Phys.org Chemistry

• New technique enables faster drug design for diseases linked to ion channels

  An international team involving the Institute of Chemical Research, a joint center of the University of Seville and the Spanish National Research Council, has developed a new technique that will accelerate the design of drugs that target ion channels, a type of cell membrane protein involved in numerous diseases, ranging from psychiatric disorders to various types of cancer.

• Selective PET recycling: Iron catalyst and alcohols convert bottles and textiles into valuable compounds

  Professor Kotohiro Nomura's research group at Tokyo Metropolitan University has developed an efficient method for the exclusive depolymerization of PET (polyethylene terephthalate), PET bottles and textile wastes, using alcohols and an inexpensive, readily available and Earth-abundant iron catalyst. This method can provide a new possibility for the selective chemical conversion of polyester, an important key technology for the circular economy.

• Catalyst turns methane into bioactive compounds for the first time

  Natural gas—one of the planet's most abundant energy sources—is primarily composed of methane, ethane, and propane. While it is widely burned for energy, producing greenhouse gas emissions, scientists and industries have long sought ways to directly convert these hydrocarbons into valuable chemicals. However, their extreme stability and low reactivity have posed a formidable challenge, limiting their use as sustainable feedstocks for the chemical industry.

• Algorithms reveal how propane becomes propylene for everyday products

  Countless everyday products, from plastic squeeze bottles to outdoor furniture, are derived by first turning propane into propylene.

• Machine learning teaches membranes to sort by chemical affinity

  Ultrafiltration membranes used in pharmaceutical manufacturing and other industrial processes have long relied on separating molecules by size. Now, Cornell researchers have created porous materials that filter molecules by their chemical makeup.

• Imaging method pinpoints microplastics in intact human tissue samples

  While microplastic pollution continues to advance, research into its possible effects on health remains hampered by technical hurdles. To date, there are no suitable methods for precisely identifying the particles in the body without destroying tissue. As part of two research projects, a team of scientists from MedUni Vienna, together with partner institutions, has now established a new method that locates microplastics in tissue in a non-destructive and spatially resolved manner—i.e., in such a way that the exact location of the particles within the intact tissue structure remains visible.

• Gas-switch reduction enables alloying in supported catalysts

  Supported catalysts are systems in which the active catalytic materials, such as metals, are dispersed on a solid support material, such as alumina, silica, etc. These catalysts are widely used in various chemical processes. Several methods are available for preparing supported catalysts.

• Baker's yeast carrier makes bee propolis a more potent medicine, study finds

  A team of researchers from the University of Chemistry and Technology in Prague has developed a novel method to enhance the natural healing properties of bee propolis, a potent remedy known for its antibacterial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory effects.

• Mushroom material takes on plastic packaging at Belgian start-up

  On a gleaming new production line in Brussels, Julien Jacquet shows off a row of milky-white soap bar wrappers—made by what is billed as Europe's first factory for mushroom-based packaging.

• Red lactate biosensor opens the door for simultaneous monitoring of neuronal metabolism and activity

  Scientists from Academia Sinica and National Taiwan University, together with international collaborators, have developed a high-performance red fluorescent biosensor for lactate (lactic acid). The new biosensor, named R-eLACCO2, allows researchers to visualize how lactate levels change in real time inside living mice. When used alongside a green fluorescent biosensor, it opens up new possibilities for studying how metabolism and brain activity interact. The study is published in Nature Communications.

• Sunscreen plus bleach: The surprising chemistry behind stubborn red laundry stains

  Have you ever tried bleaching sunscreen stains on clothing, only to be left with bright red results? Professor Clare Mahon, from the Durham University Department of Chemistry, did just this and the scarlet staining instantly intrigued her.

• 'Switchbody' turns enzyme activity on with antibody–antigen binding

  By fusing enzyme fragments to antibodies, researchers from the Institute of Science Tokyo, in Japan, developed an innovative enzyme switch called "Switchbody," which is activated when bound to its target antigen. Switchbody is based on a trap-and-release of enzyme fragment that dynamically controls enzyme activity, offering new opportunities in diagnostics, therapeutics, and precision bioprocessing.

