Polymers, as physical systems, are condensed matter assemblies composed of long, repeating-chain macromolecules whose collective behavior is governed by chain connectivity, conformational entropy, and intermolecular interactions. Their physical properties—such as viscoelasticity, glass transition, crystallinity, and diffusion—emerge from the statistics of polymer chains (e.g., Gaussian coils, entanglements) and their organization in bulk, solutions, or networks. In polymer physics, these systems are modeled using concepts like scaling laws, Flory–Huggins theory, and reptation dynamics to describe phase behavior, mechanical response, and transport phenomena across length scales ranging from molecular to macroscopic.
Chiral-structural-color materials produce color through microscopic structures that interact with light rather than through pigmentation or dyes. Some beetle exoskeletons, avian feathers, butterfly wings, and marine organisms ...
Optics & Photonics
Feb 27, 2025
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Hydrogels are polymeric materials with three-dimensional network structures containing large amounts of water. They serve as sustained-release drug delivery systems as they can encapsulate various bioactive substances, including ...
Bio & Medicine
Feb 13, 2025
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An international research team has synthesized a multilayered two-dimensional polyaniline (2DPANI) crystal, achieving unique metallic out-of-plane charge transport and high conductivity. This study was published in Nature.
Nanomaterials
Feb 6, 2025
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9
A research team from POSTECH has developed a biodegradable polymer-based delivery system that efficiently transports mRNA. The study was recently published in Biomaterials.
Bio & Medicine
Feb 5, 2025
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Scientists at Caltech and Princeton University have discovered that bacterial cells growing in a solution of polymers, such as mucus, form long cables that buckle and twist on each other, building a kind of "living Jell-O."
Bio & Medicine
Jan 18, 2025
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120
Researchers have developed a reliable and reproducible way to fabricate tapered polymer optical fibers that can be used to deliver light to the brain. These fibers could be used in animal studies to help scientists better ...
Optics & Photonics
Jan 15, 2025
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53
In a significant step toward creating a sustainable and circular economy, Rice University researchers have published a study in the journal Carbon demonstrating that carbon nanotube (CNT) fibers can be fully recycled without ...
Nanomaterials
Jan 13, 2025
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121
As the demand for thinner, lighter, and more flexible electronic devices grows, the need for advanced manufacturing processes has become critical. Polyimide (PI) films are widely used in these applications due to their excellent ...
Nanomaterials
Jan 8, 2025
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37
A trio of physicists from the University of Rennes, Aoyama Gakuin University, and the University of Lyon have discovered, through experimentation, that it is friction between fibers that allows knitted fabrics to take on ...
LMU researchers have investigated how cationic polymers organize on a molecular level when transporting RNA drugs.
Bio & Medicine
Nov 27, 2024
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