Chemistry

Prof S. Joe Qin, President and Wai Kee Kau Chair Professor of Data Science of Lingnan University, and Lingnan Fellow of the Lingnan University Institute for Advanced Study (LUIAS) and internationally renowned chemical engineering scholar Prof Ignacio E. Grossmann attended the 22nd IEEE International Conference on Automation Science and Engineering (IEEE CASE 2026) in Shenyang, Liaoning Province. The conference, themed “Smart Industry”, brought together leading scholars and industry experts from around the world in the fields of automation and robotics. During the conference session, President Prof S. Joe Qin introduces Prof Grossmann’s academic background and distinguished achievements. Prof Grossmann delivered a plenary speech today (18 August), entitled “Challenges in the Application of Mathematical Programming Approaches to Industrial Enterprise-wide Optimisation”, sharing the challenges of applying mathematical programming approaches to enterprise-wide optimisation, as well as the applications of related research in industrial production planning, supply chains and enterprise decision-making.

Inspired by pumped-storage hydropower, a nickel-based redox reservoir enables spontaneous nitrile synthesis in organic solvents, while hydrogen gas is produced separately.

Mitochondrial protein in brain neurons found to regulate appetite and body weight

1. Developed pH-responsive modified starch granules to protect unstable bioactive compounds, e.g. ellagic acid. 2. Providing the shielding and successfully minimized leakage under simulated gastric conditions (pH 1.2) and achieved high-efficiency, controlled liberation in simulated intestinal fluid (pH 6.8) for targeted releasing.

Kanazawa University, Japan – Research group led by Prof. Keiichi Hirano and Assistant Prof. Akira Matsumoto have developed a novel synthetic method for the selective cleavage of strong carbon–hydrogen (C–H) bonds while preserving weaker carbon–silicon (C–Si) bonds. This transformation enables the upgrading of structurally simple α-silyl alcohols into functionalized derivatives that are difficult to access by conventional methods. The key to this success lies in utilizing a finely tuned phosphonium ylide catalyst in combination with an organophotoredox catalyst under visible-light irradiation.

Researchers from the University of Osaka, Gunma University and Kyushu University created lipid mimic molecules that form “island”-like groups called lipid domains in artificial lipid membranes. The domains are thermally stable because the propellor-shaped moiety of the lipid mimic molecules interlock and the surrounding lipids fit into the spaces between. This new method of forming domains may allow artificial lipid membrane materials to be created for catalysis, capturing molecules, and drug delivery.

Researchers from National Taiwan University have developed a sunlight-powered catalyst that converts carbon dioxide into methane more efficiently. By carefully combining copper and zinc on black silicon, the team uncovered how light changes the catalyst during the reaction, providing new clues for producing renewable fuels.

Numerical model explains why increasing ultrasonic power reduces chemical reaction rates in sonochemistry

- Professor Su-Il In’s Team at DGIST Stabilizes Two-Dimensional 1T-MoSe₂ Catalyst Through Precise Interface Control - Platinum–MoSe₂ Dual Cocatalyst System Combined with Solar Concentration Technology Increases Methane Production Efficiency 65-Fold - Fundamental Mechanisms of Carbon Resource Utilization Elucidated; Findings Published in Applied Catalysis B: Environment and Energy

Researchers from the University of Osaka and collaborating institutions developed an autonomous solid-state nanopore that combines sensing, memory, and signal generation in a single device. Unlike conventional nanopores, the sensor continually reshapes itself through chemical reactions, producing unique electrical signatures as molecules pass through, providing a basis for memory. The device successfully identified a variety of nucleotides and amino acids, providing a new platform for molecular sensing and future iontronic computing.

Researchers developed a terbium-doped aluminum gallium nitride LED that produces blue, green, yellow, and red light from the same area at room temperature. The emission wavelengths remained highly stable as the current changed. Increasing the aluminum content improved energy transfer and efficiency, while using an aluminum nitride base layer enhanced crystal quality and device performance. With further improvements, this approach could simplify the production of full-color micro-LED displays and contribute to compact displays, wearable devices, and white-light sources.

When plastics are recycled, their strength gets weakened over time as the long molecular chains gradually break down under repeated exposure to heat and moisture. However, a research group has added a chain extender to the recycling process, allowing polymer chains to reconnect, and a plastic tensile strength to return to normal.

