https://phys.org/chemistry-news/materials-science/ en-us The latest news on chemistry and materials science In a high-end fashion store or luxury car showroom, the term "vegan leather" sends a strong message of quality. For many shoppers, it promises the look and feel of real leather without using animal skins. As brands move away from animal leather, "vegan" has come to suggest something that is both kinder to animals and better for the planet. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-vegan-leather-isnt-sustainable-ecofriendly.html Materials Science Tue, 07 Apr 2026 20:50:02 EDT news694775117 An extract of turmeric and ginger helps bone implants bond strongly while killing bacteria and cancer cells, according to new research from Washington State University with implications for millions of patients with joint replacements and bone cancer. In early tests, the extract roughly doubled bone bonding within six weeks around the implant site, killed more than 90% of bacteria on implant surfaces, and sharply reduced cancer-causing cells. The findings marry elements of a naturopathic approach drawing on traditional medicine with current medical technologies. Turmeric, a golden-orange spice, and ginger root have been used for food and medicinal purposes in China and India for thousands of years. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-turmericginger-multiple-benefits-bone-implants.html Materials Science Tue, 07 Apr 2026 19:40:04 EDT news694774262 Researchers at Koç University have developed a light-driven method to produce porous semiconducting polymers under ambient conditions without the need for metal catalysts. The study, led by Prof. Dr. Önder Metin from the Department of Chemistry, in collaboration with Dr. Melek Sermin Özer, Dr. Zafer Eroğlu, and Prof. Dr. Sermet Koyuncu, was published in Nature Communications. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-driven-method-enables-sustainable-production.html Polymers Tue, 07 Apr 2026 19:20:03 EDT news694796641 In a discovery recently published in Nature, MIT chemists led by Professor Alison Wendlandt have developed a precision technique that allows scientists to seamlessly relocate alcohol functional groups from one spot on a molecule to a neighboring site. The paper is titled "Alcohol group migration by proximity-enhanced H atom abstraction." https://phys.org/news/2026-04-molecular-tool-relocates-alcohol-groups.html Analytical Chemistry Tue, 07 Apr 2026 18:20:01 EDT news694791481 A new review from Osaka Metropolitan University (OMU) summarizes the biocatalysts involved in semi-artificial photosynthesis, an exciting research field that combines natural photosynthesis with artificial technology to efficiently generate fuels and useful substances from sunlight. The review is published in Chemical Reviews. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-photocatalystbiocatalyst-semi-artificial-photosynthesis.html Biochemistry Mon, 06 Apr 2026 19:20:01 EDT news694692719 Everyone's idea of the perfect cup of coffee is different. Whether you have yours black, with a splash of milk or extra sweet, you like it your way. But is there a universal law that governs how that flavor gets into your cup? According to new research published in the journal Royal Society Open Science, part of the answer lies in the permeability of the puck, the name for the bed of tightly packed coffee grains through which water passes under high pressure. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-equation-baristas-espresso-shot.html Analytical Chemistry Mon, 06 Apr 2026 11:20:05 EDT news694687725 "Methane reforming" is a process that turns methane (CH4) into hydrogen—which can be utilized as an environmentally friendly source of energy. The biggest downside is that methane reforming, in its current state, is not quite so gentle on the environment. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-precisely-oxygen-carriers-enable-temperature.html Analytical Chemistry Mon, 06 Apr 2026 09:30:02 EDT news694686241 When paper dries and is subsequently rewetted, its properties change permanently. This phenomenon is known as hornification. New research now shows that the process is more complex than previously assumed, and that temperature, humidity, and fiber type all play decisive roles. During hornification, fibers in paper products lose some of their ability to absorb water. This has major implications for everything from paper manufacturing to recycling, where controlling the material's strength and durability is crucial. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-insights-hornification-future-paper-production.html Analytical Chemistry Sat, 04 Apr 2026 10:00:05 EDT news694362890 Iridium is a key component in many electrochemical technologies used for chemical transformations. These include producing hydrogen fuel from water, manufacturing chlorine from seawater for use as a disinfectant and extracting metals from their ores. Yet scientists still know surprisingly little about how this metal behaves at the very spot where those reactions unfold—the thin boundary where the surface of a solid electrode meets a water-based electrolyte. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-iridium-hidden-surface-chemistry-hydrogen.html Analytical Chemistry Sat, 04 Apr 2026 10:00:03 EDT news694191593 A research team reports they have created an organic reaction called α-allylation with simple ketones and allyl alcohols. This work holds the potential for use in the development of next-generation catalysts. The research is published in the journal ACS Catalysis on March 2, 2026. