#polyurethane

Dave Muthouter@mas.to
2025-12-29
Benjamin Carr, Ph.D. 👨🏻‍💻🧬BenjaminHCCarr@hachyderm.io
2025-12-08

#Neuralnetwork finds an #enzyme that can break down #polyurethane
A completely new enzyme that researchers developed to break down polyurethane, the #polymer commonly used to make #foam cushioning, among other things. The new enzyme is compatible with an industrial-style recycling process that breaks the polymer down into its basic building blocks, which can be used to form fresh polyurethane.
arstechnica.com/science/2025/1

Steven Saus [he/him]StevenSaus@faithcollapsing.com
2025-11-02

(31 Oct) Neural network finds an enzyme that can break down polyurethane

Given a dozen hours, the enzyme can turn a foam pad into reusable chemicals.

s.faithcollapsing.com/b3v19
Archive: ia: s.faithcollapsing.com/sydso

#ai #biochemistry #biology #chemistry #enzymes #neural-networks #polymers #polyurethane #protein-design #proteins #science

Image of a black and white athletic sneaker with an elaborate cushioning system in its heel.
Ars Technica Newsarstechnica@c.im
2025-10-31
Márton Salomvárymrc@mastodon.berlin
2025-10-25

@hikingdude Thanks, I will. Also briefly checked some repair specialist shops websites and Vibram replacements go around 100 EUR so it’s borderline viable, similar shoes cost at least 300 nowadays.

And I learned about the “natural” decay of polyurethane foam today, definitely worth keeping in mind (avoid!) for infrequently used shoes (or other gear): safetyjogger.com/en/eu/technic

Things nobody tells you at purchase... :(

#polyurethane

2025-07-06

#MarineFungi Could Eat #PlasticPollution, Helping to Clean Our #Oceans and #Beaches

Learn more about the marine #fungi that could be conditioned to help clean up #Hawaii’s beaches.

By Monica Cull
Feb 14, 2025 4:00 PMFeb 14, 2025 4:01 PM

"Hawaii is home to some of the world’s most beautiful landscapes. Striking blue waters, lush jungles, and pristine beaches make it a paradise. It’s also home to other unique inhabitants, such as sea turtles, dolphins, and… plastics?

"According to a new study from the University of Hawai‘i (UH) at Mānoa, plastics are becoming the most prevalent form of pollution in the ocean, which can be detrimental to marine species and their habitat. However, researchers from UH discovered a fungus from Hawai‘i’s nearshore environment that may have the ability to break down plastics, and to top it off, they may be conditioned to do it faster. The findings were recently published in Mycologia.

" 'Plastic in the environment today is extremely long-lived and is nearly impossible to degrade using existing technologies,' said Ronja Steinbach, lead author of the study and a marine biology undergraduate student at the UH Mānoa College of Natural Sciences, in a press release.

"Marine fungi may be a term you’ve never heard before. This is likely due to the fact that less than 1 percent of marine fungi are known to science.

" 'Our research highlights marine fungi as a promising and largely untapped group to investigate for new ways to recycle and remove plastic from #nature. Very few people study fungi in the ocean, and we estimated that fewer than one percent of marine fungi are currently described,' said Steinbach in the press release.

"For this study, the research team looked at marine fungi found in #corals, #seaweed, #sand, and #sponges from Hawai’i’s nearshore. And they hope that the fungi could help degrade plastics in the marine environment.

" 'Fungi possess a superpower for eating things that other organisms can’t digest (like #wood or #chitin), so we tested the fungi in our collection for their ability to digest plastic,' said Anthony Amend, Pacific Biosciences Research Center professor and co-lead author of the study, in a press release.

The Hungry Fungi

"The team exposed the fastest-growing fungi to small dishes filled with #polyurethane, a common plastic, and noted if and how fast the fungi would consume it. The team also 'experimentally evolved' the fungi to see if they would grow and consume more polyurethane the more they were exposed to the plastic.

" 'We were shocked to find that more than 60 percent of the fungi we collected from the ocean had some ability to eat plastic and transform it into fungi,' Steinbach said in a press release. 'We were also impressed to see how quickly fungi were able to adapt. It was very exciting to see that in just three months, a relatively short amount of time, some of the fungi were able to increase their feeding rates by as much as 15 percent.'

"The research team is currently working to see if these marine fungi can break down other forms of plastics, such as #polyethylene and #PolyethyleneTerephthalate. They’re also trying to understand how, at a molecular level, these fungi can degrade these plastics.

" 'We hope to collaborate with #engineers, #chemists, and #oceanographers who can leverage these findings into actual solutions to clean up our beaches and oceans,' said Steinbach in a press release.

discovermagazine.com/environme

#SolarPunkSunday #PlasticPollution #Pollution #PollutionSolutions

Richard "RichiH" HartmannRichiH@chaos.social
2025-05-13

I suspect the answer will rhyme with #polyurethane as always. Or maybe there's something something in some industry that's Obviously Correct?

I need to seal maybe five meters so cost is not the main factor. UV resistance would be good, but it's under a roof.

worked great on blown out sneaks #polyurethane based adhesives #gnarly

Prateek Yadavprateekcmi1
2025-04-03

The Evolution of Spandex: From Invention to Everyday Fabrics

Spandex, also known by its generic name lycra, is a synthetic fiber known for its exceptional elasticity. The development of spandex can be traced back to 1930 when DuPont scientist Sidney Jacobson began experimenting with polymers made of polyurethane.
Spandex - prateikcmi.livepositively.com/

Scientific Frontlinesflorg
2025-01-28

An environmentally-friendly preparation of material from pine could serve as a substitute for petroleum-based in foams.

sflorg.com/2025/01/btech012825

Phanuelphanuel
2024-12-20

Hi. I thought I'd if there's a way to tell a water-based polyurethane from an oil-based one when you don't have the product label anymore? Maybe by smell?

Am asking so I know how to clean up afterwards. I got some of it from the office maintenance guy and he gave it to me in a plain glass jar. I also didn't know there was a difference at the time.

2024-10-16

Vidhata Plastics is a reputable in India, specializing in high-quality . Our expertise in production guarantees durable, reliable, and efficient solutions tailored to various industries, including sporting goods. With advanced technology and a commitment to innovation, Vidhata Plastics is your trusted partner for all your needs.

Read this blog:
vidhata.co.in/post/polyurethan

Polyurethane (PU) in the Manufacturing of Sporting Goods

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