Chemistry News6h ago
‘Everyone now uses AI’: chemistry students share how and why they’re using AI tools
From summarising concepts to writing lab reports, AI use is ‘rife throughout undergraduate all the way up to PhD’
CChemistry World
Read Article→Chemical Industry News
43 stories from trusted publications
Chemistry News6h ago
India strengthens partnership with EU as it prepares to join Horizon Europe
Access to €93.5 billion research programme will mean India can directly access funding and lead research projects
CChemistry World
Read Article→Chemistry News1d ago
Nitrogen radical cations overturn assumptions by mimicking Lewis acid catalysts
Familiar oxidant reveals a hidden talent for driving transformations usually promoted by entirely different catalysts
CChemistry World
Read Article→Chemistry News1d ago
Light-connected single molecule qubit hints at disruption to quantum computing tech
Unconventional organic qubits that can be read individually could enable light-connected systems
CChemistry World
Read Article→Chemistry News4d ago
UK science and technology committee reports that cosmetics regulation is a ‘confusing mess’
‘Consumers shouldn’t pay the price for regulation that has failed to keep pace,’ says committee chair
CChemistry World
Read Article→Chemistry News4d ago
Dozens of unknown MXenes found buried in materials databases
Discovery led to simpler, faster synthesis of these 2D inorganic materials and synthesis of novel MXenes with unusual properties such as magnetism and semiconductivity
CChemistry World
Read Article→Chemistry News5d ago
Scientists and policy experts celebrate US midterm results as a turning point for research
Both chambers of Congress will now be Democrat-led and many in the research community hope the worst of the damage caused by the Trump administration is over
CChemistry World
Read Article→Chemistry News5d ago
Click-style reaction builds imine bonds in water
Zinc complex helps subvert bond’s low hydrolytic stability by pre-organising the starting materials and stabilising the product
CChemistry World
Read Article→Chemistry News5d ago
New study to measure exposure to PFAS in the UK population
Health Security Agency aims to establish a baseline level of ‘forever chemicals’ in the blood of the UK population
CChemistry World
Read Article→Chemistry News6d ago
Baker lab tackles tough challenge of designing new proteases
Designer enzymes found to be able to slice up proteins implicated in Alzheimer’s and could have other medical uses
CChemistry World
Read Article→Chemistry NewsNov 3
Sodium-ion batteries overcome lifespan vs charging conundrum with graphene armour
Battery anode architecture allows rapid charging
CChemistry World
Read Article→Chemistry NewsNov 2
Structural determination skipped altogether as algorithm links NMR spectra to chemical reactivity
Approach holds promise for determination of molecular properties by making use of large datasets
CChemistry World
Read Article→Chemistry NewsNov 2
Inside the long-running argument over bonding in phase change materials
One class of materials, two incompatible theories
CChemistry World
Read Article→Materials Science1h ago
Team designs molecules that efficiently generate orange-to-red light for OLED displays
Most of us spend much of our day staring at organic light-emitting diodes, or OLEDs, which convert electricity into light to produce the colorful displays on smartphones, computer monitors and televisions. Although metal-free light-emitting materials that produce all colors are in demand, it has been difficult to make ones that efficiently emit orange-to-red light. Now, researchers led by the University of Osaka have shown that such materials do not need to be held in a rigid shape to work well: flexible molecules that can change shape can also emit orange-to-red light.
PPhys.org
Read Article→Analytical Chemistry1h ago
A catalyst that protects itself while producing hydrogen
Cobalt phosphide (CoP) is a promising alternative to platinum for producing hydrogen from water. However, scientists have struggled to explain why it performs so well. Computer models have suggested that CoP should become unstable under the conditions used to produce hydrogen, yet experiments show that it remains active and durable in acidic, neutral and alkaline environments.
