https://phys.org/chemistry-news/polymers en-us The latest science news on polymers Researchers have created a new class of materials called "glassy gels" that are very hard and difficult to break despite containing more than 50% liquid. Coupled with the fact that glassy gels are simple to produce, the material holds promise for a variety of applications. https://phys.org/news/2024-06-class-materials-glassy-gels.html Polymers Materials Science Wed, 19 Jun 2024 11:00:01 EDT news637944781 Chemical sensors whose signals can be amplified by various triggers hold huge potential in multidisciplinary sciences. However, developing such systems was considered a highly challenging task, until a team of researchers from Tokyo Tech recently came up with a novel signal-amplification system that can be flexibly manipulated by a dynamic allosteric effector or a trigger. This new chemosensor system exhibited exceptional signal amplification by altering the sumanene monomer concentrations. https://phys.org/news/2024-06-amplification-chemosensors-flexibly-allosteric-trigger.html Biochemistry Polymers Wed, 19 Jun 2024 10:33:02 EDT news638011978 A biofriendly new material made from barley starch blended with fiber from sugarbeet waste—a strong material that turns into compost should it end up in nature—has been created at the University of Copenhagen. In the long term, the researchers hope that their invention can help put the brakes on plastic pollution while reducing the climate footprint of plastic production. https://phys.org/news/2024-06-biodegradable-barley-plastic.html Biochemistry Polymers Tue, 18 Jun 2024 14:37:08 EDT news637940223 Wound dressings should provide sterile coverage, protect the wound, and adhere reliably, while still allowing for painless removal. It is essential that the process of skin renewal remains undisturbed. https://phys.org/news/2024-06-polymer-wound-painless-residue-free.html Polymers Materials Science Mon, 17 Jun 2024 16:46:03 EDT news637861562 When two solutions of oppositely charged polymers (polyelectrolytes) are mixed, phase separation occurs and leads to the formation of a polymer-rich phase and a supernatant phase. The precise distribution of all components, that is polyelectrolytes and counterions, had not yet been determined. https://phys.org/news/2024-06-scientists-nmr-spectroscopy-polyelectrolyte-century.html Polymers Analytical Chemistry Mon, 17 Jun 2024 13:00:03 EDT news637848002 An international research team led by Dr. Florian Auras from Dresden University of Technology (TUD) has succeeded in developing a new type of material in the rather young research field of covalent organic frameworks. The new two-dimensional polymer is characterized by the fact that its properties can be controlled in a targeted and reversible manner. This has brought the researchers a step closer to the goal of realizing switchable quantum states. https://phys.org/news/2024-06-2d-polymer-scientists-closer-switchable.html Polymers Materials Science Mon, 17 Jun 2024 12:29:20 EDT news637846157 In the movie "Jurassic Park," scientists extracted DNA that had been preserved in amber for millions of years, and used it to create a population of long-extinct dinosaurs. https://phys.org/news/2024-06-scientists-dna-amber-polymer-method.html Biochemistry Polymers Thu, 13 Jun 2024 09:28:04 EDT news637489681 A new type of pure synthetic leather meets the high requirements of the European Ecodesign Regulation. Made from a bio-based plastic, it is biodegradable and meets the requirements for a closed recycling process. https://phys.org/news/2024-06-synthetic-leather-recyclable-bio-based.html Polymers Materials Science Mon, 10 Jun 2024 14:05:30 EDT news637247127 Oak Ridge National Laboratory scientists ingeniously created a sustainable, soft material by combining rubber with woody reinforcements and incorporating "smart" linkages between the components that unlock on demand. The smart linkages allow heat to unlock the structure, enabling the material to flow for rapid circular manufacturing, which essentially recycles materials back into the economy instead of discarding them. https://phys.org/news/2024-06-smart-chemistry-recycling-networked-rubbery.html Polymers Materials Science Mon, 10 Jun 2024 12:48:46 EDT news637242525 Is the quest for the perfect top notes responsible for some of the world's most influential scientific discoveries? A new article in the journal Isis argues that fragrance research has