Element 21 Fishing
Curran
By Andrew H. Dent
Manufacturer: Cellucomp (U.K.)
As we continue to fill our landfills and oceans with endless streams of waste, there are some who believe that the next materials revolution will be based upon how best to utilize our discarded materials. Researchers from Cellucomp in Scotland are taking on this challenge, recently developing an exceptionally stiff composite additive from vegetable waste that is an alternative to glass fiber. The high-strength bio-fiber is actually formulated from degraded carrots (a number of different vegetables were tried, with carrots producing the best results), which are synthesized into nanostructured particulates that can be incorporated into a coating. Curran offers properties close to or better than those found in carbon fiber composites and is currently applied in a fishing rod that has a bending stiffness better than a high-end carbon fiber competitor. Its smooth, glossy finish can be used as a top surface in the coating process (coatings for carbon fiber bikes and other sports equipment are currently in development), and it's also suitable for use as a fiber reinforcement in sporting goods, automotive, aerospace, and consumer products.
Andrew H. Dent is vice-president of library and materials research at Material ConneXion, a leading global platform for material innovations and solutions.
