Chemistry

New study explains why too much ultrasound slows chemical reactions

Machine learning potential can create accurate, large-scale models of catalytic activity for a reaction that turns carbon dioxide into a sustainable energy source.

Comparing picosecond and nanosecond lasers usage with a newly developed index

Operando X-ray spectroscopy is a powerful tool for probing electrocatalyst dynamics—but intense X-ray exposure can distort structural insights. This study reveals flux- and dose-dependent artifact thresholds and proposes practical protocols to ensure accurate, artifact-free measurements.

A new nanoparticle capable of carrying much higher doses of drugs while staying stable for extended periods could make treatments more effective

Barth syndrome is a rare genetic disorder with no known cure. Researchers at Tohoku University examined a new oral drug called MA-5 that could provide life-changing relief to these young patients.

Researchers from the Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo, have developed nanoscale ‘molecular flasks’ based on single molecules of bottlebrush polymers to carefully control polymerization reactions in extremely small spaces

Researchers at the Nano Life Science Institute (WPI-NanoLSI), Kanazawa University, report in Small, a weekly peer-reviewed scientific journal covering nanotechnology, published by Wiley-WCH, Germany, how short peptides self-assemble linearly on atomically-thick solid surfaces, such as graphite and MoS₂. The research addresses a longstanding challenge in materials science: understanding the complex, sequence-specific interactions between peptides and solid substrates, and the critical role of local hydration structures in guiding nanoarchitecture formation. This work offers new strategies for integrating biomolecules with advanced materials in future bioelectronics and sensor devices.

- Real-time X-ray scattering analysis reveals the synthesis mechanism of eco-friendly ternary quantum dots - This eco-friendly PV hydrogen production technology is expected to be implemented and used in various next-generation semiconductor optoelectronic devices - The research results have been published in Advanced Science, a leading international journal in the field of multidisciplinary convergence

Research groups from National Taiwan University (NTU), and City University of Hong Kong (CityUHK) developed a new class of small organic molecules for efficient cancer photothermal therapy.

Improved production of compounds from methanol and Komagataella phaffii yeast achieved through DNA alteration

Researchers developed a safe and simple sublimation method that produces sheets of atomically-thin semiconductor crystals. This could streamline the process for creating faster, more efficient computers.

Solvent polarity controls drug-loading capacity of metal–organic framework carriers

A surgeon can excise breast cancer from the body, but even the most skilled scalpel may not be able to remove every cell — especially when the cells have spread from the original disease site elsewhere in the body. This proliferation and migration of breast cancer cells involves many still unknown molecular means, but researchers at Hiroshima University have elucidated at least one mechanism, involving protein receptors that bind to one another. With the discovery, they may have also uncovered how short chains of protein building blocks could serve as a novel anticancer drug.

Researchers at the RIKEN Pioneering Research Institute (PRI) / RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science (CSRS) have successfully used insects as mini molecule-making factories.

The study reviews existing scientific methods for detecting methanol in lambanog, a traditional Filipino alcoholic beverage.

Researchers at Tohoku University found a method to break down specific contaminants in water in order to help replenish one of our most precious resources: fresh water.

Researchers from the Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo, discover just how crucial the molecular structure of water is to ice formation

Guaiazulene is a compound that gives off a beautiful blue colour, and it is often found in topical creams for skincare. It has also been touted as a potential food coloring agent. Yet this has been stymied because of its poor water solubility and color degradation under acidic conditions. A group of researchers overcame this common stumbling block by introducing guaiazulene into a hydrophilic poly(allylamine).

A team of researchers used a machine learning model to predict unknown chemical pathways, and bring us one step closer to efficiently storing next-generation hydrogen fuels.

Researchers proposed a novel strategy for using a magnetic field to boost the efficiency of single-atom catalysts – thus speeding up helpful reactions used for ammonia production and wastewater treatment.

A team at Tohoku University has developed a data-driven method to accelerate the discovery of affordable, stable catalysts for clean hydrogen production. Using a digital platform called DigCat, they identified a low-cost metal oxide that performs both OER and HER in acidic conditions and remains stable over time.

Self-assembling dye rings demonstrate photosynthetic energy and charge circulation

Cosmic hide-and-seek, Controlling quantum light, Thinking face robot, Live DNA folding & Menopause-dementia link. Plus latest SciCom Coffee talk. Read all in the latest Editor's Choice.

A research team has developed a unified theoretical framework to better predict the performance of single-atom catalysts for electrochemical carbon dioxide reduction.

Researchers at The University of Osaka have developed a non-precious metal catalyst for the efficient hydrogenation of biomass-derived furfural to valuable tetrahydrofuran-based compounds under mild conditions. The catalyst, consisting of nickel carbide nanoparticles supported on alumina, achieved 90% furfural conversion under ambient hydrogen pressure. This result will help advance the development of energy-efficient, cost-effective processes for the conversion of biomass to valuable materials.

Portable technology offers instant, power-free ethanol detection across concentrations

- Used a sub-1-nm quantum semiconductor nanocluster as a hydrogen production photocatalyst for the first time in world history - Achieved structural stability and catalytic activity with self-assembled superstructure and metal ion doping - Published in Nano Letters, one of the most prestigious journals in nanochemistry

Janus heterobilayers – dual-sided materials with unique properties – may be the key to efficiently creating clean hydrogen fuels.

A research team has unveiled a breakthrough in improving the performance of zinc-air batteries (ZABs), which are an important energy storage technology. This breakthrough involves a new catalyst that significantly boosts the efficiency of the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), a crucial process in ZABs. The development could lead to more efficient, long-lasting batteries for practical applications.