Bionics International

On the 7th International Conference of Bionic Engineering (ICBE 2022)

Bioincs

The 7th International Conference of Bionic Engineering & the International Youth Conference of Bionic Science and Engineering 2022 (ICBE & IYCBSE 2022) hosted by the ISBE will be held in Wuhan, China, October 7-10, 2022. The conference will be jointly organized by Wuhan University, Hubei University, and Jilin University, and conducted in an online/offline hybrid mode. The theme of ICBE & IYCBSE 2022 is “human, nature, harmony”, which is geared towards exploring new ideas and accomplishments for the practice of bio-inspired design and manufacture, while offering innovative solutions. The conference website is currently under construction. For more information, please refer to the webpage <a href="https://isbe-online.org/?ui=english&mod=info&act=view&id=4356" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(51, 122, 183); text-decoration-line: none; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: normal;">https://isbe-online.org/?ui=english&mod=info&act=view&id=4356</a>. Any questions or concerns please don’t hesitate to contact the secretariat at <a href="mailto:icbe2022@whu.edu.cn" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(51, 122, 183); text-decoration-line: none; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: normal;">icbe2022@whu.edu.cn</a>. ...

2021-10-08

0 Likes

0 Commonts

Call for Sponsorship

Ximei

The International Conference of Bionic Engineering (ICBE) and International Workshop of Bionic Engineering (IWBE) are the premier meeting for those working on bionic engineering. They bring together researchers and developers, both academic and industrial, from around the world to share their research achievements and explore research collaborations in the areas of bionic engineering.  The first and second conferences were held in Changchun organized by Jilin University in 2006 and 2008. The third one, at which the International Society of Bionic Engineering (ISBE) was established, was held in Zhuhai in 2010. The 4th conference was sponsored by Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics (China) and held in Nanjing in 2013. The 5th  conference (ICBE2016) was held in Ningbo in 2016 sponsored by University of Nottingham in Ningbo China. The 6th conference (ICBE2019) was held in Changchun in 2019 and Sponsored by Jilin University.  ISBE is always calling for sponsorship for the ICBE and IWBE among all the members . Sponsoring the ICBE or IWBE is an excellent way to communicate with hundreds of international researchers and scholars in different fields of Bionic Engineering and exhibit to a wide range of institutions and universities from all over the world. Members of the ISBE have the right to apply for the sponsorship. Sponsors could submit their application to the secretariat at any time, stating the information and assumption of your sponsorship.We especially wish to appeal to industrial applications of bionics and biomimetics. All offers of sponsorship will be considered on their merits. The Board of Directors of the ISBE reserve the right to receive offers, judge the value of offers, request further information and make the decision. If you are interested in becoming a sponsor for ICBE or IWBE, please contact us by any of the means listed below. ISBE SecretariatTel: +86-431-85166507； Fax: +86-431-85166507； E-mail: secretariat@isbe-online.org ...

2021-05-27

0 Likes

0 Commonts

The International Youth Conference of Bionic Science and Engineering (IYCBSE 2021)

