Image credit: Benjamin Balazs from Pixabay
Single-use plastics could one day become a thing of the past, thanks to a new material developed by Cambridge scientists which imitates spider silk.
Created by a team from the University of Cambridge, the plant protein-based plastic alternative is as strong as many plastics in use today and could replace all manner of common household products in the future. It’s a polymer film that is designed to mimic spider silk — one of nature’s strongest materials — on a molecular level. The result is a plastic-like free-standing film which can be produced on an industrial scale and breaks down fully without impacting the environment.
The ‘vegan spider silk’ will be commercialised by Xampla, a University of Cambridge spin-out which is looking to release its first products made from the material later this year. One of Xampla’s first targets is to replace the plastic sachets used to package dishwasher tablets and laundry detergent capsules.
In a recent visit to Xampla’s BioInnovation Building lab, Cambridge MP Daniel Zeichner hailed Xampla’s protein-based alternative to plastic as “terrific”.
Speaking after his visit on July 16, Mr Zeichner — a proclaimed environmentalist — said: “It’s plastic-free July and I know this has resonated with many in the city. We have seen world-changing science come out of Cambridge throughout history.
“It’s terrific for the city to know that it is once again a part of such an incredible breakthrough, and one the planet is desperately calling for.”
Xampla’s plastic alternative’s strength lies in the regular arrangement of its chains. Its unique properties mean there is no need for chemical cross-linking, a technique frequently used to improve the performance and resistance of biopolymer films. The most common cross-linking agents are non-sustainable and can even be toxic.
The next-generation technology is the result of 15 years of research into the chemical properties of proteins, all inspired by spiders’ silk’s natural strength.
Xampla CEO Simon Hombersley said: “Cambridge has excellence in sustainability research, and a good number of innovative spin-outs like Xampla are aiming to address global environmental problems.
Researchers from the University of Cambridge have developed a standalone, wireless device that can convert sunlight, carbon dioxide and water into a carbon-neutral fuel. The researchers say the breakthrough is a massive step towards achieving large-scale artificial photosynthesis
You could be forgiven for thinking that lithium-ion batteries — like the ones found in smartphones, laptops, electric mobility vehicles and more — are no longer much good once they have lost their charge. However, the reality is they still contain lots of valuable metals, such as lithium, cobalt, manganese and nickel, which can be recovered and recycled.
Engineers from the United Kingdom and Japan have set an incredible new Internet speed record of 178 terabits per second (Tb/s). That’s 178,000,000 megabits a second, fast enough to download the entire Netflix library in the blink of an eye!
Guide dogs provide visually impaired individuals with many benefits. However, they aren’t always appropriate, with cost, space and allergies all potential barriers to ownership. But a new technology being developed at Loughborough University could see all a guide dog’s functions channelled into a handheld, robotic device for the visually impaired.
A team led by the University of Adelaide and the University of Stuttgart has used 3D micro-printing to create the world’s smallest imaging device, capable of going inside blood vessels.
Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) and the University of Cambridge are collaborating on the development of a new contactless touchscreen technology, which is designed to promote safer driving and reduce the spread of germs, bacteria and viruses in a post-COVID world.
Huawei has been given the go-ahead by South Cambridgeshire District Council to build a £1bn research and development facility nine miles outside of Cambridge. Voting nine to one in Huawei’s favour on Thursday 25th June, councillors approved planning permission for the 53-acre site in Sawston, which Huawei will develop with a view to moving its operation from Ipswich to Cambridge.
How do you extend the range of a drone? Put it on a bus, of course! Now, while you might be thinking that we’re joking, that’s actually one of the findings to come out of new research from Stanford University.
In an attempt to equip non-Computer Science students with valuable machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) skills, the University Of Cambridge has announced a new accelerator programme.
Online safety tech is helping to make the Internet a safer place for millions of people and the UK is leading the way when it comes to innovation. Indeed, companies based in UK cities including London, Leeds, Cambridge and Edinburgh make up 25% of the global market share for safety tech products, an independent report reveals.
Right now, many offices around the UK are sitting empty while staff are furloughed or working from home. But in time, the COVID-19 crisis will end and the lockdown situation will be eased and that means people will start, in theory, returning to their places of work.
How frustrating is it when you’re driving along in your car and you suddenly get a puncture? It’s inconvenient at best and an absolute nightmare at worst, especially if you have no idea how to change your tyre!