http://phys.org/chemistry-news/polymers/ en-us PhysOrg Team Phys.Org provides the latest news on polymers Proteins are widely used as drugs — insulin for diabetics is the best known example — and as reagents in research laboratories, but they react poorly to fluctuations in temperature and are known to degrade in storage. http://phys.org/news256842878.html Chemistry - Polymers 2012-05-21T18:15:45-07:00 Spiders weave a web even more tangled than originally thought – at least on the nanoscale level, according to a new study performed at the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory. http://phys.org/news255243147.html Chemistry - Polymers 2012-05-03T06:30:03-07:00 A new bio-inspired approach to synthesising polymers will offer unprecedented control over the final polymer structure and yield advances in nanomedicine, researchers say. http://phys.org/news255178196.html Chemistry - Polymers 2012-05-02T12:20:12-07:00 (Phys.org) -- Thanks to advances in polymer chemistry and a wide variety of monomer constituents to choose from, the world of multiblock polymers is wide open. These polymers can result in an astonishing array of materials, customizable to almost any specification. However, the flood of options could be overwhelming, without a theoretical framework to guide research. UC Santa Barbara scientists Glenn Fredrickson and Kris Delaney address that issue in their paper, "Multiblock Polymers: Panacea or Pandora's Box?" The paper appears in the latest edition of the journal Science. http://phys.org/news254670176.html Chemistry - Polymers 2012-04-26T14:43:12-07:00 A breakthrough for inexpensive electricity from solar cells, and a massive investment in wind power, will mean a need to store energy in an intelligent way. According to research at Linköping University (Sweden), published in Science, batteries of biological waste products from pulp mills could provide the solution. http://phys.org/news251636799.html Chemistry - Polymers 2012-03-22T14:00:14-07:00 Just as a chameleon changes its color to blend in with its environment, Duke University engineers have demonstrated for the first time that they can alter the texture of plastics on demand, for example, switching back and forth between a rough surface and a smooth one. http://phys.org/news251045573.html Chemistry - Polymers 2012-03-15T15:55:29-07:00 Inspired by nature's ability to shape a petal, and building on simple techniques used in photolithography and printing, researchers at the University of Massachusetts Amherst have developed a new tool for manufacturing three-dimensional shapes easily and cheaply, to aid advances in biomedicine, robotics and tunable micro-optics. http://phys.org/news250437005.html Chemistry - Polymers 2012-03-08T14:00:09-07:00 A Japanese scientist said he has made violin strings out of spider silk and claims that -- in the right hands -- they produce a beautiful sound. http://phys.org/news250229456.html Chemistry - Polymers 2012-03-06T04:11:05-07:00 University of California, San Diego bioengineers have developed a self-healing hydrogel that binds in seconds, as easily as Velcro, and forms a bond strong enough to withstand repeated stretching. The material has numerous potential applications, including medical sutures, targeted drug delivery, industrial sealants and self-healing plastics, a team of UC San Diego Jacobs School of Engineering researchers reported March 5 in the online Early Edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. http://phys.org/news250166655.html Chemistry - Polymers 2012-03-05T15:00:17-07:00 A polymer is a mesh of chains, which slowly break over time due to the pressure from ordinary wear and tear. When a polymer is squeezed, the pressure breaks chemical bonds and produces free radicals: ions with unpaired electrons, full of untapped energy. These molecules are responsible for aging, DNA damage and cancer in the human body. http://phys.org/news249926366.html Chemistry - Polymers 2012-03-02T15:59:38-07:00 (PhysOrg.com) -- There's nothing ordinary about the materials being designed in the Stupp Laboratory at Northwestern University. Many of the futuristic fibers, films, gels, coatings and putty-like substances have led to important advances in areas of research such as regenerative medicine and energy technologies. http://phys.org/news248633101.html Chemistry - Polymers 2012-02-16T16:45:52-07:00 (PhysOrg.com) -- Scientists under the direction of ETH Zurich have created a minor sensation in synthetic chemistry. They succeeded for the first time in producing regularly ordered planar polymers that form a kind of "molecular carpet" on a nanometre scale. http://phys.org/news248333005.html Chemistry - Polymers 2012-02-13T05:24:13-07:00 Polymer films that undergo nanoscale structural transformations in response to external stimuli are key components of devices like biosensors and artificial membranes. One of the best materials for manufacturing such responsive materials is polyelectrolyte multilayers (PEMs) — polymer chains bearing charged units that can assemble layer-by-layer onto solid surfaces. Maxim Kiryukhin at the A*STAR Institute of Materials Research and Engineering and co-workers1 have now gained new insights into PEM growth which may enable construction of three-dimensional microstructures for on-demand drug delivery. http://phys.org/news247393852.html Chemistry - Polymers 2012-02-02T08:40:01-07:00 (PhysOrg.com) -- Research in self-healing organic polymers has grown recently, but one simple self-healing mechanism from more than 60 years ago has been nearly forgotten until now. Using this mechanism, which is called “siloxane equilibration,” scientists have demonstrated that silicone rubber that has been cut in half with a razor blade can completely repair itself through heat-activated reversible bonding. The self-healing mechanism could have applications in a variety of areas, such as for designing self-healing surfaces of vehicles and countertops. http://phys.org/news246956589.html Chemistry - Polymers 2012-01-30T04:10:43-07:00 A critical step in advancing medical treatment is the development of novel drug delivery methods. While a simple tablet, taken by the patient with a sip of water, may be the easiest way to administer a drug, this may not always be the most suitable. Some drugs are subjected to degradation by the body, while others, such as cancer medications, can be more effective if they are delivered directly to the diseased tissue site. Such a delivery could improve the effectiveness of the treatment and potentially reduce side effects. http://phys.org/news243847444.html Chemistry - Polymers 2011-12-23T07:50:02-07:00 Polymers are the material of choice for making thin-film transistors and solar cells. They are also potentially suitable for manufacture using economical, high-throughput techniques, such as roll-to-roll and inkjet printing processes. However, transistors and solar cells have traditionally used different kinds of polymers, and this can severely complicate the fabrication process. Zhi-Kuan Chen at the A*STAR Institute of Materials Research and Engineering and co-workers have now developed a versatile polymer that is suitable for both kinds of devices. http://phys.org/news240739726.html Chemistry - Polymers 2011-11-17T08:40:02-07:00 Scientists are reporting development and successful initial testing of the first practical "smart" material that may supply the missing link in efforts to use in medicine a form of light that can penetrate four inches into the human body. Their report on the new polymer or plastic-like material, which has potential for use in diagnosing diseases and engineer new human tissues in the lab, appears in ACS' journal Macromolecules. http://phys.org/news240673093.html Chemistry - Polymers 2011-11-16T14:40:01-07:00 (PhysOrg.com) -- Researchers from North Carolina State University have developed a simple way to convert two-dimensional patterns into three-dimensional (3-D) objects using only light. http://phys.org/news240132576.html Chemistry - Polymers 2011-11-10T07:30:30-07:00 (PhysOrg.com) -- Currently, most solar cells are based on silicon which for the most part, necessitates a rigid structure. This isn’t always ideal as some applications would benefit by material that is more bendable. Also, because of the way silicon solar based cells are made, they tend to cost more than a lot of people are willing to pay. If a way could be found to mass produce solar cells very cheaply, its likely solar cells would be installed in far more places and costs for energy would go down. http://phys.org/news239879128.html Chemistry - Polymers 2011-11-07T09:09:10-07:00 The dramatic influence of polymer processing conditions on the performance of polymer solar cells is highlighted by a new paper in the Journal of Polymer Science: Polymer Physics. http://phys.org/news238243190.html Chemistry - Polymers 2011-10-19T11:40:15-07:00 Scientists at the University of California, San Diego have developed what they believe to be the first polymeric material that is sensitive to biologically