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
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OpinionPolicies for advanced wound care dressings in India
India faces a growing crisis in wound treatment, driven by diabetes and an ageing population. A new policy approach could enable Indian innovation to meet this need.
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OpinionAnticipating disruption: governing emerging chemistry-driven technologies in India
How to enable innovation ecosystems
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BusinessEU adds hefty anti-dumping duties to 1,4-butanediol
Imports from China, US and Saudi Arabia will see tariffs of 52–143%
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ResearchMixed-material microrobots created from 3D-printed templates
Precision and flexibility combined in alternative nano fabrication approach
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ResearchGluten-based vegan leather gains strength with heat and UV treatment
Process triggers protein denaturation and crosslinking to create material that gets close to imitating the strength, pliability and texture of natural leather
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OpinionWhy everyone wants to ramp up rare earths production
Rare earth elements have become instruments of geopolitical power
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ResearchEmbodying polymer chemistry with a purpose by upcycling plastics and trapping PFAS
For Frank Leibfarth, focussing on reactivity and selectivity helps him bridge the gap between fundamental and applied research
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NewsQuestions over microplastics findings don’t mean we are safe, scientists say
Researchers seek to overcome measurement issues arising from field’s youth, while some criticism has turned into harassment
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BusinessSabic offloads petrochemicals and plastics plants in Europe and Americas
German private equity firms Aequita and Mutares aim to return struggling plants to profitability
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FeatureHow soft electronics are transforming medical devices
Degradable pacemakers and artificial neurons showcase how flexible, tissue-compatible electronics are revolutionising medicine. But translating these materials from lab bench to clinic requires solving complex structure–function relationships
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ResearchNew material demonstrates ionic conductivity across three states
‘State-independent’ ionic conductivity could create safer solid-state batteries and faster electronics
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OpinionPlastic recycling’s perfect storm
Pending policies that demand more recycling cannot offset problems of high costs and competition from cheap virgin polymers
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ResearchWolffish teeth contain a rare material that shrinks when squeezed rather than expanding
Osteodentin found in the core of this bottom-dwelling Atlantic Ocean predator’s teeth could inspire new designs for stronger, more resilient materials
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NewsEPA delivers mixed finding on carcinogenic rubber ingredient
US environmental agency says 1,3-butadiene is harmful for some industry workers, but not for the environment or those living near plants using it
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BusinessPlastic recycling is contracting when it needs to grow
High costs, oversupply of virgin polymers and complex political environment are challenging industry
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ResearchSupramolecular gels improve performance of aircraft deicing fluids
Made using low-cost reagents, the gels could be more sustainable than current anti-icing products
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ResearchStiffest organic crystals reported to date discovered in well-known material
Mucic acid crystals owe their rigidity to a dense network of intermolecular hydrogen bonds
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OpinionStructure as a strategy
Progress in materials chemistry has often come from changing what things are made of, yet today we understand that how those components are arranged is just as important
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OpinionReprieve for Grangemouth ethylene
UK government agrees £150 million deal to support the country’s last ethylene production plant
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ResearchShedding light on how photoactive crystals respond in real time
Lauren Hatcher discusses her work developing techniques for time-resolved crystallography