New way of producing fluorochemicals developed
Eleanor Garrigan Mattar reports on a groundbreaking method developed by Oxford researchers for synthesizing fluorochemicals.
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Metal-Organic Frameworks: Materials Of the Future?
Euan Sarson explains the interest surrounding MOFs outlining their unparalleled tunability and use beyond the regular chemical applications.
Phosphogeddon: Our planet’s phosphate crisis
Olivia Allen discusses the current state of phosphate in the world and calls for more responsible use of this precious resource.
Mussels Inspire Self-Healing Plastics
They’re strong, flexible and tough – mussels have proved they’ve got muscle. Recently they’ve inspired researchers to create a new plastic which could potentially heal itself. Plastics are made of polymers – long, repetitive chains of atoms which can stretch and then relax back to their original shape. Designing a polymer is a trade-off between…
Roman Concrete: To go forward is to look back
Rome wasn’t built in a day, but their concrete can withstand the ages: around 2 millennia to be precise. There are many intriguing stories of ancient materials with fascinating properties but long-forgotten methods of production, like Damascus steel, the supposed chromium plated blades of the terracotta army, and Roman concrete. However, more light has been shed…