Millibot delivery
A soft, biodegradable millirobot inspired by the walking and grabbing capabilities of insects could hold promise for drug delivery. Roughly a finger width wide, the bots are made from gelatin from pig skin and iron oxide nanoparticles and can be guided by external magnetic fields (ACS App. Polym. Mater., 2022, 4, 5431).
Bioplastics to rapidly expand
As bioplastic materials transition from being a ‘nice-to-have’ to materials with a very strong, viable business case, manufacturers are racing to keep up with demand. Brand-owners, striving to hit their decarbonisation targets by taking the initiative to transition to bioplastics, are generating a stronger brand-owner pull than ever before.
Strong 3D polymers
A simple way to make light yet strong biocompatible carbon composites of any shape and architecture has been reported by a team at the City University of Hong Kong. The method turns commonly used 3D printable polymers into hybrid carbon microlattices. It could be used to create parts with tailored mechanical properties for applications including coronary stents and bio-implants.
Biomedical
Read the Biomedical highlight by Kevin Burgess, Texas A&M University, US in C&I Issue 10 2022.
Applied chemistry
Read the latest Applied Chemistry highlights in C&I Magazine Issue 10 2022 written by Nigel P Freestone, University of Northampton, UK.