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Polymers news
Novel enzyme can extract valuable compounds from plant waste using a green chemistry approach
About 98% of lignin created as a forestry by-product from plants is discarded, but a new enzyme could be the key to extracting high-value molecules from this waste using a green chemistry approach.
Biochemistry
Mar 27, 2025
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How calcium may have unlocked the origins of life's molecular asymmetry
A new study led by researchers at the Earth-Life Science Institute (ELSI) at the Institute of Science, Tokyo, has uncovered a surprising role for calcium in shaping life's earliest molecular structures. Their findings suggest ...
Biochemistry
Mar 27, 2025
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New water microcleaners self-disperse, capture microplastics and float up for removal
In a new paper, researchers at North Carolina State University show proof of concept for a system that—in a single cycle—actively removes microplastics from water.
Polymers
Mar 26, 2025
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A cleaner future for tires: Scientists pioneer chemical process to repurpose rubber waste
Every year, millions of tires end up in landfills, creating an environmental crisis with far-reaching consequences. In the United States alone, over 274 million tires were scrapped in 2021, with nearly 20% of them being discarded ...
Polymers
Mar 26, 2025
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57
Light-based polymerization reaction refines 3D printing, achieving sub-millimeter resolution
Researchers at the UAB have developed a new chemical reaction to form solid polymeric networks using light (photocuring) which will allow the preparation of solid materials with controlled shapes measuring under a thousandth ...
Polymers
Mar 26, 2025
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Bio-based method creates polyurethane without toxic chemicals
Diisocyanates are used in the preparation of all polyurethanes, ranging from the foams used in shoe soles to the thermoplastics used in cell phone cases.
Biochemistry
Mar 21, 2025
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36
Significance and perspectives on natural, polymer‐based hydrogels
Bhagya Nallaperuma, a specialist in the Department of Environmental Health and Safety, has co-authored a review on natural polymer-based hydrogels published in Food Biomacromolecules titled "Natural polymer-based hydrogels: ...
Biochemistry
Mar 21, 2025
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Scientists make progress in precise synthesis of crystalline sp²-carbon conjugated 2D polymers
A team of Chinese researchers has developed a new interfacial synthesis strategy to fabricate high-performance crystalline sp²-carbon conjugated two-dimensional (2D) polymer films using irreversible chemical reactions. This ...
Polymers
Mar 18, 2025
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Machine learning enables customized plastics that could reduce environmental impact
About 100 million metric tons of high-density polyethylene (HDPE), one of the world's most commonly used plastics, are produced annually, using more than 15 times the energy needed to power New York City for a year and adding ...
Polymers
Mar 17, 2025
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56
Upgrading keratin to make a biodegradable plastic
A team of materials scientists from Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, the University of Milano-Bicocca, and Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia via Morego, all in Italy, has found a way to use keratin to make a type of biodegradable ...
Molecular motors in action: Visualizing α-cyclodextrin movement along polymer chains
Imagine a microscopic locomotive moving back and forth along a track, propelling itself without any external force. At the molecular level, this concept forms the foundation of molecular motors—intricate systems that could ...
Polymers
Mar 11, 2025
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57
Pure porous polymers promise cleaner air and energy solutions
A group of researchers from Tohoku University developed a method for synthesizing a special type of polymer that has applications for reducing greenhouse gas emissions—a major concern amidst a period of rapid climate change.
Polymers
Mar 7, 2025
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Entangled polymers and nanosheets create skin-like, self-healing hydrogel
We all encounter gels in daily life—from the soft, sticky substances you put in your hair to the jelly-like components in various foodstuffs. While human skin shares gel-like characteristics, it has unique qualities that ...
Polymers
Mar 7, 2025
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Sustainable smart polymers change color and self-repair when damaged
Plastics, which are polymeric materials composed of long chains of small molecules called monomers, are widely used in everyday life and industry due to their lightweight, good strength and flexibility. However, with approximately ...
Polymers
Mar 6, 2025
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Beetle exoskeleton and conductive polymer create novel light-modulating material
Some beetles, such as Anomala albopilosa, strongly reflect left circularly polarized light (electromagnetic waves that oscillate leftward relative to the direction of light reception). This property originates from the formation ...
Polymers
Mar 5, 2025
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Iron-based catalyst achieves near-perfect efficiency for water oxidation, offering sustainable hydrogen production
A newly developed pentanuclear iron complex (Fe5-PCz(ClO4)3) can offer an efficient, stable, and cost-effective solution for water oxidation. By electrochemically polymerizing the complex, researchers from the Institute of ...
Polymers
Mar 5, 2025
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25
Butterfly-inspired 4D printing of smart hydrogels enables precise micro-nano deformation
A Chinese research team has developed a single-step femtosecond laser 4D printing technology that enables rapid and precise micro-scale deformation of smart hydrogels. This innovation, inspired by the hierarchical structure ...
Polymers
Mar 5, 2025
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Chiral liquid crystals improve solar cell efficiency and stability by 50 times
A new study by researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign describes a breakthrough in the field of organic solar cells (OSCs), bringing the technology one step closer to commercial viability.
Polymers
Mar 5, 2025
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11
Researchers develop highly robust, reconfigurable, and mechanochromic cellulose photonic hydrogels
Inspired by the natural Bouligand structure, researchers have been developing advanced materials for applications in impact-resistant bioplastics, ceramic armor, and biomimetic alloy composites. Most existing materials are ...
Biochemistry
Mar 4, 2025
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Anion–π interactions: The secret to stronger synthetic polymers
A research team, led by Professor Dong Woog Lee from the Department of Chemistry at UNIST, in collaboration with Professor Byeong-Su Kim from the Department of Chemistry at Yonsei University, has discovered that the synergistic ...
Polymers
Mar 4, 2025
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