All Plastic articles
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ResearchSunlight transforms plastic into tens of thousands of new compounds
Marine plastics don’t persist forever, sun exposure can break them down into extremely complex chemical compounds in just weeks
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Research
Clever ring-strain engineering creates infinitely recyclable polymer – but are they ready to compete with commercial plastics?
Ultra-stable polymer that can be broken down into its feedstock could be a foot in the door to a circular plastics economy
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Research
Tandem catalysis and smart design offer new route to polypropylene plastic
Selective combustion of hydrogen by-product improves oxidative propane dehydrogenation yields
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Business
Taking plastic out of performance paper coatings
SGMA’s silicate sol-gel is a sustainable alternative for packaging such as coffee cups
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News
Millions of microplastic particles released by some baby feeding bottles
Hot water is key variable responsible for release of large numbers of plastic particles
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Sponsored
Sustainable solutions for plastics: the future role of lignins
Could lignins provide a sustainable alternative to petroleum in plastics development?
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Research
Spectroscopy from space lets satellites spy out ocean plastic patches
The technique could show where and how floating plastic patches form, and raise awareness of plastic pollution in the oceans
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Opinion
Plastics and pandemics
The Covid-19 pandemic is our top priority but the plastic problem isn’t going away
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Business
Taking responsibility for waste
How well are companies that produce and use plastics living up to their duty?
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Podcast
Terephthalic acid
Once thought of as an interesting – but useless – turpentine derivative, this oddly-named acid became the precursor to one of the world’s most widely used plastics
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Review
Exhibition: Plastic
This exhibition wrestles with the conundrums of plastic – cheap to make, expensive to dispose of; it can last forever, but is often used only once.
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Research
Glucose derivative replaces BPA in sustainable polycarbonate plastic
Transparent engineered plastic ditches hormone disruptor and lung irritant
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Research
2D synthetic clay sheets could create easy to recycle crisp packets
Alternative to metal-coated plastics possible thanks to new environmentally-friendly synthesis
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Research
C–H fluoroalkylation tackles plastic waste
Photocatalytic method that upcycles aromatic polymers could breathe new life into rubbish
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Research
Converting waste plastic bottles into jet fuel
Simple three-step process generates minimal waste and diverts plastic from landfill
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Research
New family of polymers can be easily recycled and even upcycled
Dynamic covalent bonds means polymers can be taken apart by acid
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Opinion
Thinking differently about waste
Plastic and carbon emissions are valuable resources we can’t afford to discard
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Research
Plastic packaging waste upcycled into technical materials
Process takes on plastic recycling challenge by turning food packing into heat conducting and electromagnetic shielding material
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Research
Sunlight converts plastic waste to hydrogen fuel
Food contamination no problem for photocatalytic recycling process
