https://phys.org/ en-us Phys.org internet news portal provides the latest news on science including: Physics, Nanotechnology, Life Sciences, Space Science, Earth Science, Environment, Health and Medicine. Researchers at the University of Bayreuth have discovered a new class of polymers as part of the work carried out within the Collaborative Research Center (CRC) 1357 Microplastics. These polymers are characterized by biodegradable and recyclable properties and can also be processed in a more sustainable way. The researchers report their findings in the journal Small. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-discovery-polymer-class-compostable-alternative.html Polymers Wed, 22 Apr 2026 12:40:04 EDT news696075541 Antimicrobial resistance is becoming a global burden in human health and food production, so affordable new materials are needed to overcome this growing problem. To answer the call, a multidisciplinary research team led by Flinders University with U.K. experts has discovered a novel solution for safe and effective use in antimicrobial and antifungal applications. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-breakthrough-sulfur-polymer-dangerous-fungi.html Polymers Tue, 21 Apr 2026 13:00:13 EDT news695986546 Rhodium is one of the most powerful catalytic metals known to chemistry. Small amounts of it can drive reactions that produce millions of tons of useful chemicals every year. But getting rhodium to work well—quickly, selectively, and without degrading—depends heavily on the ligands surrounding it. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-scientists-arsenic-lined-crystal-pore.html Analytical Chemistry Sun, 12 Apr 2026 17:00:01 EDT news695035888 A new University at Buffalo study finds that people in the United States generate similar amounts of plastic packaging waste regardless of income, education level or where they live. Yet wealthier and more college-educated communities are much more likely to recycle soda bottles, takeout containers and other plastic packaging. Why? It's complicated, but the study, published in Communications Sustainability, suggests that unequal access to recycling infrastructure plays a key role. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-doesnt-recycle-plastic-lack-access.html Environment Wed, 08 Apr 2026 05:00:03 EDT news694795321 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 uses lower temperatures and sustainable solvents without losing material quality, meaning the plastic can be recycled many times over with minimal environmental impact. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-uv-method-recycling-acrylic-plastics.html Polymers Thu, 02 Apr 2026 15:20:05 EDT news694351321 Hawaii has a plastic problem. The island state faces economic and logistical challenges in recycling plastic waste, including marine debris that lingers in its ocean waters. Researchers in Hawaii are pioneering a method to recycle the islands' derelict fishing nets and residential plastic trash into asphalt roads. Early demonstrations show that these recycled materials may provide a viable end-of-life fate for the region's garbage. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-hawaii-asphalt-recycled-plastics-fishing.html Materials Science Sun, 22 Mar 2026 05:00:01 EDT news693124078 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 a variety of materials, including wood, glass, metal, paper and polymers. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-mussel-recycled-plastics-detached-reused.html Polymers Sat, 21 Mar 2026 13:00:08 EDT news692964017 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 polyester clothing—when it is processed at high concentrations similar to those used in industry. The findings are published in the journal Bioresource Technology. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-plastic-fusion-enzyme-polyester-textile.html Biochemistry Fri, 20 Mar 2026 13:20:01 EDT news693221906 Researchers at the University of St Andrews have unveiled two breakthrough techniques for chemically recycling and upcycling nitrile‑rubber products, such as disposable gloves, seals, and industrial parts, into new materials that are also capable of capturing carbon dioxide. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-scientists-rubber-materials-capture.html Polymers Wed, 18 Mar 2026 17:40:02 EDT news693064441 Scientists have developed a new material that can use sunlight and water to convert carbon dioxide (CO₂) into carbon monoxide (CO)—a key building block for making fuels, plastics, pharmaceuticals and other everyday chemicals. The finding could support the development of future technologies that recycle greenhouse gases to make fuels and useful chemicals more sustainably, using nothing more than light and water. