It's an advanced material world
Further reading
April 2006, pages 17-18
Fantastic elastic isolated from insects (by Stephen Luntz)
Describes the production of resilin and its potential applications.
June 2005, pages 38-39
The shape of things to come (by David Salt)
Describes experiments using shape memory alloys.
May 2007
Materials Science: Coatings that heal themselves (by Rebecca Thyer)
Explores the application of ‘self-healing’ coatings.
Number 97 August-September 2005, pages 22-23
Artificial arteries: Grow your own blood vessels (by David Salt)
- Moving forward together (by Duncan Bond)
Says there is a need for the suppliers of new materials to work together to curb greenhouse emissions. - Complex composites (by Chris Edwards)
Explains how composites may be on their way to matching the versatility of metals.
- Ocean’s seven (by Sally Wilkes)
Reports on the changes in materials and design specifications for yachts. - Advancing automotives (by Colin Jackson)
Looks at the need for new materials in aerospace and automotive areas of production.
- Moving with the times (by Professor Brian Meenan)
Argues the need to redefine the term 'biocompatibility'. - Face on (by Richard Curtis)
Reports on work that has enabled the formation of medical and dental prostheses. - Reality check (by Sally Wilkes)
Covers efforts to cut the time needed to design and test medical implants.
Extended brief
Reviews the commercial growth of a technique to make superplastic and its use in the transport sector.
- Designed for adversity (by Paul McMillan)
Reports on the design and testing of materials for applications such as space probes to body implants and sports apparatus. - Out in the cold (by Ian Salusbury)
Reports on materials used in conditions of extreme cold. - Far out – putting new materials in space (by Luke Hutson)
Looks at the challenges of using nanocomposites in space.
- A design for life (by Richard Bonser)
Looks at the need to study the ways in which natural materials are produced. - Go forth and multiply (by Luke Hutson)
Investigates biological self-replication as inspiration for a self-copying machine. - Bone in contention (by Ian Salusbury)
Looks at the field of tissue engineering and biomimetic materials.
20 July 2005
Quick change for super sponge (by Mark Peplow)
Heat turns material from waterproof to water-friendly.
27 March 2007
Soft splint instantly heat-welds to hold broken limbs (by Tom Simonite)
Describes a plastic splint that welds itself around broken limbs.
19 August 2006, page 37-39
Superconductivity – the path of no resistance (by Amarendra Swarup)
Investigates the next generation of superconductors.
2 August 2006
Shape-shifting lens mimics human eye (by Tom Simonite)
Describes a shape-shifting lens that alters the focal length when squeezed by an artificial muscle.
27 July 2006
Future spacesuits could heal themselves (by David Shiga)
Describes possible changes to space suits due to ‘smart’ materials.
8 July 2006, page 30
Smart coating hits rust where it hurts (by Paul Marks)
Reports on a new material that reacts to damage by releasing a compound that prevents corrosion.
8 April 2006, page 30
Change your appearance, not your shirt (by Celeste Biever)
Describes a new chameleonic material that mimics the colours and patterns of its surroundings.
11 September 2005, page 30
The right drug in the right place at the right time (by Celeste Biever)
Describes a new polymer that can be modified to release drugs at specific times.
2 April 2005, page 35-37
Metallic glass: A drop of the hard stuff (by Catherine Zandonella)
Reports that researchers have made a metallic alloy called ‘metallic glass’.
31 October 2004
Totally artificial hearts offer hope (by Rachel Nowak)
Describes the ‘totally artificial heart’ for patients waiting for a heart transplant.
31 October 2004, page 48-49
Bionic body (by Rachel Nowak)
This diagram summarises research on implants for humans.
28 July 2004
Simpler pump boosts failing hearts(by Anna Gosline)
Describes an improvement to ‘left ventricular assist devices’ for heart patients.
16 June 2004
Power implant aims to run on body heat (by Duncan Graham-Rowe)
Describes a microchip power source to recharge the batteries of pacemakers and defibrillators.
28 February 2004, pages 26-29
We can rebuild them (by Duncan Graham-Rowe)
Summarises advances in the development of artificial limbs.
30 April 2008
Real-life iron man: A robotic suit that magnifies human strength (by Larry Greenemeier)
Looks at an exoskeleton robotic suit to help support human limbs.
October 2007, pages 58-65
The diamond age of spintronics (by David D. Awschalom, Ryan Epstein and Ronald Hanson)
Explains spintronics and its potential for quantum electronic devices.
1 January 2005
Growing new organs (by David Mooney and Antonios Mikos)
Describes the first steps toward creating semisynthetic, living organs that can be used as human replacement parts.
1 November 2004
Rebuilding broken hearts (by Smadar Cohen and Jonathan Leor)
Covers the work of biologists and engineers to construct a human heart patch.
June 2006
Carbon fibres strengthen sagging bridges (by Daniel Heard)
Describes the use of ultra-light, ultra-strong carbon-fibre reinforced polymers to revamp ageing and under-strength bridges.
Page updated June 2008.