Self-destructing plastic achieved with built-in 'on/off' switch

Author's Summary

Rutgers University chemists have developed programmable plastics that self-destruct on command through pre-folding, offering a novel solution for controlled degradation of materials. (148 characters)

Key Innovation

Researchers from Rutgers University have engineered a programmable plastic featuring a built-in "on/off" switch for self-destruction. This material degrades naturally when activated. Chemists achieved this by pre-folding the plastic structure.

Development Details

The plastics incorporate mechanisms that trigger breakdown under specific conditions. Rutgers team focused on creating responsive polymers. This approach enables precise control over the material's lifecycle.

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Interesting Engineering Interesting Engineering — 2025-11-29

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