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-material-approach-carbon-dioxide-conversion.html Analytical Chemistry Tue, 17 Mar 2026 19:40:03 EDT news692978401 Turning waste into wealth may no longer be just a marketing slogan, as a team of researchers in China has found an eco-friendly way to do exactly that. The abundant sunlight our planet receives was put to use for transforming polystyrene waste, one of the world's largest plastic polluters, into useful chemicals that can help advance the semiconductor industry. By adding elemental sulfur (S₈), they converted the plastic waste into two useful molecules: 2,4-diphenylthiophene and 1,3,5-triphenylbenzene. The first can be transformed into materials used in optoelectronics and high-performance semiconductors, while the second has a unique, rigid planar structure that makes it a great building block for creating advanced functional materials. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-solar-energy-polystyrene-valuable-chemicals.html Polymers Tue, 17 Mar 2026 08:10:01 EDT news692888889 Biodegradable plastics could help alleviate the plastic waste crisis that is polluting the environment and harming our health. But how long plastics take to degrade and how environmental bacteria work together to break them down is still largely unknown. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-ocean-bacteria-team-biodegradable-plastic.html Environment Mon, 16 Mar 2026 13:20:05 EDT news692882461 A drug to treat Parkinson's disease can be made from waste plastic bottles using a pioneering method, a study shows. The approach harnesses the power of bacteria to transform post-consumer plastic into L-DOPA, a frontline medication for the neurological disorder. It is the first time a natural, biological process has been engineered to turn plastic waste into a therapeutic for a neurological disease, researchers say. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-plastic-bottles-parkinson-drug-bacteria.html Cell & Microbiology Mon, 16 Mar 2026 06:00:03 EDT news692627939 After years of research, international experts have confirmed the discovery of a new chemical reaction, launching new opportunities for rapid advances in a range of fields—from recycled plastics to pharmaceuticals. In the article, "Spontaneous Trisulfide Metathesis in Polar Aprotic Solvents" in Nature Chemistry, the interdisciplinary team explore how sulfur-sulfur bonds can be formed and broken rapidly and cleanly at room temperature, opening new avenues for drug development, biotech and protein science, and chemical and material science. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-plastics-pharmaceuticals-discovery-chain-reactions.html Polymers Fri, 13 Mar 2026 06:00:04 EDT news692538061 Researchers have found a way to use solar energy to power a key chemical reaction that drives many manufacturing industries. This new method can significantly reduce the energy required to run these operations, eliminate harsh oxidizing byproducts and minimize carbon emissions. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-carbon-footprint-chemical-lasers-solar.html Materials Science Thu, 05 Mar 2026 17:00:01 EST news691946389 By converting plastic waste into a microbe-friendly food source, scientists have built an upcycling pipeline that turns the waste into a variety of useful products. The findings are detailed in the journal Nature Sustainability. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-microbial-line-plastic-upcycling-programmable.html Cell & Microbiology Wed, 04 Mar 2026 18:20:03 EST news691862202 Every year, over 100 billion nitrile rubber gloves are produced. They are made from synthetic polymers—a material chemically related to plastic and derived from crude oil. The vast majority is used in the health care sector, and most are discarded after single use. This creates a massive amount of material waste globally. However, Simon Kildahl, a postdoc at the Department of Chemistry at Aarhus University, has moved a step closer to a way of recycling these gloves. In a new study published in the journal Chem, he and his colleagues demonstrate how they can transform waste rubber into a CO2 adsorbent in the laboratory. The potential, he explains, is significant. https://phys.org/news/2026-02-trash-climate-tech-rubber-gloves.html Polymers Fri, 27 Feb 2026 17:00:01 EST news691417022 Solutions to the plastic waste crisis are often pitched using words that can skew value judgments, new research argues. The paper, authored by the Sustainable Materials Innovation Hub at The University of Manchester, explores the consequences of terminology choices on end-of-life solutions for plastic waste. While recycling has long been touted as a solution for plastic sustainability, it comes in many forms, and can sometimes serve as a smokescreen for genuine discussions around sustainability. https://phys.org/news/2026-02-language-plastic-solutions.html Environment Wed, 25 Feb 2026 05:00:02 EST news691171501 Researchers at the