Polymers
The latest chemistry news and research on polymers, including polymer synthesis and characterisation and sustainable polymers, from the Royal Society of Chemistry's magazine, Chemistry World
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NewsIndustry-sponsored study concludes recycling initiatives outperform cap on virgin plastic production
Cap would cost consumers more than landfill taxes but research didn’t consider health and environment under business-as-usual
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ResearchHats off for new, lower temperature route to unzip plexiglass for recycling
Hydrogen atom transfer agents key to solvent-free method to produce pristine monomers from old acrylic
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ResearchBiomimetic foaming photopolymers offer new waterproof, white material
Light-activated polymers take a leaf from nature’s book in generating structural colour and hydrophobicity which researchers say could find a host of applications
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NewsHideki Shirakawa, who shared chemistry Nobel for discovering conductive polymers, passes away at 90
Collaboration with Alan MacDiarmid and Alan Heeger on doped polyacetylenes ushered in new field of electronics
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ResearchWaste chlorine upcycled into valuable materials using simple resin
Polystyrene-based resin could capture chlorine lost in industrial waste streams
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PodcastThermo Fisher data manipulation & the shrinking chemical recycling industry
We discuss fabricated images in Thermo Fisher’s online catalogue. And, what barriers are preventing chemical plastic recycling from taking off?
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OpinionWhere does chemical recycling of plastics go from here?
US and EU plant closures highlight economic difficulties of scaling technology alongside associated policy and infrastructure
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BusinessChemical recycling plants closing in EU and US
Firms aiming to break down and re-make plastics are struggling with economic feasibility and environmental impact
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OpinionEarly lessons from the Garden Grove chemical incident
A runaway polymerisation raises questions about safety measures and their backups
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ResearchHow a chance discovery overturned one of photochemistry’s oldest dogmas
The first hints of what’s behind the seemingly illogical mismatch between photochemical reactivity and absorptivity could finally end a team’s 10-year struggle to get their results taken seriously
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BusinessOlin and Huntsman to merge, creating $12 billion chemical giant
Deal will combine a large chlor-alkali producer with a major user of chlorine and derivatives
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BusinessEU looks to boost protective trade policy against Chinese imports
Critical Medicines Act and rumoured chemicals rules aim to decrease China’s supply chain dominance
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FeatureHow depolymerisation could enable infinite reuse of plastics
Nina Notman discovers how a type of chemical recycling – depolymerisation – could increase recycling rates, reduce plastic waste and enable a more circular economy
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PodcastBattery week 2026: The EV cathode race & battery-recycling photocatalysts
Who will win the EV cathode race, manganese cobalt or iron phosphate? Plus, how a new photocatalyst could change the way we recycle batteries.
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ArticleAdvantages of monodisperse PEG in drug development
Precision matters: why monodisperse PEG is transforming drug development.
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PuzzleChemistry wordoku #140
Find the name of a Russian-Canadian polymer chemist in this sudoku-style puzzle
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ResearchCatalyst converts plastic waste into hydrogen and valuable chemical building blocks
Researchers reuse old car battery acid, simultaneously combining waste streams in move towards circular chemicals
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BusinessGulf chemicals supply disruption will continue for months to years
Impact on petrochemicals, fertilisers and various co-products like helium and sulfur will ripple throughout extensive supply chains
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OpinionIran ceasefire is the start of a long recovery process
Conflict’s impact on global energy and chemicals supply chains will take significantly longer to resolve