https://phys.org/chemistry-news/ en-us The latest news stories on chemistry, biochemistry, polymers, materials science from Phys.org New active ingredients for drugs to treat infections, cancer or other serious diseases are often based on substances originally discovered in microorganisms, plants or other living organisms. Producing or improving such active ingredients in a targeted manner using microorganisms is often challenging because the underlying biological processes are extremely complex. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-ai-functional-enzyme-components-drug.html Biochemistry Wed, 21 Oct 2026 16:20:14 EDT news711806642 Just like gloves, molecules can have left- and right-handed—or mirror-image—forms. Because the left- and right-handed molecules are still very similar, scientists have had trouble separating them from each other. But a team of researchers in Japan might have found a solution. In their new study, published in Science Advances, the team successfully separated an equal mixture of mirror-image molecules created by replacing hydrogen with deuterium in one form. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-mirror-image-molecules-difficult-counterparts.html Analytical Chemistry Wed, 21 Oct 2026 11:50:01 EDT news711800710 Transforming a soybean processing byproduct into a material for skin protection and repair is the prospect outlined by a study that used okara, a residue from the production of tofu and soy-based beverages, to obtain a bioactive, biodegradable, 3D-printable biomaterial. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-soybean-yields-3d-printable-material.html Biochemistry Tue, 20 Oct 2026 18:20:12 EDT news711726241 Catalysts spur chemical reactions used across industries, from producing fuels and medicines to manufacturing chemicals and treating pollutants. Improving their performance requires understanding where and how reactions happen on their surfaces. However, conventional measurements average the activity of many catalyst particles, concealing local differences that could hold clues to designing more effective materials. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-fluorescent-reaction-reveal-catalyst-conditions.html Analytical Chemistry Tue, 20 Oct 2026 15:50:06 EDT news711728102 Researchers at the University of Jyväskylä, Finland, have developed a new strategy for programming synthetic molecules to self-assemble into precisely defined three-dimensional structures. The study brings scientists a step closer to achieving the sophisticated molecular organization found in nature and could eventually open new possibilities for the development of advanced functional materials. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-synthetic-molecules-triple-helices-method.html Biochemistry Mon, 19 Oct 2026 18:20:01 EDT news711645182 Large quantities of acrylic glass are used worldwide in a wide range of applications, from windowpanes and car taillights to furniture. The polymer is also known by the brand name Plexiglas. All too often, acrylic glass still ends up as waste, even though it is well suited to recycling. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-simpler-recycling-recovers-pure-raw.html Polymers Mon, 19 Oct 2026 17:20:04 EDT news711644761 Nearly all metabolic processes require protons—positively charged hydrogen atoms. Although these are abundant in the cellular fluid, the biocatalysts involved depend on mechanisms for efficiently capturing protons and transporting them to the site where catalysis occurs. Enzymes from microorganisms can produce hydrogen (H₂) by combining electrons with protons. These so-called hydrogenases are so efficient that one biocatalyst can capture nearly 10,000 protons per second. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-molecular-pendulum-shuttles-protons-enable.html Biochemistry Mon, 19 Oct 2026 15:40:02 EDT news711642301 They can turn up in a nonstick frying pan, a waterproof jacket, a takeout food wrapper or the foam used to fight fires. Known as "forever chemicals," these substances are ubiquitous in modern society, prized for their extreme durability and versatility. However, their charm comes with a curse: They are so durable they resist degradation, posing threats to human health and the environment. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-hunter-killer-chemistry-captures-destroys.html Polymers Mon, 19 Oct 2026 15:00:06 EDT news711620341 In principle, artificial intelligence could make finding the right material for an application as simple as ordering dinner: Scientists would tell a large language model what they want, and it would serve them the perfect material for the job. