https://phys.org/chemistry-news/ en-us The latest news stories on chemistry, biochemistry, polymers, materials science from Phys.org New research into a chemical produced by a caterpillar fungus that has shown promise as a possible cancer treatment has revealed how it interacts with genes to interrupt cell growth signals. The discovery is an important step towards developing new drugs that could be less damaging to healthy tissues than most currently available treatments. https://phys.org/news/2024-11-caterpillar-fungus-chemical-growth-cancer.html Biochemistry Thu, 07 Nov 2024 12:41:28 EST news650205685 Microplastics, plastics smaller than 5 millimeters, are littered across the world, contributing to global warming, disrupting food chains, and harming ecosystems with toxic chemicals. This is why Dr. Manish Shetty is working to break down plastics before they can get into the environment. https://phys.org/news/2024-11-catalysts-potential-microplastics-usable-fuel.html Polymers Analytical Chemistry Thu, 07 Nov 2024 12:22:03 EST news650204522 A University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign study is the first to describe an electrochemical strategy to capture, concentrate and destroy mixtures of diverse chemicals known as PFAS—including the increasingly prevalent ultra-short-chain PFAS—from water in a single process. https://phys.org/news/2024-11-pfas-aims-pollution-semiconductor-industry.html Polymers Materials Science Thu, 07 Nov 2024 12:12:03 EST news650203921 The process of discovering and designing new chemicals has always been arduous—Sijia Dong wants to change that. As an assistant professor in the department of chemistry and chemical biology, with affiliations in physics and chemical engineering, Dong uses "physics-based simulations, AI and quantum computing" to accelerate chemical discovery. https://phys.org/news/2024-11-chemistry-traditional-methods-chemical-synthesis.html Analytical Chemistry Materials Science Thu, 07 Nov 2024 09:55:04 EST news650195701 Mimicking how plants convert sunlight into energy has long been a dream for scientists aiming to create renewable energy solutions. Artificial photosynthesis is a process that seeks to replicate nature's method, using sunlight to drive chemical reactions that generate clean energy. However, creating synthetic systems that work as organically as natural photosynthesis has been a significant challenge until now. https://phys.org/news/2024-11-bioinspired-hydrogels-harness-sunlight-closer.html Polymers Materials Science Wed, 06 Nov 2024 11:21:03 EST news650114461 Gamma radiation can convert methane into a wide variety of products at room temperature, including hydrocarbons, oxygen-containing molecules, and amino acids, according to a new article published in the journal Angewandte Chemie International Edition. https://phys.org/news/2024-11-gamma-methane-complex-molecules-life.html Biochemistry Analytical Chemistry Wed, 06 Nov 2024 11:05:04 EST news650113502 Researchers at the University of Liverpool have developed AI-driven mobile robots that can carry out chemical synthesis research with extraordinary efficiency. https://phys.org/news/2024-11-ai-driven-mobile-robots-team.html Analytical Chemistry Materials Science Wed, 06 Nov 2024 11:00:01 EST news650105021 With the goal of achieving a carbon-neutral society and eliminating greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, efforts are accelerating to utilize hydrogen as a key energy source. To achieve this goal, the technologies for hydrogen storage, transportation, and reproduction are actively being developed in Japan, including high-pressure hydrogen, liquid hydrogen, and liquid organic hydrogen carriers (LOHCs) such as methylcyclohexane. https://phys.org/news/2024-11-synthesis-method-recovered-carbon-dioxide.html Analytical Chemistry Materials Science Wed, 06 Nov 2024 10:58:31 EST news650113107 Scientists at the Advanced Science Research Center at the CUNY Graduate Center (CUNY ASRC) have developed a novel approach to better understand and predict the behaviors of water-responsive materials—solid matter that can change shape by absorbing or releasing water in response to humidity fluctuations. These materials, commonly found in nature, have the potential to revolutionize a range of industries, from robotics and smart textiles to bioelectronics and clean energy generation systems. https://phys.org/news/2024-11-scientists-key-responsive-biopolymers.html Biochemistry Materials Science Tue, 05 Nov 2024 15:22:06 EST news650042467 Researchers have found a new way to use biocatalysis to improve the production of critical raw materials required for essential drugs, making the process quicker, more efficient, and