Chemistry News

November 7, 2016

Advancing 'Materials That Compute'

Would You Dress in Diamond Nanothreads?

Fuel From Sewage Is the Future

Nanobionic Spinach Can Detect Explosives

Latest Headlines

updated 5:14pm EST

'Weighing' Atoms With Electrons

Oct. 11, 2016 — The chemical properties of atoms depend on the number of protons in their nuclei, placing them into the periodic table. However, even chemically identical atoms can have ... read more

'Helix-to-Tube' a Simple Strategy to Synthesize Covalent Organic Nanotubes

Aug. 30, 2016 — Organic nanotubes (ONTs) are tubular nanostructures composed of organic molecules that have unique properties and have found various applications, such as electro-conductive ... read more

'Chemtrails' Not Real, Say Atmospheric Science Experts

Aug. 12, 2016 — Well-understood physical and chemical processes can easily explain the alleged evidence of a secret, large-scale atmospheric spraying program, commonly referred to as ... read more

Green Process to Make Carbon Fiber Used in Rocket Nozzles Gets Patent

Nov. 3, 2016 — A new, green process developed to make carbon fiber that forms ablative rocket nozzles and heat shields could be of interest to NASA, which has a dwindling stockpile of ... read more

Nanoscale Factories Built to Order

Nov. 3, 2016 — Performing chemical reactions inside tiny droplets can help manufacturers develop greener processes for ... read more

New Computational Tool May Speed Drug Discovery

Nov. 3, 2016 — A new computational tool called fABMACS is helping scientists see beyond static images of proteins to more efficiently understand how these molecules function, which could ... read more

Nanostructures Made of Pure Gold

Nov. 4, 2016 — The idea is reminiscent of the ancient alchemists' attempts to create gold from worthless substances: Researchers have discovered a novel way to fabricate pure gold ... read more

New Technique for Creating NV-Doped Nanodiamonds May Be Boost for Quantum Computing

Nov. 2, 2016 — A new technique has been created for creating NV-doped single-crystal nanodiamonds, only four to eight nanometers wide, which could serve as ... read more

Enhancement in Rate of Photocatalysis Upon Catalyst Recycling

Nov. 1, 2016 — A new study examines an aspect of photocatalysis that normally does not get much ... read more

Liquid Crystal Design Method Could Speed Development of Cheap Chemical Sensors

Nov. 3, 2016 — Chemical engineers have developed a new way to create inexpensive chemical sensors for detecting explosives, industrial pollutants or even the ... read more

A Sharp Decline In Coal Use Fuels Drop In Carbon Intensity

Specially Trained Dogs Sniff out Fecal Pollution

Lab Burgers Take on Cows as Consumer Tastes Change

The Great Barrier Reef Isn't Dead (Not Yet, At Least)

The Destructive Effects of Supercooled Liquid Water on Airplane Safety and Climate Models

Nov. 4, 2016 — Exploring the properties of supercooled liquid water - the bane of airplane wings and climate theorists - investigators are mounting an expedition to fly huge tethered balloons in Alaska this coming ... read more

Electron Kaleidoscope: New Technique Visualizes Multiple Objects in Many Colors

Nov. 3, 2016 — Electron microscopy (EM) has long been a leading technology for revealing the shape and structure of the tiniest objects, from the cells which make up the bodies organs and microbes to individual ... read more

Stable Biological Coating for Implants

Nov. 3, 2016 — The extracellular matrix (ECM) regulates all important cell functions and is an interesting biomaterial for scientists. An ECM has been created that contains artificial chemical groups which supports ... read more

Adding Hydrogen to Graphene

Nov. 3, 2016 — Adding hydrogen to graphene could improve its future applicability in the semiconductor industry, when silicon leaves off. Researchers have recently gained further insight into this chemical ... read more

Light Shed on Process of Programmed Mitochondrial Cell Death

Nov. 2, 2016 — Employing a novel sensor made of graphene – a one-atom-thin layer of carbon – researchers have gained new insight into the process of programmed cell death in mitochondria, possibly opening the ... read more

