Curran, Material of the Future?

Two UK scientists specializing in biocomposite materials have invented a hi-tech material made partly of carrots. They call it Curran ('curran' means carrot, in Scots Gaelic) & they say it is versatile and could be used to make everything from car parts, to fishing rods to warships to engineering components.

David Hepworth and Eric Whale met while attending the University of Reading, where they both got their doctorates. They formed their company, CelluComp, in 2004.

They say that Curran could be a bio-friendly alternative to glass and carbon fibre. Currantly :) there is a global shortage of carbon fibre.

The novel material is made by extracting nano-fibres from carrots which are them mixed with hi-tech resins. This gives a substance which can be moulded into various shapes & sizes, from the stiff to loose, and with variable lightness.

The first product from CelluComp made of carrot-plus-resin material is the Just Cast fishing rod.

They won a SMART award, a Scottish entrepreneurship prize and are based in Burntisland, Fife.