Tag: Biodegradable plastics

The distinction between biological and synthetic polymers has long intrigued materials scientists: natural macromolecules such as deoxyribonucleic acid, ribonucleic acid, and proteins undergo controlled degradation, while petrochemical-derived plastics persist in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems for decades. Recent work published in Nature Chemistry in November 2024 by investigators at Rutgers University demonstrates that incorporation of conformationally…