Ximei

July 16-18, 2021, Shenzhen, China<p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Scope of the Conference<p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">The International Youth Conference of Bionic Science and Engineering Conference 2021 (IYCBSE2021) aims to bring together the world’s young researchers and leading scientists to discuss the cutting-edge developments in the vigorous field of bionics. This conference will cover the basic science underpinning bionic systems as well as the applied research in a myriad of exciting areas, and stimulate discussions and exchange of ideas to better translate nature’s inspiration to address grand challenges facing us. <p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">This conference will be hosted by the Youth Commission of the International Society of Bionic Engineering (ISBE), jointly organized by City University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), and Jilin University.<p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Hybrid Format<p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">This conference will be held in a hybrid format combining in-person attendance with online streaming to enable all attendees to share, network and interact safely and easily amid the global COVID-19 pandemic. <p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Conference Topics<p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">· Interfacial and transport phenomena <p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">· Nature-inspired structural and functional materials<p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">· Nature-inspired robots and flexible electronics<p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">· Nature-inspired energy conservation, conversion harvesting<p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">· Bionic implants and systems<p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">· Bionic tissues and organs<p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Honorary Chair<p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Luquan Ren, Jilin University, China<p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Conference Chair<p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Zuankai Wang, City University of Hong Kong, China<p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Zhihui Zhang, Jilin University, China<p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Conference Co-Chair<p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Zhiguang Guo, Hubei University, China<p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Zhihui Qian, Jilin University, China<p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Xuemin Du, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, CAS, China<p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Local Committee Chair and Co-Chair<p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Chao Zhong and Bin Wang, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, CAS<p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Qi Ge and Chuanfei Guo, Southern University of Science and Technology<p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Xing Ma and Chonglei Hao, Harbin Institute of Technology, Shenzhen<p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Xuechang Zhou, Shenzhen University<p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Program Chair and Co-Chair<p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Pengyuan Wang and Zhiyuan Liu, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, CAS<p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Plenary Talks<p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Zhenan Bao, Stanford University, USA (on-line)<p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Han Ding, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, China (on-site)<p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Lei Jiang, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China (on-site)<p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">David Quéré, Ecole polytechnique, France (on-line)<p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Zhigang Suo, Harvard University, USA (on-line)<p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Shuhong Yu, University of Science and Technology, China (on-site)<p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Important Dates<p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Abstract Submission Deadline: 25th May 2021<p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Notification of Acceptance: 31st May 2021<p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Early Registration: 30th June 2021<p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Onsite Registration: 16th July 2021<p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Conference Presentation: 17th-18th July 2021<p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Conference Location<p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, CAS, China<p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Registration<p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Including registration packet, access to all sessions, coffee breaks, conference bag and USB flash drive with e-book abstracts<p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Early Student /Late Student (Until June 30th) 1500RMB/1800RMB<p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Early Non-Student/ Late Non-Student 2200RMB/2800RMB<p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Secretariat<p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Dr. Qilong Zhao<p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Email: <a href="mailto:ql.zhao@siat.ac.cn" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(51, 122, 183); text-decoration-line: none;">ql.zhao@siat.ac.cn</a><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Phone: +86-15118817930<p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Address: 1068 Xueyuan Avenue, Shenzhen University Town, Shenzhen 518055, China<p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Website: <a _src="https://isbe-2021.scimeeting.cn/" href="https://isbe-2021.scimeeting.cn/" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(51, 122, 183); text-decoration-line: none;">https://isbe-2021.scimeeting.cn/</a> ...

