A new biodegradable material to replace certain microplastics
MIT chemical engineers designed an environmentally friendly alternative to the microbeads used in some health and beauty products.
Advancing material innovation to address the polymer waste crisis
MIT researchers work to discover biodegradable polyesters, with support from the MIT Climate and Sustainability Consortium, J-WAFS, and DIC Corp.
Polymer Day 2023 showcases interdisciplinary innovation
A record-breaking number of presenters flock to the MIT event’s poster competition; topics range from synthetic mucus to nature-inspired design.
Off-menu materials science
Rob Macfarlane synthesizes new composite materials by manipulating their structure at the nanometer scale.
Making nanoparticle building blocks for new materials
Associate Professor Robert Macfarlane is uncovering design principles that allow researchers to fine-tune materials at many size scales.
Targeting cancer with a multidrug nanoparticle
Using bottlebrush-shaped particles, researchers can identify and deliver synergistic combinations of cancer drugs.
Five MIT PhD students awarded 2022 J-WAFS fellowships for water and food solutions
Students are driving innovative research to promote water and food security for all.
New fibers can make breath-regulating garments
“Robotic” textiles could help performers and athletes train their breathing, and potentially help patients recovering from postsurgery breathing changes.
Leveraging a 3D printer “defect” to create a new quasi-textile
Tulle-like DefeXtiles can be 3D printed with no custom software or hardware.
Chemists make tough plastics recyclable
New method for producing thermoset plastics allows them to be broken down more easily after use.
SMART and NTU researchers design polymer that can kill drug-resistant bacteria
Polymer may pave the way for drugs to which bacteria are significantly less resistant, a breakthrough that could save hundreds of thousands of lives per year.
Clear, conductive coating could protect advanced solar cells, touch screens
New material should be relatively easy to produce at an industrial scale, researchers say.
New synthesis method yields degradable polymers
Materials could be useful for delivering drugs or imaging agents in the body; may offer alternative to some industrial plastics.
Notation system allows scientists to communicate polymers more easily
BigSMILES language allows computers and researchers to convey stochastic configurations more clearly.
Light-controlled polymers can switch between sturdy and soft
New material reversibly changes its structure in response to different wavelengths of light.