A surface displays structural colors when light is reflected by tiny, regular structural elements in a transparent material. Researchers have now developed a method to make structural colors from ...

When it comes to plant-based materials, many people may picture something that's "green" but not very robust. Such is not the case with a new MIT-designed composite, however, which is claimed to be as ...

Chemists design biodegradable plastics inspired by nature, programming polymers to stay durable in use and break down safely ...

When manufacturing cellulose-based products, challenges, such as the high melting point of cellulose, make it impossible for it to be melted without decomposition. Thus, shaping cellulose materials ...

Today's lithium batteries commonly use a liquid electrolyte to carry ions between the two electrodes, but scientists eyeing solid alternatives see some exciting opportunities ahead. Among them are the ...

A natural, superabsorbent material developed at the University of Waterloo could dramatically reduce the environmental impact ...

A single strand of newly developed fiber has the flexibility of cotton and the electric conductivity of the polymer, polyaniline. The new material has shown good potential for wearable e-textiles. The ...

One hundred years ago, in 1920, the German chemist Hermann Staudinger published his classic paper entitled "Über Polymerisation" ("On Polymerization"). In that paper, he proposed a chain structure for ...

Paper gets flimsy when wet due to its chemical structure, primarily its hydrogen bonds. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works. If you've ...

A microscopic image of the newly developed fibers showing their side-by-side mix where one side is cotton and the other contains the polyanaline polymer that can carry an electric current. PULLMAN, ...