https://phys.org/chemistry-news/materials-science/ en-us The latest news on chemistry and materials science Scientists are increasingly exploring carbon dioxide (CO₂) hydrogenation—where CO₂ reacts with hydrogen over a catalyst to produce products like methanol—to convert CO₂ into useful chemicals and fuels. However, it involves thousands of tiny chemical steps happening on the catalyst surface. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-reactions-reveal-overlooked-fuel-conversion.html Analytical Chemistry Tue, 06 Oct 2026 19:20:06 EDT news710510882 We generally throw away a broken camera lens, earphones or an old phone that has stopped working and is beyond repair because they seem useless when they no longer function. However, these objects contain rare earth elements (REEs) that have applications in magnets, superconductivity, optics and batteries, among others. When these objects end up in water, recovering REEs becomes difficult. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-approach-captures-toxic-metals-recovers.html Analytical Chemistry Tue, 06 Oct 2026 13:50:02 EDT news710511962 A "hidden variable" that can determine the success or failure of a chemical reaction has been found in the immediate vicinity of electrodes. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-reactor-plastic-feedstock-synthesis-oxygen.html Materials Science Sat, 03 Oct 2026 15:20:01 EDT news709998766 Azobenzene is one of the best-known molecules that can be switched between two forms by light. However, the question of how the molecule moves in the first few picoseconds (trillionths of a second) after it absorbs light has remained unresolved for nearly 50 years. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-ultrafast-rays-reveal-responsive-molecular.html Analytical Chemistry Fri, 02 Oct 2026 16:00:06 EDT news710158423 Thanks to enzyme-based biocatalysis, an enormous range of pharmaceutical active ingredients and other complex molecules can be synthesized in an environmentally friendly manner. Researchers at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) have now developed a technology that allows to assemble enzymes into millimeter-sized, storable beads. In this process, the enzymes not only act as catalysts but also constitute the beads' material itself. In a further variant, the enzyme networks can be combined with living cells. A patent application has been filed for the technology. The results have been published in Advanced Materials. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-enzymes-sturdy-beads-sustainable-chemical.html Biochemistry Fri, 02 Oct 2026 12:40:07 EDT news710154661 In a study published in Nature Chemistry, an international team of researchers from Germany and the U.K., including chemists from The University of Manchester, has synthesized and characterized what they describe as the first isolable uranium Fischer-type carbyne, a compound in which carbon forms an unusual triple-bond interaction with uranium. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-uranium-rare-triple-bond-carbon.html Analytical Chemistry Fri, 02 Oct 2026 10:40:01 EDT news710152561 Magnetic properties in molecular materials depend not only on the molecular components themselves but also on their solid-state organization. In charged π-electronic systems, electrostatic and dispersion forces can organize molecules into distinct ion-pairing structures. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-counteranions-reshape-molecular-tune-magnetism.html Analytical Chemistry Thu, 01 Oct 2026 19:40:01 EDT news710086621 Next-generation computing technologies could be one step closer to emulating how neurons respond and communicate with each other, thanks to research examining how electrons and ions move through materials. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-ions-electrons-porous-material-potential.html Analytical Chemistry Thu, 01 Oct 2026 18:40:01 EDT news710084581 Many of the common materials we encounter in our daily lives are crystalline, including ice, salt and sugar. The crystal structures of some solids are formed from molecules arranged in simple geometric patterns, and these patterns can be changed to give the solids special properties required for high-tech applications. However, changing these connections requires extreme measures, such as high heat, leaving researchers with the challenge of finding an easier transformation method. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-crystals-thinner-human-hair-dissolve.html Analytical Chemistry Thu, 01 Oct 2026 15:40:48 EDT news710074263 Many useful reactions in chemistry come with a trade-off: the reactive reagents that make them effective can also present practical and safety challenges. Carbene chemistry is one such example. For decades, chemists have relied on diazo compounds to generate reactive carbenes, even though diazoalkanes can be toxic, unstable and potentially explosive. