Green Wonder Material--Plants as Strong as Steel

Dec-20-13 Researchers have discovered that the cellular structure of plants has the same stiffness as steel, which could lead to a more renewable source of construction materials.

The team, from Purdue University, demonstrated that the nanocrystals of cellulose have a stiffness of 206 gigapascals—about the same stiffness as steel. The properties of the crystals had not been measured before, due to their extremely small size (about 1/1000 the width of a grain of sand), but the team was able to predict their properties using quantum mechanics.

The cellulose nanocrystals could provide a green alternative to reinforcing materials such as polymers and concrete, and could also have applications in biodegradable bags and wound dressings, flexible batteries, water filters and more.

More Info about this Invention:

[CLEANTECHNICA.COM]
[PURDUE UNIVERSITY]

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