!!!BREAKING NEWS !!! (Phys.org) —If diapers choke landfills and sea creatures plague tourism and invade power stations, an Israeli startup seeks to promote a single answer to both problems, according to The Times of Israel report filed earlier this month. The company is developing technology that makes use of jellyfish to construct super-absorbing material that can be used for diapers and applications such as medical sponges.
Hydromash is the name given to the flexible, strong material being developed by the startup, Cine'al. Ofer Du-Nour is chairman and president of Cine'al ; the product is based on research by Tel Aviv University's Dr. Shachar Richter.
The material, said The Times of Israel, is highly absorbent: "Highly absorbent products are made of synthetic materials such as super-absorbing polymers (SAP). The challenge was to find a biodegradable material that was at least as absorbent."
The Israeli researchers turned to jellyfish, with bodies that can absorb and hold high volumes of liquids without disintegrating or dissolving. They have a processing technique that results in a material called Hydromash, capable of absorbing high volumes of water and blood in seconds. The Tel Aviv University researchers added nanoparticles for antibacterial properties. This can compete with conventional products for absorbency, and biodegrades in less than 30 days. The report said it could also compete with SAPs on price. (SAPs stand for super-absorbent polymers, which are materials with the ability to absorb and retain large volumes of water and aqueous solutions. They are made from lightly cross-linked polyacrylic acid; they are key ingredients in disposable diapers, feminine hygiene and adult incontinence products.)
I just hope they remove the stingers first
Schoppy
SOURCES:
http://phys.org/news/2014-04-israeli-te ... rbent.htmlhttp://blogs.discovermagazine.com/d-bri ... 1bVb1eAma8http://www.physnews.com/nano-materials- ... 879513921/