The primary application of biochar, a highly porous substance made from plant debris, is to improve soil. However, more recent breakthroughs have paved the way for its use as cladding material.
The microscopic characterization of polymers is key to the understanding of the fundamental structure-function relation on a molecular level and paves the way toward the rational design of novel and improved polymers materials.
Researchers from Japan have prepared synthetic rubber which possesses identical tensile strength as natural rubber, with implications for the global rubber industry and the possibility of reducing reliance on this important natural material. Their research has been published online in ACS Applied Polymer Materials this week.