New high-strength fiber raw material requires only sunlight and water

At the American Chemical Society meeting held this week, Dr. R. Malcolm Brown from the University of Texas at Austin released a research result: his team invented a method for culturing high-performance nanocellulose using bacteria. The finished product is thinner than paper and stronger than Kevlar. It is also inferior to Kevlar fiber. It can be used to make body armor and replace plastics as high-strength non-metal materials, etc. It has broad application prospects.

In one experiment, Dr. Brown had no intention to discover that using a mixture of coconut fruit, vinegar, and tea can produce a new type of bacteria that secretes high-strength nanocellulose. Cellulose itself is an extremely common substance. The main components of trunk and cotton are natural fibers. Compared with traditional cellulose, this type of nano-cellulose has higher strength and can even be conductive under some special conditions. In a subsequent study, Dr. Brown discovered that this type of nanocellulose is surprisingly strong. Ships made of one pound of this substance can withstand 1000 pounds of cargo! Even if it is soaked in water or other liquids for a long time, its strength will not decrease.

After being improved, Dr. Brown and his team can use sunlight, water and some specific algae to cultivate large amounts of bacteria, thus producing nanocellulose at a low price. In the process of production, not only is there no pollution, but because photosynthesis produces oxygen and consumes carbon dioxide, it can be said that it is all right and nothing happens. Dr. Brown still needs more money to research and improve nanocellulose. He believes this is a revolutionary material that can change the future of human life.