Chemistry News, Research Breakthroughs & Discoveries - SciTechDaily

Sunlight to Syngas: Revolutionizing Methane Reforming

PNAS Nexus — Tue, 05 Dec 2023 17:23:44 +0000

A new solar-driven photocatalysis method for syngas production from methane steam reforming promises a more sustainable and efficient approach to syngas generation. Recent research reveals...

Illuminating Life’s Origins: Uncovering the Synthesis of Sugars on Ancient Earth

Tokyo Institute of Technology — Mon, 04 Dec 2023 23:03:49 +0000

Scientists investigate the possible chemical pathways by which pentoses could have formed on early Earth. Pentoses are essential carbohydrates in the metabolism of modern lifeforms,...

New Catalyst Completely Breaks Down Durable Plastic Pollution in Minutes

Northwestern University — Mon, 04 Dec 2023 07:26:55 +0000

Fishing nets, carpets, and clothing decompose without producing harmful byproducts. Many people are familiar of the disturbing scenes of marine creatures, such as sea turtles,...

Breakthrough Discovery Could Help Improve Fuel Production

Washington State University — Sun, 03 Dec 2023 02:06:11 +0000

Researchers at Washington State University have made a significant breakthrough in understanding the Fischer Tropsch process, a key industrial method for converting coal, natural gas,...

Stellar Origins: Life’s Building Blocks May Predate Earth

American Chemical Society — Fri, 01 Dec 2023 10:52:03 +0000

New research suggests that carbamic acid, a basic amino acid, could have originated in interstellar ices, indicating that life’s building blocks predate Earth and were...

Green Chemistry Breakthrough: New Photocatalytic Borylation Method Transforms Chemical Synthesis

Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy Sciences — Wed, 29 Nov 2023 23:44:13 +0000

A team headed by Professor Dai Wen at the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, part of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, successfully realized borylation reactions...

Revolutionizing Fuel Safety: Scientists Develop Liquid Fuel That Can’t Start Fires

University of California - Riverside — Sun, 26 Nov 2023 22:29:50 +0000

Chemical engineers at UC Riverside have developed a unique liquid fuel that requires an electric current to ignite. Unlike conventional fuels, this innovative fuel doesn’t...

Revolution in Organic Synthesis: Scientists Revive Century-Old Technique

Estonian Research Council — Sun, 26 Nov 2023 13:17:49 +0000

Organic synthesis is the art of creating molecules, where chemists craft molecules essential for pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, and high-tech gadget materials, including those in smartphones. Think...

Beyond Delicious: Unlocking the Nutritional Power of Thanksgiving Sides

Julie Pollock, University of Richmond — Thu, 23 Nov 2023 04:36:14 +0000

Holiday sides like green beans and carrots are rich in essential micronutrients. Proper preparation, such as cooking with fats, can enhance nutrient absorption, making these...

Unlocking the Secrets of Catalysts: How Tiny Traces Revolutionize Chemical Reactions

Vienna University of Technology — Wed, 22 Nov 2023 14:51:21 +0000

Researchers at TU Wien have made a significant breakthrough by observing the function of promoters in catalytic reactions in real-time for the first time. Promoters...

Eco-Friendly Breakthrough: Single Atom Catalyst Transforms CO2 Into Ethanol

Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy Sciences — Tue, 21 Nov 2023 11:31:36 +0000

A recent breakthrough in CO2 reduction research involves a newly developed Sn-based catalyst that efficiently produces ethanol, representing a significant step forward in renewable energy...

Scaling Up the Power of Nanotechnology – Scientists Develop New Conceptual Nanomaterial With Huge Potential

University of Missouri-Columbia — Mon, 20 Nov 2023 17:24:37 +0000

University of Missouri researchers’ conceptual design of a nanomaterial could potentially pave the way for new uses of nanotechnology in medicine and science. In a...

Unexpected Twist Discovered in Polymer-Based Semiconductors – “Goldilocks Effect”

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign — Mon, 20 Nov 2023 08:51:23 +0000

A new study led by chemists at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign brings fresh insight into the development of semiconductor materials that can do things...

Expanding Horizons: NASA’s Cold Atom Lab Pioneers Quantum Chemistry in Space

Jet Propulsion Laboratory — Sun, 19 Nov 2023 00:59:50 +0000

The remotely operated facility aboard the International Space Station has created another tool that researchers can use to probe the fundamental nature of the world...

Scientists Shed New Light on the “Dark Matter” of Cellular Biology

University of Montreal — Fri, 17 Nov 2023 17:07:37 +0000

Researchers at the University of Montreal’s Chemistry Department have created an innovative fluorogenic probe for analyzing interactions between sugars and proteins, two families of biomolecules...

Simple New Technique Transforms “Forever Chemicals” Into Valuable Compounds

Osaka Metropolitan University — Thu, 16 Nov 2023 22:55:51 +0000

Scientists have developed an innovative approach to incorporate harmful perfluoroalkenes into N-heterocyclic carbene ligands. Commonly known as “forever chemicals,” PFAS (Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances) are...

Unlocking Nature’s Secret: Scientists Discover Key to Potent Natural Cancer Treatment

University of Florida Health — Wed, 15 Nov 2023 19:39:47 +0000

Natural Products Collection Reveals Novel Enzymes With Surprising Properties Slumbering among thousands of bacterial strains in a collection of natural specimens at The Herbert Wertheim...

Powering the Future of Clean Energy: Scientists Unlock Zirconium Nitride Secrets

Tohoku University — Mon, 13 Nov 2023 18:49:08 +0000

A group of researchers have unraveled the mysteries behind a recently identified material — zirconium nitride (ZrN) — that helps power clean energy reactions. Their...

MIT Coronavirus Ion Channel Discovery Could Yield New COVID-19 Drugs

Anne Trafton, Massachusetts Institute of Technology — Fri, 10 Nov 2023 22:05:57 +0000

Chemists discover the structures of open and closed states of the channel, which could help the development of antiviral drugs to reduce inflammation. MIT researchers...

Revolutionizing Cancer Care With Bendable X-Ray Detectors

University of Surrey — Wed, 08 Nov 2023 07:08:42 +0000

New tissue-equivalent materials developed at the University of Surrey could pave the way for a new generation of flexible X-ray detectors, with potential applications ranging...

Atomic Alchemy – Scientists Have Made a Game-Changing Breakthrough in Drug Discovery Chemistry

Louise Lerner, University of Chicago — Sat, 04 Nov 2023 12:19:32 +0000

Method to replace carbon with nitrogen atom has been ‘top of wish list’. For years, if you asked the people working to create new pharmaceutical...

Scientists Develop Stronger, Stretchier, Self-Healing Plastic

University of Tokyo — Fri, 03 Nov 2023 09:32:42 +0000

Improved material can maintain complex shapes and biodegrades in seawater. Researchers at the University of Tokyo have developed an innovative plastic that surpasses the strength...

Scientists Develop Cheaper, Safer, and Simpler Method To Obtain Acetone

São Paulo Research Foundation — Mon, 30 Oct 2023 17:38:57 +0000

Acetone, a key input for the chemical industry, is traditionally manufactured through a complex and risky procedure. Researchers from Brazil and Germany have collectively forged...

Salt and “Baking” – Simple Combination Solves a Serious Environmental Problem

University of Copenhagen - Faculty of Science — Sat, 28 Oct 2023 22:51:51 +0000

Polyester ranks as the world’s second most used textile, however, it is an environmental menace, especially because most of it never gets recycled. The fabric,...