Pumping gone soft

Written by Harriet Brewerton for Chemistry World

Scientists are a step closer to producing soft machines that are efficient and long-lasting enough for practical applications.

 Soft pump

Engines and other machinery are currently composed of rigid parts that bear considerable forces and degrade over time. They are also limited to moving in a certain direction or around a certain axis. In nature many mechanical processes are carried out using soft materials that are nevertheless highly durable, efficient and capable of deforming and returning to their original shape in complex ways, for example the heart.

Interested? If so, read the full article at Chemistry World here.

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