In Switzerland, the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (Empa) has created a computer mouse that works like any other, expect it is 100% compostable. The mouse’s printed circuit board is made from a wood substrate developed by the EU research project HyPELignum, while the casing is made out of biodegradable plastic and […]
In Switzerland, researchers at Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (Empa) have created a biodegradable material from the mycelium of the split-gill mushroom. The living, plastic-like substance is flexible, tough, and edible, offering a sustainable alternative to conventional plastics. The innovation lies in preserving the biological activity of the mushroom’s mycelium during processing. […]
In Switzerland, sustainably produced, biodegradable materials are an important focus of modern materials science. However, when working natural materials such as cellulose, lignin or chitin, researchers face a trade-off. Although these substances are biodegradable in their pure form, they are often not ideal when it comes to performance. Chemical processing steps can be used to […]
In Switzerland, researchers from the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (Empa) have developed a biodegradable battery made from fungus. The battery is 3D-printed using fungi cells mixed with printing ink. The battery is activated by adding water and nutrients and works by creating an anode of yeast fungus and a cathode of […]
In Switzerland, Empa researchers have extracted nanocellulose from a waste product of beer brewing and processed it into an aerogel. The high-quality biodegradable material could be used in food packaging. It all starts with the mash: the mixture of malt and water, which is stirred and gently heated for several hours. The resulting liquid is […]