2021-05-27

0 Likes

0 Commonts

Why is it itchy? A second skin, wool and other fabrics

Sunny

<p style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; font-size: 18px; line-height: 2; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Lato, Helvetica, sans-serif; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Do you remember that wool pullover from your grandma? Yeah, the heavy one with much more than 2 colors or  a very tasteful motive on. It is that one that you only wear once a year when your grandma is there. The itchy one. When you think about this pullover your skin turns red.<p style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; font-size: 18px; line-height: 2; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Lato, Helvetica, sans-serif; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Several years ago I had such a pullover. It was made of pure wool of sheep. I could never wear it. Way too itchy. Now, after purchasing several other wool products, I wanted to know why some kinds of wools are itchy and others are very soft and cosy.<p style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; font-size: 18px; line-height: 2; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Lato, Helvetica, sans-serif; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">I think that topic fits very well to our actual theme session about surfaces. In fact, there are only few parameters which define the feeling of a specific material on our skins. Of course, there are differences in experiencing these different kinds of materials and surfaces. For sure a lot of people will never have problems with wool.<h3 style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin: 10px 0px; font-family: Merriweather, serif; font-weight: 400; line-height: 40px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); text-rendering: optimizelegibility; font-size: 24.5px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">A second skin</h3><p style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; font-size: 18px; line-height: 2; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Lato, Helvetica, sans-serif; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Why would you prefer wool in general as a superior material for your wearables? I would answer this by mentioning the attributes that can be delivered by wool in comparison to synthetic fibers.<p style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; font-size: 18px; line-height: 2; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Lato, Helvetica, sans-serif; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">First to mention is the ability to regulate moisture, including sweat. Maybe this sounds a little bit trivial, but this property makes the difference between a stinky and a neutral smelling shirt.<p style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; font-size: 18px; line-height: 2; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Lato, Helvetica, sans-serif; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">As you can see in the picture above, synthetic fibers are smooth, as natural keratin wool has a lot of „scales“ which make the surface rough and overall surface is much bigger than the surface of the synthetic fabrics for example polyester. This increased surface itself lets the water much easier evaporate, only sweat which can be metabolized by bacteria lets a shirt smell bad. So it is not the sweat itself which smells. On polyester, the sweat stays for much longer, so the bacteria have much more time to operate. Furthermore, the rough surface makes it harder for bacteria to attach on.<p style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; font-size: 18px; line-height: 2; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Lato, Helvetica, sans-serif; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Other materials, which are also hygroscopic, like cotton or linen only have the possibility to store water inside the fabric/fibers. The stored sweat is not available for bacteria to metabolize, but of course it does not prevent bad smell such good as wool can do it, because of the limited storage available. The other effect mentioned above is still existing but less significant. Of course, it is possibly also depending on the fabric itself, that moisture can be regulated by ventilation and convection.<p style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; font-size: 18px; line-height: 2; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Lato, Helvetica, sans-serif; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">The second big advantage of wool as a second skin is the active heat management, which is directly connected to the evaporation rate, especially when we talk about cooling. So, it is no surprise that the fast water evaporation leads to a lower temperature. When we talk about warming, then the hygroscopic effect is interesting again. It keeps the skin dry and the curled structure of wool fabrics generates air pockets, where the air can stay. The curled structure has another side effect. It minimizes the contact area of the fabric to the skin, so the heat conduction is also reduced. These effects are also helping during the cooling process. Specific kinds of wool also have the ability of warming, when they are moist! Maybe the description of the absorption process follows in a later article.<p style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; font-size: 18px; line-height: 2; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Lato, Helvetica, sans-serif; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> <h3 style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin: 10px 0px; font-family: Merriweather, serif; font-weight: 400; line-height: 40px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); text-rendering: optimizelegibility; font-size: 24.5px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Not one of a kind: wool</h3><p style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; font-size: 18px; line-height: 2; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Lato, Helvetica, sans-serif; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Now I want to give you an overview about the different kinds of wool.<p style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; font-size: 18px; line-height: 2; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Lato, Helvetica, sans-serif; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Cotton is the only herbal kind of wool in this context. The fibers are harvested from the seed hairs of Gossypium. For a low budget this fibers are the perfect option, because in general cotton is cheap and easy to wear and clean. It is a more passive material for clothes, because it is not very good for warming or cooling. Of course, there a very big differences in quality and fiber length, depending on variety and production location. The best cotton is the West Indian Sea Island Cotton and has fiber length up to 55 mm. Also, it is possible to give cotton different kinds of refinements. My personal favourite is the mercerisation, where the yarn is pulled through a sodium hydroxide solution. The yarn macerates and the cross-section changes from reniform to round, while the fiber length gets reduced by 25%. Also, the mechanical strength and dimensional stability is increased, which means the fabric is more robust and keeps its shape also during a lot of cleanses. The characteristics maybe change a lot, but it is very cosy especially as underwear! Furthermore, the cotton gets a shiny like silk and is easier to dye.<p style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; font-size: 18px; line-height: 2; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Lato, Helvetica, sans-serif; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> <p style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; font-size: 18px; line-height: 2; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Lato, Helvetica, sans-serif; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">The classic wool is gained by shearing of healthy and living sheep. You should look for the Woolmark seal, to be sure that this criterium was fulfilled! It is a very soft and smooth material. But here we are, depending on some parameters, the wool can be also very itchy. Because of the worldwide demand in many kinds of wearables, wool is still considered a low-priced nature product. Different to cotton, wool is a very active material. It can help to regulate the temperature in hot and cold days.