https://phys.org/chemistry-news/materials-science en-us The latest news on chemistry and materials science Scientists led by an Oregon State University chemistry researcher are closing in on a new tool for tackling the global problem of weedkiller-tainted groundwater. https://phys.org/news/2024-03-metal-framework-key-advance-pesticide.html Analytical Chemistry Materials Science Wed, 06 Mar 2024 10:59:03 EST news628945141 National University of Singapore (NUS) chemists have solved a longstanding challenge in the synthesis of congested C(sp3)-rich molecules by developing a new iron-catalyzed reaction that generates two alkyl-alkyl bonds in crowded environments. The work is published in Nature Catalysis. https://phys.org/news/2024-03-earth-abundant-iron-catalysis-enables.html Analytical Chemistry Materials Science Wed, 06 Mar 2024 10:12:39 EST news628942356 Porous solids are abundant in the world. Examples include activated carbon, zeolite, and metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). Solid electrolytes in next-generation batteries have ion migration channels and hence are porous solids in a broad sense. Because the properties of porous solids are dictated by pore size, the way the pores are connected internally, and the chemical nature of the pore walls, achieving high degrees of freedom in designing these properties is crucial. https://phys.org/news/2024-03-3d-covalent-frameworks-tuned-isomers.html Analytical Chemistry Materials Science Wed, 06 Mar 2024 10:08:09 EST news628942087 A living organism's nose is essentially a biological molecule detector that sends neurological signals to the brain, which then decodes a particular scent. Human noses, with six million olfactory receptors, can distinguish more than one trillion scents, while some canine noses possess up to 300 million receptors, which provide enhanced sensitivity in parts per trillion. https://phys.org/news/2024-03-team-small-scale-chemical-nose.html Analytical Chemistry Materials Science Tue, 05 Mar 2024 15:16:03 EST news628874161 Chemical reactions are usually accompanied by thermal effects, inevitably resulting in temperature changes in the reaction system. Therefore, temperature is an important parameter in reactions, which can affect chemical thermodynamics and reaction kinetics. https://phys.org/news/2024-03-technique-temperature-catalyst-particle.html Analytical Chemistry Materials Science Tue, 05 Mar 2024 10:20:03 EST news628856402 Researchers at Karolinska Institutet have found that spiders have a special trick to make their silk strong, by using a natural biocompatible molecular enhancer. By using the same secret the researchers are able to create biomimetic spider-silk fibers in a non-toxic way. The study is published in Advanced Functional Materials. https://phys.org/news/2024-03-ways-biomimetic-spider-silk.html Analytical Chemistry Materials Science Mon, 04 Mar 2024 14:45:22 EST news628785921 In collaboration with researchers in the United States, China, and the Netherlands, Davidson School of Chemical Engineering's Dr. Zhenhua Zeng and Professor Jeffrey Greeley, have advanced catalysis research and catalyst design through their exploration of active sites. https://phys.org/news/2024-03-paradigm-shift-catalyst-site-categorization.html Analytical Chemistry Materials Science Mon, 04 Mar 2024 11:22:03 EST news628773721 Until recently, chalcopyrite-based solar cells have achieved a maximum energy conversion efficiency of 23.35%, as reported in 2019 by Solar Frontier, a former Solar Energy company based in Japan. Further boosting this efficiency, however, has so far proved challenging. https://phys.org/news/2024-03-strategy-boost-efficiency-copper-indium.html Materials Science Sat, 02 Mar 2024 08:30:01 EST news628503723 A chemical etching method for widening the pores of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) could improve various applications of MOFs, including in fuel cells and as catalysts. Researchers at Nagoya University in Japan and East China Normal University in China developed the new method with collaborators elsewhere in Japan, Australia, and China, and their work was published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society. https://phys.org/news/2024-03-chemical-etching-method-pores-fuel.html Analytical Chemistry Materials Science Fri, 01 Mar 2024 11:10:01 EST news628512863 A collaboration between research groups from ICIQ demonstrate how the presence of an external magnetic field alters the reaction mechanism of the electrocatalytic oxygen evolution reaction. https://phys.org/news/2024-03-effect-magnetic-fields-electrocatalytic.html Analytical Chemistry Materials Science Fri, 01 Mar 2024 10:54:38 EST news628512876 A NIMS research team has developed an