Phys.org Chemistry

• Low-cost biosensor can detect airborne viruses in real-time

  A research team from Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV) and Universitat de València (UV) has developed an innovative biosensor capable of detecting airborne viruses in real-time and at low cost, without the need for chemical markers or laboratory procedures.

• Color-changing organogel stretches 46 times its size and self-heals

  Scientists from Taiwan have developed a new material that can stretch up to 4,600% of its original length before breaking. Even if it does break, gently pressing the pieces together at room temperature allows it to heal, fully restoring its shape and stretchability within 10 minutes.

• Machine learning and quantum chemistry unite to simulate catalyst dynamics

  Catalysts play an indispensable role in modern manufacturing. More than 80% of all manufactured products, from pharmaceuticals to plastics, rely on catalytic processes at some stage of production. Transition metals, in particular, stand out as highly effective catalysts because their partially filled d-orbitals allow them to easily exchange electrons with other molecules. This very property, however, makes them challenging to model accurately, requiring precise descriptions of their electronic structure.

• Electrical flash method rapidly purifies red mud into strong ceramics, aluminum feedstock

  A team of researchers at Rice University has developed a faster and cleaner method for recovering aluminum and removing toxic metals from bauxite residue, or red mud, which is a hazardous by-product of aluminum production.

• A silver lining in sewer sludge: Volatile fatty acids

  Many sewage treatment plants are equipped to process waste using anaerobic digestion, in which the sewage sludge is held in an oxygen-free chamber to ferment and break down. As part of that degradation, biogas such as methane can be reclaimed from that sludge.

• Plasma-assisted catalyst enables more efficient ammonia synthesis for energy storage

  Ammonia is used in fertilizer and many industrial processes. It is also seen as a promising way to store and transport energy, as it is safer and easier to handle ammonia than hydrogen gas. Using plasma, the fourth state of matter, scientists have created a material that boosts ammonia production.

• How good bacteria break free from their hydrogel homes

  Fearless bacteria have colonized extreme environments, adapted to vast temperatures and pH fluctuations, and acclimated to diverse hosts. Among these multitudes of species is the exclusive club of good bacteria that have enormous benefits to humans and can be exploited for therapeutic interventions.

• For the first time, scientists have access to a comprehensive data set for identifying unknown compounds

  Scientists from the laboratory of Dr. Tomáš Pluskal at IOCB Prague are helping colleagues around the world identify previously unknown compounds. They have created an extensive library called MSnLib, which contains several million records showing how small molecules "break apart" when measured by mass spectrometry.

• AI could 'im-prove' sourdough starters

  From sourdough starters at home to loaves in supermarkets—artificial intelligence (AI) could be key to standardizing and upscaling unpredictable sourdough, according to new research.

• Single experiment can measure enzymatic kinetics for over 200,000 possible substrates

  A pharmaceutical scientist at the National University of Singapore (NUS) has developed a method that can measure the kinetic efficiency of an enzyme against more than 200,000 potential peptide substrates in a single experiment.

• 'Inert' scandium unlocked as a powerful blue-light photocatalyst

  Scientists at the University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague (UCT Prague) have revealed a new catalytic role for scandium, an element whose salts were long considered to be redox stable, i.e. not participating in redox reactions. Published in Nature Communications, their research shows a simple scandium salt can act as a potent photocatalyst, using blue light to drive important organic oxidation reactions.

• Porous radical organic framework improves lithium-sulfur batteries

  A team led by Prof. Yan Lu, HZB, and Prof. Arne Thomas, Technical University of Berlin, has developed a material that enhances the capacity and stability of lithium-sulfur batteries. The material is based on polymers that form a framework with open pores (known as radical-cationic covalent organic frameworks or COFs). Catalytically accelerated reactions take place in these pores, firmly trapping polysulfides, which would shorten the battery life.

