https://phys.org/chemistry-news/ en-us The latest news stories on chemistry, biochemistry, polymers, materials science from Phys.org Most solid materials we rely on, from steel, to plastics and ceramics, are designed to have specific properties. Whether a material is soft and flexible, or stiff and tough depends on how molecules within the material are organized. That stability is useful, but it comes at a cost: once made, these materials' properties are fixed, and they rarely adapt to their environment. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-solid-fluid-materials-reconfigure-entire.html Biochemistry Wed, 11 Mar 2026 11:00:05 EDT news692355231 Kyushu University researchers have directly observed, for the first time, how individual polymers—chain-like molecules—behave when in contact with solid surfaces. Published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, the study reveals a previously unseen behavior in which molecules repeatedly stick to and release from the surface. The findings may contribute to enhancing the performance of adhesives for joining different materials. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-captures-polymer-segments-surfaces.html Polymers Wed, 11 Mar 2026 10:00:01 EDT news692371564 The molecular-scale design of materials is one of the major frontiers in modern science. Flat, highly conjugated organic molecules are already used in advanced technologies such as chemical sensors, optoelectronic devices, and energy conversion systems. One of the most promising strategies to enhance their performance involves "linking" multiple units together, extending their electronic structure and thereby modifying their properties. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-hybrid-synthetic-strategy-previously-unattainable.html Analytical Chemistry Tue, 10 Mar 2026 19:20:02 EDT news692373015 A research team has successfully designed and developed a proprietary non-precious metal oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalyst featuring a layered structure optimized for anion exchange membrane water electrolysis (AEMWE) environments. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-path-high-efficiency-hydrogen-production.html Analytical Chemistry Tue, 10 Mar 2026 17:20:06 EDT news692371500 Chemists from ETH Zurich have found a way to produce poorly soluble proteins by caging a uniquely reactive boron compound. This method opens up new possibilities for the synthesis of tailored protein therapeutics, including cancer treatments. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-boron-key-proteins-cancer-therapies.html Biochemistry Tue, 10 Mar 2026 12:40:06 EDT news692359981 Over the past century, the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has increased dramatically. This rise has contributed to global warming and led to many harmful effects, including shifting weather patterns and more frequent droughts. There is an urgent need to lower the amount of carbon dioxide in the air to protect ecosystems and reduce future damage to the planet. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-moisture-powered-polymers-air-efficient.html Polymers Tue, 10 Mar 2026 12:20:02 EDT news692357565 A study by scientists at Hunan University introduces a new hydrogen isotope separation method that leverages proton quantum tunneling to produce heavy water, overcoming the key physical limitation faced by current methods that have made the production process difficult and expensive for decades. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-scientists-harness-quantum-tunneling-boost.html Analytical Chemistry Tue, 10 Mar 2026 10:40:09 EDT news692353650 Drug discovery is like molecular Tetris. Chemists snap atoms together, adjusting the pieces until everything fits, and suddenly, a molecule makes a promising new medicine. Normally, creating better molecules consumes huge amounts of time and money. In a new study appearing in Nature, researchers have used machine learning to build a smarter prediction system that could speed up the process at a fraction of the cost. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-ai-tool-drug-synthesis-lab.html Biochemistry Mon, 09 Mar 2026 17:40:03 EDT news692288282 For years, a protein inside our cells has quietly powered billions of dollars' worth of cancer drugs. Now a team of researchers have discovered that this workhorse protein, called cereblon, in addition to its known functions, can also fine-tune which proteins live and which are sent to the cellular trash. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-hidden-pocket-billiondollar-drug.html Biochemistry Mon, 09 Mar 2026 17:00:07 EDT news692292225 When Sandia scientists Ryan Davis and Nathan Bays set out to find a better way to absorb and degrade PFAS in water sources, they kept running into the same issue: Detecting the chemicals in samples took too long. So, they came up with their own solution. They've developed a faster, cheaper way to test for PFAS. The research is published in the journal ACS Omega. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-minute-pfas-trillion.html Analytical Chemistry Mon, 09 Mar 2026 16:40:03 EDT news692283013 Researchers have found a way to use solar energy to power a key chemical reaction that drives many manufacturing industries. This new method can significantly reduce the energy required to run these operations, eliminate harsh oxidizing byproducts and minimize carbon emissions. