https://phys.org/chemistry-news/ en-us The latest news stories on chemistry, biochemistry, polymers, materials science from Phys.org Forever chemicals don't break down and don't disappear, but Florida International University scientists have developed a safer, cheaper, and reusable solution that could remove these chemicals. FIU chemistry professor Kevin O'Shea and chemistry Ph.D. candidate Rodrigo Restrepo Osorio have created a new cleanup approach that captures and releases PFAS chemicals on demand by using water's own pH level. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-cheaper-chemicals-ph.html Materials Science Sun, 19 Apr 2026 18:00:07 EDT news695463812 The world's appetite for propene (propylene) is growing faster than the chemical industry can keep up. This petrochemical product powers the production of acrylonitrile, propylene oxide, high-velocity fuels, and, most importantly, polypropylene plastic—used in everyday food packaging and textiles, as well as in essential medical equipment. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-hollow-sphere-catalyst-enables-greener.html Polymers Sun, 19 Apr 2026 11:00:01 EDT news695476121 Using a renewable energy source has multiple benefits, including reducing harmful emissions and dependence on fossil fuels while increasing efficiency. But many renewable energy sources have a higher cost than fossil fuels due to the materials needed to make them usable, such as platinum group metals (PGMs), and the high cost of storage. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-platinum-free-catalyst-hydrogen-energy.html Analytical Chemistry Fri, 17 Apr 2026 14:20:01 EDT news695649842 A new Concordia-led study suggests that iron-rich slag, one of mining's biggest waste products, could help store carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions. The researchers examined whether slag, a waste material generated from metal processing, can trap the greenhouse gas under realistic conditions. While scientists have long known slag can store CO₂ by forming solid minerals, most studies focus on systems that are heavily dependent on water. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-product-carbon-emissions.html Analytical Chemistry Fri, 17 Apr 2026 13:40:03 EDT news695651281 Publishing in Communications Chemistry, researchers from Kyushu University have discovered a simple method of generating hydrogen gas by mixing methanol, sodium hydroxide, and iron ions, then irradiating the solution with UV light. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-iron-uv-alcohol-hydrogen-catalyst.html Analytical Chemistry Fri, 17 Apr 2026 05:00:04 EDT news695568481 Aluminum die-cast components are widely used in automotive and precision machinery applications due to their combination of low weight and structural strength. However, internal defects known as porosity—voids formed by entrapped air during casting—remain a persistent challenge. These defects are difficult to detect through external inspection and can compromise mechanical integrity and long-term reliability. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-supercomputer-simulation-porosity-die.html Materials Science Thu, 16 Apr 2026 20:40:01 EDT news695564762 Researchers have developed a technique for detecting and measuring the concentration of many rare-earth elements in plants, without destroying the plant. The technique can be used to optimize "plant mining" efforts, in which plants take up and concentrate these critical materials so that they can be harvested for practical use. The paper is published in the journal Plant Direct. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-technique-rare-earth-metals.html Biochemistry Thu, 16 Apr 2026 18:50:01 EDT news695575922 Rising carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from human activities are the largest contributor to global warming. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), global CO2 emissions reached an all-time high of 37.8 gigatons in 2024. While some of this CO2 is absorbed by soil, forests, and the oceans, a large fraction remains in the atmosphere, where it can persist for hundreds to thousands of years, leading to long-term impacts on the global climate. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-carbon-unraveling-roles-photocatalysis.html Analytical Chemistry Thu, 16 Apr 2026 17:00:04 EDT news695568301 A research team has developed a novel method that dramatically enhances the strength and toughness of titanium alloys using an electric current applied for only a few milliseconds. The team was led by Assistant Professor Shaojie Gu from the Magnesium Research Center, Kumamoto University, and included multi-institutional colleagues. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-metals-stronger-ductile-millisecond-electric.html Analytical Chemistry Thu, 16 Apr 2026 15:20:02 EDT news695558282 Hydrogen is at the heart of the transition to carbon neutrality, as both an energy carrier and a reagent for green chemistry. However, large-scale production of hydrogen via electrolysis, as well as the production of many other chemical products, requires significantly cheaper and more efficient catalysts. A precise understanding of the electrochemical processes that take place at the interface between the solid catalyst and the liquid medium is highly useful for developing better electrocatalysts. In the journal Nature Communications, a European team has now presented a powerful model that determines charge separation at the interface, the formation of the electric double layer and local electric potential variations, and the resulting influence on the catalytic activity. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-electric-layer-emerges-electrocatalyst-interface.html Analytical Chemistry Thu, 16 Apr 2026 14:20:03 EDT news695561761 Advances in artificial intelligence promise to help chemical engineers discover complex new materials. These materials could be used for reactions such as turning carbon dioxide into fuel, but technical barriers have limited catalysis adoption so far. Researchers at the University of Rochester are now harnessing the benefits of large language models (LLMs) similar to ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini to empower more researchers to use AI to discover new materials and accelerate experiment workflows. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-ai-plain-language-prompts-lab.html Analytical Chemistry Thu, 16 Apr 2026 09:20:05 EDT news695549103 The molecular structure of an enzyme from a marine bacterium with potential industrial uses has been determined by RIKEN researchers. The insights they have gained could help make a range of useful compounds through genetic modification. The research is published in the journal Chemical Science. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-marine-sponge-bacterium-enzyme-reveals.html Biochemistry Wed, 15 Apr 2026 19:10:02 EDT news695490542 A new artificial intelligence (AI) tool could make it much easier to discover better materials for clean energy technologies. The system, called StableOx-Cat, helps scientists identify stable metal oxide electrocatalysts—materials that play a key role in processes such as water splitting and fuel production. The findings are published in the journal AI Agent. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-ai-tool-stable-metal-oxide.html Analytical Chemistry Wed, 15 Apr 2026 19:00:04 EDT news695464713 A research team at Leipzig University has identified a mechanism in adhesion G protein-coupled receptors (adhesion GPCRs), a specific group of membrane receptors. This mechanism is essential for the activity of many of these receptors. The study, published in Nature Communications, shows that a specific interaction between two amino acids is indispensable for the self-cleavage of these receptors. This insight could pave the way for new therapies for cancer, neurological disorders and inflammatory diseases associated with malfunctioning adhesion GPCRs. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-hidden-receptor-paths-cancer-neurological.html Biochemistry Wed, 15 Apr 2026 17:40:04 EDT news695482322 Every time you drive, board a plane or water your lawn, you're relying on a material that has quietly powered modern life for nearly a century—reinforced rubber. It's in car and aircraft tires, industrial seals, medical devices and countless everyday products. Yet despite its ubiquity and its central role in the $260 billion global tire industry, scientists have never fully understood why it works so well. Until now. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-scientists-year-mystery-rubber-powers.html Analytical Chemistry Wed, 15 Apr 2026 16:30:01 EDT news695486101 Researchers from North Carolina State University have successfully synthesized bacteriochlorophyll a, which is a photosynthetic pigment found in bacteria that absorbs infrared light. The work represents the first chemical synthesis of this molecule and could give scientists deeper insights into photosynthetic function and photosynthetic energy. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-photosynthetic-molecule-bacteria.html Materials Science Wed, 15 Apr 2026 15:40:02 EDT news695475122 An interdisciplinary research team led by Dr. Elisha Krieg at the Leibniz Institute of Polymer Research Dresden (IPF) has successfully synthesized and characterized Olympic gels, a long-theorized class of soft materials. Unlike conventional gels, which are held together by chemical crosslinks, Olympic gels derive their structural stability from the mechanical interlocking of ring-shaped molecules, similar to chain mail. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-olympic-gels-theorized-class-dna.html Polymers Wed, 15 Apr 2026 10:40:01 EDT news695467702 Researchers have developed a molecular "light switch" for the so-called love hormone oxytocin, offering new insights into how social behavior, partnership bonding, emotions, and mental health are wired in the brain. Professor Markus Muttenthaler from UQ's Institute for Molecular Bioscience said a light used at a specific wavelength releases neuropeptides, enabling researchers to observe their effects on individual synapses, neurons, and neuronal circuits. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-scientists-hormone.html Biochemistry Wed, 15 Apr 2026 09:33:40 EDT news695464060 Northwestern University chemists have discovered a new way to turn natural gas into liquid fuel—and it's lightning in a bottle. By harnessing tiny bursts of plasma—or mini "lightning bolts"—in glass tubes submerged in water, the team has successfully converted methane directly into methanol in a single step. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-bottled-lightning-cleaner-fuel.html Analytical Chemistry Wed, 15 Apr 2026 08:00:01 EDT news695380021 The University of Wyoming's Lauren Kim has solved a persistent problem in the cutting-edge field of high-entropy alloys, a class of materials with great potential in modern engineering, electronics and energy applications—such as jet engines, nuclear reactors, chemical processing systems, batteries and supercapacitors—along with cryogenics systems. