Alternative to BPA passes toxicity and sustainability standards set by EU innovation guidelines Polyester and a host of other plastic products could potentially be manufactured with non-toxic and sustainable BPA alternatives identified in a multidisciplinary study published in Nature Sustainability by researchers in Sweden.
https://phys.org/news/2025-12-....alternative-bpa-toxi

Fullerenes could improve MRI clarity by enabling more efficient dynamic nuclear polarization Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is invaluable in the medical world. But despite all the good it does, there is room for improvement. One way to enhance the sensitivity of MRI is dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP), where target molecules for imaging are modified so they form clearer images when scanned with an MRI machine. But this technique requires special crystalline materials mixed with polarizing agents that are difficult to create.
https://phys.org/news/2025-12-....fullerenes-mri-clari

Seeing inside smart gels: Scientists capture dynamic behavior under stress Advances in materials science have led to the development of "smart materials," whose properties do not remain static but change in response to external stimuli. One such material is poly(N-isopropylacrylamide), or PNIPAM, a polymer gel that alters its solubility with temperature. The polymer contains hydrophilic amide groups and hydrophobic isopropyl groups.
https://phys.org/news/2025-12-....smart-gels-scientist

Common aldehydes transformed by light could accelerate drug discovery and material development A new chemical method that could speed up the creation of medicines, materials and products people rely on every day has been developed by University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Department of Chemistry researchers. The work, published in Angewandte Chemie International Edition, shows how common ingredients called aldehydes can be transformed into more complex molecules using visible light and a specialized catalyst.
https://phys.org/news/2025-12-....common-aldehydes-dru

Cleaner rayon fiber production cuts solvent use by up to 70% A UBC research team has developed a cleaner way to produce rayon, a popular fabric used in clothing for more than a century. The process could significantly reduce chemical use and improve sustainability in textile manufacturing.
https://phys.org/news/2025-12-....cleaner-rayon-fiber-