Materials
The latest chemistry news and research on materials, including polymers, electronic materials, soft matter and porous materials, from the Royal Society of Chemistry's magazine, Chemistry World
-
ResearchSilicon-based ‘ladder molecules’ take a step up in complexity
New compounds are ‘among the most complex organosilanes ever synthesised’
-
BusinessTwo more European crackers to close
Sabic will not reopen UK plant and Dow will close another in Germany
-
ResearchMicrowaves make sustainable sticky adhesive easy to recycle
Light polymerises disulfide groups to create a transparent, robust and recyclable glue
-
OpinionChemistry's capital C
From refinery scale to a nanosecond existence, carbon is everywhere – in life as well as chemistry
-
OpinionCritical metals supply strained
Conflict - both military and political - is having profound effects on supplies of a wide range of materials
-
BusinessMilitary demand strains metal supply chains
Conflict and trade disputes have disrupted global supplies of specialist metals like hafnium, antimony and rare earths
-
BusinessCongo’s cobalt conundrum
DRC government is intervening to revive prices and stabilise supply chains
-
ResearchMost energetic molecule ever made is stable – in liquid nitrogen
Nitrogen allotrope releases double the energy of the most powerful chemical explosives
-
ResearchWinery cuts costs with carbon capture pilot plant that uses metal–organic framework
Carbon dioxide captured from fermentation in a scalable, selective and sustainable manner
-
ResearchLiquid carbon characterised in the lab for the first time
When targeted by a high-energy laser that generates pressures over one million atmospheres, carbon samples melt at around 6700K
-
ResearchPolymer membrane separates hydrocarbons, offering alternative to distillation
Microporous membrane enables energy efficient chemical separations
-
FeatureHow safe and sustainable are period products?
Millions of people around the world use period products every month. Bárbara Pinho finds out what their environmental footprint is and whether they carry chemicals harmful to human health
-
Research3D printing deep in the body using ultrasound could deliver drugs, heal wounds
Biocompatible inks allowed polymers to be printed in animals without harming them
-
ResearchCement-like building material doubles up as an electrolyte in rechargeable battery
Study explores how to integrate electrochemical energy storage into the built environment
-
ResearchCarbon nanotubes made from waste carbon dioxide produce surprising plasma when microwaved
Carbonate electrolysis seems to incorporate transition metals into carbon nanotubes, which sees them absorb microwave energy more efficiently
-
OpinionGiving companies room to grow
Can shopping centres and offices become urban lab spaces for innovative companies to grow and scale-up?
-
ResearchLess than 10% of plastics are produced using recycled materials
Size of the world’s plastic problem laid out
-
BusinessThe problem of scale-up in the UK
What’s the point of knowledge generation if we’re not creating high value jobs, asks Chris Kay
-
OpinionNew materials for sustainable fabrics
Textiles based on agricultural waste, algae and fungi are being developed to improve the environmental impact of the fashion industry
-
ResearchMetal layers just a few angstroms thick display unusual electronic properties
2D metals created for first time by pressing samples between two sapphire anvils