Innovative materials: designers often better understand their value
Ahoy Rotterdam was the scene of the Material Xperience trade show. The show exhibited a large number of new and innovative materials. ‘Meet the future of materials’, was the slogan of the trade show, and bio-based, circular economy and sustainability were frequently discussed topics. Particularly for interested visitors not familiar with the latest material developments,
Bio concrete and other construction materials from local resources
As global housing programs are gearing up, the world will need a staggering amount of construction material over the next few decades. This will put a strain on resources, and produce a lot of CO2; unless we discard the present one-size-fits-all approach to materials use (on the basis of Portland cement) and develop local and
New materials as a source of inspiration for the fashion industry
Textiles made from pineapple leaves, self-massaging clothes, dresses made from fungi… During Material Xperience 2018 (13-15 March, Ahoy Rotterdam), fashion professionals can enjoy the marvel and the opportunities of many new materials. Trends in new materials for fashion According to the organizers of Material Xperience, there are some important trends in the fashion industry. The
Self-healing concrete in full development
Concrete degradation is one of the most costly problems of our time. Concrete will always crack, although less so if well-designed and well-constructed. Cracks will allow water and air to enter into the structure and eventually reach the steel reinforcement. When this erodes, it swells, causing more cracks. Concrete degradation of our infrastructure now requires
Innovative concrete: we need it badly, it’s there, we don’t use it
Cement production by itself is responsible for a stunning 5% of total global CO2 emissions. As global construction activities still gear up, we urgently need more sustainable concrete, no longer based on Portland cement, the basis of the construction industry for the past 200 years. And here’s the message: mankind has developed such innovative concrete.
Genetically modified food
In our first article we concluded: as long as modified genes do not end up in the final product, nobody will oppose genetic engineering; even opponents of the technology will not mind it. Problems arise only when genetically modified food is the issue. Or won’t they? This is the second of two columns on genetic
The role of chemistry in the reduction of plastic waste
In a first article, we proposed that plastic waste should no longer exist in ten to fifteen years from now. This ambitious goal needs to be tackled from two sides: plastics design on the input side, and dedicated processing on the output side. In both processes, chemists play a major role. And industry should show
Smart grids: the power of the small scale
In a first article on renewable energy system costs we concluded that these costs may be formidable if the electricity grid would remain much the same. This could jeopardise the future of renewable energy, and by implication, have major consequences for the earth’s climate. But smart grids may show another way, as exemplified by the