AI technique capable of expediting the identification of materials with desirable characteristics. Using this technique, the team was able to discover high-performance water electrolyzer electrode materials free of platinum-group elements—substances previously thought to be indispensable in water electrolysis. These materials may be used to reduce the cost of large-scale production of green hydrogen—a next-generation energy source. The research was published in ACS Central Science. https://phys.org/news/2024-03-ai-technique-green-hydrogen-production.html Analytical Chemistry Materials Science Fri, 01 Mar 2024 07:51:03 EST news628501862 Recycling facilities collect glass and mercury from thrown-away fluorescent bulbs, but discarded lighting could also supply rare-earth metals for reuse. The 17 metals referred to as rare earths aren't all widely available and aren't easily extracted with existing recycling methods. https://phys.org/news/2024-02-bright-idea-recycling-rare-earth.html Materials Science Thu, 29 Feb 2024 15:06:03 EST news628441561 Glass fiber-reinforced plastic (GFRP), a strong and durable composite material, is widely used in everything from aircraft parts to windmill blades. Yet the very qualities that make it robust enough to be used in so many different applications make it difficult to dispose of—consequently, most GFRP waste is buried in a landfill once it reaches its end of life. https://phys.org/news/2024-02-recycling-glass-fiber-plastic-silicon.html Analytical Chemistry Materials Science Thu, 29 Feb 2024 12:45:04 EST news628433102 In a recent publication in the journal Trends in Chemistry, researchers from the University of Twente delve into the potential of 3D printing ceramics in micro-optics. These tiny ceramic structures can potentially be used to generate light and store information. "Let's make ceramics so small they can manipulate light." https://phys.org/news/2024-02-future-tailoring-chemistry-inorganic-3d.html Analytical Chemistry Materials Science Thu, 29 Feb 2024 10:07:31 EST news628423648 The synthesis of carbon-based chemicals via the electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide (CO2) has become the key objective of numerous recent energy research efforts. While these studies have yielded promising results, enabling the production of various widely used chemicals, most proposed approaches exhibit poor energy efficiencies and selectivity. https://phys.org/news/2024-02-energy-efficient-synthesis-ethylene-carbon.html Analytical Chemistry Materials Science Thu, 29 Feb 2024 07:10:02 EST news628344244 Researchers at the National University of Singapore (NUS) have developed a microporous covalent organic framework with dense donor–acceptor lattices and engineered linkages for the efficient and clean production of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) through the photosynthesis process with water and air. https://phys.org/news/2024-02-method-photosynthesize-hydrogen-peroxide-air.html Analytical Chemistry Materials Science Wed, 28 Feb 2024 10:10:05 EST news628337401 Single-atom catalysts (SACs), due to their excellent catalytic activity, have been a hot topic in the field of energy catalysis. In SACs, the metal atoms are able to directly interact with the supports, thus maximizing the metal-support interface. The metal-support interactions (MSIs) largely affect the electronic properties of single-atom catalysts and catalytic performance. https://phys.org/news/2024-02-scientists-atom-catalysts-efficient-electrooxidation.html Analytical Chemistry Materials Science Wed, 28 Feb 2024 07:50:02 EST news628329001 Molecules that are induced by light to rotate bulky groups around central bonds could be developed into photo-activated bioactive systems, molecular switches, and more. https://phys.org/news/2024-02-synthetic-chemistry.html Analytical Chemistry Materials Science Wed, 28 Feb 2024 05:00:01 EST news628256273 Ice-repellent coatings have been around for some time, but until now they have been very sensitive and detach quite quickly from the surfaces they are meant to protect. A research team led by Anna Maria Coclite and Gabriel Hernández Rodríguez from the Institute of Solid State Physics at Graz University of Technology (TU Graz) has now succeeded in remedying this shortcoming. They have developed a highly ice-repellent coating that adheres to a wide variety of materials and is very resistant to abrasion. https://phys.org/news/2024-02-team-durable-coating-ice.html Analytical Chemistry Materials Science Tue, 27 Feb 2024 14:59:02 EST news628268341 Can the multi-billion-dollar denim industry keep producing blue jeans in every shape, size and silhouette, while shrinking oversized levels of hazardous pollution? Research published