Tryptophan Analysis
This time of year, our thoughts turn to tryptophan, a chemical associated with the perceived sleep-induced nature of turkey. Tryptophan is an essential amino acid (see the NH2 and COOH above), meaning that we do not naturally produce this compound, but that it is a necessary part of our diet in order for protein synthesis […]
Get cracking! Fatigue crack propagation in UHMWPE
Fatigue crack propagation testing provides users information about the resistance of a material to crack initiation and propagation under cyclical loading. Currently, ASTM E647 is used to monitor the crack propagation behavior of plastic and metallic materials. Engineers at Cambridge Polymer Group have developed an automated optical system that allows real-time assessment of crack length […]