needed in the future to give shots, inject drugs and get blood samples.
Search results for bioinspired materials
Materials Science
Jan 30, 2020
Hydrogel coating is first to prevent ice formation in 3 different ways
Materials scientists at the UCLA Samueli School of Engineering and colleagues in China have developed a coating that prevents ice from forming. The way it works is inspired by a natural mechanism that keeps blood from freezing ...
Materials Science
Jan 27, 2020
Science at the interface: Bioinspired materials reveal useful properties
The design of sophisticated new materials is undergoing brisk technological advancement. Innovations in material science promise transformative improvements in industries ranging from energy to manufacturing.
Nanophysics
Dec 30, 2019
New class of crosslinker-free nanofiber biomaterials from Hydra nematocyst proteins
Nematocysts are stinging organelles of cnidarians that have remarkable mechanical properties to undergo 50 percent volume changes during explosive exocytosis (process by which cells excrete waste and large molecules), while ...
Materials Science
Dec 18, 2019
Membrane inspired by bone and cartilage efficiently produces electricity from saltwater
Inspired by membranes in the body tissues of living organisms, scientists have combined aramid nanofibers used in Kevlar with boron nitride to construct a membrane for harvesting ocean energy that is both strong like bone ...
Mathematics
Dec 12, 2019
The mathematics of prey detection in spider orb-webs
Spider webs are one of nature's most fascinating manifestations. Many spiders extrude proteinaceous silk to weave sticky webs that ensnare unsuspecting prey who venture into their threads. Despite their elasticity, these ...
Materials Science
Dec 10, 2019
Chiton mollusk provides model for new armor design
The motivations for using biology as inspiration to engineering vary based on the project, but for Ling Li, assistant professor of mechanical engineering in the College of Engineering, the combination of flexibility and protection ...
General Physics
Dec 9, 2019
Shape-programmable dielectric liquid crystal elastomer actuators
Materials scientists aim to use bioinspired soft robots to carry out advanced interactions between humans and robots, but the associated technology remains to be developed. For example, soft actuators must perform quickly ...
Optics & Photonics
Dec 9, 2019
Understanding color at a nanoscale
Some of the most vibrantly colored creatures in the animal kingdom don't owe their amazing colors to pigment. Instead, they cover themselves with microscopic structures that fine tune the way they reflect light.
Ecology
Nov 25, 2019
Coated seeds may enable agriculture on marginal lands
Providing seeds with a protective coating that also supplies essential nutrients to the germinating plant could make it possible to grow crops in otherwise unproductive soils, according to new research at MIT.