Tuesday suggests a new dye could be a step in the right direction. https://phys.org/news/2024-02-dyeing-method-jeans-toxic-problem.html Biochemistry Materials Science Tue, 27 Feb 2024 11:29:31 EST news628255762 A discovery in the field of catalysis has emerged from the laboratories of Professor Jaeheung Cho and his team in the Department of Chemistry at UNIST. Their pioneering work has led to the development of a copper(II)–alkylperoxo complex that could revolutionize the realms of synthetic chemistry and industrial applications. The study is published in ACS Catalysis. https://phys.org/news/2024-02-catalyst-efficient-oxidation-inactive-alkanes.html Analytical Chemistry Materials Science Tue, 27 Feb 2024 09:14:49 EST news628247685 Scientists have developed a water-soluble, non-toxic fluorescent spray that makes fingerprints visible in just a few seconds, making forensic investigations safer, easier and quicker. https://phys.org/news/2024-02-scientists-biocompatible-fluorescent-spray-fingerprints.html Analytical Chemistry Materials Science Mon, 26 Feb 2024 13:42:03 EST news628177322 Using the unique DESIREE facility, researchers at Stockholm University and The Hebrew University of Jerusalem have for the first time been able to directly visualize the neutral products of the mutual neutralization of hydronium and hydroxide, and report three different product channels: two channels were attributed to a predominant electron-transfer mechanism, and a smaller channel was associated with proton transfer. https://phys.org/news/2024-02-visualize-products-mutual-neutralization-hydronium.html Analytical Chemistry Materials Science Mon, 26 Feb 2024 11:57:03 EST news628171021 Embrittlement is one of the biggest obstacles facing the transition to a global hydrogen economy. A new process uncovered by researchers at the University of Sydney is helping shed light on how to better prevent it. https://phys.org/news/2024-02-closer-hydrogen-greatest-embrittlement.html Analytical Chemistry Materials Science Mon, 26 Feb 2024 10:35:03 EST news628166102 Professor Jian He, from the Department of Chemistry at The University of Hong Kong (HKU), has spearheaded a research endeavor aimed at revolutionizing organic synthesis. His research team has successfully developed a novel heterogeneous copper photocatalyst that enables the efficient formation of cyclobutane rings, a crucial structural element in a vast array of bioactive molecules. https://phys.org/news/2024-02-heterogeneous-copper-photocatalysis-production-diverse.html Analytical Chemistry Materials Science Mon, 26 Feb 2024 10:33:03 EST news628165981 Nature is amazing. It has developed in living organisms the ability to regulate complex biochemical processes with remarkable efficiency. Enzymes, natural catalysts, play a pivotal role in this regulation, ensuring the fulfillment of various physiological needs throughout a cell's lifespan. https://phys.org/news/2024-02-catalytic.html Analytical Chemistry Materials Science Fri, 23 Feb 2024 12:22:03 EST news627913321 Intense research efforts have been directed toward studying the electrochemical conversion of CO2, a major greenhouse gas, into platform chemicals and fuels. The success of this technology can enable the decarbonization of some of the largest CO2 emitters, including steel, cement, and chemical manufacturing industries. https://phys.org/news/2024-02-importance-catalyst-sites-electrochemical-conversion.html Analytical Chemistry Materials Science Thu, 22 Feb 2024 13:24:03 EST news627830642 Whether ultramarine, cerulean, Egyptian or cobalt, blue pigments have colored artworks for centuries. Now, seemingly out of the blue, scientists have discovered a new blue pigment that uses less cobalt but still maintains a brilliant shine. https://phys.org/news/2024-02-vibrant-blue-pottery-pigment-cobalt.html Materials Science Thu, 22 Feb 2024 11:47:02 EST news627824821 A research team at the RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science (CSRS) has succeeded in developing a self-healing material that is also capable of emitting a high amount of fluorescence when absorbing light. The research, published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, could lead the way to the creation of new materials such as organic solar cells that are more durable than current types. https://phys.org/news/2024-02-bright-tough-material.html Polymers Materials Science Thu, 22 Feb 2024 09:51:31 EST news627817888 A group of researchers has answered some pressing questions regarding a new, promising class of catalysts known as single-atom catalysts (SACs). https://phys.org/news/2024-02-unraveling-ph-oxygen-reduction-atom.html Analytical Chemistry Materials Science Wed, 21 Feb 2024 09:30:03 EST news627730201