Researchers find that fluctuations in nanopore structure are the key factor influencing their performance

Prof. Young Dok Kim’s team at SKKU maximizes CO2 conversion performance via cerium induction

New imaging technique visualizes and measures plasmonic waves in device structures designed for practical uses

A review maps how modern diagnostics and reversible materials can help museums protect silk, leather, paper and wood with less damage.

Researchers developed a scalable method for preparing high-purity chiral mechanically interlocked molecules using a removable chiral auxiliary that can be recovered and reused. The strategy makes difficult interlocked molecular architectures more accessible and provides a practical platform for future applications in catalysis, molecular recognition, and chiroptical materials.

A research team led by Professor Sai Kishore Ravi from SEE at CityUHK has successfully demonstrated how mechanical vibrations can be harnessed to drive the production of useful chemicals from water.

Graphene revolutionized materials science after its discovery in 2004. Its list of potential applications is long, but its use in high-temperature superconductors has been stymied by weak electron interactions. Researchers from Tohoku University have recently created a stable version of boron graphene on the surface of a three-dimensional crystal, potentially overcoming this limitation and opening a pathway toward more energy-efficient electronic devices.

You are what you eat! Researchers discovered that a small change to the diet of silkworms improves the quality of silk they produce.

Lithium metal is a prime contender for the next generation of rechargeable batteries. But in order to live up to that potential, scientists have had to try and find a solution to the dendrite problem. Lithium tends to grow into needle-like structures (dendrites) which reduce the battery life and create safety hazards. The answer may be like the key to most things in life: balance. Researchers from Tohoku University's Institute for Materials Research (IMR) discovered that, rather than increasing the amount of lithium salt in a battery, an optimal lithium concentration allows lithium to deposit evenly and form a stronger protective layer on the battery surface.

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Scientists have found a way to spot early signs of skin aging, discovering that collagen's hidden internal structure begins to unravel before the fibers themselves break apart.

Catalysts are everywhere—from fertilizer production to clean energy—but making them more active without sacrificing stability has remained a major challenge. Researchers have now engineered a gold-platinum nanocluster catalyst that can be activated at lower temperatures while maintaining its precise atomic structure, boosting low-temperature carbon monoxide oxidation performance. Yet a clever ligand design could pave the way for more efficient and durable catalysts.

This work reveals how lithium migrates in solid-state batteries and shows that fast charging can cause irreversible lithium migration.

An AI assistant for high-entropy alloy (HEA) electrocatalysis named ChatHEA provided a helping hand not just to extract data from the literature, but provide suggestions for promising catalysts, design experiments, and analyze data.

Researchers at the Nano Life Science Institute (WPI-NanoLSI) at Kanazawa University, Institute for Molecular Science and SOKENDAI have uncovered the hidden mechanism behind a molecular switch—a molecule that can change between different structural states in response to a chemical signal. Their study, published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, reveals how molecules can gradually switch between alternative states, a process that could help scientists design future molecular machines, smart materials, and molecular information technologies. To make the discovery, Shigehisa Akine and colleagues created a specially designed molecular cage that changes shape unusually slowly. This allowed them to observe, for the first time, the sequence of molecular events that occurs after the molecule receives a chemical input. The study provides one of the clearest views yet of how molecular recognition triggers structural change and demonstrates that the response speed of a molecular system can itself be engineered through molecular design.

Researchers at the University of Osaka developed a light-driven method for synthesizing Davis reagents that generates the hazardous oxidant mCPBA only on demand and consumes it immediately. Kinetic analysis showed no detectable accumulation of the oxidant, improving process safety. The reaction proceeds at room temperature in non-halogenated solvents and can use sunlight or LEDs, offering a safer, greener, and scalable alternative for pharmaceutical-related synthesis.

Researchers at the University of Osaka have used machine learning to develop a systematic framework for structural descriptors in supercooled water. A neural network model was used to quantitatively assess the performance of 16 structural descriptors in differentiating between two states of water, a high-density liquid and a low-density liquid. The framework could be used to further our understanding of the anomalous behavior of water.

Researchers at Tohoku University have discovered a promising strategy that converts harmful carbon dioxide into valuable fuels and chemicals by precisely altering nanoclusters made of copper.