Related papers: Plant cells-based biological matrix composites
The escalating plastic waste crisis demands global action, yet mechanical recycling - currently the most prevalent strategy - remains severely underutilized. Only a small fraction of the total plastic waste is recycled in this manner,…
Polymer nanocomposites based on 2D materials as fillers are the target in the industrial sector, but the ability to manufacture them on a large scale is very limited, and there is a lack of tools to scale up the manufacturing process of…
Biofilms are complex, self-organized consortia of microorganisms that produce a functional, protective matrix of biomolecules. Physically, the structure of a biofilm can be described as an entangled polymer network which grows and changes…
Tissue-like materials are required in many robotic systems to improve human-machine interactions. However, the mechanical properties of living tissues are difficult to replicate. Synthetic materials are not usually capable of simultaneously…
Biochars are an exciting class of environmental materials with a wide range of applications, including carbon storage and sequestration, soil enhancement, and pollution remediation. However, the limited knowledge of their molecular…
Biochars have been attracting renewed attention as economical and environmentally friendly carbon sequestration materials with a diverse range of applications. However, experimental developments may be limited by the lack of molecular-level…
Deployable structures, essential across various engineering applications ranging from umbrellas to satellites, are evolving to include soft, morphable designs where geometry drives transformation. However, a major challenge for soft…
Additive manufacturing (AM) techniques have gained interest in the tissue engineering field thanks to their versatility and unique possibilities of producing constructs with complex macroscopic geometries and defined patterns. Recently,…
Plastics have become integral to our society due to their durability and water stability, which is achieved through strong intermolecular interactions. However, these properties also make them persistent disruptors of ecological cycles, in…
We report detailed theoretical investigations of the micro-mechanics and bulk elastic properties of composites consisting of randomly distributed stiff fibers embedded in an elastic matrix in two and three dimensions. Recent experiments…
Hybrid materials, containing a 2D filler embedded in a polymeric matrix, are an interesting platform for several applications, because of the variety of properties that the filler can impart to the polymer matrix when dispersed at the…
Glasses have numerous applications due to their exceptional transparency, however, poor fracture and impact resistance limit their applications as an engineering material. One relatively recent approach to improve the mechanical properties…
Cellulose is the most abundant bio-polymer on earth. Cellulose fibres, such as the one extracted form cotton or woodpulp, have been used by humankind for hundreds of years to make textiles and paper. Here we show how, by engineering light…
A remarkable property of nastic, shape changing plants is their complete fusion between actuators and structure. This is achieved by combining a large number of cells whose geometry, internal pressures and material properties are optimized…
The development of green and biodegradable electrical components is one of the main fronts of research to overcome the growing ecological problem related to the issue of electronic waste. At the same time, such devices are highly desirable…
Natural fibers composites are considered as sustainable alternative to synthetic composites due to their environmental and economic benefits. However, they suffer from poor mechanical and interfacial properties due to a random fiber…
Metamaterials are artificial materials designed to exhibit effective material parameters that go beyond those found in nature. Composed of unit cells with rich designability that are assembled into multiscale systems, they hold great…
Advanced modern technology and industrial sustainability theme have contributed implementing composite materials for various industrial applications. Green composites are among the desired alternatives for the green products. However, to…
To extend fossil oil supplies, sustainable feed stocks for the production of useful reagents and polymers should be harnessed. In this regard, chemicals derived from plants are excellent candidates. While the vast majority of plant sources…
Partitioning of (bio)materials in polymeric mixtures is a key phenomenon both in cellular environments, as well as in industrial applications. In cells, several macromolecules are suspended within different biomolecular phases. On the other…