Breakthrough: This material is made of cellulose nanofibers derived from wood and plants. The final structure has a tensile stiffness of 86 Gigapascals (GPa) and a tensile strength of 1.57 GPa, which is 8 times stronger than spider silk. And it is biodegradable.
Application: Excellent substitute for plastics and other non-degradable objects.
Main research institution (company): KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm