https://phys.org/chemistry-news/analytical-chemistry/ en-us The latest science news on analytical chemistry Simulating how atoms and molecules move over time is a central challenge in computational chemistry and materials science. Classical machine learning approaches to molecular dynamics (MD) encode fundamental physical principles directly into their model architectures, most notably energy conservation and equivariance, the requirement that predicted forces remain consistent regardless of how a molecule is oriented in space. These so-called inductive biases have long been considered essential for reliable, physically meaningful MD models. But are they truly indispensable? https://phys.org/news/2026-04-ai-molecular-simulations-built-physics.html Analytical Chemistry Wed, 22 Apr 2026 17:50:03 EDT news696094081 Chemical reactions drive life. They ensure that cells obtain energy, proteins perform their functions, and DNA changes under certain conditions. However, many of these processes occur on extremely small scales—so small and so fast that they are difficult to observe directly through experiments. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-millions-atoms-shifting-bonds-software.html Biochemistry Wed, 22 Apr 2026 17:00:05 EDT news696080881 Biodegradable plastics are usually sought after for their ability to break down quickly. However, this does not tell us how safely a product can be used before it degrades. A research team has developed a strong, biodegradable material made from bamboo sheets and a plant-based plastic called PHBH. The material's strength can also be used to predict how it breaks down in seawater, offering a simple way to estimate biodegradation. The study is published in the journal Polymer Degradation and Stability. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-bamboo-plastic-biodegradable-products-seawater.html Polymers Wed, 22 Apr 2026 15:40:01 EDT news696079441 Researchers at The University of Osaka have developed a catalyst that uses vibrational energy to convert carbon dioxide (CO2) into carbon monoxide (CO), an important industrial feedstock. The work, published in the Journal of Materials Chemistry A, demonstrates a new piezocatalytic route for CO2 conversion under mild conditions—at low temperature and ambient pressure, offering a potential path toward future low-energy carbon recycling technologies. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-vibrations-catalyst.html Analytical Chemistry Wed, 22 Apr 2026 15:20:01 EDT news696077521 With the aim to precisely understand its function, researchers from the Inorganic Chemistry Department and Interface Science Department of the Fritz Haber Institute, together with colleagues from the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Energy Conversion, investigated the Cu/ZnO/Al₂O₃ catalyst system used for industrial methanol production during reaction conditions. They found that the dynamic, temperature-sensitive nature of the Cu-ZnO interaction is the key to its function—opening up new avenues for rationally improving this process. Their findings are published in Nature Catalysis. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-catalyst-reveals-temperature-driven-shifts.html Analytical Chemistry Wed, 22 Apr 2026 15:00:05 EDT news696078782 Discovering and characterizing new materials is important for unlocking advances in fields like clean energy, advanced manufacturing, and improved infrastructure. Researchers use machine learning and other computational tools to help them, but the trial-and-error nature of the process creates specific challenges. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-track-material.html Analytical Chemistry Wed, 22 Apr 2026 11:40:03 EDT news696071281 A new study sheds light on how hydrogen can be stored and released more effectively using magnesium hydride (MgH₂), offering fresh direction for clean energy technologies. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-barrier-catalysts-hydrogen-magnesium-hydride.html Analytical Chemistry Wed, 22 Apr 2026 09:40:03 EDT news696068761 Chemistry involves the fundamental interplay between the structures and properties of molecules. Notably, subtle changes in molecular structure and crystal packing can be amplified into macroscopic phenomena such as optical responses. Zn(II) is an earth-abundant and low-toxicity metal, and paddlewheel-type Zn(II) dimers are well-established structural motifs. They are traditionally regarded as electronically silent structural units. Recently, a study hypothesized that combining this flexible metal-carboxylate scaffold with π-extended emissive ligands and aromatic fluorination could unlock new, adaptive excited-state behavior under external stimuli. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-simple-synthetic-strategy-blue-emissive.html Analytical Chemistry Mon, 20 Apr 2026 19:20:07 EDT news695916481 Researchers from Google DeepMind in Berlin, BIFOLD, and the Technical University of Berlin have introduced a new machine learning method—Euclidean Fast Attention (EFA)—that enables global atomic interactions in chemical systems to be represented more efficiently. This could allow chemical and materials science processes to be simulated more accurately in the future, potentially accelerating the development of new drugs, more efficient batteries, and more sustainable materials. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-ai-method-captures-range-atomic.html Analytical Chemistry Mon, 20 Apr 2026 17:50:02 EDT news695921161 In a world first, the team, led by Professor Stephen Liddle, discovered a new type of aromatic molecule made entirely of metal atoms, the heaviest of its kind ever confirmed. The team stabilized an extremely rare three‑atom ring of bismuth, held between two large metal atoms (uranium or thorium) in a structure known as an "inverse‑sandwich" complex. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-chemists-stabilize-rare-threeatom-metal.html Analytical Chemistry Mon, 20 Apr 2026 16:00:08 EDT news695904841 Among the various plastic recycling methods being explored, one promising approach is biological plastic recycling, also known as biorecycling, which utilizes enzymes or microorganisms to break down polymer molecules. One group of enzymes attracting attention is microbial cutinases. These enzymes are naturally produced by bacteria and fungi to degrade the waxy outer layer of plants, known as the cuticle. Because they can act on similar chemical bonds, they are considered promising for recycling poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET), a plastic used in bottles and synthetic fibers. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-enzyme-reveals-plastic-recycling.html Polymers Mon, 20 Apr 2026 12:20:05 EDT news695903101 Researchers have uncovered that an orthogonal molecular architecture directs the formation of a rare double-cable structure, offering a new blueprint for advancing the fundamental design of energy-active materials. By guiding charges to move along separate pathways, the new design minimizes energy loss and boosts clean energy generation. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-tiny-shift-big-solar-fuel.html Analytical Chemistry Mon, 20 Apr 2026 11:20:05 EDT news695895142 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 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 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 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 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