Prospector

Comfort is a bacteria chair

This article describes a method of making a sort of wood composite out of the sludge from waste water plants. A good idea. One of those that may turn out to be more expensive than it is worth. Even though there are some spot crisis areas where tree harvesting is a problem, wood is still awfully cheap.
However, this is another support in the trend of new materials. In a few years we will not be able to recognize what some stuff is even made from.
Also, a nice green technology. Good for cities.

Quotes:

Wastewater purification uses microbes to form unwanted carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus into a cell mass that settles out, but the disposal of the material can cause greenhouse gases.

The team has found a way to prompt the bacteria to grow small granules of plastic within the cell mass, a substance that can then be mixed with natural fibres like straw, wood or hemp to create a wood-composite.

Dr Frank Loge, leading the research at University of California at Davis said the wood-composite has identical properties to conventional materials made using oil-based plastics. ‘The cell mass does make the wood-composite a little bit more flexible however,’ he said. ‘It’s a property we’re not used to getting out of these materials.’ The material would also be biodegradable, thus restricting it to indoor applications such as furniture, doors or interior building structures.


The Engineer Online - Comfort is a bacteria chair

posted by Prospector @ 9:04 AM