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Polymers news
Researchers create Olympic gels, a long-theorized class of DNA-based soft materials
An interdisciplinary research team led by Dr. Elisha Krieg at the Leibniz Institute of Polymer Research Dresden (IPF) has successfully synthesized and characterized Olympic gels, a long-theorized class of soft materials. ...
Polymers
Apr 15, 2026
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Electrode technology achieves 86% efficiency for converting CO₂ into plastic precursors
In the process of converting carbon dioxide into useful chemicals such as ethylene—a key precursor for plastics—a major challenge has been the flooding of electrodes, where electrolyte penetrates the electrode structure and ...
Polymers
Apr 12, 2026
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Flux pathway reveals why mussel-like liquid phase separation can happen in seconds
Have you ever wondered how mussels instantly glue themselves to rocks, allowing them to survive the crushing force of ocean waves? They complete this process in under 30 seconds. Yet, in a laboratory, replicating this process ...
Polymers
Apr 11, 2026
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Light-driven method enables sustainable production of porous semiconducting polymers
Researchers at Koç University have developed a light-driven method to produce porous semiconducting polymers under ambient conditions without the need for metal catalysts. The study, led by Prof. Dr. Önder Metin from the ...
Polymers
Apr 7, 2026
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Polymers built inside the body through blood-catalyzed chemistry allow on-demand brain control
The 19th-century science fiction novel Frankenstein explores the idea of combining artificial materials with human body components, purely as a matter of imagination. Two centuries later, such concepts have become integral ...
The dual self-assembly network: A new chapter in 3D-printable hydrogels
In the world of advanced materials, the ultimate goal is to create a substance that possesses the adaptability of biological tissue: it must be strong enough to maintain its shape, yet fluid enough to be molded. The research ...
Polymers
Apr 5, 2026
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Domino polymerization provides a new route to versatile, degradable plastics
Plastic, once ingenious for its durability and versatility, has become a global environmental issue that is affecting every aspect of life. This, in turn, is fueling the development of degradable polymers as alternative solutions. ...
Polymers
Apr 3, 2026
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UV light method offers repeat recycling for acrylic plastics without the environmental cost
A breakthrough method for chemically recycling acrylic—one of the world's most widely used plastics—has been developed by researchers at the University of Bath. In contrast to conventional mechanical recycling, this method ...
Polymers
Apr 2, 2026
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Conductive hydrogel enables electrical and biochemical signal control
Many emerging medical technologies rely on seamless integration between biological systems and electronics. This requires materials that are soft, electrically conductive, and biologically active—properties that have been ...
Biochemistry
Mar 31, 2026
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Eco-friendly hair repair adds to more natural personal care product pipeline
Hair damaged by dyes, bleaching or harsh sunlight has just got special treatment. Green chemistry researchers at Flinders University are experimenting with plant-based oils to develop a promising new structural keratin-type ...
Biochemistry
Mar 29, 2026
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Revealing the origin of polarity inversion in polymer semiconductors
A research team led by Prof. Boseok Kang at Sungkyunkwan University has uncovered the origin of polarity inversion, a long-standing phenomenon in polymer semiconductors that occurs only in certain materials. The team, in ...
Polymers
Mar 28, 2026
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Breaking recalcitrant lignin bonds with electricity for conversion into value-added chemicals: An e-biorefinery
A research team led by Professor Jaehoon Kim at Sungkyunkwan University and Dr. Dong Ki Lee at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) has developed a highly efficient catalytic process that electrochemically ...
Biochemistry
Mar 27, 2026
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Generative AI for polymer design passes lab tests with a new dielectric material
The words on this page mean something because they are assembled in a particular order and follow the complex rules of grammar and syntax. Creating new chemical polymers follows a similar kind of structure, with rules about ...
Polymers
Mar 26, 2026
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Nitrile and latex gloves may cause overestimation of microplastics in the lab
Nitrile and latex gloves that scientists wear while they are measuring microplastics may lead to a potential overestimation of the tiny pollutants, according to a University of Michigan study, published in Analytical Methods.
Polymers
Mar 26, 2026
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Bio-based polymer offers a sustainable solution to 'forever chemical' cleanup
Researchers at the University of Bath have discovered a renewable, bio-based polymer membrane capable of efficiently capturing toxic "forever chemicals" from water, offering a potential new route to more sustainable water ...
Polymers
Mar 24, 2026
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A safer, nonflammable battery electrolyte exists, but self-assembly flaw is holding it back
Many important technologies, from handheld phones to medical devices and transportation vehicles, rely on rechargeable batteries. Modern top-of-the-line rechargeable batteries transport lithium ions between electrodes to ...
Polymers
Mar 23, 2026
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Self-cleaning fabric could eliminate the need for detergent
Detergents may begin their journey by cleaning our clothes, but they end up contaminating the environment, flowing into rivers, ponds, and oceans, where they severely disrupt aquatic animal life. Even after wastewater treatment, ...
Mussel-inspired glue from recycled plastics can be detached and reused
Researchers at the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory have invented a reusable adhesive from waste polymers that is tougher than commercial glues, works underwater as well as in dry environments, and bonds ...
Polymers
Mar 21, 2026
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Innovative recycling method can convert waste PET into high-quality raw materials and clean hydrogen
Despite polyethylene terephthalate (PET) being one of the most widely recycled plastics, only about 20% of used PET bottles are actually recovered as high-quality raw materials. The majority are transformed into lower-grade ...
Polymers
Mar 20, 2026
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'Plastic-eating' fusion enzyme improves polyester textile recycling
In a new study, scientists from the universities of Portsmouth and Manchester report that a specially engineered enzyme can significantly speed up the breakdown of PET—the plastic used in water bottles, food packaging and ...
Biochemistry
Mar 20, 2026
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Flat optics move toward market with 300-per-second metalens production