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-mesoporous-silica-catalyst-enables-allylation.html Analytical Chemistry Thu, 02 Apr 2026 16:30:03 EDT news694365781 A breakthrough method for chemically recycling acrylic—one of the world's most widely used plastics—has been developed by researchers at the University of Bath. In contrast to conventional mechanical recycling, this method uses lower temperatures and sustainable solvents without losing material quality, meaning the plastic can be recycled many times over with minimal environmental impact. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-uv-method-recycling-acrylic-plastics.html Polymers Thu, 02 Apr 2026 15:20:05 EDT news694351321 An electron microscopy image can capture atoms arranged in a crystal lattice or defects threading through a semiconductor material, but turning that image into materials insight can take weeks of careful analysis. Now, an autonomous artificial intelligence platform developed at Cornell can do that work in minutes. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-ai-electron-microscopy-materials-insights.html Analytical Chemistry Thu, 02 Apr 2026 10:40:01 EDT news694342102 Low-temperature CO2 hydrogenation might have sounded almost paradoxical until a recent study made it possible. Researchers have designed new catalysts that can transform the greenhouse gas into methanol at temperatures ranging from room temperature to 200° C, whereas most catalysts can operate only at or above 250° C. The research is published in the journal Nature Chemistry. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-disk-catalyst-carbon-dioxide-methanol.html Analytical Chemistry Thu, 02 Apr 2026 09:00:03 EDT news694278373 Heterogeneous catalysis—in which catalysts and reactants are of different phases, e.g., solid and gas—is important to many industrial processes and often involves solid metal as the catalyst. Ammonia synthesis, catalytic converters for automobile exhaust, methanol synthesis, carbon dioxide reduction, and hydrogen production are examples of such metal-catalyzed heterogeneous catalysis. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-metals-tune-catalysis-method-energy.html Analytical Chemistry Wed, 01 Apr 2026 18:50:02 EDT news694278242 Porous materials are widely used for gas storage, separation, catalysis, and environmental purification. Their functionality arises from nanoscale pores that allow molecules to be selectively captured or transported. However, most porous materials, such as metal-organic frameworks, rely on rigid three-dimensional networks formed by strong chemical bonds, which often make them mechanically brittle and difficult to process into practical shapes. A research team led by Professor Shuhei Furukawa at the Institute for Integrated Cell-Material Sciences (WPI-iCeMS), Kyoto University, has developed a new type of microporous aerogel that overcomes these limitations. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-microporous-aerogel-van-der-waals.html Analytical Chemistry Wed, 01 Apr 2026 17:10:06 EDT news694273741 A new synthetic molecule switches between emitting green and blue light after application of a solvent or mild heat. The color-changing phosphor can be leveraged for a two-layered information encoding platform, according to a study led by University of Michigan Engineering and published in Nature Communications. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-phosphor-encode.html Analytical Chemistry Wed, 01 Apr 2026 15:10:06 EDT news694272061 Understanding how a crack grows in metal requires simultaneously calculating the behavior of hundreds of billions of atoms: At the crack tip, where atomic bonds break, and in the surrounding volume of material, where the stress, driving the crack propagation, is distributed. For modern supercomputers, an accurate modeling of this process remains beyond reach. Researchers from the Skoltech Artificial Intelligence Center have proposed a solution, now published in the journal Computer Physics Communications. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-ai-quasi-atoms-approach-materials.html Analytical Chemistry Tue, 31 Mar 2026 09:20:04 EDT news694166821 Amid the climate crisis and the urgent need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, hydrogen has emerged as one of the most promising energy sources for the transition to a low-carbon economy. When produced from renewable sources, it can serve as a clean fuel, strategic industrial input, and means of energy storage. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-catalyst-conversion-ethanol-hydrogen.html Analytical Chemistry Mon, 30 Mar 2026 17:10:11 EDT news694108561 In chemical processes for producing pharmaceuticals, catalysts are a core technology that determines production speed and cost. However, until now, there has been a trade-off between "precise but disposable catalysts" and "reusable catalysts." A KAIST research team has developed an eco-friendly catalytic technology that combines these two types, operating solely with light and air. This opens a pathway to producing pharmaceutical ingredients more cheaply and cleanly, with expected reductions in carbon emissions and environmental pollution. The study is published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-cyclic-catalysts-sunlight-air-regenerate.html Analytical Chemistry Mon, 30 Mar 2026 16:40:06 EDT news694099741 Paintings are far more than dabs of oil on canvas. They are complex works of art composed of multiple layers, from primer and glues to the pigments and protective varnishes applied by the artists. Being able to see into these layers and map their chemical makeup is essential for art historians and conservators. A new technique developed by an international team of scientists can now probe paint layers in far greater molecular detail than before. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-masterpiece-laser-scans-ai-layers.html Analytical Chemistry Mon, 30 Mar 2026 11:40:03 EDT news694083288 Wildfire smoke is teeming with them. Researchers have employed them to develop energy-dense biofuels like rocket, marine, and jet fuels. Scientists have engineered rice paddies that interact differently with them, causing lower methane "burping." They can be used to extract valuable metals like lithium and copper from plants like seaweed. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-protein-microbes-conversion.html Biochemistry Sun, 29 Mar 2026 18:30:03 EDT news693493584 Through new improvements to existing AI models, researchers in China have created a framework that can methodically identify useful new forms of solid carbon. With their approach, Zhibin Gao and colleagues at Xi'an Jiaotong University hope that numerous new materials could be discovered, exhibiting combinations of exotic properties that are inaccessible via conventional search methods. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-ai-driven-framework-uncovers-carbon.html Analytical Chemistry Sat, 28 Mar 2026 12:10:04 EDT news693479375 Chemists at Wageningen University & Research (WUR) and Utrecht University have developed a new method to produce a promising chemical building block from biomass. This compound can serve as a precursor for useful products such as plastics, pharmaceuticals, and flavor and fragrance ingredients. Conventionally, its production requires hazardous chemicals. The Dutch research team now demonstrates that the process can instead be driven by electricity, using a simple setup and without the addition of dangerous chemicals. They published the results in ChemSusChem. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-chemists-harness-electricity-biomass-based.html Biochemistry Sat, 28 Mar 2026 11:00:01 EDT news693668243 Clathrate hydrates are crystalline structures formed at the bottom of seafloors, created by water molecules trapping methane, carbon dioxide or other molecules. While these materials are underutilized in technology, a University of Oklahoma researcher is helping scientists better understand them through a trailblazing study. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-quasi-liquid-layer-growth-mechanisms.html Analytical Chemistry Fri, 27 Mar 2026 18:00:04 EDT news693836613 Scientific discovery is often tedious, expensive, incremental trial and error, but the advent of artificial intelligence is accelerating the process. A multi-institutional team based in China recently used AI to identify a key characteristic of compounds called catalysts that are used to initiate and speed up the chemical reactions that convert carbon dioxide into molecules that can be used to develop sustainable fuels. The team then used the AI—dubbed Catalysis AI Agent—to guide their catalyst designs, ultimately discovering the universal design principle for copper-based single-atom alloy (SAAs) catalysts. They published their results on Feb. 24 in Angewandte Chemie International Edition. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-ai-agent-catalyst-discovery-sustainable.html Analytical Chemistry Thu, 26 Mar 2026 19:30:05 EDT news693754832 A Korean research team, led by Dr. Young Kyu Hwang, Dr. Kyung-Ryul Oh, and Dr. Jihoon Kim at the Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology (KRICT) has developed a circular low-carbon catalytic process that co-produces gluconic acid—a key ingredient in detergents and pharmaceuticals—and sorbitol, widely used in sweeteners and cosmetics, using only glucose. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-sustaining-glucose-reaction-greener-chemical.html Biochemistry Thu, 26 Mar 2026 16:00:01 EDT news693759181 History can sometimes take an unexpected turn. One of these curious, revolutionary twists came in the mid-19th century, when the tale of an unassuming everyday object—the billiard ball—ended in cinematic proportions. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-celluloid-story-plastic-hollywood.html Materials Science Wed, 25 Mar 2026 17:00:01 EDT news693666525 A hybrid photocatalyst system from Science Tokyo tackles an overlooked flaw in artificial photosynthesis to dramatically improve CO2-to-formate conversion. Unlike conventional designs where light degrades the molecular catalyst, the new system selectively excites the semiconductor and transfers electrons to the catalytic site. By preventing light-induced damage, it raises efficiency to 27.7%, a leap that could help turn CO2 into valuable chemicals for a carbon-neutral society. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-stabilized-hybrid-photocatalyst-boosts-artificial.html Analytical Chemistry Wed, 25 Mar 2026 13:00:02 EDT news693655381 Finding high-performing catalysts, which are used to accelerate processes from chemical manufacturing to energy production, can be a slow, expensive process, often relying on years of trial-and-error or massive computational resources. To add to the difficulty, ideal catalyst candidates are rare. Scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory have developed a new machine learning framework that can accelerate the search for better catalysts—the materials that speed up chemical reactions—and offer more reliable results. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-co8322-methanol-multilayer-machine-catalysts.html Analytical Chemistry Wed, 25 Mar 2026 09:40:02 EDT news693649021 Biodiesel is a renewable fuel and offers a sustainable and potentially carbon-neutral alternative to petroleum products. Yet production costs remain a hurdle to its widespread use. Now, researchers have developed an inexpensive way to make biodiesel from materials found along the banks of their Louisiana bayou: algae and oyster shells. The researchers will present their results at the spring meeting of the American Chemical Society (ACS Spring 2026), held in Atlanta from March 22 to 26. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-combining-algae-oyster-shells-biodiesel.html Biochemistry Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:00:04 EDT news693564757