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A microbial plastic factory for high-quality green plastic

Engineered bacteria can produce a plastic modifier that makes renewably sourced plastic more processable, more fracture-resistant and highly biodegradable even in seawater. The Kobe University development provides a platform ...

New polymers show interaction with cells

A new development in biomedical research could open the door to a variety of new applications: Scientists at the University of Bayreuth have found that certain polymers, called polyanions, can penetrate cells in a unique ...

New hydrogel can stretch to 15 times its original size

A team of molecular engineers at Tsinghua University, in China, has developed a new type of hydrogel that can stretch to 15 times its original size and then snap back to its original form. In their study, published in the ...

Hitting this stretchy, electronic material makes it tougher

Accidents happen every day, and if you drop your smartwatch, or it gets hit really hard, the device probably won't work anymore. But now, researchers report on a soft, flexible material with "adaptive durability," meaning ...

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Polymers
Transforming wood waste for sustainable manufacturing
Polymers
Research team designs new porous materials to advance environmental remediation research
Polymers
More than 16,000 chemicals can be found in plastic, and many are harmful: Report
Polymers
A new approach to producing high-performance plastics from agricultural waste
Polymers
Advancing tissue engineering with shape memory hydrogels
Polymers
Paper coating biomaterials derived from anaerobic granular sludge may be cost-effective
Polymers
Scientists reveal molecular mysteries to control silica scaling in water treatment
Polymers
Successful synthesis of helical conductive polymers with circular polarization activity in response to magnetic fields
Polymers
Bright and tough: A material that heals itself and glows
Polymers
Polymer science team develops additive that can 'upcycle' a wide range of plastics
Polymers
Quick-drying polymer may be key to more energy-efficient buildings
Polymers
Solar-driven green synthesis of epoxides
Polymers
Plastic recycling: Peptide with a cobalt complex oxidizes polystyrene microparticles
Polymers
Coordination polymer crystals show promise as new generation of light sources for industry, medicine
Biochemistry
Scientists create method to bond hydrogels and other polymeric materials using chitosan
Polymers
Researchers develop coral-tentacle-inspired antifouling membrane spacer
Polymers
How bananas can be used to fight the plastic waste crisis
Polymers
Advanced artificial photosynthesis catalyst uses CO₂ more efficiently to create biodegradable plastics
Polymers
Exploring the effect of ring closing on fluorescence of supramolecular polymers
Polymers
Researchers develop eco-friendly 'magnet' to battle microplastics

Other news

Ecology
Cicada-palooza! Billions of bugs to blanket America
Molecular & Computational biology
Getting dynamic information from static snapshots
Archaeology
Ancient Maya blessed their ballcourts: Researchers find evidence of ceremonial offerings in Mexico
Plants & Animals
Global study shows a third more insects come out after dark
Bio & Medicine
High-precision blood glucose level prediction achieved by few-molecule reservoir computing
General Physics
Large Hadron Collider experiment zeroes in on magnetic monopoles
Cell & Microbiology
Study suggests host response needs to be studied along with other bacteriophage research
Astronomy
Research investigates radio emission of the rotating radio transient RRAT J1854+0306
Archaeology
Researchers reconstruct landscapes that greeted the first humans in Australia around 65,000 years ago
Ecology
Florida dolphin found with highly pathogenic avian flu: Report
Optics & Photonics
Optical barcodes expand range of high-resolution sensor
Archaeology
Did Vesuvius bury the home of the first Roman emperor?
Paleontology & Fossils
Gigantic Jurassic raptor footprints unearthed in China
Analytical Chemistry
Scientists discover safer alternative for an explosive reaction used for more than 100 years
Social Sciences
Ridesourcing platforms thrive on socio-economic inequality, say researchers
Optics & Photonics
Unveiling a new quantum frontier: Frequency-domain entanglement
Mathematics
New algorithm cuts through 'noisy' data to better predict tipping points
Astronomy
Researchers advance detection of gravitational waves to study collisions of neutron stars and black holes
Earth Sciences
A new way to study and help prevent landslides
Biotechnology
Automated machine learning robot unlocks new potential for genetics research

Creating a new, sustainable plastic using physics

For the past three years, Ph.D. candidate Sophie van Lange has been dedicated to one clear goal: producing plastic that is both hard and sustainable. The plastics we use today are either recyclable or strong and hard—not ...

Concrete made stronger and more durable with resin

Engineering structures made of concrete, steel, or other materials are subject to vibrations and stress. Because of this, small cracks appear, which grow and eventually lead to destruction. This phenomenon is called "fatigue ...

Going beyond plastic: Tara gum as a green polymer

Synthetic, non-biodegradable plastics are major sources of environmental pollution and have prompted rising interest in sustainable, biodegradable alternatives derived from natural polymers. "Tara gum," derived from the seeds ...

Molecularly designing polymer networks to control sound damping

The world is filled with myriad sounds and vibrations—the gentle tones of a piano drifting down the hall, the relaxing purr of a cat laying on your chest, the annoying hum of the office lights. Imagine being able to selectively ...