<p style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; font-size: 18px; line-height: 2; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Lato, Helvetica, sans-serif; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> <p style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; font-size: 18px; line-height: 2; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Lato, Helvetica, sans-serif; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Merino wool is another kind a sheep wool usually from Australia. Because of the longer growing time of the fur, the fibers are thinner and more elastic. The lesser fiber thickness leads to much less problems for many people (more information below). Many fabrics are traded as „next to skin“ and I think this definition is more than correct. Another big advantage is the smell neutrality. You can wear your pullover, shirts, etc. for a long time without washing. Usually you only need to ventilate your merino product for a while and it is fresh again. The general cleaning mania is very questionable and profit oriented. A good wool does not be washed once a week. 3-4 times a year is much more gentle to the material. This counts for all animal wool fabrics!<p style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; font-size: 18px; line-height: 2; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Lato, Helvetica, sans-serif; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> <p style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; font-size: 18px; line-height: 2; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Lato, Helvetica, sans-serif; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Alpaca camel wool is one of the most expensive kinds of wool because the very slow growing fur. The camel get sheared only once in 2 years! But you get very light and flexible fibers with an isolating effect. It is perfect for winter wear. In the next part I show you examples of the fiber characteristics and how wool is separated in different quality levels.<p style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; font-size: 18px; line-height: 2; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Lato, Helvetica, sans-serif; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> <p style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; font-size: 18px; line-height: 2; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Lato, Helvetica, sans-serif; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Angora rabbit wool is collected by shearing, combing or plucking. Especially the plucking on the living animal is very brutal. That is why the demand of that kind of wool is diminishing in the last years. Of course, the fabric is very warming and fluffy, but also very fuzzy.<p style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; font-size: 18px; line-height: 2; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Lato, Helvetica, sans-serif; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> <p style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; font-size: 18px; line-height: 2; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Lato, Helvetica, sans-serif; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Mohair wool is a product of the angora goat. It is the lightest of all kind of wool and very comfy to wear. The refinement process is very complicated and the results are still fuzzy. But the lightness and the high flexibility makes this in my opinion to the best wearable fabric in winter. For warm days I miss the active characteristics of merino wool.<p style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; font-size: 18px; line-height: 2; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Lato, Helvetica, sans-serif; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> <p style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; font-size: 18px; line-height: 2; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Lato, Helvetica, sans-serif; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Cashmere is maybe the one with the most well known name, when it comes to name high quality wool. The fibers are collected from the cashmere goat by combining. It has a slight silky touch and is most used together with other fabrics. It is very light and thin. It also has high warming capabilities.<img src="https://goodmorninggloucester.files.wordpress.com/2014/12/wool_fibers.jpg" alt="wool"/> <h3 style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin: 10px 0px; font-family: Merriweather, serif; font-weight: 400; line-height: 40px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); text-rendering: optimizelegibility; font-size: 24.5px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">The parameters</h3><p style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; font-size: 18px; line-height: 2; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Lato, Helvetica, sans-serif; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">The most interesting parameters in the context of itch and scratch are the fiber length and fiber strength. The quality of the spin process and specific refinements are the secondary parameters, but still with a big influence on the wear experience.<p style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; font-size: 18px; line-height: 2; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Lato, Helvetica, sans-serif; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">The fibre length is meant to be the real length of a fiber before any refinements or the spinning process. It seems that the length is important to create a yarn which is consistent in shape and roughness over the full yarn length. Are the fibers too short, you can get a rough feeling on your skin, but doesn’t have to be itchy.<p style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; font-size: 18px; line-height: 2; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Lato, Helvetica, sans-serif; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">My experience over the last years taught me, that the fiber strength (or thickness) is the most important factor. It is pretty easy. If the fiber is too thick, bigger than 25 µm, then the fabric gets itchy. This is directly connected to the flexibility of the fiber, because the itchiness is mostly an irritation of your skin. It is the contact with a fiber which is not elastic enough to bend.<p style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; font-size: 18px; line-height: 2; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Lato, Helvetica, sans-serif; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> <p style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; font-size: 18px; line-height: 2; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Lato, Helvetica, sans-serif; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">To give you an overview about the dimensions I use the example of alpaca wool and how it is offered on the market. These fiber thickness values are given in Micron. It is meant to be the same like µm.<ul style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; padding: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 25px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Lato, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class=" list-paddingleft-2"><li>Royal: <19 Micron</li><li>Baby: 22 Micron</li><li>Superfine: 25.5 Micron</li><li>Suri: 27 Micron</li><li>Adult: 27.5 Micron</li><li>Huarizo: 32 Micron</li><li>Llama: 34 Micron</li><li>Coarse: 36 Micron</li></ul><p style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; font-size: 18px; line-height: 2; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Lato, Helvetica, sans-serif; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">This overview should help you to find the right fabrics. For your orientation, some people experience the superine grade as already itchy!<p style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; font-size: 18px; line-height: 2; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Lato, Helvetica, sans-serif; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">To summarize both of these characteristics: The fiber length and strength are leading to the ability of bending. If the fiber is too short, it easily gets stiff and creates an itchy feeling. Same counts for an increased fiber strength. In extreme cases this can lead to skin irritation!<p style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; font-size: 18px; line-height: 2; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Lato, Helvetica, sans-serif; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">By the way, the receptors on your skin to feel itchy are different ones then for example the ones for pain! The itch and scratch mechanism is an important reaction of the body to protect the organism of small but maybe harmful particles.