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-carbon-footprint-chemical-lasers-solar.html Materials Science Thu, 05 Mar 2026 17:00:01 EST news691946389 From brightly colored textile dyes to persistent pesticides and antibiotics, many modern pollutants dissolved in water—such as Bisphenol A—resist traditional treatment methods. A promising approach uses electricity to power chemical reactions in water over an electrode surface. Much like in a battery, electrodes send and receive electrical current that drives chemical reactions. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-cleaner-longer-devices-benchmark-electrocatalysis.html Analytical Chemistry Thu, 05 Mar 2026 13:00:07 EST news691934401 To misquote a famous song, "Diamonds are industry's best friend." Cubic diamond is the hardest mineral on Earth and is used in everything from precision cutting tools to high-performance semiconductors as well as expensive jewelry. But there is a rare and potentially tougher form called hexagonal diamond (HD), which has long been the subject of theories and debate over its actual existence. But now researchers from China claim to have created this elusive form of carbon in the lab. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-scientists-hexagonal-diamond-harder-real.html Materials Science Thu, 05 Mar 2026 11:40:01 EST news691931072 Catalysts are essential to modern industry, accelerating reactions used to produce everything from fertilizers and fuels to medicines and hydrogen energy. But until now, scientists could not directly observe how reactions unfold across real catalyst surfaces. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-secret-catalysts-microscopic-networks-power.html Analytical Chemistry Thu, 05 Mar 2026 05:00:02 EST news691835401 Initial tests with a natural dye produced by the Amazonian fungus Talaromyces amestolkiae show that eco-friendly cosmetics, such as face creams, gel sticks, and shampoos, can be developed with antioxidant and antibacterial properties. This finding is significant because microbial dyes, which are still underexplored in cosmetic research, can serve as a sustainable alternative to synthetic dyes. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-natural-dye-amazonian-fungus-cosmetics.html Biochemistry Wed, 04 Mar 2026 19:40:01 EST news691864501 Photocatalysis promises an efficient conversion of abundant solar energy into usable chemical energy. Polyheptazine imides have some key structural and functional twists that make them especially interesting for photocatalysis. So far, there is only limited knowledge about how structural changes affect the electronic and optical properties of the many material candidates in this class. A team led by researchers from the Center for Advanced Systems Understanding (CASUS) at HZDR has now presented a reliable and reproducible theoretical method to solve this challenge that was confirmed by measurements done on genuine candidate materials. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-h8322o8322-method-narrows-carbon-nitride.html Analytical Chemistry Wed, 04 Mar 2026 19:10:01 EST news691866962 A team at ETH Zurich developed a new peptide-based organocatalyst that handles macrocycle formation from start to finish. Macrocyclic compounds are ubiquitous both in nature and in the chemical industrial setup. They are ring-shaped molecules with 12 or more atoms and are key components of many natural products and pharmaceuticals. Their unique structures let them lock onto specific proteins with impressive precision, making them exciting candidates for new therapies. Some even come with fun names—like robotnikinin, a macrocycle that inhibits the Sonic Hedgehog (Shh) protein. However, synthesizing them hasn't been as fun as their names—until now. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-peptide-catalyst-enables-stereoselective-tail.html Biochemistry Wed, 04 Mar 2026 07:50:03 EST news691756351 Diastereomers are structurally identical molecules that are not mirror images of each other. Diastereomers can have different biological activities, potencies or toxicities, which means they can influence biological systems, be separated from one another and more. To fully unlock their potential in organic chemistry, it is important to create the necessary diastereomer, but their creation is a key problem in organic synthesis. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-hard-diastereomers-cage-allyl-reagent.html Biochemistry Tue, 03 Mar 2026 18:10:01 EST news691780682 A new catalyst strategy developed at Institute of Science Tokyo uses BaSi2 as a support for nickel and cobalt to decompose ammonia at lower temperatures. By forming unique ternary transition metal–nitrogen–barium intermediates that facilitate nitrogen coupling, the system lowers the energy barrier for ammonia decomposition. This enables nickel- and cobalt-based catalysts to achieve high hydrogen-production activity at reduced temperatures, matching the performance of ruthenium while relying on Earth-abundant metals for cleaner hydrogen generation. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-basi8322-nickel-catalyst-boosts-temperature.html Biochemistry Tue, 03 Mar 2026 16:50:03 EST news691777201 Researchers at the University of Bath have developed a new technology that uses bacteria to build, chemically stabilize, and test millions of potential drug molecules inside living cells, making it much quicker and easier to discover new treatments for difficult-to-treat cancers. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-chemically-stapled-peptides-difficult-cancers.html Biochemistry Tue, 03 Mar 2026 16:20:01 EST news691764541 A Florida State University chemist has developed a method to rapidly assemble significantly complex natural molecules with potential for biomedical applications, opening the door for novel drug therapies based on the molecule's structure. James Frederich, the Warner Herz Associate Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry, and his team are the first to fully synthesize fusicoccadiene, a precursor to an emerging treatment in cancer chemotherapy. Their work is published in the Journal Of The American Chemical Society. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-chemists-rapidly-fusicoccadiene-complex-fungal.html Analytical Chemistry Mon, 02 Mar 2026 19:30:04 EST news691691221 How do you keep a copper catalyst from losing its oomph? Just add a dusting of platinum, says a new study published in Nature Materials. A team of researchers, including scientists at the Department of Energy's SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, investigated a class of metal nanoparticles used as catalysts in major industrial processes. They found that adding a trace amount of platinum to copper nanoparticles greatly reduced an effect known as "sintering," which causes these catalysts to degrade over time. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-catalyst-atom.html Analytical Chemistry Mon, 02 Mar 2026 19:00:01 EST news691685702 No "sticky ends"? No problem. A new study by NYU chemists finds that DNA tiles can assemble into 3D structures without the sticky cohesion of hydrogen bonding. This finding, published in Nature Communications, turns a fundamental paradigm in the field of DNA self-assembly on its head. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-chemists-complex-dna-hydrogen-bonds.html Biochemistry Mon, 02 Mar 2026 18:50:04 EST news691690861 In a study published in Angewandte Chemie International Edition, researchers from National Taiwan University report that a seemingly solid, nonporous organic crystal can undergo dramatic structural and mechanical transformations when gently heated. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-crystal-alive-driven-fluorescence.html Analytical Chemistry Mon, 02 Mar 2026 17:10:09 EST news691688581 Bones broken in a skiing accident usually heal on their own. But if the break is too severe or a bone tumor needs to be removed, surgeons insert an implant that enables the bone to grow back together. Implants often consist of pieces of the patient's own bone, known as autografts, or metal or ceramic parts. A key drawback of many of today's implants is that they require a second surgery to harvest the tissue for the autografts. Additionally, metal implants tend to be too rigid and may loosen over time, compromising stability. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-dissolvable-hydrogel-enable-personalized-bone.html Biochemistry Mon, 02 Mar 2026 16:20:03 EST news691678648 A team of scientists from the University of Manchester and Oxford have synthesized stable nitrogen chain radical anions under ambient conditions. These molecules, which are normally too reactive to isolate and study under ambient conditions, are described in a new study, published in Nature Chemistry. https://phys.org/news/2026-02-scientists-stable-radical-anions-ambient.html Analytical Chemistry Sat, 28 Feb 2026 10:00:01 EST news691247173 Every year, over 100 billion nitrile rubber gloves are produced. They are made from synthetic polymers—a material chemically related to plastic and derived from crude oil. The vast majority is used in the health care sector, and most are discarded after single use. This creates a massive amount of material waste globally. However, Simon Kildahl, a postdoc at the Department of Chemistry at Aarhus University, has moved a step closer to a way of recycling these gloves. In a new study published in the journal Chem, he and his colleagues demonstrate how they can transform waste rubber into a CO2 adsorbent in the laboratory. The potential, he explains, is significant. https://phys.org/news/2026-02-trash-climate-tech-rubber-gloves.html Polymers Fri, 27 Feb 2026 17:00:01 EST news691417022 A research team from The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) has developed GrainBot, an AI-enabled toolkit that automatically extracts and quantifies multiple microstructural features from microscopy images. Designed to meet the growing need for data-driven and autonomous research workflows in materials science, the tool provides a systematic method for converting complex image information into quantitative data, thereby accelerating the discovery and development of next-generation materials. https://phys.org/news/2026-02-ai-toolkit-microscopy-images-multi.html Analytical Chemistry Fri, 27 Feb 2026 15:40:01 EST news691415881 You pull on your rain jacket, step out into the storm, and within half an hour your undershirt is soaked. The jacket you purchased as "waterproof" seems to have stopped working, and all the marketing claims feel a bit suspect. In reality, the jacket probably hasn't failed overnight: a mix of how it's built, the exact level of water protection it offers, and years of sweat, skin oil and dirt have all played a part. https://phys.org/news/2026-02-raincoat-longer-waterproof-textile-scientist.html Materials Science Fri, 27 Feb 2026 08:10:07 EST news691401740 A study published in the Chemical Engineering Journal proposes a new approach to environmental remediation of pharmaceutical pollutants in water flows. This approach is based on a phenomenon known as "sparks," which refers to the sparks that appear on the surface of a metal when it is subjected to plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO). https://phys.org/news/2026-02-high-energy-degrade-pollutants-generating.html Analytical Chemistry Thu, 26 Feb 2026 19:20:03 EST news691346581