Materials

Hokkaido University’s ongoing research into hydrogels has borne fresh fruit: a new polymer-based material that, unlike other polymers, hardens when heated – by 1,800 times.

Scientists in Canada have come up with a new adhesive they say can address some of the shortcomings of commercial glues, using ultra-strong connections at the molecular level to create new kinds of bonds between unlikely material partners.

A new solar-powered catalyst made of graphene and titanium dioxide nanoparticles can pluck pollutants out of the air, much more efficiently than others. The catalyst could be coated onto building or street surfaces to improve air quality in cities.

Helmets could soon offer better protection while also being more comfortable, thanks to a new padding material developed by HRL Laboratories. It's claimed to be better than foam at withstanding impacts, while also keeping heads cooler and drier.

Thanks to a new understanding of how bones maintain their strength, we may someday see bone-inspired materials used in longer-lasting products such as aircraft wings. The findings could also lead to better treatments for conditions like osteoporosis.

Like anything else, concrete structures get dirty over time, and it's a hassle to clean them. Such chores may soon no longer be necessary, however, as scientists have developed what they claim is a self-cleaning concrete that isn't heavy – or weak.

In certain parts of the world, people such as surfers stand a real risk of being bitten by sharks. According to a recent study, however, a lightweight wetsuit fabric could greatly reduce the seriousness of injuries when such attacks occur.

Given the current worldwide push for water conservation, it's certainly ironic that people are still flushing great quantities of the stuff down their toilets. They may soon be using much less, however, thanks to a slippery new toilet bowl coating.

In exploring the properties and potential of a theoretical material, scientists at Rice University have developed a real structure with some very real stopping power, capable of stopping bullets with impressive effectiveness.

Concrete is a mix of cement, an aggregate such as gravel, and water. For added strength, steel fibers are often added. Now, scientists are claiming that a new type of fiber-reinforced concrete could soon serve as a lighter and greener alternative.

Superhydrophobic materials, which are excellent at repelling water, can be extremely useful for a whole range of reasons. Now engineers have found a quirky new use for them – making “unsinkable” metals that stay floating even when punctured.

Buildings that are constructed with military or civil defense applications in mind need to be tough. It was with this in mind that a new form of concrete was recently developed, that is far more resistant to cracking than regular types.