Posts Tagged ‘material’

Helicone HC

Unlike commonly known inorganic-effect pigment technologies such as interference and metallics, Helicone HC is based on a purely organic polymer. It is made from customized fine chemicals that are then transferred into a liquid-crystal polymer film, and subsequently milled into an effect pigment flake. Helicone...

October 22nd, 2010 | feature, paint | Read More

Litmuscreen

Jordan Geiger developed Litmuscreen as an architectural and product design material based on the performance and properties of litmus paper. Litmuscreen is a simple modification to an old technology—the adaptation of chemical properties found in lichen to indicate acid/base imbalances in a liquid....

September 10th, 2010 | feature, fiber | Read More

Crackle

When French luxury jeweler Mauboussin approached the Rockwell Group to design its new store, the design firm selected Nathan Allan Glass Studios Inc. to create a unique architectural decor element. The challenge was to make a statement without overwhelming the high-end merchandise it would showcase....

August 27th, 2010 | feature, glass | Read More

Cork Fabric

London-based designer Yemi Awosile has developed a new fabric from an innovative combination of repurposed cork and elastane. Cork Fabric is suited to interior design applications such as upholstery, wall coverings, and wall panels, and benefits from the high elasticity of elastane fiber as well as the...

August 22nd, 2010 | feature, fiber | Read More

Zetix

Most blast-defense systems are only capable of coping with a single explosive event. Once they have deployed, any protection they offered is lost. The unusual construction of the Zetix fabrics means that they effectively “vent” much of the blast energies through, lessening the load on the...

August 6th, 2010 | feature, textile | Read More

Bio-Based Foams

The Center for Composite Materials has synthesized flexible/rigid polyurethane foams from soybean oil polyols. The advantage of these foams is that they can replace petroleum-based materials (synthetic polyols) and can be used for many applications. The morphology of the foams can be controlled by several...

July 16th, 2010 | feature, plastic | Read More

Woven Horsehair

Marianne Kemp develops woven textiles out of unconventional combinations of materials. Using small bunches of horsehair interwoven with linen or cotton, Kemp creates curious fabrics in diverse colors and textures. The horsehair is sourced from live horses overseas, mainly from Mongolia. In the weaving...

July 2nd, 2010 | feature, fiber | Read More

Light Tape

Light Tape lamps alter one’s preconceptions about point based light sources. Imagine a lightbulb as thin as a credit card in any color that can be bent around any surface for hundreds and hundreds of feet, and that costs only a fraction of what traditional bulbs cost to operate. Developed by Electro-LuminX,...

June 11th, 2010 | feature, light | Read More

KiloLux

KiloLux is a monolithic glass block with the appearance of a laminate produced by thermally bonding glass at low temperatures. Wales-based Innovative Glass Products Ltd. developed the material for inclusion in building facades as a light-emitting decorative element. Because no adhesive is used to manufacture...

May 28th, 2010 | feature, glass | Read More

CarbonCoat

Geckos possess the remarkable ability to climb vertical walls without using any adhesive glue. A gecko’s feet are covered by tiny hairs that stick to rough and smooth surfaces using van der Waals forces. Inspired by the gecko design, Ali Dhinojwala and researchers at the University of Akron have...

May 15th, 2010 | feature, metals | Read More