Singaporean Universities Reveal Spate of Innovations in Materials Sector

摘要

Two Singaporean universities have put forward a series of successful results of late in the materials sector. The National University of Singapore (NUS), for one, has developed a super-hygroscopic material capable of providing a cooling effect within personal protective equipment (PPE), which has seen demand surge amid COVID-19. Then there is the Nanyang Technological University (NTU), which has succeeded in converting contaminated plastic waste into hydrogen and carbon nanotubes (CNTs). A health care worker wearing PPE for one hour at a room temperature of 35 degrees Celsius will typically experience a heat index of around 64 degrees Celsius, creating the risk of heat stroke and even death if worn for long periods of time. And while there are countermeasures available-such as garments equipped with inbuilt fans-these are limited by their weight and other factors. Advanced textiles and coatings are another promising option, but are generally limited by their manufacturing costs.