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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Research
Imaging study illuminates new type of electrical tree
Fresh perspective on mechanism and products of dielectric breakdown
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Research
Mechanochemistry adds fluorine to discarded polystyrene
Proof-of-concept trifluoromethylation study attempts post-consumer plastic waste challenge
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Research
Plastic recycling studies need reliable polymer data. This database is ready to inform them
Database set to support recycling research by detailing the chemical composition and physical properties of 59 polymers from common commercial vendors
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Research
Impossible aerogel that reflects more visible light than it receives prompts scepticism
Material made from salmon sperm and gelatin touted as greener way to cool buildings
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Research
Glassy gel superpolymer is sticky and can self-heal but is also hard yet stretchy
New class of polymer owes its properties to ionic liquid solvent
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Research
Electronic cooling device is part fridge, part muscle
Soft polymer material flexes to move heat between surfaces
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Feature
Conserving Barbie from degradation
Although she is a cultural icon, conserving Barbie has its challenges: as with most plastic toys and dolls, she was not made to last. Rachel Brazil investigates how conservation scientists are approaching this sticky problem
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Research
Chemists and linguists unite to encode Confucian proverb using sequence-defined polymers
Interdisciplinary collaboration tests how two encoding schemas preserve the visual details of Chinese characters
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News
Plastic chemicals review reveals thousands of compounds have little safety data
Existing scientific knowledge on hazards of plastic chemicals compiled in dossier for decision makers
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Research
Concerns raised over health effects of chemicals leaching from food packaging
Gene assays reveal disruption to cell receptors crucial for hormonal and metabolic control
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Business
US derailment highlights continuing chemical rail freight concerns
Three-train crash in Pennsylvania leaked diesel and plastic pellets into waterways
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Opinion
Bin Liu: ‘Breakthroughs always need patience’
The materials expert on deciding to become a scientist, collaboration and fishing
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Research
Unique polymer can switch from rigid cutlery to an adhesive to malleable plastic
Process that mimics tempering of metals can even be reversed in multi-use plastic
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Research
Engineered enzymes break down silicon–carbon bonds in siloxane, an emerging pollutant
Directed evolution offers a way to tackle waste silicone
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Research
Slow Arrhenius process identified in molecular glasses
Findings challenge common ideas on glassy dynamics
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Feature
Editing polymer backbones
Changing the chemical makeup of a polymer backbone could revolutionise how we make, use and even recycle plastics. James Mitchell Crow reports
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Research
Thermodynamically stable ‘plumber’s nightmare’ structure self-assembles from block copolymers
The crucial role of end group and linker chemistry enabled creation of the infamous structure, offering a new way to produce nanoscale architecture
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Research
Nanoplastics make up around 90% of the plastic particles found in bottled water
Seven different types of plastic detected in three bottled water brands