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-ai-crystal-view-materials-world.html Analytical Chemistry Mon, 19 Oct 2026 12:20:01 EDT news711622141 Even when AI designs molecules with potential as medicines, drug development can be delayed if the process of producing them is slow. KAIST researchers have developed an "unmanned synthesis platform" that uses synthesis robots and light to automatically carry out the entire process from mixing raw materials to synthesis and analysis. The technology is expected to help secure a wider range of drug candidate compounds by reducing the burden of repetitive experiments. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-unmanned-synthesis-platform-robots-drug.html Analytical Chemistry Mon, 19 Oct 2026 12:00:12 EDT news711621481 A joint research group led by Ryo Tanifuji and Hiroki Oguri from the University of Tokyo and Yoshikazu Tanaka from Tohoku University has visualized SacC, an enzyme that plays a key role in building the complex five-ring core of safracin B. This core structure is shared with trabectedin, a drug used to treat soft tissue sarcoma. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-frozen-action-visualizing-cancer-drug.html Biochemistry Mon, 19 Oct 2026 11:00:12 EDT news711618661 Australian researchers and international collaborators have demonstrated a solar-driven approach to convert glycerol, a low-value byproduct of biodiesel production, into hydrogen and higher-value chemicals. Using advanced techniques at the Australian Synchrotron, they revealed how the catalyst changed while it was working. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-sunlight-biodiesel-byproduct-life-hydrogen.html Materials Science Fri, 16 Oct 2026 17:40:01 EDT news711373459 Structural metals used in engineering projects are expected to have both high strength and high ductility: the ability to withstand heavy loads and deform before failure. Achieving both of these properties at the same time, however, is challenging. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-alloy-strategy-combines-strength-ductility.html Materials Science Fri, 16 Oct 2026 15:20:11 EDT news711367261 Researchers at Nottingham Trent University have developed room-temperature liquids containing chemical elements that produce distinctive patterns of light. They say the materials could provide a flexible new approach to optical tagging and anti-counterfeiting, while being compatible with existing processing and printing technologies. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-liquids-products-counterfeiters-distinctive-ultraviolet.html Materials Science Fri, 16 Oct 2026 14:20:14 EDT news711367005 Could a cheap roll of duct tape help protect your home from flooding? New research suggests it could make a surprisingly big difference. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-duct-tape-floodwater-sandbags-laboratory.html Materials Science Fri, 16 Oct 2026 10:40:05 EDT news711359416 To produce pharmaceuticals, food ingredients, and flavors and fragrances, it is often necessary to oxidize alcohols. In conventional chemistry, this transformation typically relies on harsh oxidants and elevated temperatures and generates toxic waste. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-bacterial-galactose-oxidase-toolkit-greener.html Biochemistry Thu, 15 Oct 2026 18:20:04 EDT news711295622 New materials and catalysts have the potential to transform everything from food production and medicine to batteries and stainless steel. Computer simulations help scientists narrow down promising candidates before testing them in a lab, but those simulations can be unreliable, especially for molecules that contain multiple metals. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-electron-density-chemistry-difficult-metal.html Analytical Chemistry Thu, 15 Oct 2026 18:00:10 EDT news711295441 About 2 billion metric tons of metal are produced worldwide every year to meet the demands of industry, infrastructure and the energy sector. Much of this production still relies on primary raw materials, contributing to an estimated 40% of industrial greenhouse gas emissions and 10% of global energy consumption. Increasing the use of recycled metals could significantly reduce the environmental impact of metal production while also lowering dependence on imports of scarce and strategically critical raw materials. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-ai-scrap-impurities-ingredients-stronger.html Materials Science Thu, 15 Oct 2026 16:20:18 EDT news711292976 Discarded plastic packaging materials, old CDs and even LEGO bricks can be transformed into materials that capture significant amounts of moisture from the air. Materials chemists Anastasiia Naryshkina, Paul Schweng and Robert Woodward at the University of Vienna have converted several types of plastic waste into water-attracting polymer networks that take up water even in dry climates and release it again under moderate heating, for example, using sunlight. The study, published in Chem Circularity, offers a route to give plastic waste a second life as an adsorbent for atmospheric water harvesting. