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The U.S. has developed a new, low-cost, eco-friendly hydrogel material.
Release time:
2017-02-13
Hydrogels are soft materials characterized by their high water-retention and water-absorption properties, and they are used in a variety of fields, including diapers and the manufacture of contact lenses. However, factors such as high production costs, poor elasticity, and potential toxicity to humans and the environment have limited the commercial applications of hydrogels. Recently, U.S. researchers announced that they have developed a new process for manufacturing hydrogels using natural materials. The hydrogels produced through this process are inexpensive, safe, and highly elastic, opening up new possibilities for applications in areas such as food processing and fire suppression.
This study was published in the monthly journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Researchers at Stanford University say that the new hydrogel they have developed contains two inexpensive and abundant raw materials: cellulose polymer, derived from natural sources such as wood chips and agricultural crop residues, and colloidal silica nanoparticles sourced from sand. By mixing these two materials together, they have created a stable hydrogel. The researchers believe that this simple and cost-effective process holds promise for overcoming current high-cost limitations and making it possible to produce hydrogels on an industrial scale. With its exceptional elasticity, non-toxicity, and environmental friendliness, the new hydrogel material has broad application potential. The researchers also described their initial trials of using this new hydrogel to clean pipelines in wineries and to disperse flame-retardant agents.
Breweries use pipelines to transport liquid products, and a large amount of water is required to flush out the residual liquid left in the pipes. As these product residues are diluted by the water, most of them end up being discarded. Eric Appel, an assistant professor of materials science at Stanford University who led this research, says that breweries lose about 2% of their product during the production process—most of this loss occurs during the transfer stages. In collaboration with a winery in California, they’ve been experimenting with a specially formulated hydrogel as a replacement for water in flushing out residual grape juice from pipelines. Since the hydrogel doesn’t mix with the grape juice, it causes virtually no product loss. Made from food-grade materials such as cellulose and colloidal silica, this hydrogel also has no impact on the aroma or taste of the grape juice.
Wildfires are becoming increasingly frequent in North America, creating a huge demand for flame retardants to help extinguish them. Many flame retardants contain chemicals that can contaminate groundwater and are easily washed away by subsequent water sprays, thereby reducing their effectiveness in firefighting. In experiments, researchers mixed flame retardants with a new type of hydrogel and found that this combination adhered to burning materials for a significantly longer period than conventional flame retardants, effectively preventing the retardant from being washed away by subsequent water sprays. According to Appel, compared to conventional flame retardants, flame retardants combined with hydrogels can also be deployed from greater altitudes, resulting in less drift and evaporation, and posing no risk of groundwater contamination.
The research team is conducting large-scale tests of a new hydrogel material to expand its commercial application potential. They are also developing new hydrogel formulations that will enable the material to be used in cosmetic additives and as lubricants for oil drilling operations. (Xinhua News Agency, San Francisco, reporter Ma Dan)
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