Materials

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Nanofiber Spinning System for Military Materials Inspired by Cotton Candy

Harvard University bioengineer Kit Parker, who is also a lieutenant colonel in the Army Reserve, and his team are developing next-generation nanofibers to improve wound dressings and for designing lighter weight bulletproof vests. They are developing the materials at the Harvard Materials Research Science and Engineering Center (MRSEC), which is supported by the National Science Foundation. The unlikely inspiration for Parker's team is the cotton candy machine. They use their own version of that technology to spin a wide range of polymers, both natural and synthetic, into new fabrics and materials for military use.