Ionic liquids have emerged as a novel class of chemical compound for the development of advanced materials with outstanding potential applications. Although ionic liquids were discovered as early as 1914, it was only in the last two decades that they have received their due attention, as it was recognized that the physicochemical properties could be […]

PolymPart: Polymer prices in Asia are coming under further pressure because of a lack of resin demand as the region grapples with the coronavirus pandemic. Polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene (PE) prices have steadily declined since the coronavirus outbreak worsened in January, and the search for a bottom continues. Spot prices of linear low-density PE (LLDPE) […]

PolymPart: Protons (subatomic particles) can be transferred from the anode to the cathode through the ionomer membrane in polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFC). Scientists can extend proton pathways by impregnating the ionomer (type of polymer) into the electrodes to achieve improved proton transfer efficiency. Since the impregnated ionomer can mechanically bind catalysts within the electrode, […]

PolymPart: Clariant recently launched its medical polymer compounds which is known to be resistant to hydrolytic degradation. Clariant Plastics & Coatings Healthcare Polymer Solutions has worked with a leading medical device manufacturer to complete development and testing of new polymer materials specially formulated to resist degradation caused by exposure to high humidity and temperature. The […]

Polympart: Evonik has developed a bioresorbable polymer which can be processed on Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) 3D printing equipment. RESOMER PrintPowder The company believes the material, being marketed as RESOMER PrintPowder, is the first of its kind and has been designed to enable the 3D printing of complex bioresorbable medical devices. RESOMER is a 30-year-old brand consisting of more than a dozen […]

PolymPart: Acute respiratory distress syndrome requires immediate action. In an emergency situation like this, patients are often ventilated using a heart-lung machine. This involves circulating the blood outside the body, adding oxygen and removing carbon dioxide via membranes. A team of researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Polymer Research IAP has developed a new […]

Stress-induced acid formation shows location and timing of damage Applying pressure to this polymer disk caused acid to be released from the polymer, turning the pH indicator rhodamine B pink within the disk (left). Rhodamine B appears fluorescent yellow under UV light (right). Apolymer that releases acid in response to a hammer blow can trigger […]

Polymers are used to develop various materials, such as plastics, nylons and rubbers. In their most basic form, they are made up of many of identical molecules joined together repeatedly, like a chain. Engineering molecules to join together in specific ways can dictate the characteristics of the resulting polymer. Using this method, Sheng Shen, an […]

BERGAMO, Italy, Dec. 13, 2019 — Graphene Flagship partners developed a graphene-titania composite via a one-step procedure to widen and improve the applicability of “smog-eating” cement. The prepared composite showed enhanced photocatalytic activity, degrading up to 40% more pollutants than pristine titania in the model study, and up to 70% more pollutants in the case […]

PolymPart: A mathematician from RUDN University has proven that there are no solutions to functional differential inequalities associated with the Kardar-Parisi-Zhang (KPZ)-type equations, nonlinear stochastic partial differential equations that arise when describing surface growth. The obtained conditions for the absence of solutions will help in studies of polymer growth, the theory of neural networks, and […]