https://phys.org/chemistry-news/polymers en-us The latest science news on polymers Rotaxanes are interlocked molecular structures with a linear 'axle' molecule penetrating one or more cyclic 'wheel' molecules. Bulky groups at the end of the axle prevent the wheels from coming off. https://phys.org/news/2023-08-multicyclic-molecular-wheels-polymer-potential.html Polymers Analytical Chemistry Wed, 02 Aug 2023 08:20:01 EDT news610182650 It created something of a stir back in 2022, when researchers from Aarhus University announced a new and inexpensive way of breaking down polyurethane (PU) plastic into its original components, which can then be recycled into new PU material instead of ending up in landfills or incinerators. https://phys.org/news/2023-08-mattresses-simple-chemistry-recycle-polyurethane.html Polymers Materials Science Tue, 01 Aug 2023 16:54:03 EDT news610127641 A novel method to extract lignin could help spin wheat straw into gold. Lignin produced using the new method was color-neutral, odorless and homogenous, an advance that could make this carbon-neutral material a more viable candidate for development of high-value products. https://phys.org/news/2023-07-lignin-method-renewable-material-profitable.html Biochemistry Polymers Mon, 31 Jul 2023 15:00:01 EDT news610015120 Polystyrene, the main material in plastic tableware and insulating materials, is a widely used polymer but is currently difficult to recycle. Reporting in the journal Angewandte Chemie International Edition, a team of U.S. researchers has now developed a thermochemical approach, making it possible to recover valuable chemicals from polystyrene waste in a simple two-step process. This new approach could enable the recycling of insulating and packaging materials for a truly circular plastics economy. https://phys.org/news/2023-07-recovering-valuable-chemical-blocks-polystyrene.html Polymers Analytical Chemistry Fri, 28 Jul 2023 09:24:51 EDT news609755053 Imagine a plastic that is harder than common plastics, non-flammable, and even has self-healing properties. But that is not all—it can be produced at room temperature in water, which is very energy-efficient and does not require toxic solvents. Before hardening, you can shape the plastic in any way you want—like chewing gum. By adding water, it can also be converted back to its "chewing gum" form at any time, reshaped and thus recycled as often as desired. https://phys.org/news/2023-07-chemists-next-generation-self-healing-plastic-biodegradable.html Polymers Materials Science Thu, 27 Jul 2023 12:18:03 EDT news609679082 The structure of semicrystalline polymers largely depends on how strongly their molecular chains are entangled. This has been shown in a new study by researchers from Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (MLU), which was published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). https://phys.org/news/2023-07-molecular-entanglements-polymers.html Polymers Analytical Chemistry Thu, 27 Jul 2023 11:35:51 EDT news609676549 A team of plant and molecular biologists from the University of Kelaniya and the University of Peradeniya, both in Sri Lanka, reports that many types of fungi that break down hardwood trees can also break down polyethylene, a common kind of plastic. In their study, reported in PLOS ONE, the group tested 21 species of hardwood-decaying fungi in their lab. https://phys.org/news/2023-07-fungi-hardwood-trees-plastic.html Biochemistry Polymers Thu, 27 Jul 2023 10:27:57 EDT news609672470 Now, here is a strange thing. One of the most important drivers of perhaps the largest industrial chemical reaction has never been observed in over 100 years of study. https://phys.org/news/2023-07-scientists-driver-chemical-reaction-plastics.html Polymers Analytical Chemistry Wed, 26 Jul 2023 11:20:03 EDT news609589201 The wings of a butterfly are made of chitin, an organic polymer that is the main component of the shells of arthropods like crustaceans and other insects. As a butterfly emerges from its cocoon in the final stage of metamorphosis, it will slowly unfold its wings into their full grandeur. https://phys.org/news/2023-07-butterfly-flight-electricity.html Polymers Materials Science Tue, 25 Jul 2023 16:44:52 EDT news609522278 A new method for recycling colored plastics has been developed by scientists at Cardiff University. https://phys.org/news/2023-07-method-recycling-plastics-solution-huge.html Polymers Materials Science Tue, 25 Jul 2023 16:41:07 EDT news609522063 Organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) are now widely used. For use in displays, blue OLEDs are additionally required to supplement the primary colors red and green. Especially in blue OLEDs, impurities give rise to strong electrical losses, which could be partly circumvented by using highly complex and expensive device layouts. A team from the Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research has now developed a new material concept that potentially allows