July/August_AMP_Digital

A D V A N C E D M A T E R I A L S & P R O C E S S E S | J U L Y / A U G U S T 2 0 1 8 2 5 STRESS RELIEF GRAPHENE SNEAKERS GO THE EXTRA MILE The world’s first athletic shoes to incorporate graphene were recently unveiled by The University of Manchester and British brand inov-8. They are now available online and in more than 250 retail stores worldwide. Collaborat- ing with experts at the National Graphene Institute, scientists at inov-8 were able to develop a graphene-enhanced rubber. The team designed and manu- factured rubber outsoles for running and fitness shoes that have lasted more than 1000 miles in testing and are proven to be 50% harder wearing, stronger, and more elastic than traditional athletic shoes. The new G-Series range com- prises three different shoes, each designed to meet different needs: Mudclaw G 260 is built for running over muddy mountains and obstacle courses; Ter- raUltra G 260 is for running long distances on hard-packed trails; and F-LITE G 290 is for working out at the gym. Each style includes graphene-enhanced rubber outsoles and Kevlar on the uppers. inov-8.com . WORLD’S SMALLEST AD ETCHED ON A SESAME SEED When Arby’s completed its nationwide conversion to Coca-Cola bever- ages, it turned to Georgia Tech’s Institute for Electronics and Nanotechnology to help spread the news. Using a focused ion beam, Georgia Tech engineers etched “We have a big announcement. This isn’t it.” onto a sesame seed from an Arby’s bun. The ad measures 38.3 by 19.2 microns and was officially recog- nized by the Guinness World Records as the world’s smallest advertisement. The ad was displayed at an Arby’s in America’s largest city, New York. Diners at the Manhattan location were able to view the ad by using a scanning electron microscope provided by Hitachi-HTA. On June 11, Arby’s used the tiny ad to tease the announcement of switching to Coca-Cola with a second Guinness World Records title—the largest advertisement. The 212,000-sq-ft ad was un- veiled June 19 in Monowi, Nebraska. The town is the only incorporated U.S. municipality with a population of one, making it the smallest city in America. The idea was to have the world’s smallest ad in the largest city and the largest ad in the smallest city. gatech.edu . WATER BOTTLES IMITATE BROOKLYN BRIDGE On World Oceans Day in June, the Dopper Foundation unveiled its “Plastic Bridge” interactive art installation in New York City’s Times Square district, in collaboration with “National Geographic Encounter: Ocean Odys- sey,” an entertaining and immersive adventure that simulates ocean life . Mea- suring 30 ft wide by 11 ft tall, the plastic replica of the Brooklyn Bridge was built by “Burning Man” artist Colin Hendee and is made of 5000 plastic water bottles, which were collected by New Yorkers and Sure We Can, a nonprofit recycling center in Brooklyn. The art installation officially launched Dopper Foundation’s Plastic Bridge Project, a global educational initiative that en- courages children to step into a lifestyle free of single-use plastic water bottles. dopper.com . Georgia Tech researchers worked with Arby’s to set the Guinness World Record for the world’s smallest ad. The Dopper Foundation’s “Plastic Bridge” art installa- tion is a replica of the Brooklyn Bridge made of 5000 recycled water bottles. Courtesy of Diane Bondareff. University collaboration debuts the world’s first graphene-enhanced athletic shoes.