Materials/​Biomaterials

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...

Researchers at the Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (IBN) at the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore, and California's IBM Research - Almaden (IBM) have discovered a new, potentially life-saving application for polyethylene terephthalate (PET), which is widely...

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) selected a consortium led by Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, to establish a new NIST-sponsored center of excellence for advanced materials research. The new Center for Hierarchical Materials Design (CHiMaD) also includes the University...

Plastics can be made scratch-proof and flame-proof, or given antibacterial properties through the addition of nano-sized additives mixed in with the pellets of plastic during the manufacturing process. However, the particle distribution within the plastic compound must be absolutely precise. A new device being...

ASTM International, formerly known as the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM), West Conshohocken, PA, has proposed a new international standard to be used in the design, development, quality control, and comparison of a variety of collagen-based medical products, including surgical...

A team of researchers from Stanford University and the Department of Energy’s (DOE) SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory have made the first battery electrode that heals itself, opening a new and potentially commercially viable path for making the next generation of lithium ion batteries.