<p style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; font-size: 18px; line-height: 2; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Lato, Helvetica, sans-serif; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> <p style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; font-size: 18px; line-height: 2; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Lato, Helvetica, sans-serif; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">How many times did you scratched yourself by reading this article? I would bet not more than me during the writing… It is a normal reflex to be much more sensitive for itches during thinking about itches!<p style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; font-size: 18px; line-height: 2; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Lato, Helvetica, sans-serif; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> <p style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; font-size: 18px; line-height: 2; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Lato, Helvetica, sans-serif; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Have a scratchy day!<p style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; font-size: 18px; line-height: 2; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Lato, Helvetica, sans-serif; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Jan<p style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; font-size: 18px; line-height: 2; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Lato, Helvetica, sans-serif; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> <h3 style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin: 10px 0px; font-family: Merriweather, serif; font-weight: 400; line-height: 40px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); text-rendering: optimizelegibility; font-size: 24.5px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">References</h3><p style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; font-size: 18px; line-height: 2; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Lato, Helvetica, sans-serif; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Wool:<p style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; font-size: 18px; line-height: 2; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Lato, Helvetica, sans-serif; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/wool" style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; color: rgb(255, 255, 255); max-width: 100%; display: inline-block; margin-left: 2px; margin-right: 4px; position: relative; padding: 0px 5px; line-height: 26px; background-color: rgb(176, 109, 7); text-decoration-line: none !important; transition: none 0s ease 0s !important; transform: none !important;">https://www.britannica.com/topic/wool</a><p style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; font-size: 18px; line-height: 2; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Lato, Helvetica, sans-serif; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Britannica. Vol. 12, P. 746 f.<p style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; font-size: 18px; line-height: 2; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Lato, Helvetica, sans-serif; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Sweat and Smell:<p style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; font-size: 18px; line-height: 2; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Lato, Helvetica, sans-serif; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Lundström, Johan N.; Olsson, Mats J. (2010). „Functional Neuronal Processing of Human Body Odors“. Pheromones. Academic Press<p style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; font-size: 18px; line-height: 2; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Lato, Helvetica, sans-serif; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Merino wool:<p style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; font-size: 18px; line-height: 2; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Lato, Helvetica, sans-serif; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><a href="https://www.numei.com/about-merino-wool.html" style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; color: rgb(255, 255, 255); max-width: 100%; display: inline-block; margin-left: 2px; margin-right: 4px; position: relative; padding: 0px 5px; line-height: 26px; background-color: rgb(176, 109, 7); text-decoration-line: none !important; transition: none 0s ease 0s !important; transform: none !important;">https://www.numei.com/about-merino-wool.html</a><p style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; font-size: 18px; line-height: 2; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Lato, Helvetica, sans-serif; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">https://www.bergzeit.de/magazin/merinowolle-materialkunde-die-funktion-der-faser-im-ueberblick/<p style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; font-size: 18px; line-height: 2; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Lato, Helvetica, sans-serif; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Alpaca:<p style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; font-size: 18px; line-height: 2; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Lato, Helvetica, sans-serif; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">http://www.pacomarca.com/alpaca-basic-information.html<p style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; font-size: 18px; line-height: 2; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Lato, Helvetica, sans-serif; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">General:<p style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; font-size: 18px; line-height: 2; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Lato, Helvetica, sans-serif; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">http://fiberarts.org/design/articles/mercerized.html<p style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; font-size: 18px; line-height: 2; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Lato, Helvetica, sans-serif; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><a href="https://baumwollboerse.de/informationen/" style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; color: rgb(255, 255, 255); max-width: 100%; display: inline-block; margin-left: 2px; margin-right: 4px; position: relative; padding: 0px 5px; line-height: 26px; background-color: rgb(176, 109, 7); text-decoration-line: none !important; transition: none 0s ease 0s !important; transform: none !important;">https://baumwollboerse.de/informationen/</a><p style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; font-size: 18px; line-height: 2; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Lato, Helvetica, sans-serif; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">wikipedia.org<p style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; font-size: 18px; line-height: 2; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Lato, Helvetica, sans-serif; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">My own experience<p style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; font-size: 18px; line-height: 2; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Lato, Helvetica, sans-serif; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Itch and Scratch:<p style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; font-size: 18px; line-height: 2; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Lato, Helvetica, sans-serif; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3170689/" style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; color: rgb(255, 255, 255); max-width: 100%; display: inline-block; margin-left: 2px; margin-right: 4px; position: relative; padding: 0px 5px; line-height: 26px; background-color: rgb(176, 109, 7); text-decoration-line: none !important; transition: none 0s ease 0s !important; transform: none !important;">https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3170689/</a><p style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; font-size: 18px; line-height: 2; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Lato, Helvetica, sans-serif; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Title:<p style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; font-size: 18px; line-height: 2; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Lato, Helvetica, sans-serif; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">By 4028mdk09 (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons ...