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-phd-student-persistent-problem-high.html Analytical Chemistry Tue, 14 Apr 2026 17:30:01 EDT news695403421 Hydrogen peroxide, a versatile chemical used in a wide range of applications—from medical disinfectants to semiconductor manufacturing and water treatment—is an essential substance with global annual production exceeding tens of millions of tons. However, its production still relies on large-scale, energy-intensive facilities, and its transportation and storage involve high costs and significant safety management challenges. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-discarded-wood-hydrogen-peroxide.html Biochemistry Tue, 14 Apr 2026 15:40:07 EDT news695390342 Pollution released from our textiles is smaller and more irregular in shape than previously thought, according to new research led by The University of Manchester. In a study published in Scientific Reports, Manchester researchers—in collaboration with researchers from the University of East Anglia and Manchester Metropolitan University—have developed a new fluorescence-based method that dramatically improves the detection of microfibers released from textiles during washing and wear. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-fluorescent-technique-reveals-hidden-scale.html Analytical Chemistry Tue, 14 Apr 2026 15:20:06 EDT news695386861 Many bioactive molecules used in pharmaceuticals and cosmetics contain enantiomers, which are structural isomers that exist as nonsuperimposable mirror images in right- and left-handed forms. Therefore, in asymmetric synthesis, controlling the formation of the desired enantiomer with high precision is essential. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-limonene-enables-highly-efficient-asymmetric.html Analytical Chemistry Tue, 14 Apr 2026 15:20:01 EDT news695389921 In a new study published in Nature Communications, a team of chemists has unveiled a radically simple way to attach a highly sought-after "molecular handle," known as the dichloromethyl group, onto complex compounds. Instead of relying on the aggressive, heavy-metal or radiation-heavy techniques of the past, the team used a common, naturally occurring amino acid called proline to gently choreograph the assembly. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-molecular-common-amino-acid-complex.html Biochemistry Mon, 13 Apr 2026 19:50:01 EDT news695319182 Enzymes are nature's tiny powerhouses, helping with everything from digesting food to making it quicker and safer to produce medicines, food and renewable fuels. While they can enhance chemical reactions, their fragile nature makes it difficult to use them in typical industrial processes. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-green-fragile-enzymes.html Biochemistry Mon, 13 Apr 2026 19:40:06 EDT news695318522 In a paper just out in Nature Synthesis, researchers led by Prof. Timothy Noël of the University of Amsterdam's Van 't Hoff Institute for Molecular Sciences presented a breakthrough in autonomous laboratory systems for synthesis optimization. With an estimated cost of a mere $5,000, a versatile, modular design and the option for "human in the loop" analytics, RoboChem Flex caters to all synthesis laboratories, large or small. The paper provides all the information to build their own system. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-robotic-chemistry-built-deployed-lab.html Analytical Chemistry Mon, 13 Apr 2026 19:40:02 EDT news695313269 Researchers from National Taiwan University and Chulalongkorn University developed a copper-based catalyst system that improves low-temperature methanol synthesis from carbon dioxide hydrogenation by balancing two key steps in the reaction. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-catalyst-functions-temperature-methanol-synthesis.html Analytical Chemistry Mon, 13 Apr 2026 18:40:06 EDT news695309762 Materials that emit and manipulate light are at the heart of technologies ranging from solar energy to advanced imaging systems. But even in well-studied materials, some fundamental behaviors remain unexplained. Researchers at Rice University have now solved a long-standing mystery in a widely used organic semiconductor, revealing how tiny structural imperfections can actually improve how these materials work. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-tiny-crystal-defects-decades-mystery.html Analytical Chemistry Mon, 13 Apr 2026 18:30:04 EDT news695320082 The mechanics of the onset of cancer or neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer's disease or ALS remain a mystery. Scientists associate these diseases with an increase in unstable molecules called reactive oxygen species (ROS) in cells, but they don't fully know why they form or why these molecules might pose a problem. They also are beginning to determine which parts of cells are to blame for producing ROS. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-cellular-redox-reactions-path-neurodegenerative.html Biochemistry Mon, 13 Apr 2026 18:10:06 EDT news695319901 Researchers have developed a method to extract bio-oil from the surface fiber waste of date palm trees, an abundant, low-cost, and sustainable biomass resource generated by an estimated 150 million date palm trees worldwide. The findings are presented in an article published in the journal ACS Omega. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-date-palm-yields-bio-oil.html Biochemistry Mon, 13 Apr 2026 17:00:03 EDT news695309941