Materials/​Biomaterials

A droplet of clear liquid can bend light, acting as a lens. Now, by exploiting this well-known phenomenon, Australian researchers have developed a new process to create inexpensive high quality lenses that will cost less than a penny apiece.

Researchers at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, led by Professor John Rogers, PhD, are taking on the challenge of health and sustainability issues simultaneously by developing a vast toolbox of materials—from magnesium and silicon to silk and even rice paper—to make biodegradable...

Using an inexpensive 3D printer, biomedical engineers at Washington University in St. Louis, MO, say that they have developed a custom-fitted, implantable device with embedded sensors that could treat cardiac disorders.

A team of Washington State University (WSU), Pullman, researchers has developed a gummy battery material that, they say, could dramatically improve the safety of lithium ion batteries.

Silk and diamonds are the ingredients for a new kind of tiny glowing particle that could provide researchers with a novel technique for biological imaging and drug delivery. The particles, just tens of nanometers across, are made of nanodiamonds covered in silk.

When babies are born with congenital heart defects, like a hole, time is of the essence to quickly and safely secure a device inside the heart. Sutures take too long and can cause damage to fragile heart tissue, and currently available adhesives are either too toxic or lose their sticking power in the...

A team of researchers at Aalto University, Finland, developed a method to select new surface treatment processes for orthopaedic and dental implants that may reduce the risk of infection. Implants are commonly made from metals, such as titanium alloys, which are made porous during processing used to...