Hoverlight: lightweight, rigid, and vibration-damping
The Fraunhofer Institutes for Machine Tools and Forming Technology (IWU) and for Manufacturing Technology and Advanced Material Research (IFAM) said they had made a breakthrough earlier this year with the development of a new composite material: HoverLIGHT, which combines aluminum foam and particle-filled hollow spheres, making it light, stiff, and vibration-damping. It is a composite of metal foam and hollow spheres and can serve as the core of sandwich constructions. Innovatieve Materialen (Innovative Materials) is a digital, independent magazine about material innovation in the fields of engineering, construction (buildings, infrastructure and industrial) and industrial design.
MaterialDistrict Utrecht 2025
From 12 to 14 March, the 18th edition of MaterialDistrict Utrecht was held in the Werkspoorkathedraal in Utrecht. The annual event attracted an audience of desig ners and architects looking for the latest developments in sustainable, innovative, biobased, circular and regenerative materials. From ‘ceramic’ stones made from date pits and nettle filament for 3D printing to a fur coat made from reed and acoustic building materials made from mycelium and shell waste: it was all there.
JEC Innovation Award 2025
Each year, the JEC Composites Innovation Awards recognize pioneering projects that highlight the transformative potential of composite materials. Organized by the JEC Group, the awards aim to foster innovation within the composites industry and raise public awareness of its advancements. The winners of this year’s awards were announced in advance of JEC World 2025, held on March 5 – 6 in Paris.
The world’s tallest 3d-printed concrete tower is in the Alps
A striking structure has stood in the mountains of the Swiss village of Mulegns, located in the canton of Graubünden, since last year: the so-called White Tower (‘Tor Alva’). At 30 meters tall, it is currently the world’s tallest 3D-printed structure. The White Tower was built in close collaboration with the cultural foundation Nova Fun daziun Origen, ETH Zurich (ETHZ), and local, national, and international partners.
Researchers switch bacterial bioplastics mini-factories into turbo mode
A team of scientists has managed to significantly boost the growth of the soil bacte rium Cupriavidus necator by modifying its metabolism at the molecular level. Useful, because that boosted bacterium works more efficiently to build valuable products such as bioplastics and chemical building blocks in the future. This is apparent from studies by Wageningen University & Research (WUR) and the German Max Planck Institute. The results appeared in the scientific journal Nature Microbiology.
