Chitosan-Nickel Biomaterial Strengthens When Wet

Researchers from the Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC) and the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) have developed a novel biomaterial from chitosan and nickel that paradoxically becomes stronger when exposed to water. This material, inspired by natural structures like arthropod cuticles, challenges the traditional plastic-age mindset of creating inert materials. The process involves incorporating nickel into chitosan, a polymer derived from discarded shrimp shells, resulting in a material that exhibits up to a 50% increase in strength when wet. The manufacturing process is zero-waste, with nickel being fully recovered and reused. This innovation, led by Javier G. Fernández and Akshayakumar Kompa, offers a sustainable, biodegradable alternative to conventional plastics, with potential applications in agriculture, fishing gear, packaging, and even medical fields, given that both nickel and chitosan are individually approved by the United States===Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for certain medical uses. The study emphasizes designing materials that interact with their environment rather than isolating from it.