Weird, wonderful and likely to be popping up in some life altering technology you encounter in the near future
AEROGEL
Nicknamed “frozen smoke”, aerogel is one
of the lightest solid materials on the planet, being semi-transparent
and made of 99.98 percent air. Made from drying gels of various
elements, it’s both strong and an incredibly potent insulator against
both heat and cold – one potential use could be a transparent dome for
humans to live in on the Moon.
The secret to its incredible properties is its internal fractal structure, which has a massive surface area to volume ratio: a cubic inch of aerogel may have an internal surface area equivalent to a football pitch. Aerogels are already used in wetsuits, firefighter suits, windows, cosmetics and, er, nuclear weapons, and in the future they’re expected to be used in body armour, non-deflatable tyres and heat shields for spacecraft re-entry.
The secret to its incredible properties is its internal fractal structure, which has a massive surface area to volume ratio: a cubic inch of aerogel may have an internal surface area equivalent to a football pitch. Aerogels are already used in wetsuits, firefighter suits, windows, cosmetics and, er, nuclear weapons, and in the future they’re expected to be used in body armour, non-deflatable tyres and heat shields for spacecraft re-entry.
Google Nexus 7 Body Made from Aerogel
For everyone who still thinks aerogels are blue and brittle, think again! The engineers at Aerogel Technologies have recently released a video of an ultralight Google Nexus 7 body made out of a mechanically strong aerogel called Airloy X103-H. In the video, they compare the back panel of the Nexus 7, composed of ABS/PC composite (that’s acrylonitrile butadiene styrene/polycarbonate composite, the standard non-descript plastic used to make laptop bodies and other consumer electronics) weighing in at 42 g, and the same panel made out of Airloy X103-H, weighing in at only 18 g. And this isn’t 1980′s aerogel either–it’s strong, somewhat flexible, and feels like plastic. Take a look!CARBON NANOTUBES
Not to be confused with carbon fibre,
carbon nanotubes are incredibly tiny tubes (yes, you guessed right) of
carbon atoms (correct again). The properties of a particular nanotube
depend on how it was rolled; it’s possible to make one of these things
hundreds of times stronger than steel whilst being six times lighter, so
you can see why they’re of such interest to the aerospace and
automotive industries. Not only that, they can also be made extremely
conductive, meaning they have a potential use in microchip – or rather
nanochip – manufacture in the not-too-distant future.
BIOWOOL
Sheep farming is one of the primary cornerstones of the New Zealand economy. Processes unique to
New Zealand wool farming date back to the inception of the country. Wool prices are historically volatile, and traditionally farmers have focused on farming and had limited control of their product after it was sold. Farming is undergoing a renaissance to modernise processes. Inline with this trend ‘Biowool’ is my remote contribution to the farming community.
‘Biowool’ is the output from materials exploration focused on adding value to coarse wool. Through the exploration into the wool value chain, high volumes of post-industrial and post-consumer waste were identified as a space for potential innovation – extending the applicability and longevity of woollen product before it eventually becomes composted as part of the eco cycle.
‘Biowool’ was developed through the formation of an unreleased bio-resin and carded wool waste fibre. ‘Biowool’ has wide potential for application and poses suggestions for revising a number of materials applications. As showcased in the Terracase luggage range, ‘Biowool’ introduces new standards in luggage design – from traceability of materials to source, to total product authenticity.
BioWool is a biopolymer that’s flame resistant and free from harmful chemicals and compounds. Made mainly from carpet factory waste material, BioWool has dozens of potential uses: car interior and bus seat material, and even luggage – McLaughlin has already managed to make a prototype suitcase from it. As well as versatile, the material is very environmentally sound: it’s made from waste and once buried in the ground, it’s estimated it will fully biodegrade in around two years.
‘Biowool’ rethinks wool with new functionality, new context and new marketability.
ULTRA-EVER DRY
Imagine a world where a spilled glass of Pinot Noir didn’t mean a hefty cleaning bill for your Axminster. That’s the world that Ultra-Ever Dry wants to create. Ultra-Ever Dry is a superhydrophobic (water) and oleophobic (hydrocarbons) coating that will completely repel almost any liquid. Ultra-Ever Dry uses proprietary nanotechnology to coat an object and create a barrier of air on its surface. This barrier repels water, oil and other liquids unlike any coating seen before. The other breakthrough associated with Ultra-Ever Dry is the superior coating adherence and abrasion resistance allowing it to be used in all kinds of applications where durability is required. it helps to keep material bacteria- proof, Ice -proof, stain-proof, corrosion-proof.Keep your stuff Ever Dry and neverwet. Which is pretty amazing. It’s available now, with a disclaimer that -it’s designed for industrial use only.
Styrofoam is a useful material but green it most certainly isn’t. Enter Mushroom Packaging, an alternative made entirely out mycelium, a network of fungal threads that’s “grown” around a filling of agricultural byproducts. The process takes about a week and takes place in the dark with no requirement for chemicals or even water. Strong and insulating, Mushroom Packaging can be formed into almost any shape. Mycelium can also be used for surfboards, car bumpers and even clothing – and once put in the ground it’s fully biodegradable.
MUSHROOM PACKAGING
Let's look back on the Stone Age, the Metal Age, and the Plastic Age.
Materials have defined the world and how we live for millennia. Welcome
to the Mushroom Age... giving back to Mother Nature, for a change
Muchroom packaging
Styrofoam is a useful material but green it most certainly isn’t. Enter Mushroom Packaging, an alternative made entirely out mycelium, a network of fungal threads that’s “grown” around a filling of agricultural byproducts. The process takes about a week and takes place in the dark with no requirement for chemicals or even water. Strong and insulating, Mushroom Packaging can be formed into almost any shape. Mycelium can also be used for surfboards, car bumpers and even clothing – and once put in the ground it’s fully biodegradable.
What do you think about the new emerging materials in technology. You can drop your comments in the box and share with friends.
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