Cellulose Nanocrystals

Hebrew University team develops BioPykrete, an ice composite 10x stronger than frozen water

Researchers led by Professor Ido Braslavsky at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem created BioPykrete, a composite of ice, cellulose nanocrystals and an engineered protein called CBM3a-AFPIII. The material is about ten times stronger under compression than ordinary ice, absorbs roughly 70 times more energy before failing, and deforms gradually rather than cracking suddenly.

techspot.com · 2026-10-14

Scientists engineer 'BioPykrete' ice reinforced with cellulose and protein glue

Researchers created a reinforced ice material called BioPykrete by combining ice with cellulose nanocrystals and a custom-designed protein, CBM3a-AFPIII, that bonds the two together. In small-scale laboratory tests, the composite proved roughly 10 times stronger than ordinary ice and absorbed 70 times more energy before fracturing. The study was published in the journal Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces.

science.slashdot.org · 2026-10-13