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-stable-salts-alternative-potentially-explosive.html Analytical Chemistry Thu, 01 Oct 2026 11:40:04 EDT news710066041 Finding alternatives to precious metals in chemical manufacturing may be less like sourcing a substitute and more like tuning an instrument already in hand. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-fine-tuning-cobalt-cleaner-chemical.html Analytical Chemistry Wed, 30 Sep 2026 19:40:01 EDT news709994102 Liquid hydrogen (LH₂) is attractive for long-distance energy transport because of its high volumetric energy density. But even well-insulated tanks cannot completely prevent heat from entering. As the liquid warms, hydrogen evaporates and pressure builds, leading to boil-off losses during storage and transport. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-rethinking-liquid-hydrogen-storage-metal.html Analytical Chemistry Tue, 29 Sep 2026 18:40:01 EDT news709916342 Pharmaceuticals, fine chemicals, and agrochemicals are produced industrially using a wide range of chemical reactions. These processes need to become more efficient, less expensive, and more sustainable. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-driven-nickel-catalyst-chemical-bonds.html Analytical Chemistry Tue, 29 Sep 2026 18:00:07 EDT news709915682 Researchers at Oregon State University have developed a new family of materials that use light to produce hydrogen from water, opening the door to new ways of converting the sun's rays into clean energy. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-family-materials-efficiently-sunlight-energy.html Analytical Chemistry Tue, 29 Sep 2026 15:40:01 EDT news709912773 Most sensors can measure only one thing at a time, like a thermometer for temperature or a pressure gauge for pressure. Measuring two properties accurately from the same surface at the same moment usually means using two separate instruments—adding cost and complexity to the process. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-molecule-tunnel-accurate.html Analytical Chemistry Mon, 28 Sep 2026 19:20:02 EDT news709828502 Bioimaging technologies, such as fluorescence imaging (FI) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), are powerful tools in basic research and clinical medicine. But they have drawbacks. FI allows researchers to visualize cells and other biological processes at high resolution, but it lacks imaging depth. MRI can capture images deep within the body, but it lacks the single-cell resolution provided by FI. Furthermore, MRI contrast agents contain paramagnetic metals, such as gadolinium, that can potentially cause adverse side effects. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-metal-free-molecules-deep-red.html Analytical Chemistry Mon, 28 Sep 2026 02:00:01 EDT news709561322 The atoms of the 5th element of the periodic table often find themselves in the company of each other, forming allotropes with a rich variety of structural motifs, each carrying a unique set of chemical and physical properties. Despite the long catalog, most boron allotropes do not simultaneously possess high electrical conductivity and plasticity, but a recent study has expanded the portfolio. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-flexible-boron-million-electrically.html Analytical Chemistry Fri, 25 Sep 2026 09:20:01 EDT news709544948 Orthogonally arranged π-electronic systems that combine electron-donating and electron-accepting units display distinctive electronic and photophysical behavior. Fine-tuning their electronic structure offers a way to control photoinduced electron transfer. Building on this idea, complexing boron with 1,3-diketones and 9-oxidophenalenone may produce electron-deficient cationic π-electronic systems. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-counterions-molecular-materials-electronic-behaviors.html Analytical Chemistry Thu, 24 Sep 2026 19:20:04 EDT news709470841 When landfills and wastewater treatment plants create methane as a byproduct, much of it is simply burned and its value is lost. But the gas is an energy-rich resource that could be recycled as a fuel, chemical feedstock or bioproduct. Capturing and converting waste methane offers an opportunity to recover energy and create useful products from an otherwise wasted gas stream. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-3d-scaffolds-methane-chemical-power.html Biochemistry Thu, 24 Sep 2026 17:00:01 EDT news709468381 Brazilian researchers have developed a biodegradable, starch-based sensor that changes color when moisture enters food packaging. With the addition of cobalt chloride, the sensor changes from blue to pink as moisture levels rise and back to blue as they fall. Consumers and manufacturers could use it to monitor the quality and crispness of foods such as cookies with the naked eye or a cellphone camera, without complex equipment. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-starch-based-sensor-moisture-food.html Analytical Chemistry Wed, 23 Sep 2026 18:20:08 EDT news709398721 New York University researchers have trained an AI model to learn chemical patterns associated with stability in drug-like molecules and accurately predict where their hydrogen atoms should be positioned. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-ai-scans-million-compounds-hours.html Analytical Chemistry Wed, 23 Sep 2026 05:00:02 EDT news709220221 A new way of measuring how materials interact at the atomic level could help scientists develop better-performing, longer-lasting batteries. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-ray-method-anion-behavior-path.html Analytical Chemistry Tue, 22 Sep 2026 16:20:01 EDT news709309621 Hydrogen—the lightest atom—does the heavy lifting when it comes to important chemical reactions. It can be stored and released as clean fuel, and its movements help catalysts build medicines, fertilizers and materials. One way hydrogen is available for use is through a hydride—a hydrogen (H) atom bound to a metal. Yet with standard tools, this metal-bound atom can be hard to find in the structure. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-microcrystal-electron-diffractometer-hidden-hydrogen.html Analytical Chemistry Tue, 22 Sep 2026 13:20:05 EDT news709291087 A type of transformation best known for hardening steel and enabling shape-memory alloys may also occur in a much softer class of materials, according to new research from Rice University. Researchers in the departments of chemistry and chemical and biomolecular engineering and at the Smalley-Curl Institute at Rice have shown that an organic semiconductor can transform from a liquid crystal into a solid crystal through a rapid, highly coordinated process resembling a martensitic transformation—a phenomenon traditionally associated with changes between two solid crystalline structures. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-liquid-crystal-page-steel-phase.html Analytical Chemistry Tue, 22 Sep 2026 10:00:07 EDT news709288082 The molecular culprit behind harmful algal blooms and some groundwater contamination is the same thing that has kept civilization fed for millennia: a stable form of nitrogen called nitrate. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-iron-complex-stubborn-pollutant-powered.html Analytical Chemistry Tue, 22 Sep 2026 05:00:02 EDT news709219621 A new study has found a sustainable and scalable way to improve the durability of plant-based packaging; it's a discovery that researchers say could help curb the environmental footprint of plastic. Researchers used advanced plasma technology to apply layered, protective coatings to the surface of cellulosic nanofibril (CNF) films, with the goal of reducing water absorption and improving moisture resistance. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-plasma-technology-based-packaging-plastic.html Biochemistry Mon, 21 Sep 2026 16:40:07 EDT news709216360 Radicals, atoms or molecules that readily react with other substances to form new bonds, are useful tools for building complex substances such as pharmaceuticals. But even when a radical is generated efficiently, the reaction cannot continue unless the catalyst returns to its original state. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-ligand-radical-generation-catalyst-regeneration.html Analytical Chemistry Mon, 21 Sep 2026 15:00:01 EDT news709213681 Crystals are usually thought of as rigid and brittle. Yet some molecular crystals can bend, jump, twist or even change shape when exposed to light. Understanding how tiny molecular movements inside an ordered crystal can produce such large visible motions is an important challenge for developing responsive materials that could eventually be used in actuators, sensors and other miniature devices. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-tiny-molecular-scissors-reveal-crystals.html Analytical Chemistry Mon, 21 Sep 2026 09:00:08 EDT news709199101 Korean researchers have developed a method to strengthen biodegradable plastics using hemp hurd, an agricultural byproduct. The approach is expected to be applicable to other large-volume agricultural residues, including soybean stalks and rice straw. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-hemp-cellulose-tougher-biodegradable-plastics.html Polymers Fri, 18 Sep 2026 13:00:04 EDT news708948721 Much of organic chemistry, including the type used to create and alter medicinal drugs, relies on modifying carbon bonds. Rice University's Julian West has been developing a less expensive, faster and more environmentally friendly way to catalyze these reactions, with a breakthrough published in the journal Nature Catalysis. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-iron-sulfur-purple-greener-carbon.html Analytical Chemistry Wed, 16 Sep 2026 17:30:02 EDT news708789961