2020-10-03

2 Likes

2 Commonts

Living among the algae – the better battery …?

Sunny

<p style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; font-size: 18px; line-height: 2; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Lato, Helvetica, sans-serif; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">The topic of energy storage is more up-to-date than ever. Electric mobility solutions are in need of high-capacity batteries to operate over large distances. The demand for renewable energy sources like wind or solar energy is growing – but those resources are not continuously available. Practical solutions to store energy, available during storms or sunshine and use on the next windless day or the night, are not available. Tackling this issue in a ‘biomimetic way’, one could look into nature and try to find natural solutions for energy storage. But at this point I would like to refer to <a href="http://www.blogionik.org/pov-energy-storage-biomimicry-biomimetic-environment/" style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; color: rgb(255, 255, 255); max-width: 100%; display: inline-block; margin-left: 2px; margin-right: 4px; position: relative; padding: 0px 5px; line-height: 26px; background-color: rgb(176, 109, 7); text-decoration-line: none !important; transition: none 0s ease 0s !important; transform: none !important;">Jan’s article</a> from last week. The production and distribution of energy is nature is fundamentally different from human technology! Energy storage solutions in nature are a potato full of carbohydrates. Or a bear getting fat and prepared for hibernation – but not a battery which operates your dishwasher!<p style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; font-size: 18px; line-height: 2; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Lato, Helvetica, sans-serif; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> <h3 style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin: 10px 0px; font-family: Merriweather, serif; font-weight: 400; line-height: 40px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); text-rendering: optimizelegibility; font-size: 24.5px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">So, what can we do?</h3><p style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; font-size: 18px; line-height: 2; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Lato, Helvetica, sans-serif; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">In 2013, I visited the IBA (the international building exhibition) in Hamburg. Actually, for one main reason: to see the algae house by BIQ. This building is a pioneer housing project in Hamburg-Wilhelmsburg, where engineers and architects (and I am sure some biologist were also involved) designed a house which is completely energy self-sufficient and gets its energy mainly from a façade out of bioreactors with algae. Of course, this is not a battery per se. But it illustrates perfectly, what a modern renewable energy concept can look like, how natural energy cycles work and how they might serve as energy storage solutions via time-delayed effects.<h3 style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin: 10px 0px; font-family: Merriweather, serif; font-weight: 400; line-height: 40px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); text-rendering: optimizelegibility; font-size: 24.5px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">How does the algae house work?</h3><p style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; font-size: 18px; line-height: 2; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Lato, Helvetica, sans-serif; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Even though the prominent algae façade is the most obvious feature of the algae house, it is a holistic renewable energy concept which makes it so special. The algae in the bio reactors at the house façade are growing and multiplying and thereby producing biomass. This biomass is transformed into methane (=biogas) in an internal biogas plant ( 70-80% efficiency). This biogas is operating an efficient fuel cell and here it is! The electricity we need for lights, dishwasher and all the other electrical devices we want to use in our algae house. As a by-product, we gain heat (for hot water or heating in the house) and CO2. This we give back to the algae, because they need it for photosynthesis. Excessive heat which is not needed for internal heating or hot water is going into the local grid for the neighbourhood or stored in a geothermal energy system underneath the algae house. If you want to see this energy cycle in a nice animation – please click <a href="http://www.biq-wilhelmsburg.de/energiekreislauf/energiekonzept.html" style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; color: rgb(255, 255, 255); max-width: 100%; display: inline-block; margin-left: 2px; margin-right: 4px; position: relative; padding: 0px 5px; line-height: 26px; background-color: rgb(176, 109, 7); text-decoration-line: none !important; transition: none 0s ease 0s !important; transform: none !important;">here</a> to get more information about the BIQ algae house first hand.<h3 style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin: 10px 0px; font-family: Merriweather, serif; font-weight: 400; line-height: 40px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); text-rendering: optimizelegibility; font-size: 24.5px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"></h3><p style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; font-size: 18px; line-height: 2; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Lato, Helvetica, sans-serif; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> <h3 style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin: 10px 0px; font-family: Merriweather, serif; font-weight: 400; line-height: 40px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); text-rendering: optimizelegibility; font-size: 24.5px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">How is the algae house a ‘better battery’?</h3><p style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; font-size: 18px; line-height: 2; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Lato, Helvetica, sans-serif; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Now coming back to the topic of energy storage and the question, if the algae house really is a better battery! By definition: a battery is an electrochemical energy storage solution with an interconnection of multiple galvanic cells. Find more info about galvanic cells <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galvanic_cell" style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; color: rgb(255, 255, 255); max-width: 100%; display: inline-block; margin-left: 2px; margin-right: 4px; position: relative; padding: 0px 5px; line-height: 26px; background-color: rgb(176, 109, 7); text-decoration-line: none !important; transition: none 0s ease 0s !important; transform: none !important;">here.</a> Or a short explanation: a device which is converting chemical into electrical energy via coupling two chemical reactions (oxidation and reduction) with an ionic bridge and using the resulting flow of electrodes to generate a current. The basic principle of a battery can be found in the algae house (for example in the operating fuel cell) but I think it is more the overall concept, which resembles a sophisticated – biological –  energy storage solution. Even though our algae rely on sunshine to photosynthesize and grow – energy from their biomass can be generated also in the night! The algae are fixating CO2 which is available later. So, on a sunny and warm day we might have some loss of solar energy because we cannot store more hot water than our tanks can take. But: under optimal conditions, the algae are growing very fast and their increasing biomass is a storage of energy in itself.<h3 style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin: 10px 0px; font-family: Merriweather, serif; font-weight: 400; line-height: 40px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); text-rendering: optimizelegibility; font-size: 24.5px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Is this Biomimetics?</h3><p style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; font-size: 18px; line-height: 2; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Lato, Helvetica, sans-serif; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Without wanting to bore you with definition, I find the question if such a concept is considered ‘biomimetic’ quite interesting. As described above, we are for sure using a biological functional principle to improve a technological application. So: this is Biomimetics. Because we are USING biological material though (the algae) – this is actually belonging into the field of Biotechnology. SO: I would conclude that on a material basis, we are dealing with Biotechnology. But on a conceptual basis, this is definitely a bio-inspired – or even biomimetic –  energy system. If you want some further clarification of these terms: find more info in this <a href="http://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1748-3190/12/1/011004/meta" style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; color: rgb(255, 255, 255); max-width: 100%; display: inline-block; margin-left: 2px; margin-right: 4px; position: relative; padding: 0px 5px; line-height: 26px; background-color: rgb(176, 109, 7); text-decoration-line: none !important; transition: none 0s ease 0s !important; transform: none !important;">publication</a>.<p style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; font-size: 18px; line-height: 2; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Lato, Helvetica, sans-serif; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Would you like to live among algae to support the concept of an energy self-sufficient house? Please feel free to post your thoughts and comments about the algae house!Repost from  <a href="https://blogionik.org/blog/2017/04/28/algae/#comments" style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; color: rgb(154, 154, 154); text-decoration-line: none !important; transition: none 0s ease 0s !important; transform: none !important;">Keine Kommentare</a> ...

