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Category: chemistry

The process of catalysis—in which a material speeds up a chemical reaction—is crucial to the production of many of the chemicals used in our everyday lives. But even though these catalytic processes are widespread, researchers often lack a clear understanding of exactly how they work.

A new analysis by researchers at MIT has shown that an important industrial synthesis process, the production of vinyl acetate, requires a catalyst to take two different forms, which cycle back and forth from one to the other as the chemical process unfolds.

Previously, it had been thought that only one of the two forms was needed. The new findings are published today in the journal Science, in a paper by MIT graduate students Deiaa Harraz and Kunal Lodaya, Bryan Tang, Ph.D., and MIT professor of chemistry and chemical engineering Yogesh Surendranath.

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A key objective of ongoing research rooted in molecular physics is to understand and precisely control chemical reactions at very low temperatures. At low temperatures, the chemical reactions between charged particles (i.e., ions) and molecules unfold with highly rotational-state-specific rate coefficients, meaning that the speed at which they proceed strongly depends on the rotational states of the involved molecules.

Researchers at ETH Zürich have recently introduced a new approach to control chemical reactions between ions and molecules at low temperatures, employing microwaves (i.e., with frequencies ranging from 300 MHz to 300 GHz). Their proposed scheme, outlined in a paper published in Physical Review Letters, entails the use of pulses to manipulate molecular rotational-state populations.

“Over the past 10 years, we have developed a method with which ion-molecule reactions can be studied at very low temperatures, below 10 K, corresponding to the conditions in in the , where these types of reactions play a key role,” Valentina Zhelyazkova, corresponding author of the paper, told Phys.org.

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Nearly 16 million American adults have been diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), but evidence suggests that more than 30% of them don’t respond well to stimulant medications like Ritalin and Adderall.

A new clinical trial provides a surprising explanation for why this may be the case: There are in how our are wired, including the chemical circuits responsible for memory and concentration, according to a new study co-led by the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) and performed at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Clinical Center.

Our brain cells have different types of chemical receptors that work together to produce optimal performance of brain function. Differences in the balance of these receptors can help explain who is likely to benefit from Ritalin and other stimulant medications. That is the finding of the new research published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

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From seat cushions to mattresses to insulation, foam is everywhere—even if we don’t always see it. Now, researchers at The University of Texas at Dallas have fused chemistry with technology to create a 3D-printed foam that is more durable and more recyclable than the polymer foam found in many everyday products.

The research, published in RSC Applied Polymers, focused on creating a sturdy but lightweight that could be 3D-printed, a method that is still largely unexplored in commercial manufacturing, said the study’s co-lead author, UT Dallas doctoral student Rebecca Johnson BS’20.

“This is probably the longest project I’ve ever done,” said Johnson, who plans to complete her Ph.D. in chemistry in May. “From start to finish, it was a little over two years. A lot of it was trying to get the polymer formulation correct to be compatible with the 3D printer.”

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• The process uses flash joule heating to mineralize PFAS, converting them into inert fluoride salts and upcycling waste carbon into high-value graphene.

• This innovative approach offers a cost-effective, scalable, and environmentally friendly solution to a pressing global problem.

• Meanwhile, scientists in Tokyo are exploring sustainable carbon-based materials and membrane distillation to remove PFAS, showcasing promising advancements in water purification technology.

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Researchers at the University of Missouri, in collaboration with Novartis Pharmaceuticals, have developed a groundbreaking and environmentally friendly electrochemistry technique. This new method uses engineered “soapy” water, micelles made from natural amino acids and coconut oil, combined with electricity to drive chemical reactions in a safer, more sustainable way.

Unlike traditional electrochemical processes that rely on toxic solvents and electrolytes, this approach offers a non-toxic alternative. Led by Associate Professor Sachin Handa and graduate student Karanjeet Kaur, the team’s innovation could significantly reduce the cost of pharmaceutical manufacturing and advance clean energy technologies. It also shows promise in tackling environmental challenges, such as removing persistent “forever chemicals” like per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from water.

These ball-shaped structures have two sides: one that mixes with water and the other that repels it. Their unique design allowed researchers to make electrochemical reactions more efficient by combining the traditional roles of solvents, electrolytes, and reaction boosters into one simple tool. Bonus: The reactions are highly efficient and selective.

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At times, the reactions do not produce the intended results, and this is where simulations are used to understand what might have caused the anomalous behavior. Chemistry students are often tasked with running these simulations to learn to think critically and make sense of discoveries.

As the complexity of the process increases, more advanced computing infrastructure is required to carry out these simulations. To understand these reactions at a quantum level, theoretical chemists even use specialized software packages to streamline their research and automate the simulation process. AutoSolvateWeb is just a chatbot but can help even non-experts achieve this level of competence.

AutoSolvateWeb helps compute the dissolving of a chemical, referred to as a solute, into a substance called a solvent. The resultant solution is called the solvate, hence the name. While theoretical chemists use computation software to convert this into simulations that look much like 3D movies, AutoSolvateWeb can achieve the same output through a chatbot-like interface with the user.

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More than 150 million metric tons of propylene are produced annually, making it one of the most widespread chemicals used in the chemical industry.

Propylene is the basis for polypropylene, a polymer used in everything from medical devices to packaging to household goods. But most is produced through steam cracking, a high-energy process that uses heat to break down crude oil into smaller hydrocarbons.

Now, Northwestern University chemists have found a way to create propylene using light. Their findings show that a nanoengineered photoactive catalyst can make propylene directly through a process called nonoxidative propane dehydrogenation (PDH).

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