• Researchers solve decades-old color mystery in iconic Jackson Pollock painting

  Scientists have identified the origins of the blue color in one of Jackson Pollock's paintings with a little help from chemistry, confirming for the first time that the abstract expressionist used a vibrant, synthetic pigment known as manganese blue.

• Atomic 'CT scan' reveals how gallium boosts fuel cell catalyst durability

  Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles have long been hailed as the future of clean mobility: cars that emit nothing but water while delivering high efficiency and power density. Yet a stubborn obstacle remains. The heart of the fuel cell, the platinum-based catalyst, is both expensive and prone to degradation. Over time, the catalyst deteriorates during operation, forcing frequent replacements and keeping hydrogen vehicles costly.

• Fluorescent 'zoom lens' exposes hidden protein changes for earlier disease detection

  A novel strategy developed at Rice University allows scientists to zoom in on tiny segments of proteins inside living cells, revealing localized environmental changes that could indicate the earliest stages of diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and cancer. The study, published in Nature Chemical Biology on Sept. 10, also shows promise for drug screening that targets protein aggregation diseases.

• Vitamin K analogs may help transform the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases

  Neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and Huntington's disease are characterized by the progressive loss of neurons. The resulting debilitating symptoms, such as loss of memory and cognition, and motor impairment, can significantly degrade patients' quality of life, confining them to round-the-clock care.

• Laser reveals sound from supersonic molecules in near-space cold conditions

  What happens when you hurl molecules faster than sound through a vacuum chamber nearly as cold as space itself? At the University of Missouri, researchers are finding out—and discovering new ways to detect molecules under extreme conditions.

• Chemists weigh in on hydrogen water

  A recent column on hydrogen water brought a well-deserved slap on the wrist from two experts.

• Team discovers potential bacterial solution to 'forever' chemicals

  University of Nebraska–Lincoln College of Engineering researchers are exploring a surprising ally in the fight against toxic "forever chemicals." Scientists in the labs of Rajib Saha and Nirupam Aich have discovered that a common photosynthetic bacterium, Rhodopseudomonas palustris, can interact with perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), one of the most persistent types of PFAS chemicals.

• AI uncovers hidden rules of some of nature's toughest protein bonds

  Imagine tugging on a Chinese finger trap. The harder you pull, the tighter it grips. This counterintuitive behavior also exists in biology. Certain protein complexes can form catch-bonds, tightening their grip when force is applied. These interactions are essential in processes ranging from how bacteria attach to our cells to how tissues in our body hold together under stress.

• New method streamlines detection of carcinogenic compounds in food products

  In today's world, people are increasingly prioritizing their health and well-being, with daily exercises and calorie-tracking apps becoming the new norm. People are therefore interested in incorporating highly nutritious food items such as fruits and vegetables into their diet plans.

• Newly developed organic compounds can serve as highly sensitive oxygen sensors

  Researchers at Kaunas University of Technology (KTU), Lithuania, have developed new organic compounds that act as highly sensitive oxygen sensors. These sensors can accurately detect even the slightest amounts of oxygen in the environment—information that is crucial in situations where oxygen concentration can determine the success of a process or even a person's life.

• Pinning down protons in water—a basic science success story

  The movement of protons through electrically charged water is one of the most fundamental processes in chemistry. It is evident in everything from eyesight to energy storage to rocket fuel—and scientists have known about it for more than 200 years.

• Electric shocks disrupt drug-resistant yeast's cell walls to boost antifungal treatment

  Resistant to most antifungal drugs, the yeast Candidozyma auris is spreading globally and has caused recent outbreaks in US hospitals. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) classifies it as an urgent threat. To meet the need for better treatments, researchers at Carnegie Mellon University are developing a novel way to combat drug resistance.

• Fat molecules and water interact in surprising ways within collagen fibrils

  Researchers from the Faculty of Natural Sciences at Chemnitz University of Technology have discovered fat molecules in natural collagen fibrils, the main component of connective tissue. Their research, published in Soft Matter, shows how fats affect the mechanical properties and water content of collagen fibrils.