environmentally friendly. Biocatalysis is a process that uses enzymes as natural catalysts to carry out chemical reactions. https://phys.org/news/2024-11-enzyme-potential-sustainable-efficient-drug.html Biochemistry Analytical Chemistry Tue, 05 Nov 2024 08:37:03 EST news650018221 An international team led by scientists of GSI/FAIR in Darmstadt, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz and the Helmholtz Institute Mainz, succeeded in determining the chemical properties of the artificially produced superheavy elements moscovium and nihonium (elements 115 and 113). https://phys.org/news/2024-11-scientists-chemical-properties-superheavy-elements.html Analytical Chemistry Tue, 05 Nov 2024 07:43:05 EST news650014981 A team of international researchers including those from the University of Adelaide have taken a well-known chemical reaction as the basis of a new generation of targeted pain relief medication. https://phys.org/news/2024-11-localized-pain-relief-chemical-reaction.html Biochemistry Analytical Chemistry Tue, 05 Nov 2024 06:55:05 EST news650012102 Bio-based thermoplastics are produced from renewable organic materials and can be recycled after use. Their resilience can be improved by blending bio-based thermoplastics with other thermoplastics. However, the interface between the materials in these blends sometimes requires enhancement to achieve optimal properties. https://phys.org/news/2024-11-thermoplastic-blends-polylactic-acid.html Polymers Analytical Chemistry Mon, 04 Nov 2024 13:01:03 EST news649947661 The continuing release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere is a major driver of global warming and climate change with increased extreme weather events. Researchers at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) have now presented a method for effectively converting carbon dioxide into ethanol, which is then available as a sustainable raw material for chemical applications. https://phys.org/news/2024-11-cobalt-copper-tandem-sustainable-approach.html Analytical Chemistry Materials Science Mon, 04 Nov 2024 12:40:10 EST news649946401 A team of researchers have discovered a metal-organic framework (MOF) that suppresses charge recombination, which is a major challenge in photocatalytic overall water splitting. Their study was published in Nature Chemistry. https://phys.org/news/2024-11-catalyst-suppress-recombination-photocatalytic.html Analytical Chemistry Materials Science Mon, 04 Nov 2024 11:32:03 EST news649942321 A team of biochemists at the University of California, San Diego, working with a group of biochemical engineers from the University of California, Los Angeles, has found that the development of short lipids might have led to the development of the first cell membranes on early Earth. https://phys.org/news/2024-10-biochemists-protocells-explore-lipids-cell.html Biochemistry Sun, 03 Nov 2024 07:40:01 EST news649611343 A group of TU Delft bachelor students has developed, as part of the students' minor in Computational Science and Engineering, a new model that accurately predicts the molecular properties of alkanes. This knowledge is crucial for the development of renewable fuels. The model is now regularly used by scientists and has also led to a publication in The Journal of Physical Chemistry B. https://phys.org/news/2024-10-students-chemical-renewable-fuels.html Analytical Chemistry Thu, 31 Oct 2024 15:30:06 EDT news649607402 Takeout containers get your favorite noodles from the restaurant to your dining table (or couch) without incident, but they are nearly impossible to recycle if they are made from foil-lined plastics. Research published in ACS Omega suggests that replacing the plastic layer with paper could create a more sustainable packaging material. The researchers used mechanical demonstrations and computer simulations to identify paper-aluminum laminate designs that won't compromise on performance. https://phys.org/news/2024-10-paper-aluminum-combo-plastic-strong.html Analytical Chemistry Materials Science Thu, 31 Oct 2024 14:50:03 EDT news649605001 Research on organic solar cells has been conducted for a long time. Recent advancements in understanding their molecular structures are now paving the way for the development of highly efficient solar cells. https://phys.org/news/2024-10-imaging-advance-clearer-picture-solar.html Polymers Analytical Chemistry Thu, 31 Oct 2024 14:40:03 EDT news649604401 USC researchers have developed a new process to upcycle the composite materials appearing in automobile panels and light rail vehicles, addressing a current environmental challenge in the transportation and energy sectors. The study recently appeared in the Journal of the American Chemical