A computational study has shown that cracks in conducting or semiconducting materials could be healed or inhibited by applying an electric field.

An environmentally friendly method for introducing hydrophobic propeties and electrical conductivity to wood fibres has been developed by researchers in Finland. This could find use in packaging, composite and paper applications.

A multiple licensing agreement for RFID patents is being set up by the RFID Consortium to speed up the widespread use of the technology in packaging.

Minimising waste packaging on building sites is a top priority for the new Green Procurement Group. The consortium of 13 building materials suppliers and distributors aims to minimise the environmental impact of the supply chain. The companies want to reduce the level of packaging used for materials such as bricks, paint, aggregates and blocks by 20% in the next five years.

One of the UK's largest photovoltaic solar energy research projects, PV-21, is investigating a replacement for the rare and expensive indium used in the conductors and semiconductors of solar cells.

Hollow-core optical fibres can be manufactured in a day rather than a week by changing their structure, reducing the overall cost of fabrication, according to scientists at Bath University, UK. They believe this could lead to faster and more powerful optical telecommunications, laser machining, and cheaper generation of X-ray or ultra-violet light for use in biomedical and surgical optics.

Scientists at The University of Manchester, UK, are investigating the use of electrospun polycaprolactone nanofibres to regenerate damaged tendons. Because the bundle of fibres replicates the morphology of tendon tissue, researchers envisage that the synthetic structure will perform the mechanical function of the tendon while it repairs itself, as well as act as a temporary scaffold to promote cell migration and new tissue formation.

A silicon chip with a DC/DC converter built directly onto it has been shown to operate at 0.3V, making it 10 times more energy efficent than standard electronic chips.

Plart – a museum dedicated to researching non-destructive testing for the restoration and conservation of plastic artefacts – opened on 25 January 2008 in Naples, Italy. The aim is to set up a characterisation and conservation protocol specific thermosetting plastics and thermoplastics. Polyurethane, PVC and cellulose acetate and nitrate materials are recognised as the most difficult materials to conserve from degradation.

Plans for waste assaying and disposal need to be at the forefront of all future nuclear builds. This was the conclusion at an event on Handling of Radioactive Materials held on 13 February 2008 in Birmingham, UK. Presentations covered site characterisation, recycling and reusing materials, decommissioning, nuclear facility layout, and engineering waste management solutions.