Researchers have developed an ultra-light and ultra-strong material using silver and based on the structure of wood and bone. The new material, which is made from a combination of silver, gold and carbon, has been named after the Greek word for wood, "xylos". The process, outlined in the journal Science Advances, could be used in batteries, catalytic converters and biological scaffolds. Any material that can be turned into nanoparticles could be used, said Prof Rahul Panat, of Washington State University.
Researchers have developed an ultra-light and ultra-strong material using silver and based on the structure of wood and bone. The researchers used a type of 3D printing to create a fog of tiny droplets of silver to build up the structure in a process similar to that which creates "desert roses" in arid parts of Africa. The process, outlined in the journal Science Advances, could be used in batteries, catalytic converters and biological scaffolds. Any material that can be turned into nanoparticles could be used, said Prof Rahul Panat, of Washington State University.