PPhys.org
Read Article→Materials Science2h ago
A new role for chlorine: Uncovering anion redox in solid-state battery cathodes
As demand grows for safer and more capable rechargeable batteries, scientists are looking beyond the familiar metal-centered chemistry of conventional cathodes. A promising route is to draw additional charge from anions—the negatively charged atoms in a material—rather than relying on transition metals alone. Oxygen and sulfur have attracted substantial attention in this area. Whether chlorine can play a comparable role in chloride-based battery cathodes has been less clear.
PPhys.org
Read Article→Analytical Chemistry18h ago
Alternative approach could reduce reliance on potentially toxic surfactants in pharmaceutical and food applications
An international research team led by the University of Sydney has found a way to formulate microemulsions without traditional surfactants, which are often toxic and hard to separate from end products. The findings have important implications for pharmaceutical applications and food additives.
PPhys.org
Read Article→Analytical Chemistry19h ago
CheMeleon model adapts to predict molecular properties from scant data
Discovering new molecules for specific uses is a major driver of progress in a wide variety of industries, whether it's pharmaceutical companies looking for new drugs or electronics or energy companies seeking new materials with particular properties. But it's also largely a trial-and-error process, because there is not yet any way to perfectly predict how a given chemical compound will behave in terms of the myriad different properties and responses materials can exhibit.
PPhys.org
Read Article→Materials Science1d ago
Liquid-assisted crystal growth cuts perovskite defects for efficient solar cells and LEDs
A research team led by professor Seong Sik Shin of the SKKU Advanced Institute of Nanotechnology (SAINT) at Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), in international collaboration with the Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology (KRICT), the University of California, San Diego, and Princeton University, has developed a next-generation perovskite semiconductor thin film with dramatically reduced defects. Using the same material platform, the researchers demonstrated both high-performance solar cells and LEDs.
PPhys.org
Read Article→Biochemistry3d ago
How a metabolite protects the enzyme that consumes it
Metabolites are consumed by enzymes to produce other vital molecules as well as to control metabolite levels. But how do cells avoid consuming too much? Researchers from the MPI of Biochemistry, with the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and the de Duve Institute in Brussels, have deciphered such molecular regulation in tryptophan metabolism. The essential amino acid tryptophan binds to a second site on the enzyme TDO2, distinct from where it is consumed. This sequesters a region needed by two effectors, the kinase CK2 and the ubiquitin ligase CUL1–β-TrCP, which act sequentially to signal TDO2 degradation. The findings are now published in Molecular Cell.
PPhys.org
Read Article→Biochemistry3d ago
Light-powered method resurrects 'dead-end' compounds for drug discovery
Throughout the drug development process, which can take a decade or more, tens of thousands of chemical compounds are produced that never go on to become medicines. A Florida State University researcher is part of a team that has discovered a new way to give some of these "dead ends" a second chance at becoming the foundation for tomorrow's blockbuster drugs.
PPhys.org
Read Article→Analytical Chemistry3d ago
Beyond trial and error: A framework for AI-driven solid-electrolyte discovery
A battery material can look perfect in the lab and still fail in a real battery. That is the puzzle facing researchers working on solid electrolytes, the materials seen as key to safer, longer-lasting batteries.
PPhys.org
Read Article→Biochemistry3d ago
Smart packaging film 'lights up' under UV as meat loses freshness
Food spoilage causes chemical changes that are not always easy to detect by appearance alone. To provide a clearer indication of freshness and quality, researchers at Kyushu University have developed a smart packaging film that changes color and glows under ultraviolet (UV) light as meat loses freshness. Tested with refrigerated mutton, the film responds to compounds released during spoilage, offering two ways to track changes in food quality. The findings are published in the Chemical Engineering Journal.
PPhys.org
Read Article→Biochemistry3d ago
SynFit guides enzyme engineering by balancing several useful traits at once
Enzymes are biology's tiny chemists. They help build, break and rearrange molecules quickly and precisely. In the lab, scientists have long put enzymes to work making useful chemicals. But nature's enzymes cannot do every reaction a researcher might want. Sometimes scientists need an enzyme to take on a job it did not evolve to do. That's where enzyme engineering comes in—researchers make changes to an enzyme, test how those changes affect what the enzyme does and look for versions that work better.
