American researchers announced that they have invented a new process for making hydrogels from natural materials. The hydrogels produced are cheap, safe, and fully flexible. They can be used in food processing, fire fighting, and Other new applications. This study was published in the monthly "Journal of the National Academy of Sciences." Researchers at Stanford University said that the new hydrogels they developed contained two inexpensive and abundant basic materials. One was a cellulose polymer derived from natural materials such as wood chips and crop stalks, and the other was glue from sand. Silica nanoparticles. Mix the two materials to obtain a stable hydrogel. The researchers believe that this simple and inexpensive process is expected to overcome the current high cost limit, making it possible to produce hydrogels on an industrial scale. With the characteristics of strong flexibility, non-toxic and environmental protection, the new hydrogel material has broad application prospects. The researchers described the use of a new type of hydrogel for cleaning breweries and distributing flame retardants. Eric Apel, assistant professor of materials science at Stanford University who is in charge of the study, said that wineries will lose 2% of their products during the production process, mostly in transit. They worked with a winery in California to try to rinse the residual grape juice in a pipe using a specially formulated hydrogel instead of water. Because the hydrogel is not mixed with grape juice, there is almost no loss of product. Hydrogels made of food grade materials such as cellulose and colloidal silica also do not affect the odor and taste of grape juice. In North America, mountain fires occur frequently and large amounts of flame retardants are required to extinguish the fire. Many flame retardants contain chemical components that contaminate groundwater and are also easily washed away by subsequent spraying of water, affecting the fire extinguishing effect. In the experiment, the researchers mixed the flame retardant with a new type of hydrogel, and found that the mixture adhered to the burning material longer than ordinary flame retardants, and could protect the flame retardant from being washed away by the subsequent spraying of water. . Apel said that compared with common flame retardants, hybrid hydrogel flame retardants can also be placed from higher air, less volatile and volatile, and will not pollute groundwater. The research team is testing large-scale new hydrogel materials to expand their commercial applications. They are also developing new hydrogel formulations that make hydrogel materials useful for cosmetic additives, lubricants for oil drilling operations, and more. (Reporter Ma Dan) Ningbo Kyson Cool Electronic Technology Co., Ltd. , https://www.kysoncool.com