Articles tagged with Polymer Engineering
Establishing a permanent lunar presence will depend on the use of AI, robotics, and 3D printing to adaptively respond to challenges. The moon's natural resources, such as regolith, can also reduce the need for Earth-launched supplies.
Three UVA engineering professors, James T. Burns, Coleen Carrigan, and Liheng Cai, have received the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE) from President Biden. The award recognizes their innovative work in science and technology, including Burns' research on material fracture under unique conditions and...
Researchers at Colorado State University have developed a stronger, biodegradable adhesive polymer that can replace common superglues. The new polymer, made from P3HB, offers tunable adhesion strength and is biodegradable under various conditions.
Researchers at North Carolina State University have developed wearable technologies that both generate electricity from human movement and improve comfort. They used amphiphiles to create slippery surfaces on fabrics, reducing friction while allowing electrons to be donated, resulting in a material capable of generating up to 300 volts.
Researchers at Osaka Metropolitan University developed a simple method to measure deformations in thin membrane materials using photogrammetry and a single camera. This technology can accurately detect wrinkle size and wavelength, enabling more efficient spacecraft operations.
Researchers developed a heterogeneous catalytic system to depolymerize polyurethane waste into diamines, diols, and lactones. The resulting intermediates were then converted into functional polymers, including energy-storage-capable polyimide and chemically recyclable polylactone.
Researchers have developed new approaches to enhance the processability of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene, a strong and impact-resistant plastic. The methods, which include active site engineering, chain transfer agents, and blending with high-density polyethylene, can improve the material's properties without sacrificing its...
Chungnam National University researchers developed a magnetoplasmonic strain sensor that changes color in response to mechanical stress, offering a reliable and user-friendly solution for real-time health and activity tracking. The device is powered-free, versatile, and ideal for use in remote or extreme environments.
Princeton engineers create soft plastics with programmed stretchiness and flexibility that are also recyclable and inexpensive. The material's internal structure is controlled to achieve stiffness and stretchiness in different regions of an object.
Researchers have developed a biotechnological process to break down and remove the matrix from carbon fiber reinforced polymers (CFRPs), recovering valuable chemicals. Genetically modified fungi feed on benzoic acid produced during breakdown, yielding the compound OTA with potential medical applications.
Researchers develop new organic LED material that maintains sharp color and contrast while replacing heavy metals with a hybrid material. The material achieves stable, fast phosphorescent light emission, necessary for modern displays operating at 120 frames per second.
Researchers have created a versatile shape-changing polymer that can twist, tilt, shrink, and expand, mimicking animal movements. The polymer's unique properties make it useful for creating soft robots or artificial muscles, with potential applications in medicine and other fields.
A new catalyst converts methane into polymers at room temperature and atmospheric pressure, making it easier to deploy at sites of methane production. The catalyst also enables the creation of sealants to heal cracks in natural gas pipes, potentially reducing methane leakage.
Researchers at UVA have developed a new polymer design that decouples stiffness and stretchability, allowing materials to be both strong and flexible. The 'foldable bottlebrush polymer networks' can store extra length within their structure, enabling them to elongate up to 40 times more than standard polymers without weakening.
Researchers developed a new durable plastic that breaks down in seawater, reducing microplastic pollution. The material is strong, non-toxic, and customizable for various applications.
A new language called STRONG encodes nanopore shape and structure, enabling machine learning models to predict their properties. This allows for efficient analysis of nanopores and opens up possibilities for gas separation and reducing carbon emissions.
Researchers from Tokyo University of Science have developed a novel gelation method using carbon dioxide to form hydrogels. The post-gelation release rate affects the degree of crosslinking and mechanical properties, providing insights for creating hydrogels suitable for medical applications.
Researchers at the University of British Columbia have developed a groundbreaking coating that mimics natural blood vessels to reduce clotting and bleeding risks. The coating's unique properties prevent clot formation without disrupting normal blood functions, offering a promising alternative to high-risk blood thinners.
Researchers at Texas A&M University have developed a method to break down condensation polymers in plastics using solvents and liquid organic hydrogen carriers, producing aromatic compounds that can be used as fuels. This breakthrough has potential implications for the sustainability of the chemical industry and reducing global warming.
Researchers at the University of Illinois have created an electrochemical strategy to capture, concentrate, and destroy PFAS from water using a single device. The new process combines redox electrodialysis with electrosorption to effectively remove ultra-short-chain PFAS molecules.
