Discover Top Posts Tagged with #vitrimers

Liquid metal composite material enables recyclable, flexible and reconfigurable electronics

Electronic waste is piling up around the world at a rate that far outpaces recycling efforts, partly because it's so costly and time-consuming to recover useful materials from discarded gadgets. When processed improperly, spent electronics can expose workers and the environment to lead, mercury and other toxic chemicals. Without systemic changes, our global appetite for electronics could produce an annual 60 million tons of electronic waste by 2030. This conundrum inspired a team at the University of Washington to create an easily recyclable material that could one day replace many traditional circuit boards, the foundation of most electronics. The new material is flexible, self-healing and can be made conductive without additional components. This suite of features could help produce a more sustainable generation of wearable electronics, soft robotics and more.

Sustainable polymers offer self-repair, antimicrobial action and 3D printing potential

From medicine to electronics and optics, new materials developed by scientists at Kaunas University of Technology (KTU) can be applied in various fields where cleanliness, precision, and durability are essential. They stand out not only for their functionality but also for their sustainability: they are made from renewable raw materials, and no solvents are used during production. The work is published in the journal Biomacromolecules. "Advanced materials can be not only functional, but also friendly to people and the environment. Such work paves the way for technologies that contribute to a safer and more sustainable everyday life," says Professor Jolita Ostrauskaitė at the KTU Department of Polymer Chemistry and Technology.

How sustainability is driving innovation in functionalized graphene materials

Graphene is often described as a wonder material. It is strong, electrically conductive, thermally efficient, and remarkably versatile. Yet despite more than a decade of excitement, many graphene-based technologies still struggle to move beyond the laboratory. One of the key challenges is that graphene does not readily dissolve in common solvents, forcing researchers to rely on harsh, multi-step functionalization/modification processes to make it usable. As a researcher working at the intersection of green chemistry and nanomaterials, I have often found myself asking a simple question: Can we design advanced materials without relying on environmentally costly processes?

Breaking barriers in polymer tech: PBS vitrimers for greener futures

Poly(butylene succinate) (PBS) has emerged as a viable alternative to conventional plastics due to its biodegradability and similar properties to polypropylene. Under composting conditions, PBS can break down into water, carbon dioxide, and biomass. However, its linear structure has limited its use in key manufacturing processes, such as foaming and film blowing, due to challenges with melt viscosity and mechanical strength. Overcoming these limitations has been a key focus for researchers seeking to expand PBS's potential in sustainable applications. In a significant development, scientists from Southwest University, in collaboration with South China University of Technology, have enhanced PBS's properties by introducing dynamic imine bonds. Their research, published in the Chinese Journal of Polymer Science on May 17, 2024, details the creation of PBS vitrimers (PBSVs) that offer improved thermal, mechanical, and melt characteristics, positioning them as a more versatile material for eco-friendly applications.

From aviation to orthopedics: Polymer patch made from dynamic polymer networks

Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Technology and Advanced Materials IFAM have developed a new polymer patch that can significantly accelerate and simplify previously laborious, expensive, and time-consuming repair processes on damaged lightweight aircraft components. The thermoformable, recyclable repair patch is pressed onto the damaged area and fully sets in just 30 minutes. The innovative fiber-reinforced plastic is so versatile that it can be used in a wide range of different industries, from aviation to orthopedics. Repairing lightweight fiber composite components like those used in aircraft wings, fuselage sections, tail surfaces, and doors is a time-consuming and costly process with multiple work steps. The damaged area is typically repaired using a painstaking wet lamination process or by applying fiber-reinforced polymers (FRPs) or aluminum structures known as doublers to the surface. However, these methods involve a long curing time and require additional adhesives.

An innovative plastic, stronger and stretchier than the current standard type and which can be healed with heat, remembers its shape and par

An innovative plastic, stronger and stretchier than the current standard type and which can be healed with heat, remembers its shape and partially biodegradable, has been developed by researchers at the University of Tokyo. They created it by adding the molecule polyrotaxane to an epoxy resin vitrimer, a type of plastic. Named VPR, the material can hold its form and has strong internal chemical bonds at low temperatures. However, at temperatures above 150 degrees Celsius, those bonds recombine and the material can be reformed into different shapes. Applying heat and a solvent breaks VPR down into its raw components. Submerging it in seawater for 30 days also resulted in 25% biodegradation, with the polyrotaxane breaking down into a food source for marine life. This new material could have wide-reaching applications for a more circular economy to recirculate resources and reduce waste, from engineering and manufacturing, to medicine and sustainable fashion. Despite global campaigns to curb plastic use and waste, it is difficult to avoid the ubiquitous material. From toys and clothes, homeware and electronics, to vehicles and infrastructure, nowadays it may seem like it is in almost everything we use. Although useful, there are many issues associated with plastic's life cycle and disposal. Developing alternatives which last longer, can be reused and recycled more easily, or which are made from environmentally friendly sources, is key to helping solve these problems and realize several of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals.

VPR: A stronger, stretchier, self-healing plastic

Researchers at the University of Tokyo have developed an innovative plastic that is stronger and stretchier than the current standard type. The plastic is also partially biodegradable, remembers its shape, and can be healed with heat. The researchers created it by adding the molecule polyrotaxane to an epoxy resin vitrimer, a type of plastic. Named VPR, the material can hold its form and has strong internal chemical bonds at low temperatures. However, at temperatures above 150° Celsius, those bonds recombine and the material can be reformed into different shapes. Applying heat and a solvent breaks VPR down into its raw components. Submerging it in seawater for 30 days also resulted in 25% biodegradation, with the polyrotaxane breaking down into a food source for marine life. This new material could have wide-reaching applications for a more circular economy to recirculate resources and reduce waste, from engineering and manufacturing, to medicine and sustainable fashion.

Researchers build hard, self-healing plastic that can be reshaped and recycled

Rigid plastic is very useful, but difficult to recycle. At least it was, until the discovery of so-called vitrimers. Using those vitrimers, Researchers at Wageningen University & Research have laid the foundation for a new type of sustainable, hard plastic that is easy to deform and grows back together on its own. Although researchers only have a prototype so far, in the future it could be an excellent replacement for the hard plastics we use now. It could for example replace the plastics in building materials, plastic cups, dashboards, laptops and toys.

The first plastic made entirely of petroleum was invented over a century ago. Chemists soon discovered that small alterations in the building blocks of plastics could change the properties and thus create new types of plastic. Since then, this strong, cheap material has become indispensable in our society. We have plastic window frames and other building materials, plastic cups and bottles, tires and dashboards, lenses, laptops and toys. And, not to mention, the majority of our food is wrapped in plastic.

An innovative plastic, stronger and stretchier than the current standard type and which can be healed with heat, remembers its shape and par

#vitrimers

Trending Tags

Recently Viewed Tags

#vitrimers