Society. https://phys.org/news/2024-10-method-successfully-recycles-carbon-fiber.html Polymers Materials Science Thu, 31 Oct 2024 14:28:03 EDT news649603681 UCLA chemists have found a big problem with a fundamental rule of organic chemistry that has been around for 100 years—it's just not true. And they say, It's time to rewrite the textbooks. https://phys.org/news/2024-10-chemists-broke-year-rewrite-textbooks.html Biochemistry Analytical Chemistry Thu, 31 Oct 2024 14:00:01 EDT news649585562 A research team jointly led by Professor Sung You Hong and Professor Jan-Uwe Rohde has unveiled a novel method for synthesizing allenes—a series of compounds integral to drug development and synthetic chemistry—without relying on hazardous, highly reactive chemicals. https://phys.org/news/2024-10-safe-efficient-method-allenes-possibilities.html Analytical Chemistry Materials Science Thu, 31 Oct 2024 12:20:01 EDT news649595408 In the search for new materials to be used in space environments, researchers are focusing on the crystallization of substances. By accurately observing and understanding the crystallization process of a substance, they can adjust particle arrangements to enhance performance or control the formation process to create desired materials. https://phys.org/news/2024-10-molecular-symmetry-crystallization-pathways-highly.html Analytical Chemistry Materials Science Thu, 31 Oct 2024 11:15:10 EDT news649592107 A research study describes a systematic high-throughput design approach for virtual screening and creation of novel polypeptide-based molecules that form regular secondary structures that can be used in biology or materials science research. The study is published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society. https://phys.org/news/2024-10-polypeptide-based-molecules-pave-polymer.html Biochemistry Polymers Wed, 30 Oct 2024 17:02:03 EDT news649526521 A new study of human skeletal remains from the wreck of the 16th century English warship "Mary Rose" suggests that whether a person is right- versus left-handed may influence how their clavicle bone chemistry changes as they age. Dr. Sheona Shankland of Lancaster University, U.K., and colleagues present these findings in the open-access journal PLOS ONE on October 30, 2024. https://phys.org/news/2024-10-bones-shipwreck-left-handedness-affect.html Biochemistry Analytical Chemistry Wed, 30 Oct 2024 14:00:01 EDT news649504081 There have been many attempts to create monochromatic metallic materials, but few materials change luster color in response to external stimuli. In a recent breakthrough, researchers from Chiba University have prepared a diacetylene derivative-based metallic luster material that changes from silver to gold under UV irradiation. https://phys.org/news/2024-10-metallic-luster-material-silver-gold.html Analytical Chemistry Materials Science Wed, 30 Oct 2024 10:06:33 EDT news649501583 A recent collaboration among researchers from HUN-REN Wigner Research Center for Physics in Hungary and the Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, along with industry collaborators SandboxAQ and NVIDIA, has achieved unprecedented speed and performance in efforts to model complex metal-containing molecules. https://phys.org/news/2024-10-advanced-graphics-unprecedented-electronic.html Analytical Chemistry Materials Science Wed, 30 Oct 2024 09:43:35 EDT news649500210 Motivated to turn greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide into high value chemicals like methanol, EPFL chemical engineers have developed a new method to make catalysts. Catalysts are major tools in the chemical industry and are largely made to make petrochemicals. https://phys.org/news/2024-10-precise-layering-catalysts-sustainable-chemicals.html Analytical Chemistry Materials Science Wed, 30 Oct 2024 09:38:04 EDT news649499881 Scientists have developed a new material capable of capturing the harmful chemical benzene from the polluted air, offering a potential solution for tackling a major health and environmental risk. https://phys.org/news/2024-10-metal-framework-capture-benzene-atmosphere.html Analytical Chemistry Materials Science Tue, 29 Oct 2024 15:43:03 EDT news649435381 Achieving a sustainable society requires the development of advanced degradable plastics, or polymers, which are molecules composed of long chains of repeating units. The goal of a resource-circulating society is now one step closer thanks to the efforts of a team from Osaka University that has developed tough biodegradable plastics by including movable crosslinking groups. https://phys.org/news/2024-10-advanced-biodegradable-plastics-predecessors.html Polymers Analytical Chemistry Tue, 29 Oct 2024 14:10:02 EDT news649428995