New research found that bio-based fibres have a range of adverse effects on earthworms, animals critical to environmental health. The study highlights the importance of testing new materials before they are released on the market.
Scientists have developed a polymer-based therapeutic for Huntington’s disease, which disrupts protein interactions to preserve cell health. The treatment successfully rescued neurons and reversed symptoms in mouse studies, showing promise as a potential delay or reduction of disease onset.
Researchers design a high-throughput approach to create novel polypeptides with diverse chemical properties, leading to the discovery of hundreds of unique low-energy repeating structures. The study paves the way for broader applications in materials design and biotechnology.
Scientists create diacetylene derivative-based luster materials with tunable colors and metallic lusters, opening new possibilities for applications in jewelry, printing inks, and cosmetics. The developed material can express a golden luster selectively using light irradiation, minimizing environmental footprint and weight.
Collymer is a regenerative collagen polymeric biomaterial designed for various medical applications. It can be engineered into materials with different shapes and properties to address unmet clinical needs in wound care, tissue reconstruction, aesthetics, orthopedics, and therapeutic cell delivery.
Researchers at MIT have designed tiny particles that can be implanted at a tumor site, delivering heat and chemotherapy to treat cancer. The treatment approach has been shown to completely eliminate tumors in most mice and prolong their survival.
Researchers developed grain-sized soft robots that can transport up to four different drugs, release them in reprogrammable orders and doses, and navigate complex environments inside the human body. The robots' precision functions have the potential to significantly improve therapeutic outcomes while minimizing side effects.
Researchers have discovered a gene called NANOG that can improve nerve regrowth and re-establish innervation in damaged muscles after traumatic nerve injuries. This discovery has significant potential to help mitigate long-term disability for people with debilitating nerve injuries.
GeniPhys secures $500k NSF grant to support regulatory and commercial readiness of Collymer SAS for soft tissue restoration in advanced wound care. The technology promotes regenerative remodeling without inflammatory response, facilitating faster healing and tissue repair.
Researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute developed a polymer film infused with a special chalcogenide perovskite compound that produces electricity when squeezed or stressed. The material has shown promising results, including powering LED lights and potentially being used in machines, infrastructure, and biomedical applications.
Researchers at MIT have developed a new expansion technique to image nanoscale structures inside cells using conventional light microscopes. The method, which expands tissue 20-fold in a single step, allows for high-resolution imaging of organelles and protein clusters.
Researchers at ETH Zurich have developed a material that combines stiffness and damping properties, making it suitable for various applications. The new composite material features layers of stiff materials connected by ultra-thin rubber-like layers, resulting in excellent vibration-damping performance.
Researchers successfully designed and engineered novel enzyme systems that can degrade various types of plastics. By replacing the binding module with different modules, they created chimera LPMOs capable of recognizing and breaking down different types of plastics, including biosourced polyhydroxyalkanoate.
Researchers at Arizona State University have developed a new polymer that provides insights into material response to high-speed impacts. The study reveals the formation of Mach cones, acoustic waves that travel faster than sound, allowing scientists to visualize subsurface distortions in materials.
Researchers at Osaka University have developed a way to make tough, chemically recyclable polymers without compromising on heat and chemical resistance. This breakthrough could hugely expand the uses of chemically recyclable polymers.
A new method to construct protein complex-based therapeutics has been discovered using a polymer cloak, which stabilizes the delivery of protein complexes and enables tumor-targeted immunomodulation. The study presents an IL-15 nanosuperagonist with enhanced efficacy and specificity, promising a safer therapy for cancer treatment.
Researchers developed a heat-adjusting material inspired by squid skin, allowing for user-adjusted warmth and breathability. The fabric is breathable, washable, and can be integrated into flexible clothing, making it suitable for cold weather applications.
Rice engineers developed a new synthesis strategy for covalent organic frameworks (COFs) that can be used to trap gases, filter water and speed up chemical reactions. The approach enables faster production of COFs with superior crystallinity and high efficiency in breaking down harmful chemicals.
A team of researchers from the University of Washington has developed a flexible pipe with an interior helical structure inspired by shark intestines, which can keep fluid flowing in one direction without flaps. The design rivaled and exceeded Tesla valves, a one-way fluid flow device invented over a century ago.
A new report by international experts urges a collective approach to tackle plastic pollution, citing over 7,000 research studies on microplastics. The need for global reduction in plastic production and emission of microplastic particles is emphasized to avoid irreversible environmental damage.