2020-10-03

1 Likes

1 Commonts

Mimicking salt filtration membranes in nature, Technical Implementation

Sunny

After learning about how the <a href="http://www.blogionik.org/filter-salt-mangroves/" style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; color: rgb(255, 255, 255); max-width: 100%; display: inline-block; margin-left: 2px; margin-right: 4px; position: relative; padding: 0px 5px; line-height: 26px; background-color: rgb(176, 109, 7); font-family: Lato, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; white-space: normal; text-decoration-line: none !important; transition: none 0s ease 0s !important; transform: none !important;">plant kingdom keeps salt out</a> and <a href="http://www.blogionik.org/salt-regulation/" style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; color: rgb(255, 255, 255); max-width: 100%; display: inline-block; margin-left: 2px; margin-right: 4px; position: relative; padding: 0px 5px; line-height: 26px; background-color: rgb(176, 109, 7); font-family: Lato, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; white-space: normal; text-decoration-line: none !important; transition: none 0s ease 0s !important; transform: none !important;">how fish deal with high salt concentrations</a>, I would like to discuss how it affects us humans. All throughout the history the availability of salt has been important to civilization. As a matter of fact the word salary come from the <a href="http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?search=salary" style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; color: rgb(255, 255, 255); max-width: 100%; display: inline-block; margin-left: 2px; margin-right: 4px; position: relative; padding: 0px 5px; line-height: 26px; background-color: rgb(176, 109, 7); font-family: Lato, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; white-space: normal; text-decoration-line: none !important; transition: none 0s ease 0s !important; transform: none !important;">Latin word</a> for ‘salt’, because the Roman Legions were sometimes paid in salt. <img src="http://www.blogionik.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/1.png" width="506" height="250" style="width: 506px; height: 250px;"/> <p style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; font-size: 18px; line-height: 2; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Lato, Helvetica, sans-serif; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Salt is all around us, in our food, underground, on the earth’s surface and oceans around us. Its existence is due to the dried up residues of ancient seas. It has many types and methods of production; white salt comes from evaporating ‘solution-mined’ brine inside pressure vessels.  The salt we use for our roads comes from ancient salt deposits in the mines. Many places in the world use the sun to produce salt from ocean water. To put this in perspective, ocean water has a salinity of 3.5% that is 35 grams of solids per liter.<p style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; font-size: 18px; line-height: 2; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Lato, Helvetica, sans-serif; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Salt though is used in almost everything we eat and in making of plastic, paper, glass, polyester, rubber and fertilizers to household bleach, soaps, detergents and dyes. But we still want to keep it out of lives in some cases. For example salt is bad for your cars, also to our body in large content and most importantly the same water used to make salt cannot be used for drinking.<p style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; font-size: 18px; line-height: 2; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Lato, Helvetica, sans-serif; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Nature uses membranes to remove salts and filter water. We have many such processes as well; filters (sieves) where the size of the sediments filtered is determined by the pore size. The other process is reverse osmosis, where water is pushed through a dense non-porous active layer film on a porous support (2). Water purification faces a major challenge of high energy costs incurred by current <a href="https://phys.org/tags/membrane/" style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; color: rgb(255, 255, 255); max-width: 100%; display: inline-block; margin-left: 2px; margin-right: 4px; position: relative; padding: 0px 5px; line-height: 26px; background-color: rgb(176, 109, 7); text-decoration-line: none !important; transition: none 0s ease 0s !important; transform: none !important;">membrane</a> systems to recover water from saline sources. These processes are costly as they require high osmotic pressure to push water through the membranes (2). <img src="http://www.blogionik.