Chemistry

- DGIST Principal Researcher Kim Jaehyun’s team has developed a high-voltage, flame-retardant solid polymer electrolyte that operates even at low temperatures - Fluorine-based additives induce molecular interactions that modify the lithium-ion solvation structure, prevent polymer freezing, and improve oxidation resistance - Published in the international journal Energy Storage Materials

Polymerized ionic liquids (PILs) are known for their strong ability to absorb carbon dioxide, as well as their stability as solid materials. However, during manufacturing, they often produce inorganic salts, making it difficult to accurately measure their true efficiency. Now, a joint research group successfully purified the PILs.

Stubborn cancer tumors were completely (and safely) eliminated in a mouse model with a small but mighty treatment method using nanoparticles, controlled drug release in stages, and light from lasers.

Coloured micro- and nanoplastics suspended in the atmosphere may contribute to global warming at a level equivalent to 16.2% of that caused by black carbon.

Optimization isn’t always about maximization: researchers at Tohoku University found a subtle rule where a bit of restraint actually speeds up chemical reactions in nanoreactors.

Counterintuitively, despite the ongoing fuel crisis and the over two decades since the global phaseout of leaded gasoline, toxic lead still lingers in Metro Manila’s air.

Photocatalytic systems use sunlight to split water into hydrogen and oxygen. Such an environmentally friendly approach to hydrogen production has long been touted by scientists. However, these systems often require multiple cocatalysts to drive the reactions necessary to split water, thereby throttling efficiency. However, a research group has recently unveiled a new all-in-one photocatalytic cocatalyst.

Elucidation of the Molecular-Level Photochemical Mechanism Based on DFT

Magnesium hydride stores lots of hydrogen but the problem comes with the high temperatures needed to release it. Now, researchers have found a new catalyst that helps solve this common bottleneck, focusing on a phenomenon called the burst effect.

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 demonstrates a new piezocatalytic route for CO2 conversion at low temperature and ambient pressure, offering a potential path toward future low-energy carbon recycling technologies.

Floatable beads made from chitosan and cellulose acetate and enhanced with bentonite were engineered to effectively clean oil from water. The beads showed good oil adsorption capacity while remaining easy to collect from the water surface.

For many years, designing synthetic polymer systems has been inspired by the hierarchical self-assembly of folded proteins into functional nanostructures. However, extending folding-based design principles to small synthetic molecules has remained elusive. In particular, luminescent molecules with complex three-dimensional structures were considered difficult to assemble. Now, researchers from Japan demonstrate that such molecules can undergo folding-mediated self-assembly to form highly ordered nanotubes. These structures exhibit unique multidirectional energy transport, highlighting their potential for advanced optoelectronic applications.

- Prof. Kim Bong-hoon’s team implements a smart fabric-based sensor that can collect sweat automatically and analyze multiple biosignals simultaneously. - It measures electrolytes, metabolites, and movement all at once using minute amounts of sweat: Customized healthcare is expected. - The paper was selected as a cover article in “Small Structures,” a prestigious international journal in the field of nanotechnology and materials science.

- Prof. Jong-Soo Lee’s team realizes a “hybrid photosensor” combining quantum dots and two-dimensional semiconductors - Proposes a low-cost, large-area platform to replace expensive conventional sensors; successfully fabricates a 32×32 pixel image sensor array - Published in the world-leading materials science journal Advanced Materials

An Ehime University research group has discovered that antiaromatic molecules, typically unstable, can form stable dimers through π-stacking. The homoHPHAC cation, despite its positive charge, adopts a slightly offset stacked structure. This interaction induces electronic reorganization, partially attenuating antiaromaticity. The findings reveal a new mode of molecular assembly for antiaromatic molecules and provide insights for designing functional π-conjugated materials.

Researchers 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.

Researchers are investigating how 3D printers could achieve unprecedented levels of precision when creating batteries, opening the door for new innovations.

Matcha surprise, Smart sea urchin spines, Breaking biomass bonds, Hybrid air-conditioning, Alga in gloom & A touch of tech. Read all in the latest Editor's Choice. Plus Early Bird submissions for Asia Research News 2027

This deep dive explains the ins and outs of a catalyst called graphitic carbon nitride that speeds up the production of hydrogen peroxide – a highly useful oxidizing agent used widely in both industrial and household settings.

- Prof. Sangwon Seo’s team successfully achieved enantioselective synthesis, selectively producing only the desired mirror-image molecule using nickel—a common metal—instead of expensive noble metals - Expected to make a breakthrough contribution to drug development that fundamentally blocks side effects and to the high-value precision chemical industry - Published in the top-tier international chemistry journal Angewandte Chemie – International Edition

Butterfly wings were the inspiration behind this new, lightweight lattice structure that doesn’t compromise on sturdiness.

What’s the point of methane reforming to make environmentally friendly fuels if the process itself is environmentally unfriendly? To make the process greener, researchers at Tohoku University used oxygen carriers to improve efficiency.

Professor Yutaka Amao’s review gives a comprehensive overview of natural photosynthesis, the principles and history of artificial photosynthesis research, and carbon dioxide capture, utilization, and storage technologies.

Single monomer containing thiolactone and pyridyl disulfide molecules allows for variable polymer functionalities

A novel computational approach reveals an oxygen vacancy-mediated synthesis mechanism, overcoming longstanding limits in atomic-level structural control

Holds potential for use in developing next-generation catalysts

A joint research team between the Center for Quantum Information and Quantum Biology (QIQB) at The University of Osaka and Fixstars Corporation has demonstrated one of the world's largest classical simulations of iterative quantum phase estimation (IQPE) quantum circuits for quantum chemistry on up to 1,024 GPUs, surpassing the previous 40-qubit limit. The result expands the scale of molecular systems available for the development and validation of quantum algorithms for future fault-tolerant quantum computers, supporting progress toward industrial applications in drug discovery and materials development.

In response to the global demand for clean energy transition, tandem solar cells are recognised as a crucial next-generation technology that will significantly improve solar power efficiency. Scholars from Lingnan University’s Wu Jieh Yee School of Interdisciplinary Studies (WJYSIS) and their collaborators have innovatively developed a novel interfacial structure, which substantially reduces energy loss and successfully overcomes the current limitations of perovskite solar cells in voltage, further improving the efficiency of converting sunlight into electricity. Their findings, published in the top-tier international journal Nature Communications, affirm Lingnan University’s research capabilities in the fields of renewable energy materials and photovoltaic technology.

- Professor JaeDong Lee’s team discovers the cause of “ultrafast electronic decoherence” in open quantum environments - Provides a decisive breakthrough, bridging ideal quantum theory and real-world quantum technologies - Published in the leading interdisciplinary science journal Advanced Science

- Professor Jiwoong Yang’s team has developed a quantum-dot-based “circularly polarized light” sensor covering ultraviolet to infrared spectrum. - Breakthrough design introduces chiral structures into charge transport pathways, overcoming material and wavelength limitations of conventional optical sensors. - Published in Advanced Materials, a top-tier international journal in the field of materials science.