Optical fiber proposed to be made from algae

New material allows for the creation of disposable fiber for use in various fields.

Specialists from the Brazilian University of Campinas (UNICAMP) have proposed an option for creating a fiber-optic cable from natural algae, which turns into gelatin (agar-agar), from which optical fiber with the necessary characteristics is then created.

“Our optical fiber is an agar cylinder with an outer diameter of 2.5 mm and six cylindrical holes with a diameter of 0.5 mm, located inside the solid core, the light scattering is prevented by the difference between its refractive indices in gel and air”, – said Eric Fujiwara, Professor at UNICAMP School of Mechanical Engineering, who directed the project.

According to the authors of the work, information about which is published on the portal Phys.org, the parameters of the optical fiber can be changed by varying the composition of natural gelatin, as well as the shape and size of the holes during the molding process to create the fiber.

The development undergoes structural changes in response to changes in temperature, humidity and pH, making the fiber suitable for optical sensing, and in addition, the new fiber can be used to visualize body structure, localized light delivery in phototherapy or optogenetics, and localized drug delivery, since the material is biocompatible. and biodegradable. Another option for the use of algae optical fiber, its developers see the use as an optical sensor and a growth medium for microorganisms or for the detection of microorganisms in specific organs, since after completing its task, the optical fiber will be “digested” by the body.

Source: cikavosti.com