https://phys.org/chemistry-news/materials-science/ en-us The latest news on chemistry and materials science Living bacteria embedded in coatings could clean wastewater, capture carbon and generate biofuels—but only if they survive the manufacturing process. Researchers at the University of Surrey and the University of Warwick have developed a method that keeps bacteria submerged throughout coating formation, increasing the number of surviving cells by around 500 times compared to conventional approaches. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-permanently-coating-method-wastewater-treatment.html Biochemistry Sat, 23 May 2026 14:00:05 EDT news698423065 Society depends on chemistry far more than we consciously realize, from medicines to energy to electronics. However, chemistry is viewed with as much apprehension as gratitude, because of the pollution and health problems that some chemicals cause. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-green-chemists-emerging-science-world.html Materials Science Fri, 22 May 2026 17:40:03 EDT news698665364 An interdisciplinary student research team at the University of Waterloo has achieved an advance in materials science with the creation of a tissue-like hydrogel for artificial muscles to make soft robots move. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-student-talent-simpler-method-artificial.html Polymers Fri, 22 May 2026 15:20:03 EDT news698670241 What if the knowledge that could fuel the next scientific breakthrough has simply been forgotten in an old graph or table? Valuable scientific insights may already exist across decades of published experiments, yet remain buried in old research papers, waiting to be rediscovered. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-rediscovering-science-knowledge-hidden.html Materials Science Fri, 22 May 2026 14:20:05 EDT news698677361 Technology that converts carbon dioxide (CO₂) into fuels and plastic feedstocks using electricity is gaining attention as a core technology in the era of carbon neutrality. In particular, ethylene and ethanol are high-value materials widely used in the production of plastics, fuels, and chemical products, but until now, the only metal that has effectively produced them has essentially been copper (Cu). Through this study, Korean researchers have revealed the limitations of existing catalyst theories that have explained this principle. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-fuel-catalysts-falling-short-copper.html Analytical Chemistry Thu, 21 May 2026 17:30:02 EDT news698600281 A collaborative research team from Kanazawa University and Kyoto University reports the successful visualization of how densely assembled macrocyclic host molecules cooperatively capture guest molecules on a surface. Using two advanced atomic force microscopy techniques, AFM, the team directly observed host-guest complex formation as well as reversible association-dissociation dynamics at the single-molecule level. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-macrocyclic-host-molecules-surface.html Analytical Chemistry Thu, 21 May 2026 17:20:03 EDT news698594041 Researchers have uncovered a new principle that could accelerate the development of cheaper and more efficient fuel cells by revealing how dual-atom catalysts behave during a key energy conversion reaction. The study, led by researchers at Tohoku University, shows that these catalysts follow a previously unknown "dual-Sabatier optima" pattern, overturning long-standing assumptions in catalyst science. Details of the findings were published in Angewandte Chemie International Edition. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-dual-atom-fuel-cell-catalysts.html Analytical Chemistry Thu, 21 May 2026 15:20:06 EDT news698591607 A joint research team led by Professor Hyung Mo Jeong from the School of Mechanical Engineering at Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU) and Professor Ji Hoon Lee from the School of Materials Science and Engineering at Kyungpook National University has developed a highly efficient, non-precious metal water-splitting catalyst. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-team-awakens-hidden-oxygen-green.html Analytical Chemistry Thu, 21 May 2026 11:00:07 EDT news698578561 Gold has been prized for thousands of years for its enduring shine, but Tulane University researchers have discovered that gold's resistance to tarnishing depends on more than its chemistry. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-gold-glitter-uncover-resists-tarnish.html Analytical Chemistry Thu, 21 May 2026 10:40:01 EDT news698576306 Since their discovery in the 1950s, metallocenes—chemical compounds where a metal atom sits "sandwiched" between two carbon rings—have been at the heart of organometallic chemistry research, finding applications in catalysis, materials design, energy, sensing, drug delivery and more. Yet knowledge of their formation has been limited, due to the transient nature of their unstable intermediates. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-capturing-elusive-molecular-sandwich.html Analytical Chemistry Thu, 21 May 2026 00:00:03 EDT news698512321 NIMS discovered a phenomenon in which droplets on a single solid surface exhibit both a "sticky" and "repellent" state simultaneously. Namely, the wetting behavior branches into two states. This is a discovery that overturns interface chemistry scientists' belief held for over 200 years that, on a non-textured surface, the wetting state is uniquely determined by solid/liquid combinations. Furthermore, the research team also clarified a universal surface design principle that causes this phenomenon. This research result was published in Advanced Materials Interfaces on April 2, 2026. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-overturning-year-belief-surface-enables.html Analytical Chemistry Wed, 20 May 2026 13:20:03 EDT news698496901 As ammonia gains attention as a next-generation energy source capable of overcoming the limits of hydrogen storage and transport, KAIST and a joint research team have developed fuel cell technology that directly uses ammonia as fuel while achieving world-class performance and stability. This achievement is regarded as a core technology that will accelerate the commercialization of the next-generation hydrogen economy and carbon-free power generation. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-high-entropy-catalyst-ammonia-fuel.html Materials Science Wed, 20 May 2026 12:20:01 EDT news698495161 A new study led by Dr. Lin Su of Queen Mary University of London, published today in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, describes a new integrated solar reactor in which engineered Escherichia coli (E. coli) are grown directly inside the same liquid that converts CO₂ into a usable energy source using sunlight. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-solar-reactor-paves-chemicals-plastics.html Biochemistry Tue, 19 May 2026 18:00:08 EDT news698426101 Perovskites are a class of materials with a unique crystal structure that suits applications such as fabricating solar cells, light-emitting diodes and transistors. However, molecules in thin layers often cannot arrange themselves properly because the process proceeds too quickly. Now, an international research team led by Tomasz Marszalek from the Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research has developed a new approach to controlling low-cost solution processing, thereby improving the formation of well-ordered perovskite layers and enabling their broader application in optoelectronic devices. Their paper is published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-crystallization-perovskite-layers-transistors.html Analytical Chemistry Mon, 18 May 2026 19:20:01 EDT news698340781 From writing emails to generating computer code, much of the artificial intelligence prevalent in our daily lives has succeeded by mastering one domain: text. However, this leaves a major blind spot in the physical sciences, where models depend on the high-resolution, three-dimensional data of the physical world, like the intricate lattice of atoms in a crystal. Delivering on the promise of using AI for science requires teaching these data-driven text models to seamlessly "talk to" physics-based models. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-matterchat-ai-language-atom-scale.html Analytical Chemistry Mon, 18 May 2026 18:40:01 EDT news698339724 Using the second-nearest neighboring atoms to predict metallic glass stability can help researchers more accurately model the disordered solid with strong, elastic properties, according to a recent study led by University of Michigan Engineering researchers. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-machine-reveals-angstrom-sweet-metallic.html Analytical Chemistry Mon, 18 May 2026 10:20:01 EDT news698315041 The textile industry produces a substantial portion of the world's waste, with only about 12% of fiber materials ending up in recycling. Textiles also account for much of the microplastics in oceans. During every wash cycle, synthetic fibers shed microplastics that are flushed down the drain and eventually enter aquatic environments. Increasing textile recycling alone won't solve this problem because most petrochemical-based fibers are difficult to recycle and continue to release persistent microplastics throughout their life cycle. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-recyclable-protein-textiles-microplastic-pollution.html Materials Science Sat, 16 May 2026 11:00:04 EDT news697991435 The production of many products used in everyday life and in industry, such as pharmaceuticals, plastics, and coatings, requires chemical catalysts, often expensive noble metals with limited availability. Researchers at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) are now presenting the first air-stable iron compound, which enables the direct use of iron(I) for catalysis and, unlike previous methods, does not require strong reducing agents. A first test yielded active iron catalysts. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-sustainable-chemistry-iron-substitutes-noble.html Analytical Chemistry Fri, 15 May 2026 16:20:01 EDT news698071973 A collaboration between electrical and chemical engineers at Newcastle University is responsible for a reversible glue that can change how we recycle electronic waste. The team has already demonstrated reversible adhesive technology with wide applicability in general packaging applications, but this new glue is electrically conductive. This means that it can join electronic components, just like solder does. Unlike solder, however, a simple wash with a green solvent like acetone, or using an alkaline solution, will allow the components to be separated for reuse or recycling. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-reversible-reshape-electronics-recycling-material.html Materials Science Thu, 14 May 2026 18:00:01 EDT news697991182 Silk threads can be fused into transparent, plastic-like materials that twist terahertz frequencies of light, according to research led by Imperial College London, University of Michigan Engineering and Tufts University. The findings could enable components of 6G networks to be made from upcycled silk. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-silk-strong-plastic-materials-6g.html Polymers Thu, 14 May 2026 15:07:22 EDT news697990021 One of the first steps in addressing health concerns is measurement. For firefighters, one health concern is that their gear commonly contains per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), also called "forever chemicals" because they don't break down naturally in the environment. Since 2021, researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have been systematically measuring PFAS concentrations in firefighter equipment. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-pfas-firefighter-hoods-gloves-wildland.html Materials Science Wed, 13 May 2026 17:00:01 EDT news697904031 The selective conversion of alkenes into alcohols is a cornerstone of modern chemical synthesis, underpinning the production of pharmaceuticals, functional materials, and fine chemicals. However, conventional acid-catalyzed hydration reactions typically follow Markovnikov's rule, yielding secondary or tertiary alcohols. Achieving the complementary anti-Markovnikov hydration, where water adds to form primary alcohols, has long remained a challenge in organic chemistry. Although photocatalytic strategies have emerged as promising alternatives, they are limited only to activated substrates, leaving a significant gap in practical and sustainable solutions. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-copperii-complexes-efficient-anti-markovnikov.html Analytical Chemistry Wed, 13 May 2026 16:37:55 EDT news697909021 Oxygen is a cornerstone of chemistry, largely because it is so good at building the organic molecules that make up our world. Some oxygen-based compounds called peroxides are famous for being highly reactive—they act like oxygen delivery trucks, transferring atoms to other molecules. This process is essential for everything from creating new medicines to industrial manufacturing. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-chemists-isolate-boronoxygen-molecule.html Analytical Chemistry Wed, 13 May 2026 16:22:17 EDT news697908121 A research team at TU Wien has succeeded in modifying known materials in such a way that they possess new, desirable properties. These materials are expected to find application in the field of thermoelectricity. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-atomic-outfittery-substitution-thermoelectric-heusler.html Analytical Chemistry Wed, 13 May 2026 15:48:21 EDT news697905721 Amines are a functional group characterized by the presence of a nitrogen atom bonded to one or more alkyl or aryl (aromatic ring) groups. Derived from ammonia, amines play crucial roles in biological systems and various industrial applications. In everyday life, they can be found in common products such as medicines and cosmetics, where they act as active ingredients or stabilizers. However, the production of amines typically relies on complex chemical processes that are often based on intermediates derived from fossil fuels or involve energy-intensive steps. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-sustainable-electrosynthesis-enables-production-amines.html Analytical Chemistry Wed, 13 May 2026 15:35:50 EDT news697904761 When you hear the word "epoxide," what do you think? If anything, likely "glue." But epoxides are quite common in our everyday lives. You might be sitting on a foam seat cushion made from epoxides. There is a good chance the synthetic textiles in your clothing involve epoxides in their production. The same is true of the paint on your car and the printed circuit boards in your electronic devices. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-electrified-route-epoxides-pollution-common.html Analytical Chemistry Wed, 13 May 2026 11:37:32 EDT news697890970 A research team led by Hee-jung Lee, senior researcher at Korea Institute of Materials Science (KIMS), in collaboration with Professor Sunghwan Park of Kyungpook National University and Professor Mingyu Kim of Yeungnam University, has developed a technology that enhances CO₂ adsorption performance in metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) by up to 75% through precise laser-based control of their internal structure. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-laser-treatment-reshapes-mof-pores.html Analytical Chemistry Wed, 13 May 2026 11:04:33 EDT news697889042 Many creams and serums contain artificial ingredients that are harmful to the environment. Natural plant oils would be more sustainable but are difficult to process. ETH researcher Svitlana Mykolenko has developed a way of turning plant oils into stable gels without synthetic additives. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-video-gels-cosmetics-natural-oils.html Biochemistry Tue, 12 May 2026 17:20:02 EDT news697817978 The kingfisher's brilliant blue feathers were once used like paint to create works of art. The technique, known as tian-tsui, was popular during China's Qing Dynasty. And because tian-tsui uses delicate feathers, previous scientists struggled to study them using traditional analytical techniques. So, researchers reporting in ACS Omega developed new methods of investigating these featherworks without harming them. The team found that multiple bird species and layered pigments provided a one-of-a-kind palette. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-qing-featherwork-scans-reveal-multiple.html Analytical Chemistry Tue, 12 May 2026 16:10:02 EDT news697819621 To what extent can self-activating catalysts enhance hydrogen production in electrolyzers? Researchers at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) have investigated this question, and their findings were published in Advanced Energy Materials. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-catalysts-boost-hydrogen-output-reshaping.html Analytical Chemistry Tue, 12 May 2026 15:20:01 EDT news697808561