If cellulosic materials are to replace derived from non-renewable resources, it is necessary overcome intrinsic limitations such as fragility, permeability gases, susceptibility water vapour and poor three-dimensional shaping. Novel properties or the enhancement of existing required expand applications will create new market opportunities. Here we have well-known restrictions that impede melt-p...

Tough recyclable polyacetals Cyclic acetals such as dioxolane are appealing building blocks for plastics but have proven to be difficult polymerize controllably. Abel et al . show that optimal pairing of a bromomethyl ether and indium or zinc Lewis acid produces polydioxolane with high tensile strength may advantageous packaging applications. Heating this plastic in strong easily breaks it back...