Engineering publications brought to you by Mark Allen

Materials

By controlling the chirality of the coiled springs, the direction of actuation could be reversibly designed

Light-powered artificial muscle works in water

Gibeon meteorite, National Museum of Natural History, Washington DC

Laser ultrasound tests space rock stiffness

The biocomposite has been successfully tested as a strawberry punnet that biodegrades completely in soil, fresh water, the ocean and in compost

Biodegradable plastic could improve sustainability of food packaging

Converting food-waste digestate, a residue from biogas production, into biochar offers a low-cost, high-impact climate solution

Biochar from food waste could save 93,000 tonnes of CO2

Some binders, such as polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), substantially increased the mechanical strength of the pellets

Sponge-like pellets capture carbon dioxide

Matthew Deans of the James Watt School of Engineering loads a cartridge of 3D-printed material samples into the NextSpace TestRig for testing

NextSpace Testrig to derisk 3D-printing in space

There are roughly 75 to 199 million tons of plastic waste currently in the ocean

New polyester-amide polymer is sustainable alternative to nylon

RMIT PhD student and study first author Thiha Aung inspects the team's neuromorphic vision device

Neuromorphic device mimics human brain

Hydrogels are composed of polymers that can absorb and retain large amounts of water

Ultrasound-based sonogel promises safer and faster hydrogel fabrication

The EPD removes 25 per cent tariffs on steel and aluminium goods

Trade deal cuts tariffs on UK metals and vehicles

EV fires are more dangerous, and more likely to occur when the vehicle is parked or during charging

Impervio separator offers solution to thermal runaway

Research in 2019 estimated that the amount of animal waste is due to increase by 40 per cent between 2003 and 2030 to at least five billion tons, with many farms producing more manure than they can legitimately use as fertiliser

Manufacturing-grade cellulose made from cow dung