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/4.jpg"/> <p style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; font-size: 18px; line-height: 2; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Lato, Helvetica, sans-serif; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Nature uses aquaporins, also known as the water channel membranes, found abundantly in many of the mechanisms they are the functional unit of nature’s <a href="https://phys.org/tags/water+purification/" style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; color: rgb(255, 255, 255); max-width: 100%; display: inline-block; margin-left: 2px; margin-right: 4px; position: relative; padding: 0px 5px; line-height: 26px; background-color: rgb(176, 109, 7); text-decoration-line: none !important; transition: none 0s ease 0s !important; transform: none !important;">water purification</a> systems. These membranes can be found in all the living organisms from mangrove plants to bacteria and human kidneys. Aquaporins work in an ingenious way in selective water transport. These molecules, basically attract the water molecules, due to the hydrophobic nature of the water channels, they shoot out the water molecule at the other end. In spite of water molecules being able to pass through the protein channel in a single file, this is highly effective and fast transportation of up to one billion every second.<p style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; font-size: 18px; line-height: 2; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Lato, Helvetica, sans-serif; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">One of the major advantages of such membranes is that they allow large volumes of water molecules to pass through a relatively small area at low pressures. Hence allowing for desalination of water at low pressure. Such membranes are responsible for filtering 90% of the salt in mangrove trees and providing up to 150 liters of filtered water in human kidneys. Apart from filtering salt aquaporin molecules have the ability to restrict the passage of contaminants including bacteria, viruses, minerals, proteins, DNA, dissolved gases, salts, detergents, and even protons without encumbering the passage of water (4).<p style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; font-size: 18px; line-height: 2; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Lato, Helvetica, sans-serif; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> <p style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; font-size: 18px; line-height: 2; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Lato, Helvetica, sans-serif; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Researchers at the National university of Singapore (NUS) have designed such a membrane which they claim is inspired from mangrove trees membranes. They have succeeded in placing these aquaporins proteins onto polymer filtration surfaces, which allow high volumes of water at low pressure and energy. Assoc. Prof. Tong from NUS explains that “This biomimetic membrane is build to mimic the layers of cells on the roots of mangrove trees. This is done by embedding nano sized aquaporin vesicles onto a sable ultra filtration substrate membrane using an innovative yet simple and easy-to-implement surface imprinting technology”.<p style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; font-size: 18px; line-height: 2; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Lato, Helvetica, sans-serif; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">In contrast, due to the presence of two different layers, the biomimetic membrane presents a higher mechanical strength and stability. This makes it ideal for industrial applications where it could resolve large water related issues.<img src="http://www.blogionik.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/2.jpg"/> In conclusion, natural mechanisms mangrove trees and aquatic life provide inspiration for such biomimetic products. Further development of this could have serious implementations in biological and biomedical fields. <h3 style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin: 10px 0px; font-family: Merriweather, serif; font-weight: 400; line-height: 40px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); text-rendering: optimizelegibility; font-size: 24.5px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">References:</h3><ol style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; padding: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 25px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Lato, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class=" list-paddingleft-2"><li>The many uses of Salt. (2017). Maldonsalt.co.uk. Retrieved 2 July 2017, from <a href="http://www.maldonsalt.co.uk/About-Salt-The-many-uses-of-Salt.html" style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; color: rgb(0, 140, 35); text-decoration-line: none !important; transition: none 0s ease 0s !important; transform: none !important;">http://www.maldonsalt.co.uk/About-Salt-The-many-uses-of-Salt.html</a>.</li><li>Biomimetic Membranes: Taking on Energy Usage in Water Purification. (2017). Waterworld.com. Retrieved 2 July 2017, from http://www.waterworld.com/articles/wwi/print/volume-27/issue-3/editorial-focus/desalination/biomimetic-membranes-taking.html</li><li>Highly efficient nature-inspired membrane could potentially lower cost of water purification by 30 per cent. (2017). Phys.org. Retrieved 2 July 2017, from https://phys.org/news/2015-12-highly-efficient-nature-inspired-membrane-potentially.html</li><li>Biomimetic Membranes: Nature Inspires Next Generation of Water Filtration Technology. (2017). Waterworld.com. Retrieved 2 July 2017, from http://www.waterworld.com/articles/iww/print/volume-14/issue-3/features/biomimetic-membranes.html</li></ol>Repost from   <a href="https://blogionik.org/blog/2017/07/03/theme-salt/#comments" style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; color: rgb(154, 154, 154); text-decoration-line: none !important; transition: none 0s ease 0s !important; transform: none !important;">Keine Kommentare</a> ...

2020-10-03

1 Likes

0 Commonts