Tiny paraffin-filled capsules mixed into a polymer coating gave near-zero wear and a very low friction coefficient of 0.05, beating PTFE-filled coatings.
Adding the conductive polymer polyaniline to epoxy "2Pack" paint is tested as a way to make steel coatings better at resisting corrosion.
Microneedle patches deliver drugs painlessly through the skin, and this review argues they are nearly ready to move from lab prototypes to everyday clinical use.
Soft, water-rich nanocomposite hydrogels are becoming stretchy skin-worn sensors that track vital signs, glucose and wound healing, but durability, comfort and regulation still block adoption.
Metal rods used to fix broken thigh bones often fit older patients poorly, and new electricity-generating and bioactive coatings could make them fit better and heal bone faster.