University of Waterloo have discovered a way to turn plastic waste into acetic acid, the main ingredient of vinegar, using sunlight. The breakthrough offers a promising new approach to reducing plastic pollution through photocatalysis, while simultaneously creating a useful, value-added chemical product through a process inspired by nature. https://phys.org/news/2026-02-sunlight-powered-plastic-acetic-acid.html Polymers Mon, 23 Feb 2026 18:40:03 EST news691078427 Newcastle University engineers are at the forefront of adhesive technology that promises to change how we recycle. They have developed a reversible glue that sticks things together like any other glue but can debond on demand. The glue's reversible nature means it can be used in a multitude of applications, from laminates to bottle labels. Dissimilar materials that are glued together can be easily separated, enabling their reuse, repurposing, or recycling. https://phys.org/news/2026-02-hard-recycle-packaging-plastics-cue.html Materials Science Wed, 04 Feb 2026 13:00:05 EST news689431355 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 at Flinders University, the development is a major step in making polymers high in sulfur content for more sustainable plastic alternatives using waste materials. https://phys.org/news/2026-01-sustainable-sulfur-rich-polymers-stay.html Polymers Fri, 30 Jan 2026 12:54:31 EST news689000041 The adverse health impacts associated with emissions across the full life cycle of plastics could double by 2040 unless immediate action is taken, new research suggests. The study identified health harms at every stage of the life cycle of the plastics we use: from the extraction of fossil fuels, the feedstocks for more than 90% of plastics, and material production to their eventual disposal or release to the environment. https://phys.org/news/2026-01-global-health-impacts-plastics.html Environment Tue, 27 Jan 2026 04:17:13 EST news688709447 A discovery led by the University of St Andrews has found a way to turn ordinary household plastic waste into the building block for anti-cancer drugs. https://phys.org/news/2025-12-discovery-household-plastic-recycling-anti.html Polymers Fri, 19 Dec 2025 04:00:01 EST news685282201 Researchers led by Takuzo Aida at the RIKEN Center for Emergent Matter Science (CEMS) in Japan have one-upped themselves in their quest to solve our microplastic problem. https://phys.org/news/2025-12-polymer-based-plastic-fully-saltwater.html Polymers Wed, 17 Dec 2025 08:23:27 EST news685182181 Plastics are made from crude oil and petroleum by-products, so a team of scientists decided to explore if they could turn waste cooking oil into a useful plastic material, and they succeeded. https://phys.org/news/2025-12-cooking-oil-yields-super-strong.html Polymers Wed, 10 Dec 2025 13:30:01 EST news684592897 A University of Michigan study has found that people in Ghana and across the Global South who recycle electronic waste face a difficult paradox: earning livelihoods to ensure survival comes at the cost of severe long-term exposure to toxicity and dramatic environmental pollution. https://phys.org/news/2025-12-recycling-ghana-exposes-workers-toxic.html Environment Thu, 04 Dec 2025 11:50:06 EST news684071221 In a study published in Nature Chemical Engineering, a team has developed a kinetic decoupling-recoupling (KDRC) strategy that enables the conversion of polyethylene (PE) to ethylene and propylene with a yield of 79%. https://phys.org/news/2025-12-kinetic-decoupling-recoupling-strategy-enables.html Polymers Wed, 03 Dec 2025 11:38:28 EST news683984281 Cheap, strong, and versatile, plastic seemed like the perfect invention—until its staying power turned into a global headache. Now, Yokohama National University researchers have developed a plant-based alternative that could one day offer the same benefits with a cleaner way out. https://phys.org/news/2025-12-durable-plastics-essential-oil-compounds.html Polymers Mon, 01 Dec 2025 13:17:31 EST news683817421 A study by the University of Portsmouth has revealed for the first time the extent of the devastating impact of plastic pollution on livestock, humans and the wider environment on the Kenyan island of Lamu. https://phys.org/news/2025-11-microplastics-donkey-feces-links-plastic.html Environment Wed, 19 Nov 2025 12:09:04 EST news682776541 Professor Kotohiro Nomura's research group at Tokyo Metropolitan University has developed an efficient method for the exclusive depolymerization of PET (polyethylene terephthalate), PET bottles and textile wastes, using alcohols and an inexpensive, readily available and Earth-abundant iron catalyst. This method can provide a new possibility for the selective chemical conversion of polyester, an important key technology for the circular economy. https://phys.org/news/2025-11-pet-recycling-iron-catalyst-alcohols.html Polymers Sat, 15 Nov 2025 11:10:03 EST news682340725