chitosan tagged posts

A new adhesive that mimics the sticky substance barnacles use to cling to rocks may offer a better way to treat traumatic injuries. Inspired by the sticky substance that barnacles use to cling to rocks, MIT engineers have designed a strong, biocompatible glue that can seal injured tissues and stop bleeding.

The new paste can adhere to surfaces even when they are covered with blood, and can form a tight seal within about 15 seconds of application...

1.2m, 5.2kg turbine blade fabricated entirely with cellulose and chitosan, the most ubiquitous biopolymers on earth and produced in large amounts in almost every ecosystem. Both ingredients are obtained from by-products of the industry, resulting in production with negative ecological footprint.

Researchers have recently demonstrated the use of cellulose to sustainably manufacture/fabricate large 3D objects. Their approach diverges from the common association of cellulose with green plants and is inspired by the wall of the fungus-like oomycetes, which is reproduced introducing small amounts of chitin between cellulose fibers. The resulting fungal-like adhesive material(s) (FLAM) are strong, lightweight and inexpensive, and can be molded or processed using woodworking techniques.

Cellulose...

1. Scanning electron microscope images of (a) the chitosan film, (b) the chitosan-copper metal organic framework film at 500x magnification, (c) the chitosan-copper metal organic framework film at a higher magnification, and (d) an X-ray image of the film that shows the copper in pink.
2.An artist’s representation of bacteria (purple) being compromised by a chitosan-metal organic framework film. Credit: Colorado State University/Advanced Functional Materials

A new material could form a new antibacterial surface that prevents infections and reduces our reliance on antibiotics, suggests new research. By some estimates, bacterial strains resistant to antibiotics – superbugs – will cause more deaths than cancer by 2050...