Japanese scientists create elastic water..

Well this is strange. Set to possibly replace plastics or at least provide a much more ecologically freindly alternative.

The stuff is 95% water with 2 grams of clay and 'organic material' thats a bit ambiguous for my liking so I'm going to go and try and find out exactly what that means.

This stuff could potentially make a big difference in the world.

www.tomsguide.com...

www.bernama.com...

[edit on 26-1-2010 by Chonx]

english.ruvr.ru...

can also be used as a medical glue and is completely harmless to humans. This stuff could prove to be quite a revloutionary substance if and when it becomes widely available.

Explanation: S&F!

Could the clay be ...?

Bentonite Clay [wiki]

or ....

Kaolinite [wiki]

And could the organic material be Crucifix Toad Glue?

Crucifix Toad [wiki]

Characterization of a Protein-based Adhesive Elastomer Secreted by the Australian Frog Notaden bennetti[American Chemical Society acs.org]

Frog Glue [Catalyst abc.net.au]

Personal Disclosure:

reply to post by OmegaLogos


I think you could be bang on with the Kaolinite, sounds like the right kind of clay and is already in use in similar roles as the preposed uses for the elastic water.

Frog glue! I've never come across this before, how interesting (and weird!). I read the link but I may have missed why the Crucifix Toads secrete the stuff? What is their natural application for it?

reply to post by Chonx


Explanation: From [wiki] Source on the Toads I linked above....

"The frog exudes a tacky and elastic "frog glue" onto its dorsal skin
when provoked.

Its purpose is uncertain; it may be intended to confuse
and deter predators such as snakes, or to trap biting insects (which
would later be consumed when the frog sheds and eats its skin).

Male Crucafix Toads have been documented to use this glue to attach themselves onto the larger females during mating.

The glue it uses has been found to be stronger than available non-toxic medical adhesives, and is the subject of further study.

The glue is a protein-based pressure-sensitive adhesive that functions even in wet conditions."

Personal Disclosure: Seems it might have multiple uses!

Bernama also reports that--by increasing its density--the new material could be used to produce "ecologically plastic materials," or could replace plastic altogether. This aspect is still under investigation until September 2010. However, if successful, the scientists may have found a way to make the world a little greener.

What an opportune timing, replacement for plastics.

Aqua material something something, I think

This project, using previous research results to design a compound based on polymer-modified cationic Dendron of both ends of the new hydrophilic polymer, surface and underlying layer of clay and Dendron under the basic concept of water to hold the mesh structure is formed by non-covalently cross-linked hydrophilic polymer layer interaction using clay, efforts to develop a strength Akuamateriaru, high moisture content of about 95% and 0.5MPa (MPa)併Se持Chi the high rigidity, we have succeeded in developing a self-restoring Akuamateriaru transparent and shape retention. この剛性は天然物由来のアクアマテリアルとして知られ、このアクアマテリアルとほぼ同等の水分を有している こんにゃくの強度の約５００倍に相当します。 This rigidity is known as a natural product derived Akuamateriaru about the strength of konjac has a water equivalent corresponds to roughly 500 times this Akuamateriaru.

I don't speak Japanese, what do you expect?

British Nature

With the world’s focus on reducing our dependency on fossil-fuel energy, the scientific community can investigate new plastic materials that are much less dependent on petroleum than are conventional plastics. Given increasing environmental issues, the idea of replacing plastics with water-based gels, so-called hydrogels, seems reasonable. Here we report that water and clay (2–3 per cent by mass), when mixed with a very small proportion (

I wonder how this would biodegrade. Since it's made up mostly of water and clay, it wouldn't be consumed by microorganisms, unless the consumption of the small amount of organic material would be enough to collapse the structure and turn it back into water and clay.

Great find. S&F

reply to post by LiquidLight


That's a really good point and one I did not consider.
How long would this stuff be useful for before it begins to break down?

And

How long would it persist in the environment after being disposed of?

Anyone got any ideas?

reply to post by Chonx


Why do I get the weird feeling of deja vu.

I cannot remember the book, a scientist was asked to solve the problem of mud for the marines.

He created a substance that if it contacted water, it would turn solid.

You get the inherent problem with this, what would happen if let's say you dropped it into a stream connected to an ocean?

reply to post by endisnighe


Kurt Vonnegut. Ice Nine.

from the book Cat's Cradle.

reply to post by vox2442


Thanks, I thought it was Kurt, just could not place the story.

reply to post by LiquidLight

I wonder how this would biodegrade. Since it's made up mostly of water and clay,

Boil it up and have a nice cup of clay tea

Hi! I found some more interesting information in New scientist:

The substance is called a hydrogel or chemically cross-linked gel.

It only take 3 minutes to form and no knowledge of the chemistry is needed to produce it.

It can self-heal.

The organic material involved is here referred to as a 'molecular glue'.

It also mentions a thickening agent callled 'sodium polyacrylate'.

They also say that making the substance stronger is easily done and the only loss is transparency. It'll be really interesting to see these types of materials become commonplace as I hope they will. It's about time we replaced plastics.

The online version of the article actually has a bit more to it than the one in the magazine.

linky:www.newscientist.com...

reply to post by Chonx


Great for impact resistant plastics.

If a vehicle was made from panels of this stuff, it wouldn't ever get dents. A 'ding' would morph back into the original panel shape.

Reminds me of reports of 'self healing' Ufo's...