Wool in carpets is formed by proteins, where many side chains are polar and ionisable, enabling wool to function as a polymeric ligand exchanger. This project has successfully bound either hydrated ferric oxide (HFO) nanoparticles (Figure 1) or a copper(II) salt onto waste carpet to form a sorbent material. The strongest binding was seen after first modifying the carpet by an alkaline oxidation...

Adhesion of membranes and filaments on periodic rippled surfaces is studied by means of a one-dimensional model. The adhesion behavior is found to depend crucially on the shape of the ripples. Fakir-carpet and sinusoidal patterns are studied in detail. Infinite staircases of periodic ground states are found, with a periodicity diverging at a transition line. Moreover, the boundaries of the regi...