Researchers at NYU Abu Dhabi have developed nanoscale covalent organic frameworks (nCOFs) modified with peptides to treat triple-negative breast cancer. The COFs selectively release drug cargo within the acidic environment of tumors, improving treatment effectiveness and minimizing side effects.
The researchers synthesized supramolecular polymers with the ability to form larger complexes in response to external stimuli, which may shed light on biomolecular self-assembly and other ‘smart’ materials. The resulting shape of the assemblies can be controlled based on the concentration of a specific additive.
Researchers at Osaka Metropolitan University found that foaming plastic carriers promote 44 times more biofilm formation, enhancing wastewater treatment. Adding waste biomass further improves performance, especially in nitrate removal during the moving bed biofilm reactor process.
Researchers at the University of Virginia School of Engineering and Applied Science have designed a drug-carrying molecule that can slip past the lung's natural defenses. The nanocarrier, called PEG-BB, is shaped like a bottlebrush and mimics the properties of mucus, allowing it to move quickly through the airway.
Researchers at Tokyo Institute of Technology have developed a novel strategy to increase the efficiency of photopolymerization reactions by leveraging dynamic UV lighting. This technique produces heavier polymer chains with reduced energy consumption, offering potential for sustainable industrial processes and polymeric materials.
Researchers at Technical University of Denmark developed a new biopolymer, PAMA, derived from bacteria to heal tissue. The PAMA bactogel shows significant muscle regeneration properties and nearly 100% mechanical recovery in rats.
A new SERS microfluidic system was developed by Shanghai Jiao Tong University researchers, achieving a detection limit lower than 10 ppt of harmful substances. The system uses femtosecond laser-induced nanoparticle implantation into flexible substrate for sensitive and reusable microfluidics detection.
The new battery can capture oxygen from air and use it to oxidize zinc, creating a current of up to 1 volt. It powers an actuator, memristor, clock circuit, and sensors, making it ideal for robotics and medical applications.
Scientists have created a polymer that selectively attracts specific substances from solutions when electrically activated, opening the door to sustainable chemical separation. This breakthrough could minimize waste and benefit from renewable energy sources in industrial settings.
Researchers at North Carolina State University have demonstrated a technique for creating strain sensors that can function both in air and underwater. The sensors, called 'amphibious,' enable applications such as wildlife monitoring and biomedical research.
A new substrate material developed at MIT, University of Utah, and Meta enables not only the recycling of materials and components but also scalable manufacture of complex multilayered circuits. The material's design allows for easy processing and dissolving, making it suitable for recycling precious metals and microchips.
Researchers at Lehigh University use mayonnaise to simulate the phases of Rayleigh-Taylor instability in nuclear fusion, which could inform the design of future inertial confinement fusion processes. The team found that understanding the transition between elastic and stable plastic phases is critical for controlling the instability.
Researchers have successfully synthesized high-purity polystyrene and polymethyl methacrylate using a novel method involving remote spark discharge treatment. This approach uses Tesla coil-generated monomer radicals as polymerization initiators, enabling external spark discharge treatment without a counter electrode.
A new study found that microplastics impact plant reproduction, while seawater flooding causes greater tissue death in coastal plants. Combining both stressors amplifies threats to ecosystem wellbeing.
A new 3D printing method developed by UC San Diego engineers uses a polymer ink and salt water solution to create solid structures with ease. The process is reversible, allowing the PNIPAM ink to be reused for further printing.
Research from the University of Illinois highlights the potential of organic nanozymes for broader applications beyond traditional uses of inorganic nanozymes. The development of sustainable, environmentally friendly materials offers a promising solution for various industries.
Researchers measured dielectric properties of 11 polyimides to establish correlation between molecular structure and dielectric behavior. The study revealed that higher fluorine content resulted in lower dielectric constant values, enabling potential applications for 6G technologies.
Scientists embedded gold nanorods in hydrogels that can contract when exposed to light and expand again upon removal. This expansion and contraction mechanism allows for remotely controlled actuators with endless design possibilities.
A UVA research team has developed biomaterials with controlled mechanical properties matching those of various human tissues, representing a significant leap in bioprinting technologies. Their unique digital assembly of spherical particles (DASP) technique can deposit particles of biomaterial in a supporting matrix to build 3D structur...
Scientists develop locally periodic honeycomb structure with ordered but non-periodic arrangements, exhibiting properties distinct from usual periodic crystals. The study highlights the effectiveness of aperiodic approximants in inducing modulations within self-assembled soft-matter systems.