Ever wondered why your clothes crease after being washed, or why some crease more than others? I collaborated with Professor Mark Lorch from the University of Hull to make this graphic, which takes a look at the answers to these questions! It accompanies a piece by Mark in The Conversation, which is reproduced below.
With Euro 2016 in full swing, it seemed a good time to update this look at the chemicals that make up your average football shirt. Even if the tournament isn’t the kind of event to fill you with excitement, it’s still intriguing from a chemistry perspective to examine the different chemical materials used and the properties that they lend the finished shirt.
This year’s European Championships are now well under way in France, and there’s already been some great football on show. It might surprise you to learn that some chemistry has also been taking centre-stage! The Euro 2016 ball is a triumph of materials science, and in this post we take a look at some of the chemicals that make it up.
On this day in 1896, Wallace Carothers was born. Listed by C&EN magazine in their recent list of scientists who should have won a Nobel prize, we have Carothers to thank for nylon, which can be used in clothing, carpets, car parts and more. Here’s a quick look at the chemistry behind the discovery.
On this day in 1941, Teflon, the polymer commonly found in non-stick pans, was patented. Its discovery actually occurred a few years previously – here’s a quick look at the story behind it, as well as the science behind its non-stick effect.
For objects that essentially look like thin plastic films, there’s a surprising amount of chemistry behind contact lenses. This chemistry is designed to maximise comfort whilst they are being worn, and as such it’s also been constantly evolving and improving. Today’s post takes a look at some of the chemicals they have been composed of over the years, as well as what’s in contact lens cleaning solution.