efficient blue OLEDs with a strongly simplified structure. https://phys.org/news/2023-07-molecular-highway-electrons-light-emitting-diodes.html Polymers Materials Science Tue, 25 Jul 2023 12:37:03 EDT news609507421 Wearable medical devices, such as the soft exoskeletons that provide support for stroke patients or controlled drug delivery patches, have to be made of materials that can adapt intelligently and autonomously to the wearer's movements and to changing environmental conditions. These are precisely the type of autonomously switchable polymer materials that have recently been developed by materials scientists at the University of Stuttgart and pharmacists at the University of Tübingen, whose research findings have been reported in Advanced Materials Technologies. https://phys.org/news/2023-07-autonomously-switchable-polymer-materials-wearable.html Polymers Materials Science Tue, 18 Jul 2023 12:19:49 EDT news608901585 Polymers have become an indispensable part of everyday life. However, the current polymers represent only a small fraction of the huge number of polymers that theoretically exist. https://phys.org/news/2023-07-high-performance-digital-tailoring-polymers.html Polymers Analytical Chemistry Tue, 18 Jul 2023 12:19:39 EDT news608901576 Chitin hydrogel is recognized as a promising material for a variety of biomedical applications. Its biocompatibility and biodegradability make it useful in tissue repair, artificial organs, and wound healing. Yet scientists continue to face challenges in fabricating chitin hydrogel. A team of researchers has developed a green, efficient and scalable preparation method for chitin hydrogels. https://phys.org/news/2023-07-team-fabricates-chitin-hydrogel-chemical.html Biochemistry Polymers Mon, 17 Jul 2023 15:37:03 EDT news608827021 We use plastics in almost every aspect of our lives. These materials are cheap to make and incredibly stable. The problem comes when we're done using something plastic—it can persist in the environment for years. Over time, plastic will break down into smaller fragments, called microplastics, that can pose significant environmental and health concerns. https://phys.org/news/2023-07-biodegradable-plastics-compostable-backyard.html Polymers Materials Science Mon, 10 Jul 2023 16:38:04 EDT news608225882 Researchers at PSI and the University of Barcelona have managed to explain the strange behavior of microgels. Their measurements using neutron beams have pushed this measuring technique to its limits. The results open up opportunities for new applications in materials and pharmaceutical research. https://phys.org/news/2023-07-neutron-reveal-mechanism-microgels-colloids.html Polymers Analytical Chemistry Mon, 10 Jul 2023 10:48:04 EDT news608204882 A new study by researchers at the University of Cambridge reveals a surprising discovery that could transform the future of electrochemical devices. The findings offer new opportunities for the development of advanced materials and improved performance in fields such as energy storage, brain-like computing, and bioelectronics. https://phys.org/news/2023-07-conventional-electrochemical-devices.html Polymers Materials Science Thu, 06 Jul 2023 11:00:01 EDT news607853158 In T-shirts, stockings, shirts, and ropes—or as a component of parachutes and car tires—polyamides are used everywhere as synthetic fibers. At the end of the 1930s, the name Nylon was coined for such synthetic polyamides. Nylon-6 and Nylon-6.6 are two polyamides that account for around 95% of the global nylon market. https://phys.org/news/2023-07-team-bio-based-nylon.html Polymers Materials Science Thu, 06 Jul 2023 10:29:03 EDT news607858141 Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are highly versatile chemicals. These fluorine-containing organic molecules are the reason why rain drops simply slide off outdoor jackets. They are used in the greaseproof coating of paper food packaging and are key ingredients in fire-extinguisher foams and the protective gear worn by firefighters. PFAS were first introduced in the 1940s and since then, the number of products and areas in which they are used has grown astronomically. https://phys.org/news/2023-07-chemists-sustainable-method-chemicals.html Polymers Materials Science Thu, 06 Jul 2023 10:21:18 EDT news607857673 Chemists at CU Boulder have developed a new way to recycle a common type of plastic found in soda bottles and other packaging. The team's method relies on electricity and some nifty chemical reactions, and it's simple enough that you can watch the plastic break apart in front of your eyes. https://phys.org/news/2023-07-future-recycling-day-dissolving-plastic.html Polymers Materials Science Wed, 05 Jul 2023 10:53:54 EDT news607773231 Adhesive residue left on recyclable materials, such as glass and cardboard, can now be dissolved thanks to the introduction of degradable polymers created by University of Surrey scientists. https://phys.org/news/2023-07-industry-sticky-recycling-issues.html