Mixture using mask materials was 47% stronger than commonly used cement

02-May-2022

With the pervasive single-use masks during the pandemic now presenting an environmental problem, researchers have demonstrated the idea of incorporating old masks into a cement mixture to create stronger, more durable concrete. In a paper published in the journal,Materials Letters,a Washington ...

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The new adhesion promoters are based on natural raw materials

12-Apr-2022

The quality of composite systems made of cords of high-strength fibers such as polyester, aramid or polyamide and matrix materials of rubber is largely determined by the adhesion properties of the fibers to the matrix. In the established manufacturing process, adhesion promoters made of ...

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Separating beer waste into proteins for foods, and fiber for biofuels

07-Apr-2021

Home brewing enthusiasts and major manufacturers alike experience the same result of the beer-making process: mounds of leftover grain. Once all the flavor has been extracted from barley and other grains, what's left is a protein- and fiber-rich powder that is typically used in cattle feed or put ...

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Same fabric can perform both functions

17-Apr-2020

Imagine a single garment that could adapt to changing weather conditions, keeping its wearer cool in the heat of midday but warm when an evening storm blows in. In addition to wearing it outdoors, such clothing could also be worn indoors, drastically reducing the need for air conditioning or ...

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Predict the properties of composite materials

23-May-2019

Can the properties of composite materials be predicted? Empa scientists have mastered this feat and thus can help achieve research objectives faster. This leads, for instance, to better recycling techniques and electrically conductive synthetic materials for the solar industry. Ali Gooneie ...

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21-Feb-2019

A new way of protecting concrete from fire damage using materials recycled from old tyres has been successfully tested by researchers at the University of Sheffield. The team used fibres extracted from the textile reinforcement commonly embedded into tyres to guarantee their performance. Adding ...

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18-Feb-2019

While the polyester leisure suit was a 1970s mistake, polyester and other synthetic fibers like nylon are still around and are a major contributor to the microplastics load in the environment, according to a Penn State materials scientist, who suggests switching to biosynthetic fibers to solve ...

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How algae could sustainably reduce the carbon dioxide concentration in the atmosphere

16-Nov-2018

In collaboration with fellow researchers, chemists at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) have developed a process that, according to initial calculations, can facilitate economically removing the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. The latest World Climate Report (IPCC ...

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Nanotube interactions with silk fibroins - key to flexible, degradable electronics

02-Nov-2018

The silk fibers produced by Bombyx mori, the domestic silkworm, has been prized for millennia as a strong yet lightweight and luxurious material. Although synthetic polymers like nylon and polyester are less costly, they do not compare to silk's natural qualities and mechanical properties. And ...

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Polydopamine acts as binder to achieve high mechanical and electrical properties

24-Oct-2018

Researchers demonstrated the mussel-inspired reinforcement of graphene fibers for the improvement of different material properties. A research group under Professor Sang Ouk Kim applied polydopamine as an effective infiltrate binder to achieve high mechanical and electrical properties for ...

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