PPhys.org
Read Article→Materials Science4d ago
New method for upcycling polyethylene is suitable for mass production as a raw material for nylon
It would greatly benefit the environment and climate if nylon—chemically known as polyamide—could be produced on a large scale from plastic waste in the future, rather than from petroleum, as has been the norm until now. At LIKAT in Rostock, chemists pursuing this approach have succeeded in selectively converting polyethylene—the main component of all plastic waste—into dicarboxylic acids, which can serve as chemical precursors for nylon.
PPhys.org
Read Article→Biochemistry4d ago
Paired DNA strands recognize shape, not just sequence, in new small-molecule sensing method
You have probably performed a sandwich assay before, even if you didn't know it. Sandwich assays are the molecular sensing technology behind lateral flow tests like the at-home COVID test. After a sample is dripped onto the test strip, it combines with detector antibodies attached to tiny gold particles, which bind to any viral proteins present. When the sample reaches the test line, a second antibody anchored to the strip binds to a different site on the viral protein, creating a molecular "sandwich." As the gold particles accumulate, the test line turns dark red, becoming visible to the naked eye.
PPhys.org
Read Article→Polymers4d ago
Plastic bags and bottles become industrial-strength adhesives through new upcycling method
Around 450 million metric tons of plastics are produced worldwide each year. The major share of this sheer volume is used only once and then winds up in an incinerator or in landfills. This also applies to so-called polyolefins, which include polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP). As packaging materials and films, they account for approximately half of our plastic consumption.
PPhys.org
Read Article→Materials Science4d ago
Researchers develop synergistic additives for scalable slot-die-coated perovskite photovoltaics
A research team led by Professor Yang Dong from the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics (DICP) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), in collaboration with Dalian Jiaotong University, has developed a synergistic additive strategy for large-area slot-die coating of methylammonium-free (MA-free) perovskite films. The study is published in Advanced Materials.
PPhys.org
Read Article→Biochemistry4d ago
A plant-based hair dye that smells like cinnamon
Hair dyes help people express style and cover gray hair but often contain skin-irritating chemicals.
PPhys.org
Read Article→Biochemistry4d ago
Coating made from renewable plant-based materials could simplify recycling while reducing exposure to microplastics
The lining in traditional disposable coffee cups can release plastic particles and be difficult to recycle, but a new plant-based coating can eliminate these issues with your morning brew.
PPhys.org
Read Article→Analytical Chemistry4d ago
A sweeter future? AI helps scientists discover new sugar substitutes
Researchers Dr. Shayma El-Atawneh and professor Amiram Goldblum at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem have developed a new computational framework that identified 92 promising candidates for future sugar substitutes from more than 50 million chemical compounds. The study, published in the journal Food Chemistry, demonstrates how artificial intelligence and molecular modeling could accelerate the discovery of new sweeteners while helping overcome one of the industry's persistent challenges: unwanted bitter aftertastes.
PPhys.org
Read Article→Materials Science5d ago
A phenanthrene co-guest helps crystalline sponges reveal 3D structures of small, low-polarity molecules
Adding phenanthrene as a co-guest let the second-generation crystalline sponge (2G-CS) method determine X-ray structures for 24 of 30 small, low-polarity C₁₅ molecules, mostly sesquiterpenoids. Under standard conditions, none of the 30 gave guest-containing crystals. Eleven of the 24 structures had not been reported before, including that of the liquid hydrocarbon longifolene. A chiral version of the cage gave the absolute configurations of five compounds.
PPhys.org
Read Article→Analytical Chemistry5d ago
First direct observations reveal hydrogen dissolved in tiny gaps between metal atoms
University of Sydney researchers have made a breakthrough by directly observing hydrogen in the tiny spaces between the atoms in metal alloys. The world-first observation of hydrogen dissolving in these 'metal crystal lattices' offers fresh insights into why hydrogen can weaken metals and how more hydrogen-resistant materials might be developed.
