Scientists have been developing artificial muscles for several years already. The creation of full-fledged muscle tissue will make it possible to produce high-tech prostheses for people with disabilities, significantly improving their quality of life. Scientists from NUST MISIS recently invented a new lightweight and durable material for such purposes.
The main obstacle in human transplantation of artificial muscles is that most of the materials used in such muscles are highly toxic. However, Russian researchers were able to conduct a series of experiments that proved that the basis of artificial muscles can be a substance based on polyethylene with an extended chain of molecules. Scientists from NUST MISIS reinforced polyethylene with carbon nanotubes, which doubled the wear resistance, and the material can last up to 15 years.
The resulting substance can be used not only as a raw material for the production of artificial muscles, since it narrows when cooled, and expands when heated, imitating muscle contraction. But also in making bones. NUST MISIS experts have created a bone replacement - the outer layer is solid, and the inner layer is porous, which imitates its biological structure. It was obtained using a combination of solid-phase mixing and heat-pressing methods, and supercritical fluid was used to create pores. Under certain conditions, it turned from water to gas and evaporated, leaving pores, the content of which in the material is 80%. As noted by Fedor Senatov, Candidate of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Researcher at the Research Center for Composite Materials, NUST MISIS,
“This material is excellently cut, which is very beneficial for surgeons. It also has a shape memory effect, that is, if you compress it and then put it in the right place, it will "straighten out". This can significantly reduce the time and complexity of the operation."