Polymers Materials Science Wed, 05 Jul 2023 10:40:28 EDT news607772426 Researchers at the Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces (MPICI) have designed a carbohydrate sequence capable of folding into a stable secondary structure. https://phys.org/news/2023-07-discovery-sugar-origami.html Polymers Materials Science Tue, 04 Jul 2023 06:44:23 EDT news607671859 A facile technique for reproducibly creating Swiss-cheese-like nanomaterials has been developed by researchers at KAUST. This material, and the method required to create it, could help in the development of further advanced materials with applications in photocatalysis and optoelectronics. https://phys.org/news/2023-07-scientists-highly-porous-materials-electronic.html Polymers Materials Science Mon, 03 Jul 2023 11:58:06 EDT news607604284 A new type of ferroelectric polymer that is exceptionally good at converting electrical energy into mechanical strain holds promise as a high-performance motion controller or "actuator" with great potential for applications in medical devices, advanced robotics, and precision positioning systems, according to a team of international researchers led by Penn State. https://phys.org/news/2023-06-ferroelectric-material-robots-muscles.html Polymers Materials Science Fri, 30 Jun 2023 17:38:16 EDT news607365489 Supramolecular polymers are a new class of polymers that are currently being evaluated for material applications. These interesting compounds also play an important role in cellular activities in the body. "Supra," as the name suggests, is attributed to some unique properties that go beyond those of conventional polymers. Unlike traditional polymers, which are held together by strong, irreversible covalent bonds, supramolecular polymers are held together by weaker, reversible hydrogen bonds. https://phys.org/news/2023-06-reveals-key-sustainable-eco-friendly-next-generation.html Polymers Materials Science Tue, 27 Jun 2023 13:24:04 EDT news607091041 A team of chemists from MIT and Duke University has discovered a counterintuitive way to make polymers stronger: introduce a few weaker bonds into the material. https://phys.org/news/2023-06-adding-weaker-bonds-polymer-resistance.html Polymers Analytical Chemistry Thu, 22 Jun 2023 14:00:03 EDT news606645988 The chemical origin of life on Earth is a puzzle that scientists have been trying to piece together for decades. Many hypotheses have been proposed to explain how life came to be and what chemical and environmental factors on early Earth could have led to it. A step required in a number of these hypotheses involves the abiotic synthesis of genetic polymers—materials made up of a sequence of repeating chemical units with the ability to store and pass down information through base-pairing interactions. https://phys.org/news/2023-06-discovery-primitive-xeno-nucleic-acids.html Biochemistry Polymers Wed, 21 Jun 2023 15:01:03 EDT news606578461 Antitumor agents must kill off cancer cells while protecting healthy tissue and create no toxic side-effects. A novel approach based on "self-immolative" polyferrocenes—copolymers that split apart into their components as soon as they enter a tumor cell—could meet these demands. The drugs they hold then synergistically cause an abrupt increase in free radicals and incapacitate the defenses of tumor cells, as reported by a research team in the journal Angewandte Chemie International Edition. https://phys.org/news/2023-06-copolymer-drugs-incapacitate-defenses-tumor.html Biochemistry Polymers Wed, 21 Jun 2023 10:31:39 EDT news606562295 It is hard to imagine our daily lives without plastics made out of polyolefins. Unfortunately, practical methods for recycling of polyolefins are lacking. In the journal Angewandte Chemie, a research team has now introduced a new approach for making novel polyolefins that can be chemically deconstructed and re-polymerized without a loss of quality. The secret to the method is masked double bonds introduced to the polymer chain by means of a so-called "Trojan horse" functional group in the polymer chain. https://phys.org/news/2023-06-trojan-horse-polymers-circular-economy.html Polymers Materials Science Mon, 19 Jun 2023 11:21:17 EDT news606392473 A team of researchers from universities in Thailand and Malaysia have collaborated to develop a unique kind of bioplastic sheet that is good for the environment and can decompose naturally. They made this bioplastic sheet using a byproduct of the bromelain industry which used the leftover pineapple stems from agricultural waste. This new type of bioplastic sheet has the potential to be used as single-use packaging material, as an alternative to the use of harmful plastic sheet, contributing to a more sustainable way of doing business and promoting a circular economy. The research is published in the journal Polymers. https://phys.org/news/2023-06-bioplastic-sheets-pineapple-stems-agricultural.html Biochemistry Polymers Mon, 19 Jun 2023 10:17:08 EDT news606388625