https://phys.org/chemistry-news/analytical-chemistry/ en-us The latest science news on analytical chemistry Cyclopropanes are organic chemistry's smallest rings. Three carbon atoms are joined in a triangle, creating a compact and unusually strained structure. Despite—or partly because of—this unusual geometry, cyclopropanes are found in many biologically active natural products and have important applications in medicines and drug discovery, from antidepressants to antibiotics and antiviral research. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-tiny-molecular-ways-medicines.html Biochemistry Tue, 08 Sep 2026 19:20:04 EDT news708104401 Drug discovery has traditionally followed the "rule of 5," which identifies chemical properties generally associated with good absorption of orally administered drugs, including a molecular weight below 500 daltons (Da). However, some pharmaceutical compounds fall outside these guidelines. Known as beyond rule of 5 (bRo5) molecules, these compounds can have larger, more complex structures while still exhibiting strong therapeutic activity and favorable pharmacological properties. Their size and structural complexity, however, make it difficult to characterize them using conventional methods, particularly when very small quantities are available. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-crystalline-sponge-reveals-large-molecules.html Analytical Chemistry Tue, 08 Sep 2026 17:00:07 EDT news708097381 University of Missouri researchers have discovered a new way to harness one of the body's natural defenses: copper. While copper is essential for life and helps power important biological processes, having too much of it can be toxic. To keep copper levels in balance, cells rely on specialized proteins that regulate where it goes and how much is present. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-harness-copper-antibiotic-resistant-bacteria.html Biochemistry Tue, 08 Sep 2026 12:20:12 EDT news708081541 Packaged food usually sits in plastic-lined bags designed to keep air, moisture and contaminants out. That same protection can also increase the chances of chemicals from the packaging seeping into the food. When a chemical raises health concerns, industries often swap it for a molecular cousin, a substitution that may either be genuinely safer or simply be too understudied to know whether it is harmful. With thousands of chemicals in use, one-by-one regulation can't keep pace, so untested replacements can slide through unchecked. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-screening-flags-food-packaging-chemicals.html Biochemistry Tue, 08 Sep 2026 09:00:09 EDT news707998019 Copper has been knocked off the top of a stability ranking it had dominated for decades. Without altering the atoms directly bonded to the metal, a KAIST research team reversed the longstanding trend in which copper generally forms the most stable complexes by tuning only the weak hydrogen bonds in its surrounding environment. The findings, which appear in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, could open new avenues for selective metal separation and recognition, as well as catalyst design. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-weak-hydrogen-bonds-dethrone-copper.html Analytical Chemistry Mon, 07 Sep 2026 16:00:01 EDT news708004262 A common blue pigment could help turn carbon dioxide (CO₂) from an industrial waste product into a useful fuel. A joint research team led by Tohoku University's Advanced Institute for Materials Research (WPI-AIMR), in collaboration with Hokkaido University and startup AZUL Energy, has developed a catalyst that converts CO₂ directly into methane (CH₄) with high efficiency using copper phthalocyanine, an inexpensive and readily available blue pigment. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-inexpensive-blue-pigment-enables-efficient.html Analytical Chemistry Mon, 07 Sep 2026 15:40:02 EDT news708001141 University of California, Davis, researchers have stripped down LSD to the base features responsible for its hallucinogenic and therapeutic effects. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-lsd-reveals-features-linked-hallucinogenic.html Biochemistry Mon, 07 Sep 2026 15:00:10 EDT news707742302 Applying pressure to luminescent organic crystals usually brings molecules closer together and weakens their fluorescence. Materials that instead brighten and undergo a large color change are rare, and clear design principles for achieving both responses in simple, rigid aromatic hydrocarbons have been lacking. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-slender-crystal-blue-yellow-invisible.html Analytical Chemistry Mon, 07 Sep 2026 14:40:04 EDT news707999521 The human body and its gut microbiome produce thousands of small molecules that shape how the body functions—influencing immunity, metabolism and more. Identifying what those molecules actually are has been one of the biomedical sciences' most persistent bottlenecks. More than 80% of compounds detected in a typical biological sample cannot be matched to any known structure using current methods. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-ai-tool-hidden-universe-small.html Biochemistry Fri, 04 Sep 2026 17:00:01 EDT news707746802 Researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign have developed a fast, simple way to turn lignin, a plentiful plant-based byproduct of the papermaking industry, into potentially more valuable renewable chemicals. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-droplets-paper-higher-chemical-compound.html Analytical Chemistry Fri, 04 Sep 2026 14:40:06 EDT news707739841 Researchers have been elucidating the structures of complex molecules for more than 100 years using a variety of techniques. Some molecular structures, however, are more difficult to solve than others. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-ultrafast-sample-protein-dizzying-proportions.html Biochemistry Fri, 04 Sep 2026 11:40:01 EDT news707736781 Patents are far more than legal documents protecting intellectual property. They are a vast source of scientific information about chemicals under development, often years before they appear in products or in the environment. That makes patents a valuable data source for early warning systems (EWS), which authorities use to identify potentially hazardous chemicals before they become a threat to human health and the environment. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-patent-ai-early-hazardous-chemicals.html Analytical Chemistry Fri, 04 Sep 2026 10:40:06 EDT news707734081 While studying the properties of hackmanite, researchers created a new material called davyne that changes color in the near-infrared region. The color change cannot be detected with the human eye, but only with a spectrometer or an infrared-sensitive camera. The researchers studied what caused the color change and tested the material's possible applications, for example, as an invisible anti-counterfeit tag. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-davyne-human-sight-path-invisible.html Analytical Chemistry Fri, 04 Sep 2026 10:00:06 EDT news707732161 In the realm of materials science, there is a plethora of datasets and tools at our disposal—the issue is how to effectively use these resources in harmony. Researchers at the Advanced Institute for Materials Research (WPI-AIMR), Tohoku University, have identified major bottlenecks holding back artificial intelligence-driven polymer innovation and created a system that integrates multiple tools (such as polymer databases, predictive models, AI agents and automated laboratories). https://phys.org/news/2026-09-ai-driven-polymer-discovery-years.html Polymers Fri, 04 Sep 2026 09:40:03 EDT news707731501 Scientists from Leeds' School of Food Science and Nutrition have developed an advanced AI process that can rapidly identify plant proteins capable of acting as emulsifiers from tens of millions of initial candidates. To date, it has identified nearly 800. The discovery will cut years of costly trial-and-error research and bring the next generation of plant-based foods and cosmetics closer. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-peas-potatoes-ai-proteins-food.html Biochemistry Thu, 03 Sep 2026 19:00:04 EDT news707663648 Among the gases used in semiconductor manufacturing, tetrafluoromethane (CF₄) is a greenhouse gas more than 6,000 times as potent as carbon dioxide. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-power-disorder-cf-semiconductor-greenhouse.html Analytical Chemistry Thu, 03 Sep 2026 16:30:01 EDT news707669882 Chemical reactions at surfaces play a central role in many processes, including catalysis and materials synthesis. It is well known that the outcome of these reactions is influenced by the translational, vibrational and rotational motions of atoms and molecules. Now, a study shows that electron spin, another fundamental property of matter, also influences how chemical reactions at surfaces unfold. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-electron-magnetic-hydrogen-surface-reactions.html Analytical Chemistry Thu, 03 Sep 2026 05:00:07 EDT news707491382 Carbon dioxide (CO₂) is usually discussed as something the world needs to get rid of. Activities such as the burning of fossil fuels for daily use, including electricity and transportation, and industrial applications release significant amounts of CO₂, and the gas enters the atmosphere. Researchers are now asking whether this road could have a roundabout. What if CO₂, which is at the center of the climate crisis, could be turned into something useful and put back into the industrial cycle? https://phys.org/news/2026-09-metal-2d-catalysts-extra-electrical.html Analytical Chemistry Wed, 02 Sep 2026 19:40:01 EDT news707583901 Copper roofs lose their reddish color over time because a pale green layer of copper oxide forms on their surface, protecting the roof from further corrosion for many years. But what exactly happens during the first steps of this process? Might it even be possible to stop it? This question has become increasingly urgent since copper containers have come to be regarded as one of the best options for storing nuclear waste. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-copper-oxygen-rich-early-oxidation.html Analytical Chemistry Wed, 02 Sep 2026 18:20:04 EDT news707582581 Turning carbon dioxide into industrial chemicals used in everything from synthetic fuels to plastics and pharmaceuticals is costly. But new research shows it does not have to be. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-larger-catalyst-batches-carbon-recycling.html Analytical Chemistry Tue, 01 Sep 2026 16:40:04 EDT news707486761 Swapping out one letter in a word can entirely change its meaning. Similarly, swapping one atom in a molecule can completely change its identity. A group of chemists at the University of Chicago has demonstrated a new way to make a single-atom edit to a molecule without changing any of its other components. The innovative method can be used to make a family of molecules known as pyrroles, including many widely used medicines, and is significantly simpler, faster and more cost-effective than previous processes. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-method-swaps-atom-molecule-drug.html Biochemistry Mon, 31 Aug 2026 16:40:01 EDT news707400601 A tedious process of trial and error is normally required to discover ceramic materials that generate electricity under mechanical stress. Known as piezoelectric ceramics, these valuable next-generation materials can replace batteries that power small electronic devices, like sensors. To streamline the research process, a team led by materials science researchers at Penn State introduced a new framework that combines an existing artificial intelligence (AI) model with human expertise to uncover these materials. To test the new approach, researchers developed a new piezoelectric composite and incorporated it into an energy harvester, which converts vibrations or movements into electricity. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-ai-ceramics-generate-electricity.html Analytical Chemistry Mon, 31 Aug 2026 09:00:10 EDT news707385241 Restructuring a molecule without rebuilding it from scratch is an increasingly important goal in modern organic chemistry. Skeletal editing is an approach that helps chemists explore new chemical structures and simplify the synthesis of molecules with potential pharmaceutical applications. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-fuse-strategy-route-molecular-skeletal.html Biochemistry Sun, 30 Aug 2026 17:00:03 EDT news707112646 Some of nature's most important chemical reactions rely on the coupled movement of negatively and positively charged particles. These processes play central roles in photosynthesis, catalysis and biological energy conversion yet remain difficult to observe. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-scientists-capture-molecular-images-reaction.html Biochemistry Fri, 28 Aug 2026 14:00:08 EDT news707141522 A large international team has developed a new compound that showed strong antiviral activity against HIV, including some drug-resistant variants. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-compound-potential-drug-resistant-hiv.html Biochemistry Fri, 28 Aug 2026 09:40:06 EDT news707125081 Many cars and not enough lanes is a recipe for traffic jams. Now, researchers from Japan show that even proteins can get backed up and start behaving poorly when too many try to squeeze too quickly through a small space. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-narrow-channels-amyloid-formation-reveal.html Biochemistry Thu, 27 Aug 2026 18:00:03 EDT news707064721 Researchers at the University of Osaka have developed a catalyst that uses mechanical vibration to convert carbon dioxide (CO2) into carbon monoxide (CO), an important chemical feedstock. The catalyst consists of barium titanate (BaTiO3) coated with a metal-organic framework (MOF)—a porous material that captures and concentrates CO2 near the catalyst surface—and incorporates isolated copper (Cu) atoms as reaction sites. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-mof-coated-catalyst-faster-ultrasonic.html Analytical Chemistry Thu, 27 Aug 2026 17:40:05 EDT news707064301 Electrically charged raindrops, a naturally occurring phenomenon, can break down surfaces treated with protective coatings, according to new research published in Nature. This previously overlooked corrosion mechanism highlights the need for a new method of preserving metal objects like cars, ships, buildings and cultural heritage sites. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-electrically-raindrops-corroding-metal-coatings.html Polymers Wed, 26 Aug 2026 18:40:04 EDT news706969322 Machine learning doesn't replace human intelligence, but it can outlast human endurance, which makes it a helpful tool for chemistry and materials discovery. Scientists know machine learning models can make predictions based on the vast reams of data they are trained on, but can they take it a step further and massively scale up testing those predictions? https://phys.org/news/2026-08-machine-methods-labs-closer-materials.html Analytical Chemistry Wed, 26 Aug 2026 16:50:01 EDT news706981081 A research team led by Professor Sung Beom Cho of the School of Advanced Materials Science and Engineering at Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), in collaboration with the teams of Professors Jin Sung Park and Hyunsouk Cho of Ajou University and Professor Ju Li of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), has developed a "closed-loop materials synthesis planning platform" that uses a large language model (LLM) to propose synthesis conditions and procedures for complex new materials and iteratively refine them based on experimental results. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-llm-based-platform-generating-materials.html Analytical Chemistry Wed, 26 Aug 2026 10:20:01 EDT news706956541