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-plastics-molecular-sponges-capture-air.html Polymers Wed, 14 Oct 2026 18:20:07 EDT news711212221 Flat is fine for a sheet of paper, but many of the most useful molecules need depth. Now, researchers from Japan have found a way to give them that depth using nothing more than a single carbon atom. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-carbon-atom-flat-molecules-3d.html Analytical Chemistry Wed, 14 Oct 2026 18:00:01 EDT news711209881 An international collaboration led by a research group from GSI/FAIR in Darmstadt, Germany, has achieved the first measurement of the chemical stability of a superheavy element compound. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-superheavy-element-compound-reveals-weaker.html Analytical Chemistry Wed, 14 Oct 2026 15:40:02 EDT news711197821 Plastics are supposed to be chemically inert. It's the reason they're used so frequently to package food, bottle water and create children's toys: They're safe. But something important happens when a large piece of plastic fragments into micro- and nanoparticles. Its surface area increases dramatically relative to its volume. Vastly more of the material is now exposed to its surroundings. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-microplastics-chemically-biological.html Biochemistry Wed, 14 Oct 2026 11:01:03 EDT news711041282 Imagine a medicine that stops seizures at their source, switches off instructions that keep a cancerous tumor growing and prevents Alzheimer's from stealing memories and wreaking havoc on the brain. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-molecular-code-treatments-untreatable-diseases.html Biochemistry Wed, 14 Oct 2026 10:40:23 EDT news711187741 Researchers at the Oregon State University College of Science have developed a new electrochemical sensor for rapidly and accurately detecting a naturally occurring compound widely used in the food, beverage and fragrance industries. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-electrochemical-sensor-food-quality-faster.html Biochemistry Tue, 13 Oct 2026 16:20:05 EDT news711119942 When drugmakers want to improve on compounds they have already created, they can replace a carbon atom with a nitrogen atom. While effective, the techniques they use to perform this chemical swap, known as skeletal editing, have some downsides. For example, older approaches often require harsh chemicals or only work on specific types of molecules. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-carbon-nitrogen-atoms-medicines.html Biochemistry Tue, 13 Oct 2026 15:50:07 EDT news711124084 Cells must produce energy despite changing conditions. But what keeps metabolic enzymes functional during temperature fluctuations? A team led by professor Simon Ebbinghaus and Dr. Harshita Rastogi at Ruhr University Bochum and the Research Center for Chemical Sciences and Sustainability investigated this question using the platelet isoform of phosphofructokinase-1 (PFKP), a central enzyme in glucose metabolism. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-chemical-size-glucose-enzyme-stay.html Biochemistry Tue, 13 Oct 2026 15:00:01 EDT news711113046 In biology, a group of enzymes called 2-oxoglutarate-dependent oxygenases is responsible for catalyzing a wide range of reactions that play a role in everything from how genetic code is used by cells to the synthesis of antibiotics. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-powerful-rays-reveal-unexpected-roles.html Biochemistry Tue, 13 Oct 2026 11:40:25 EDT news711103502 The humble amino acid glycine—the simplest of all amino acids—is everywhere. The human body produces it, and it helps make up our skin, bones and ligaments. It's found in meats like beef and has even been discovered in comets returned from outer space. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-stabilizing-simple-amino-acid-path.html Biochemistry Mon, 12 Oct 2026 19:40:01 EDT news711039781 A material thinner than a human hair may foster faster computing devices that demand less energy and store more data, according to a multi-institutional team led by researchers in the Penn State College of Earth and Mineral Sciences. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-chemical-disorder-ceramic-magnetic-properties.html Materials Science Mon, 12 Oct 2026 17:50:01 EDT news711044161 Researchers at National Taiwan University (NTU), working across the College of Engineering, College of Medicine and National Taiwan University Hospital (NTUH), have developed a new method for producing aerogels, introducing what they describe as the world's first purely gaseous-born aerogel fabrication platform. The study is published in Nature Communications. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-vapor-based-method-ultralight-aerogels.html Polymers Mon, 12 Oct 2026 17:00:10 EDT news711037681