stimulated scientific endeavor for over a century, but that its contributions have been overlooked due to perfume's stigma as a frivolous, feminine luxury. https://phys.org/news/2024-06-atomizer-history-perfume-century-scientific.html Polymers Analytical Chemistry Wed, 05 Jun 2024 15:09:33 EDT news636818970 Researchers from the Adolphe Merkle Institute (AMI), together with international collaborators, have pioneered a novel method for creating thin, energy-converting membranes that mimic the structure and function of biological cell membranes. This discovery could have significant applications in fields ranging from implantable artificial electric organs to water desalination. https://phys.org/news/2024-06-method-biomimetic-membranes-solutions-energy.html Biochemistry Polymers Wed, 05 Jun 2024 11:59:03 EDT news636807541 An NTU research team has successfully developed new methods to create a type of "cool paint" using recycled plastics—namely acrylic, old PVC pipes and polystyrene foam—and barium sulfate, offering a sustainable and efficient alternative to new plastics. https://phys.org/news/2024-06-cool-sustainable-recycled-plastics.html Polymers Materials Science Wed, 05 Jun 2024 02:29:23 EDT news636740522 Due to their stability and resistance to water and grease, PFAS chemicals (short for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are used in a wide range industries, but they are harmful to health and the environment. Membranes containing PFAS are used in many semiconductor manufacturing processes, for example. https://phys.org/news/2024-06-pfas-free-polymer-membranes-semiconductor.html Polymers Mon, 03 Jun 2024 15:02:03 EDT news636645721 Plastics made of polycarbonate are sought-after materials in industrial applications thanks to their versatility and high quality. However, recycling of plastic waste is still running up against limits these days, as mechanical recycling methods do not produce adequate qualities of recycled material for all applications. https://phys.org/news/2024-06-pyrolysis-high-quality-recycled-plastics.html Polymers Materials Science Mon, 03 Jun 2024 13:54:04 EDT news636641641 With the development of intelligent biomedical engineering, the application of three-dimensional (3D) printing technology has become increasingly widespread. However, existing 3D printing technologies mainly focus on inorganic or polymer materials, limiting their applications in biocompatibility and biodegradability. Due to these challenges, there is a need for in-depth research on biocompatible and functional materials. https://phys.org/news/2024-06-lab-life-3d-bioprinting-unveils.html Polymers Materials Science Mon, 03 Jun 2024 13:07:57 EDT news636638874 Guido Kusters created mathematical models to aid in the development of smart polymers, and he defended his Ph.D. thesis cum laude at the Eindhoven University of Technology Department of Applied Physics and Science Education on May 29. https://phys.org/news/2024-05-mathematical-advance-smart-polymer-materials.html Polymers Analytical Chemistry Fri, 31 May 2024 16:06:11 EDT news636390365 Proteins are vital biomolecules responsible for performing various functions in the human body and are thus regarded as the workhorses of a cell. The primary structure of a protein is composed of different amino acids coming together. The structure so formed then undergoes protein folding, a process by which a protein acquires its characteristic and functional three-dimensional configuration. https://phys.org/news/2024-05-zwitterionic-polymers-safer-drugs-disease.html Biochemistry Polymers Thu, 30 May 2024 12:21:41 EDT news636290497 Growing concern about data theft and counterfeiting has inspired increasingly sophisticated security technologies, like hologram seals, that can help verify the authenticity of currency, passports and other important documents. However, as security technologies evolve, so do the techniques criminals use to get past them. https://phys.org/news/2024-05-anti-counterfeit-technique-reactive-images.html Polymers Materials Science Thu, 30 May 2024 12:19:02 EDT news636290341 An article published in the journal Polymer describes the production of a material with the potential to be used to obtain hydrogen (H2) by solar-driven water splitting (photoelectrocatalysis) instead of the conventional electricity-driven process. https://phys.org/news/2024-05-material-potential-green-hydrogen.html Polymers Materials Science Wed, 29 May 2024 17:11:02 EDT news636221462 There is an old saying in the biorefining industry that "You can make anything from lignin, except money." This bio-based compound is abundant and full of potential, but commercializing it remains a challenge. https://phys.org/news/2024-05-strategy-leverages-lignin-condensation-biomass.html Biochemistry Polymers Wed, 29 May 2024 12:23:02 EDT news636204181 A pair of new University of Alberta studies show how to make firefighters' clothing safer to wear, maintain and manufacture. https://phys.org/news/2024-05-firefighters-safer.html Polymers Materials Science Mon, 27 May 2024 13:30:10 EDT news636035407 Plastic pollution presents a global challenge that must be solved. In particular, packaging accounts for 30–50% of the total plastic consumption. While paper packaging is eco-friendly, it lacks crucial functionalities like moisture resistance and strength. Traditional coating materials exacerbate plastic pollution, prompting the need for sustainable alternatives. https://phys.org/news/2024-05-sustainable-high-paper-coating-material.html Polymers Materials Science Wed, 22 May 2024 13:32:03 EDT news635603521 Engineers have modeled a new way to recycle polystyrene that could become the first viable way of making the material reusable. The chemical method identified to tackle hard-to-recycle packaging material, cutting landfill waste https://phys.org/news/2024-05-polystyrene-recycling-world-economical-energy.html Polymers Analytical Chemistry Wed, 22 May 2024 11:56:03 EDT news635597761 Researchers in Carnegie Mellon University's Department of Chemistry have developed a nucleic-acid-based photocatalyst that can precisely control atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP), a popular method used to generate a wide range of materials with highly specific, tailored functionalities. https://phys.org/news/2024-05-chemists-nucleic-acid-dyes-photocatalysts.html Biochemistry Polymers Wed, 22 May 2024 10:36:03 EDT news635592961 Figuring out a better way to connect nerve cells to bioelectronics will be the next technological leap in health care, and the Neurobiological Interfaces Lab at Binghamton University is at the forefront of research on the topic. https://phys.org/news/2024-05-hydrogel-chemistry-microfabrication-miniaturize-components.html Polymers Materials Science Tue, 21 May 2024 15:30:43 EDT news635524240 Researchers at Virginia Tech are exploring processes that might greatly increase the recycling of one of the world's most-produced plastics. https://phys.org/news/2024-05-chemical-recycle-common-plastic.html Polymers Analytical Chemistry Mon, 20 May 2024 15:17:04 EDT news635437022 A study, published in Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, investigated the cononsolvency mechanism of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM), which is soluble in pure methanol (MeOH) and water but insoluble in aqueous MeOH solutions. https://phys.org/news/2024-05-exploration-polymer-cononsolvency-mechanism-soft.html Polymers Analytical Chemistry Fri, 17 May 2024 12:32:14 EDT news635167932 Special polymer coatings can confer functional properties to surfaces, for example, antiviral behavior. A team from the Department of Materials Science at Kiel University has now for the first time comprehensively compared various biomedical coatings and investigated what happens when they interact with the skin, with cells or with viruses. https://phys.org/news/2024-05-customized-production-antiviral-coatings-cell.html Polymers Materials Science Thu, 16 May 2024 16:08:44 EDT news635094518 Gang Shao's group from Zhengzhou University, China recently investigated the structural evolution of pentagonal polymer-derived SiAlBCN ceramics (PDCs) and outlined PDC-based sensor technology for high-temperature extreme environments. The high-performance temperature sensing materials including high sensitivity, fast response, wide detection range are scarce and needing. https://phys.org/news/2024-05-evolution-high-temperature-polymer-derived.html Polymers Analytical Chemistry Wed, 15 May 2024 16:16:03 EDT news635008561 Fire ants form rafts to survive flooding, but how do those bonds work? And what can we learn from them? A Binghamton University, State University of New York professor is researching those questions to expand our knowledge of materials science. https://phys.org/news/2024-05-ants-materials.html Polymers Analytical Chemistry Wed, 15 May 2024 15:52:33 EDT news635007147