GOLD-PLATED ONIONS USED TO DEVELOP ARTIFICIAL MUSCLES: Scientists from the National Taiwan University have discovered a method of developing artificial muscles from gold-plated onions. These artificial muscles can be used during the manufacture of robots. The fragile skin of onion can be easily stretched and it can be reformed in such a way that it just looks like a real tissue. The artificial muscle that was made from using this technology is very unique and the previous artificial muscles were unable to emulate.

The outer skin of the onion is initially coated in the film of gold and then electrical current was applied to it using distinct equipment. Through this process, the skin can expand and contract very easily.

For this particular test, the researchers utilized a single layer of onion skin, washed it and dried it in order to remove water completely from the skin.

Before painting it with gold, it must possess brittle nature. To transform it to that kind of brittle form, it was then treated with a special protein.  Later, in order to conduct electricity, the brittle skin of onion was smeared with gold.

After applying the electricity at various voltages at the bottom and top, the onion skin moved like an original muscle. By applying high voltages, they faced some problems and decided that it would become a complication if they are implemented in robots and other mechanical tools.

Now, the team of National Taiwan University has decided it would be feasible to use the similar method of using lower voltages. The researchers have confirmed that, alike human muscles, these artificial muscles that have been developed using onion skin can bent comfortably.

Before doing this experiment, the scientists tried to develop artificial muscles using variety of polymers. But, it was failed because all the polymers were unable to contract and expand at the same amount of time. Even the polymers were very expensive and they thought it not a good idea to afford high cost over the polymers. That’s the reason; they have utilized skin of onions that is available at low cost.

There are some issues that need to be resolved are transforming the skin of onion as water- resistant and long-lasting.