benign levels of near infrared (NRI) irradiation, enabling the material to disassemble in a highly controlled fashion. The study represents a significant milestone in the area of light-sensitive material for non-invasive medical and biological applications. Their work is published on line this week in the journal Macromolecules. http://phys.org/news236861613.html Chemistry - Polymers 2011-10-03T11:53:54-07:00 (PhysOrg.com) -- Researchers at the University of Leeds and Durham University have solved a long-standing problem that could revolutionize the way new plastics are developed. http://phys.org/news236521440.html Chemistry - Polymers 2011-09-29T14:00:06-07:00 The cell is a host of many complex reaction pathways. These pathways usually do not interfere with each other because they are contained within membrane-bound compartments, known as organelles. The lipid membrane is extremely selective—only allowing certain signalling molecules to permeate through—and plays an important role in biological processes, such as protein synthesis and the regulation of enzymatic reactions. Madhavan Nallani from the A*STAR Institute of Materials Research and Engineering and co-workers have now synthesized a new type of multi-compartment structure known as a polymersome, which mimics cellular compartmentalization through the use of self-assembling polymers. http://phys.org/news236502641.html Chemistry - Polymers 2011-09-29T08:20:01-07:00 The National Physical Laboratory (NPL) has developed a world-leading pvT (pressure-volume-temperature) and thermal conductivity test kit. http://phys.org/news236250397.html Chemistry - Polymers 2011-09-26T10:06:45-07:00 (PhysOrg.com) -- Crystals and ceramics pale when compared to a material researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory discovered that has 10 times their piezoelectric effect, making it suitable for perhaps hundreds of everyday uses. http://phys.org/news235975871.html Chemistry - Polymers 2011-09-23T05:52:19-07:00 (PhysOrg.com) -- University of Leeds scientists have invented a new type of polymer gel that can be used to manufacture cheaper lithium batteries without compromising performance. http://phys.org/news234774798.html Chemistry - Polymers 2011-09-09T08:13:54-07:00 (PhysOrg.com) -- By looking to Mother Nature for solutions, researchers have identified a promising new binder material for lithium-ion battery electrodes that not only could boost energy storage, but also eliminate the use of toxic compounds now used to manufacture the components. http://phys.org/news234708474.html Chemistry - Polymers 2011-09-08T14:01:19-07:00 (PhysOrg.com) -- Though it seems like science fiction, microscopic "factories" in which nanomachines produce tiny structures for miniaturized components or nanorobots that destroy tumor cells within the body and scrape blockages from our arteries may become reality in the foreseeable future. Nanomotors could transport drugs to specific target organs more rapidly or pilot analytes through the tiny channels on microchip diagnostic systems. In the journal Angewandte Chemie, Ayusman Sen and his team from Pennsylvania State University (USA) describe a new type of micromotor that is powered by a polymerization reaction and deposits tiny threads along its trail like a microspider. http://phys.org/news234180733.html Chemistry - Polymers 2011-09-02T11:12:45-07:00 A single polymer that can be used in both new age plastic electronics as well as plastic solar cells could spell greater cost-savings and open up new design options for electronic and solar cell companies. A*STAR’s IMRE has developed a new polymer that not only produces a high charge mobility of 0.2 cm2/V.s, which is the same value achieved by commercially available semiconducting materials but also has a high solar power conversion efficiency of 6.3%. This makes IMRE’s polymer one of the few that has both these properties. In addition to this, polymers of the same class as IMRE’s, which are those that use thiophene and benzothiadiazole as the building blocks, could only achieve 2.2% power conversion. http://phys.org/news232796457.html Chemistry - Polymers 2011-08-17T10:41:11-07:00 Stretchable electronics, an emerging class of modern electronic materials that can bend and stretch, have the potential to be used in a wide range of applications, including wearable electronics, "smart skins" and minimally invasive biomedical devices that can move with the body. http://phys.org/news231759812.html Chemistry - Polymers 2011-08-05T10:44:27-07:00