MELBOURNE – Researchers in Australia and New Zealand are working to develop durable water repellent (DWR) textile coatings without harmful chemicals by creating a biopolymer that mimics bee nests.
Scientists at Australia’s Deakin University and New Zealand based biotechnology research company Humble Bee Bio are collaborating on the seven month project, said to be worth a total of AU$566,000 (US$420,000) cash and in-kind funding.
The study is based at Deakin’s Institute for Frontier Materials (IFM) and backed by the Australian National Fabrication Facility.