Chemistry

Production of aromatics and cyclohexane-based compounds through an electrochemical process without external hydrogen

Researchers at The University of Osaka have developed a polymer material that combines high mechanical durability with controllable enzymatic degradation. The material contains movable cross-links formed by cyclodextrin rings that slide along polymer chains. By using light to control the position of these rings, enzymatic degradation can be switched on or off and even spatially patterned.

Metal oxide semiconductor gas sensors can detect harmful pollutants in the air, but they only operate at extremely high temperatures. A new material design guideline using vanadium oxide may help us overcome this challenge.

A new method that uses nanoparticles could help overcome a manufacturing challenge that has slowed the development of advanced cell-based treatments

Move over lithium-ion batteries – researchers found a creative way to combine materials (lithium metal and a ceramic surface) that may prove to be better for energy storage used in electric vehicles and portable electronics.

Researchers at National Taiwan University have developed a tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy platform that can identify tiny structural differences in oligosaccharides without fluorescent labels. The method can distinguish glycosidic linkages, estimate chain length, and even follow glycan synthesis in real time.

A newly developed spray-on fabric coating could allow clothes to be cleaned using only water, reducing water and detergent needs.

Enhancement of OER has been demonstrated via co-doping of Co/Ni into FeS2, which surpasses the performance of traditional expensive RuO2 as OER electrocatalyst.

The complete set of nucleobases found in terrestrial DNA and RNA have been detected in samples returned from the asteroid Ryugu, offering insights into the early Solar System's chemistry.

This invited publication highlights the contributions of Distinguished Professor Hao Li to AI and materials science – focusing on their original concept for a digital materials ecosystem.

Researchers used electroluminescence-detected magnetic resonance to directly observe electron-hole pairs in operating light-emitting electrochemical cells. They found that ion-driven changes in the internal electric field strongly affect recombination efficiency. Lower-voltage, more stable electric fields promote light emission, a discovery that identifies electric field management as a key factor in improving organic optoelectronic devices.

By placing single-atom-thick adlayers of p-block metals on commonly employed gold electrodes (d-block), a research team at National Taiwan University has successfully quantified the "interfacial hopping integral" between molecules and electrodes. This new model establishes a universal descriptor to predict conductance trends in single-molecule junctions, resolving long-standing variations in molecular measurements.

Researchers found that Y-doping (adding yttrium) to an inexpensive nickel catalyst was the key to speeding up an otherwise sluggish reaction that results in hydrogen – which can be used as a sustainable fuel.

Kelli canines, Healthy fats in rice, Mercury and Earth in chorus, AI lights up materials discovery, Radiation detection with phones and Down to one. Read all in the latest Editor's Choice. Plus Women's Month 2026.

- Breakthrough in solar hydrogen production efficiency of heavy-metal-free eco-friendly quantum dots through anion defect control - Demonstrates commercialization potential of sustainable energy transition materials; published in the international journal eScience

What’s going on in there? An international research team developed a method to pull back the veil on the unknown processes going on inside quantum computers - which may help us build more reliable quantum machines.

Diastereomers are molecules with identical structures that are not mirror images of each other, described as anti or syn for molecules without rings. Researchers at The University of Osaka developed a strategy for using a rigid cage-like molecule to produce an anti-diastereomer in high yield. This diastereomer can only be obtained as a minor byproduct by traditional methods. The strategy is expected to become a key technology for making medicines and other bioactive substances.

A team led by researchers at Tohoku University have taken the first step toward developing antiferromagnetic technology. They detected a liquid-crystal phase that may change the game for spintronic devices.

Chemists at National Taiwan University and collaborators discovered that a seemingly solid, nonporous crystal can “come alive” when heated. A two-step transformation releases trapped molecules, drives a vivid blue → green → yellow glow, and even propels the crystal forward through bubble-powered motion.

Study of 56 japonica rice varieties finds black and green rice to be healthier choices

Researchers from The University of Osaka have developed a mouse model for achondroplasia. The model identified the importance of a signaling molecule called FGFR3 and a pathway called CREB in regulating bone growth. This pathway is also at least partially responsible for the pathology associated with achondroplasia and impaired bone growth. Their findings advance our understanding of the process of bone growth and provide novel therapeutic targets for achondroplasia.

A single atom can make all the difference. Researchers at Tohoku University have shown that subtle changes in the nitrogen coordination around cobalt dramatically reshape oxygen reduction reaction performance, a cornerstone process for fuel cells and clean chemical production. These insights provide a powerful blueprint for designing next-generation single-atom catalysts to accelerate the transition to sustainable energy.

We all want cheap, long-lasting, green, and efficient energy. Researchers are helping to make this dream a reality with a new distortion-resistant material that greatly improves these aspects of a battery’s cathode.

In our recent JACS paper, we demonstrate that AI-designed ubiquitin-fold proteins achieve extraordinary stability not by tightening their hydrophobic cores, but by reorganizing surface charges to program a structured hydration shell. Using solution NMR and molecular dynamics simulations, we decode this “hydration shield” as a sequence-encoded and engineerable mechanism for extreme protein resilience.

- Selective production of CO and CH₄ achieved by tuning Fe·Cu single-atom–TiO₂ interactions - CO₂ reduction activity enhanced by 55 times (CO) and 44 times (CH₄) compared to conventional TiO₂ - Findings published in Advanced Science

Researchers at The University of Osaka have developed a method to reproducibly form subnanometer pores within a solid-state nanopore. A voltage-driven chemical reaction produces a precipitate that fills and closes the nanopore, while dissolution reopens conductive pathways. This process forms many subnanometer-sized pores, whose effective size can be tuned by changing reactant composition and pH. These ultrasmall pores mimic biological ion channels and enable studies of ion transport in confined spaces.

Researchers at The University of Osaka have created highly transparent wood without plastic additives and revealed that its clarity depends on structural direction. Alkali treatment softens cellulose-based cell walls, allowing internal cavities to collapse during drying and reduce light scattering. Tangential sections become more transparent than radial ones due to anisotropic swelling and densification. The findings offer new design principles for sustainable transparent materials in buildings and advanced devices.

DNA - the blueprint of life – can also act as a reaction vessel that guides chemical reactions. This is possible using interstrand crosslinking technology developed by researchers at Tohoku University.

From the DeLorean to skyscrapers, stainless steel is known for its exceptional strength. But exposure to certain elements, such as seawater, can compromise it. Grinding the surface of stainless steel has long been known to reduce its corrosion resistance, and now researchers at Tohoku University have discovered why, potentially opening the door to new ways to mitigate the problem.

Carbon-based π-electron compounds are usually a first pick for their catalyst potential, but researchers have developed a stable silicon version – a feat that has been a major challenge until now.