PPhys.org
Read Article→Biochemistry5d ago
Traditional Korean paper becomes breathable patch for future wearable health care
Wearable health-monitoring devices are becoming increasingly important for personalized health care, but conventional patches often rely on substrates that restrict airflow, trap sweat and cause skin discomfort during prolonged use. These limitations can also interfere with the reliable collection and analysis of sweat, highlighting the need for breathable materials that support both comfortable wear and accurate sensing.
PPhys.org
Read Article→Biochemistry5d ago
Bio-based smart coating combines fire protection, early warning and upcyclability
Researchers have developed a multifunctional fire-protective coating that not only shields materials from extreme heat but also provides an early warning of fire and can be recycled into new flame-retardant materials at the end of its life. The work, published in Polymer Degradation and Stability, demonstrates a strategy for combining fire safety, sustainability and circularity within a single material system.
PPhys.org
Read Article→Materials Science5d ago
New CO₂ sensor combines high sensitivity with a wider measurement range
Researchers from the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science (HFIPS) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) have developed a carbon dioxide (CO₂) sensor that combines high sensitivity with a wider measurement range.
PPhys.org
Read Article→Biochemistry5d ago
Nature's looking glass: Crafting mirrors from plants
Natural materials, ranging from butterfly wings to mother-of-pearl, can exhibit an array of optical effects. In trying to reproduce these effects, scientists have found it challenging to use biodegradable, sustainable raw ingredients while also achieving the high levels of reflectivity required for certain applications.
PPhys.org
Read Article→Analytical Chemistry6d ago
A new spin on catalysts: A roadmap for smarter chemical reactions
Electron spin is a quantum property that makes electrons behave like tiny magnets. It can influence how electrons interact with each other and how chemical reactions take place. But what does this have to do with producing fertilizers, making cleaner fuels or improving energy technologies? What connects all these processes is the use of catalysts, materials that help chemical reactions happen faster and more efficiently. By controlling electron spin, scientists may be able to improve how these catalysts work, opening up new possibilities for more efficient chemical processes.
PPhys.org
Read Article→Analytical Chemistry6d ago
Asymmetric atomic structure improves sodium–sulfur battery performance
Chinese researchers have developed a new way to improve sodium–sulfur battery performance by changing the atomic structure of a catalyst. Led by professors Wang Hui and Zheng Fangcai from the High Magnetic Field Laboratory at the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the study is published in Angewandte Chemie.
PPhys.org
Read Article→Biochemistry6d ago
Plant-inspired natural coatings can beat forever chemicals
Polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are known as "forever chemicals" because of the impact they make on the environment and human bodies. Much of modern manufacturing relies on these substances for safe packaging, fire protection and waterproof coatings.
PPhys.org
Read Article→Analytical Chemistry6d ago
More power, less payoff: Study reveals a bottleneck in cleaner methanol production
Dialing up the power on electricity-driven chemical reactions doesn't guarantee that they'll be more efficient, suggests a new study, a finding that gets researchers closer to creating the ideal conditions for sustainable chemical manufacturing.
PPhys.org
Read Article→Biochemistry6d ago
Oil-producing yeast reveals two stages of fat accumulation under nitrogen limitation
A research team led by professors Xu Guowang and Liu Xinyu from the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics (DICP) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), in collaboration with researchers from Dalian University of Technology, has developed a high-coverage lipidomics workflow and integrated it with transcriptomics to investigate lipid accumulation and compositional changes in Rhodosporidium toruloides under nitrogen limitation. The study was recently published in Food Chemistry.
PPhys.org
Read Article→Biochemistry6d ago
Bee nest linings could inspire plastics that break down in soil
Hundreds of millions of metric tons of plastics are produced every year, and most of them end up sitting in landfills or polluting natural environments after use. These plastics endure for dozens to hundreds of years. But some scientists are on the lookout for solutions to this problem. And now, one team of researchers might have found a potential solution in bee nests. Their study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, shows that a natural plastic made by bees may offer design lessons for plastics that degrade naturally in far less time.
PPhys.org
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