Polyethylene plastics—in particular, the ubiquitous plastic bag that blights the landscape—are notoriously hard to recycle. They're sturdy and difficult to break down, and if they're recycled at all, they're melted into ...
Polymers
Sep 29, 2022
1
167
Less than 10% of the 380 million metrics tons of annually produced plastics are currently recycled in the U.S., creating a global environmental threat caused by plastic production and the absorption of millions of tons of ...
Polymers
Mar 21, 2022
2
130
Polymer science has made possible rubber tires, Teflon and Kevlar, plastic water bottles, nylon jackets among many other ubiquitous features of daily life. Elastic polymers, known as elastomers, can be stretched and released ...
Polymers
Oct 7, 2021
0
137
The role of entanglements can determine the mechanical properties of glass polymer blends. In a new report now published on Science Advances, Cynthia Bukowski and a research team in polymer science and biomolecular engineering ...
To synthesize plastic, small monomer molecules need to be strung together like beads in a necklace, creating long polymer chains.
Polymers
Aug 13, 2021
1
838
Biodegradable plastics have been advertised as one solution to the plastic pollution problem bedeviling the world, but today's "compostable" plastic bags, utensils and cup lids don't break down during typical composting and ...
Polymers
Apr 21, 2021
4
1345
Multilayer plastic materials are ubiquitous in food and medical supply packaging, particularly since layering polymers can give those films specific properties, like heat resistance or oxygen and moisture control. But despite ...
Materials Science
Nov 20, 2020
3
343
Scientists have designed a set of "green" tableware made from sugarcane and bamboo that doesn't sacrifice on convenience or functionality and could serve as a potential alternative to plastic cups and other disposable plastic ...
Materials Science
Nov 12, 2020
1
162
The world fell in love with plastics because they're cheap, convenient, lightweight and long- lasting. For these same reasons, plastics are now trashing the Earth.
Polymers
Apr 26, 2018
11
489
Scientists have spent decades trying to build flexible plastic solar cells efficient enough to compete with conventional cells made of silicon. To boost performance, research groups have tried creating new plastic materials ...
Materials Science
Aug 4, 2013
0
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