Microbubbles in the tap water you just poured into a plastic glass are strong enough to create tiny abrasions on the inner layer of the plastic—quietly adding to our growing microplastic problem.
It is not easy to follow the interactions of large molecules with water in real time. But this can be easier to hear than to see. This is how an international team deciphered the role of water in the collapse of PNIPAM.
Polymers
Feb 5, 2026
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Researchers at Wageningen University & Research have developed a new type of plastic that, according to materials theory, should not be able to exist. Its properties sit somewhere between those of glass and plastic: it is ...
Polymers
Feb 5, 2026
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For the first time, scientists have used ultraviolet (UV) light, a low-cost and readily available energy source, to successfully synthesize more sustainable and recyclable polymer materials. Led by green chemistry experts ...
Polymers
Jan 30, 2026
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Old trees are learning new tricks with the advent of composite materials. A "green composite" made from biodegradable polymers and the waste bark of the Yakushima Jisugi tree was developed by a research team at Tohoku University. ...
Polymers
Jan 29, 2026
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When materials are compressed, their atoms are forced into unusual arrangements that do not normally exist under everyday conditions. These configurations are often fleeting: when the pressure is released, the atoms typically ...
Polymers
Jan 26, 2026
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Polymer capsules can store functional substances such as drugs and fragrances, making them widely used in functional cosmetics and daily necessities. However, conventional capsules use non-degradable polymers and are difficult ...
Polymers
Jan 15, 2026
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Researchers at National Taiwan University reveal that combined exposure to polystyrene nanoplastics and the preservative butylparaben, at a level considered safe on their own, can cause heritable harm, disrupting reproduction ...
Biochemistry
Jan 13, 2026
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Chemical compounds like isocyanate are toxic and trigger allergies or asthma. However, they remain indispensable for the chemical industry. They are needed especially in the production of PUR. These plastics are highly versatile ...
Polymers
Feb 2, 2026
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Researchers in Worcester Polytechnic Institute's Department of Chemical Engineering and at the University of Akron have published research in Chemical Engineering Journal about a new technology that seeks to solve long-standing ...
Polymers
Jan 29, 2026
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