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from the it's-an-alganate-but-it-could-have-been-a-nine dept.
Submitted via IRC for takyon
When graphene and seaweed combine, something amazing happens
A number of biomedical applications have begun to adopt hydrogel materials made from alginate, a natural material derived from seaweed. Yet in their current form, these hydrogels are incredibly fragile, meaning they're not very useful in the long term.
However, researchers at Brown University have found a way to drastically improve their strength – in addition to making them more intricate in shape – using graphene oxide (GO) and 3D printing.
In a paper published to Carbon, the researchers said that the addition of GO nanosheets can make any material capable of becoming stiffer or softer in response to different chemical treatments, meaning they could react to their surroundings in real time. In addition, alginate-GO retains alginate's ability to repel oils, giving the new material potential as a sturdy, antifouling coating.
[...] Some immediate uses of the material could be found in the oil-repellent properties of pure alginate, potentially keeping surfaces, such as a ship's hull, free from oil and other grime.
It could also be useful in studying how cancer cells or immune cells migrate through different organs throughout the body, due to its ability to change stiffness on command.
(Score: 3, Funny) by Bot on Tuesday November 27 2018, @11:08AM (2 children)
> ability to change stiffness on command
My AI found another potential application for that material, take a guess.
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(Score: 2, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday November 27 2018, @11:35AM (1 child)
A pair of socks that insulate, lubricate, and conform to any penis shape.
(Score: 2) by Bot on Tuesday November 27 2018, @09:19PM
I was thinking about roll-up ladders and insta-mounted inflatables more than anything, but your idea ain't bad either. Uncut penises do not really need socks though so beware of the market demographic.
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