• Gas-impermeable polymer film promises durable coatings for electronics, infrastructure and packaging

  MIT researchers have developed a lightweight polymer film that is nearly impenetrable to gas molecules, raising the possibility that it could be used as a protective coating to prevent solar cells and other infrastructure from corrosion, and to slow the aging of packaged food and medicines.

• Researchers upcycle fermentation waste into vegetable sanitizer

  Texas A&M AgriLife Research scientists in the Department of Food Science and Technology have found a way to make fresh produce safer by using what most would throw away. They discovered that leftover liquid from probiotic fermentation, known as culture waste broth, can be upcycled to fight foodborne pathogens.

• New enzyme network with competing peptides can make decisions based on external environment

  The ability to respond to changing surroundings was once considered exclusive to complex living organisms. Then came computers, specially designed for stimulus–response tasks, which can take in signals from their environment and choose what to do next based on the instructions already written into them.

• Automated high-throughput system developed to generate structural materials databases

  A NIMS research team has developed an automated high-throughput system capable of generating datasets from a single sample of a superalloy used in aircraft engines. The system successfully produced an experimental dataset containing several thousand records—each consisting of interconnected processing conditions, microstructural features and resulting yield strengths (referred to as "Process–Structure–Property datasets" below)—in just 13 days.

• Multifunctional flame-retardant foam with strong antibacterial properties developed

  A new study combining fire safety, hygiene, and sustainability has led to the development of a multifunctional polyurethane foam that resists flames and suppresses smoke, while also preventing bacterial growth.

• Raman spectral database offers open library to identify biomolecules

  Researchers at the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya and the Institute of Photonic Sciences have created a Raman spectral database that is accessible and open to the scientific community with 140 of the main types of biomolecules, including nucleic acids, proteins, lipids and carbohydrates.

• Bamboo dishes may leach pesticides and melamine into food

  So-called "eco-friendly" bamboo and other bio-based dishes, often marketed as natural and safe alternatives to plastic, may release potentially harmful chemicals into food, according to a new study led by researchers at the University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague (UCT Prague).

• Artificial enzyme combines vitamin B2 with metal for next-generation catalysts

  Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) acts as an important coenzyme that helps convert food into energy within the body. Korean researchers have successfully created a new artificial enzyme for the first time in the world by combining this riboflavin (flavin) with metal, adding the metal's reaction-controlling ability to riboflavin's electron-transfer function.

• Hidden catalysis: Abrasion transforms common chemistry equipment into reagents

  The chemical industry is one of the largest on Earth, essential for supplying us with pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, materials and more. Great care is taken to optimize reagents and conditions for each reaction, striving for efficiency and, increasingly, sustainability.

• One-pot method synthesizes blue light-responsive aryne precursors from carboxylic acids

  Arynes are highly reactive organic intermediates featuring a triple bond within an aromatic ring. Their strong reactivity enables them to form bonds with a wide range of functional groups, making them valuable tools for the synthesis of complex aromatic molecules in drug discovery and agricultural chemistry.

• Explainable AI reveals how chemical sensors detect odors

  NIMS has been developing chemical sensors as a key component of artificial olfaction technology (olfactory sensors), with the aim of putting this technology into practical use. In a new study, explainable AI (XAI) was used to reveal how chemical sensors discriminate among various odorant molecules. The findings may help guide the selection of receptor materials for developing high-performance chemical sensors capable of detecting odorant molecules.

• Bio-based film matches traditional plastic packaging in blocking moisture and oxygen

  Plastic packaging is ubiquitous in our world, with its waste winding up in landfills and polluting oceans, where it can take centuries to degrade.

• Iron core-shell catalyst boosts hydrogen economy of direct syngas to olefin conversion

  Scientists have developed a new iron-based catalyst that improves the typically low hydrogen atom economy (HAE) in the direct synthesis of olefins—small hydrocarbon molecules. It converts the water produced as a by-product into hydrogen for olefin production, thereby boosting overall efficiency.