https://phys.org/chemistry-news/polymers/ en-us The latest science news on polymers In Nature Communications a research team led by Professor Tae-Hyun Bae of the KAIST Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering introduced hydrogen-selective transport pathways at the angstrom scale inside polymer membranes and clarified their separation performance through the concept of "network completeness." https://phys.org/news/2026-08-polymer-membrane-high-purity-hydrogen.html Polymers Wed, 12 Aug 2026 17:20:06 EDT news705771122 Whether it's neurons responding to electrical signals or plants stretching toward light, nature is filled with examples of biological materials that respond to their environment. Now, researchers want to develop new responsive materials for a wide range of applications, such as sensing or low-energy technologies. However, achieving a balance of useful properties at the molecular level is challenging. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-molecular-possibilities-future-electronics-storage.html Polymers Wed, 12 Aug 2026 13:00:01 EDT news705755360 Most glues need a dry surface to stick properly. Bonding materials underwater is challenging because water forms a thin film on any surface, so instead of an adhesive touching a material directly, it touches a layer of water, which weakens the bond. But scientists from China have now created a superglue that repels water and forms a strong, recyclable bond within seconds, as they report in a paper published in Nature Communications. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-recyclable-bonds-underwater-seconds-years.html Polymers Wed, 12 Aug 2026 09:00:01 EDT news705663880 Researchers have developed a polymer composite that combines vibration damping with reliable strain sensing. The material uses a thermoplastic polyurethane matrix containing UPy (2-ureido-4[1H]-pyrimidinone) units, which form reversible quadruple hydrogen bonds. These molecular links can break and reform. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-composite-retains-response-strain.html Polymers Mon, 10 Aug 2026 15:00:05 EDT news705586351 Biofilms—bacterial communities encased in a sticky, polymer-rich matrix—can be difficult to treat because that matrix slows antibiotics and drug-carrying particles. With help from salt, though, Yale researchers have found a way to steer these particles into some biofilms and even deform the biofilm itself in certain cases. The study is published in Soft Matter. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-salt-drug-particles-deeper-difficult.html Biochemistry Mon, 10 Aug 2026 11:40:05 EDT news705580741 Virginia Tech chemist and chemical engineer Guoliang "Greg" Liu and his lab have developed a process that converts the plastic polyvinyl chloride (PVC) into polyalphaolefin, a key component in lubricants such as engine oil. Published Aug. 5 in the journal Nature, the research could help address two environmental challenges: recycling one of the world's most difficult plastics and producing a valuable industrial material. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-world-difficult-plastics-premium-lubricant.html Polymers Wed, 05 Aug 2026 11:00:07 EDT news705067441 Wastewater treatment is a critical issue for global environmental protection and public health. Researchers from The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) have recently achieved a major breakthrough with the discovery of a novel oxidant-free electrocatalytic mechanism, opening a new direction for water purification technologies. The findings are set to significantly improve pollutant identification efficiency and potentially double the economic feasibility compared with existing methods. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-electrocatalytic-method-purify-wastewater-pollutants.html Polymers Tue, 04 Aug 2026 17:20:05 EDT news705074521 3D bioprinting allows scientists to build custom tissue structures for medicine, but printing soft tissues like the human brain remains a major challenge. The strong pushing forces required to squeeze biological materials through tiny printer nozzles often crush and damage sensitive cells, leading to low survival rates and weak printed structures. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-smart-bioink-shields-delicate-neural.html Biochemistry Mon, 03 Aug 2026 18:00:01 EDT news704991980 A study from the University of Manchester into the effects of polymer cross-contamination on the outcome of mechanically recycling plastics has found that the presence of contaminants radically alters degradation mechanisms. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-mechanical-recycling-contamination-circular-plastics.html Polymers Mon, 03 Aug 2026 15:40:03 EDT news704986203 The pulp and paper industry, which manufactures everything from tissue paper to cardboard, also generates a significant yet often overlooked byproduct—a complex polymer called lignin. Around 100 million tons of lignin are produced each year. Despite being the largest natural source of aromatic carbon on the planet, most of it is burned for energy. This is due to its complex structure, which is notoriously difficult to process. Researchers are exploring ways to leverage industrial lignin by developing methods to convert it into useful bio-based chemicals. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-industry-toughest-lignin-byproducts-feedstock.html Biochemistry Wed, 29 Jul 2026 18:40:03 EDT news704553481 Researchers at Colorado State University have developed a process to transform naturally occurring, highly stable carbon dioxide into recyclable, high-performance materials that could replace today's plastics in many situations. Their catalytic process, described in the journal Nature, is another step toward a circular economy that reduces plastic waste and supports environmental sustainability. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-captured-carbon-dioxide-yield-strong.html Polymers Wed, 29 Jul 2026 11:00:02 EDT news704451400 A naturally abundant plant material best known for giving trees and crops their strength may one day help repair broken bones, according to a new study led by postdoctoral researcher Dr. Srinath Palakurthy and Professor Rivka Elbaum of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-derived-lignin-bone-minerals.html Biochemistry Tue, 28 Jul 2026 14:40:01 EDT news704463362 Plastic recycling could become far more effective thanks to a new technique that restores the strength of damaged engineering plastics by repairing them at the molecular level. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-scientists-plastics-molecular-boosting-recycling.html Polymers Tue, 28 Jul 2026 07:20:02 EDT news704440910 A new study suggests that simple molecules on early Earth may have worked together to create more stable, cell-like structures, offering fresh clues about one of science's biggest questions: how life began. Led by Dr. Moran Frenkel-Pinter of Hebrew University and her postdoctoral researcher, Dr. Rotem Edri, the research shows that two types of simple molecules, fatty acids and hydroxy acids, can combine to create structures that are stronger and more stable than either molecule can form alone. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-polymers-primitive-membranes-molecular-cooperation.html Biochemistry Mon, 27 Jul 2026 19:40:01 EDT news704386021 From microplastics clogging up our oceans to landfills leaching dangerous chemicals, plastic waste is a serious and growing problem for human health and the environment. We need to recycle more and, crucially, recycle better. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-super-enzymes-recycling.html Polymers Wed, 22 Jul 2026 12:20:04 EDT news703937221 From ensuring that food remains fresh longer to extending its shelf life for future consumption, food packaging plays an indispensable role in modern society. Conventional food packaging plastics are sturdy and highly effective at keeping out oxygen, one of the main drivers of food spoilage. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-reinventing-food-packaging-safe-sustainable.html Biochemistry Tue, 21 Jul 2026 12:54:24 EDT news703857193 Danqing Liu from Eindhoven University of Technology explores how interactions with digital systems can be improved through the sense of touch. To achieve this, she develops advanced liquid crystal polymers that respond to light. Her work has recently been published in two scientific journals, Science Advances and Matter & Light. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-artificial-human-gestures-memory-written.html Polymers Fri, 10 Jul 2026 12:40:03 EDT news702897186 Ever wondered where your plastics end up? A PET bottle can be washed, shredded, melted and given a second life. But most everyday items—toys, mattresses, car seats—are made from different plastics that refuse to mix when melted, producing unusable, contaminated material. Sorting is difficult and expensive, so most mixed plastic waste ends up burned or buried, and the materials are lost for good. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-catalyst-plastic-recyclable-chemical.html Polymers Thu, 09 Jul 2026 18:00:06 EDT news702801769 Natural rubber is widely used in tires, transport, construction, health care and industrial products because of its elasticity, resilience and durability. To improve performance, rubber manufacturers often add silica fillers and processing oils. These oils help reduce viscosity, improve processing and support filler dispersion. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-palm-oil-greener-aid-natural.html Polymers Thu, 09 Jul 2026 15:40:01 EDT news702822096 Researchers have developed a new 3D printing technique that allows the printing of whole objects while controlling the temperature of the chemical reaction to stabilize the process. Academics in the University of Nottingham's Faculty of Engineering, in collaboration with the University of California, Berkeley, have developed an enhancement for a type of 3D printing called Volumetric Additive Manufacturing (VAM), which can create whole objects in seconds to minutes. The research has been published in Nature Communications. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-technique-3d.html Polymers Thu, 09 Jul 2026 12:30:01 EDT news702815674 Pineapple leaf fiber has long been valued in parts of Southeast Asia for traditional uses, including basketry in Malaysia and Thailand and textile applications in the Philippines. Its high cellulose content and ready availability as an agricultural residue have also made it attractive as a reinforcement for polymer composites. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-simple-treatment-pineapple-leaf-fibers.html Polymers Wed, 08 Jul 2026 13:40:01 EDT news702724416 Controlling light within microscopic spaces is crucial for next-generation optical devices such as photonic integrated circuits and localized sensors. Microspheres formed of luminescent π-conjugated polymers act as optical resonators that confine and amplify light via whispering gallery modes (WGMs), and they are promising candidates for microscale organic lasers and photonic applications. However, conventional microsphere resonators are geometrically isotropic and emit isotropic light, making directional control of emissions challenging. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-saturn-laser-emission-chiral-polymeric.html Polymers Tue, 07 Jul 2026 20:20:01 EDT news702638907 Testing how quickly a biodegradable plastic actually breaks down in the environment can take months, sometimes years, of lab work. A new study from the Agricultural University of Athens, offers a faster alternative: a machine-learning tool that predicts biodegradation outcomes for a widely used bioplastic almost instantly. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-machine-fast-biodegradable-plastics-nature.html Biochemistry Tue, 07 Jul 2026 10:40:04 EDT news702627865 The research group of Professor Kotohiro Nomura, Tokyo Metropolitan University, in cooperation with the research groups of Senior Researcher Hiroshi Hirano and Director Seiji Higashi of the Osaka Research Institute of Industrial Science and Technology, and Associate Professor Hiroki Takeshita of The University of Shiga Prefecture, has developed biobased poly(ester amide)s from inedible biorenewables that can be easily chemically recycled and exhibit better mechanical (tensile) properties in film than commodity plastics. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-biobased-polymers-excellent-tensile-properties.html Polymers Tue, 07 Jul 2026 00:00:02 EDT news702538064 In the world of market competition, having the best and brightest package could send company sales into the millions. On the other hand, the amount of colored plastic waste increases, adding to the growing challenge of recycling it. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-plastic-recycling-downgrading.html Polymers Thu, 02 Jul 2026 18:30:04 EDT news702230521 An Ehime University research team directed by H. Shimomoto and E. Ihara has developed a new molecular design strategy that imparts degradability to carbon–carbon (C–C) backbone polymers. The study, published in Macromolecules, demonstrates that incorporating alkoxycarbonylmethylene (ACM) units into polymer backbones creates specific sites that enable backbone cleavage under basic conditions while maintaining desirable material properties. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-polymer-everyday-plastics-easier.html Polymers Thu, 02 Jul 2026 15:00:05 EDT news702210444 Metallic effects on plastic surfaces have become standard in many industries, from automotive interiors and exteriors to toys and household appliances. However, injection-molded parts with metallic effects suffer from a well-known drawback: visible flow lines that appear as streaks and compromise the premium look. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-metallic-effect-pigments-significantly-line.html Polymers Thu, 02 Jul 2026 14:00:17 EDT news702210234 Shock-absorbing sneaker soles are likely made of polyurethane, a highly elastic and tough polymer. The ability of these elastomers to absorb impact without breaking is extremely important for practical applications. While multiple strategies exist for enhancing elastomer toughness, each has its limitations. However, achieving synergistic toughening by integrating all three mechanisms within a single material remains challenging. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-polymer-network-reconfigures-sequence-elastomers.html Polymers Wed, 01 Jul 2026 05:00:07 EDT news701967241 Researchers at IMDEA Materials Institute have developed an artificial intelligence (AI)-based strategy to predict and assess the fire resistance of epoxy resins, one of the most widely used polymers in industry. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-ai-tool-reliably-flame-resistance.html Polymers Mon, 29 Jun 2026 20:00:04 EDT news701961301 Scientists around the world have been searching food, water and other environmental media for microplastics and for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). But microfluoroplastics (MFPs), the intersection between these two fields, have received much less attention. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-faster-reveal-fluoropolymer-microplastics-rarely.html Polymers Mon, 29 Jun 2026 18:30:01 EDT news701968561