Spider silk as the key to a new bone-fixing composite

by Lorenzo DeSimone




Researchers at the University of Connecticut have created a biodegradable composite made of silk fibers that can be used to repair broken load-bearing bones without the complications sometimes presented by other materials.


To facilitate repair, doctors may install a metal plate to support the bone as it fuses and heals. Yet that can be problematic. Some metals leach ions into surrounding tissue, causing inflammation and irritation. Metals are also very stiff. If a metal plate bears too much load in the leg, the new bone may grow back weaker and be vulnerable to fracture.


The new composite is also resilient. Large leg bones in adults and seniors can take many months to heal. The composite developed in their lab does its job and then starts to degrade after a year. No surgery is required for removal.





This picture depicts a breakdown of the spider silk material with bone marrow. The composite is made of silk fibers and fibers of polylactic acid that are coated with fine bioceramic particles to add strength while maintaining flexibility. The biodegradable composite helps heal bones without the complications posed by metal parts.


Article here:
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/04/180419130915.htm

Artificial Intelligence Accelerates Discovery of Metallic Glass

Ryan Trojan

May 4, 2018

Engineering

"Combining artificial intelligence with experimentation sped up the discovery of metallic glass by 200 times. The new material's glassy nature makes it stronger, lighter and more corrosion-resistant than today's best steel."

If you combine two or three metals together, you will get an alloy that usually looks and acts like a metal, with its atoms organized in rigid geometric patterns. 

But sometimes, under perfect conditions, you get something entirely new: a futuristic alloy called metallic glass. The formless material's atoms are arranged every which way, much like the atoms of the glass in a window. Its glassy nature makes it stronger and lighter than today's best steel, and it stands up better to corrosion.



Northwestern University. "Artificial intelligence accelerates discovery of metallic glass: Machine learning algorithms pinpoint new materials 200 times faster than previously possible." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 13 April 2018. 

Cheap 3-D printer can produce self-folding materials

Alex Newton

May 4th

Engineering


"Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University have used an inexpensive 3-D printer to produce flat plastic items that, when heated, fold themselves into predetermined shapes, such as a rose, a boat or even a bunny." 


Lining Yao is a professor at the HC Interaction Institute and helped create these self-folding plastic objects. Self-folding objects help make them easier to transport. One of the examples they use is emergency shelter that can open up under heat of the sun. 

Others have tried to create self-folding with more exotic materials which are more expensive. Yao and his team was able to use a cheap 3D printer to create objects that would work just as good if not better.

Snow Day Holder By: Destiny Gwann

Snow Day Holder 

By: Destiny Gwann
Mr. Gray 

Instructions:

1. Put on a coat and gloves. 

2. Open the door and go outside to the backyard

3. Find some good fluffy snow 

4. Gather any other products you will use

5. Grab some leaves from your neighbors trees and grapes from inside

6. Push a bunch of snow together and get crushed ice 

7. Grab a big cup 
8. Pat it down

9. Fill it with all of the ingredients 
10. Grab a smaller cup and push a hole through the middle of it

11. Don't push it too far so you do not have a small break through on the bottom of it

11. Go back inside because you forgot the candle and the lighter and the sandpaper from home depot

12. Wipe your feet before entering the house again

13. Grab it then exit back out to the backyard 

14. Place the candle inside the inside of it and light it 

15. Take picture for blogger 

16. Then blow out the candle and take it inside 

17. Throw the candle in your neighbors yard