Bioelectronics at the Speed of Life

Nov. 2, 2016 — With a microfabricated ion pump built from organic electronic components, ions can be sent to nerve or muscle cells at the speed of the nervous system and with a precision of a single cell, say ... read more

'Nanoparticle Taxicab' Materials Can Identify, Collect and Transport Debris on Surfaces

Nov. 2, 2016 — Inspired by proteins that can recognize dangerous microbes and debris, then engulf such material to get rid of it, polymer scientists have developed new polymer-stabilized droplet carriers that can ... read more

Natural Pigments, Useful Raw Materials from Autumn Leaves for Industry

Nov. 2, 2016 — Autumn leaves contain a range of interesting substances such as pigments, carbohydrates, proteins and compounds that inhibit the growth of harmful bacteria. A research team s developing ... read more

How a Bacterium, Clostridium Thermocellum, Utilizes Both Carbon Dioxide, Cellulose

Nov. 1, 2016 — Scientists have made the surprise discovery that a metabolic pathway to take up carbon dioxide exists and functions in a microorganism capable of breaking down and fermenting cellulosic biomass to ... read more

Creating a Slippery Slope on the Surface of Medical Implants

Nov. 1, 2016 — A self-healing slippery coating applied on the surface of an implanted medical device protects against infectious biofilm formation, say ... read more

Complete Sanitation of Robotic Surgical Instruments Virtually Impossible

Nov. 1, 2016 — It is virtually impossible to remove all contamination from robotic surgical instruments, even after multiple cleanings, according to a study. The results show that complete removal of surface ... read more

New Discovery Could Help Oral Medicines Work Better

Nov. 1, 2016 — A new method for customizing ingredients that help oral medications dissolve in the body and be absorbed into the bloodstream has now been discovered by researchers. The materials discovered in this ... read more

Physicists Induce Superconductivity in Non-Superconducting Materials

Nov. 1, 2016 — Researchers have reported a new method for inducing superconductivity in non-superconducting materials, demonstrating a concept proposed decades ago but never proven. The technique can also be used ... read more

Imaging the Inside of Cells Using Polymeric Nanoparticles

Nov. 2, 2016 — Researchers continue to discover new ways to improve the effectiveness of nanoparticles as biomedical tools. Nanoparticles are particles that are smaller than 100 nanometers. They are typically ... read more

Artificial Muscles Show More Flex

Oct. 31, 2016 — Artificial muscles made significant gains when a literal twist in the development approach uncovered the tensile or stretchy abilities of polymer fibers once they were twisted and coiled into a ... read more

Close Up of the New Mineral Merelaniite

Oct. 29, 2016 — The scroll-like structure of the newly discovered mineral merelaniite grows into tiny, silver-gray whiskers. A physicist has found the mineral on a sample of larger minerals from the Merelani Mining ... read more

New Surfaces Repel Water in Oil as Well as Oil in Water

Oct. 28, 2016 — New surface materials that are extremely difficult to wet both by water and oil have now been developed by scientists. Because they don't need isolating air to stay trapped between the droplet ... read more

Researchers on Cloud Nine as They Uncover the Origin of Atmospheric Particles

Oct. 27, 2016 — Scientists have solved one of the most challenging and long-standing problems in atmospheric science: to understand how particles are formed in the ... read more

Elusive Intermediate Compound Discovered in Atmospheric Chemistry

Oct. 27, 2016 — Physicists have identified a long-missing piece in the puzzle of exactly how fossil fuel combustion contributes to air pollution and a warming climate. Performing chemistry experiments in a new way, ... read more

New Method to Help Solve the Problem of Nuclear Waste

Oct. 27, 2016 — In the last decades, nanomaterials have gained broad scientific and technological interest due to their unusual properties compared to micrometre-sized materials. At this scale, matter shows ... read more

Friday, November 4, 2016