Articles tagged with Chemical Engineering
Researchers at Hasanuddin University developed a biodegradable plastic film with oxygen-scavenging properties, using cellulose from fermented coconut water to improve strength and functionality. The film breaks down quickly in soil, but maintaining flexibility and barrier performance remains a challenge.
A new 'Hydrology–Environment–Ecology' framework bridges aquatic and terrestrial ecological risk assessment for lake conservation. The framework reveals significant increasing trends in both aquatic and terrestrial ecological risks from 2000 to 2019, with habitat quality identified as the key risk indicator.
A new framework integrates all stages of carbohydrate vaccine development, from antigen production to clinical evaluation. The framework highlights emerging technologies like automated glycan assembly and AI-driven glycoscience to transform vaccine design.
Researchers expand potential of using bacterial spores for chemical reactions, biofuel production, and pollutant breakdown. New proteins fused to spore coat enable storage under extreme conditions without refrigeration.
A novel measurement cell enables in-situ/operando X-ray absorption spectroscopy measurements under high pressures and temperatures, providing new insights into thermocatalytic processes such as the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis. The setup is suitable for investigating catalytic gas-solid reactions under realistic operating conditions.
Flexible electromagnetic induction-type tactile sensors offer a promising route for low-power, robust and self-powered interfaces. The researchers provided a systematic roadmap for development, including application-oriented design and multimodal integration with other sensing mechanisms.
A novel, two-sided dressing made from sustainable polymers has been developed to deliver antibiotics directly to wounds during critical early stages of infection. The dressing reduces bacterial growth and biofilm formation by over 90%, promoting healing and reducing the risk of treatment failure.
A new review article proposes a gene-to-landscape framework to assess aquatic ecosystem health, predicting collapse and tipping points. The framework spans four interconnected scales, integrating molecular signals and landscape stability for early warning systems.
A team of chemists at Saarland University has synthesized a highly unusual bent sandwich molecule, defying long-held assumptions. The discovery opens up new possibilities for designing iron-containing materials and expanding the range of applications for metallopolymers.
A team of researchers developed a method to control powering down catalysts, improving carbon dioxide conversion without loss of performance. The approach reduces costs by about 25% and enables reliable operation with intermittent renewable electricity.
Researchers developed an aerated hydrogel that allows air to pass through while maintaining its water content. This breakthrough enables longer-lasting products, such as breathable bandages, implants, and wearable sensors, with improved skin comfort and reduced sweat buildup.
University of Delaware researchers have developed a spray-jet method that recovers precious metals and other materials from used hydrogen-energy devices. The new recycling approach uses no harsh chemicals or burning, preserving the membrane itself while extracting platinum and iridium separately.
Researchers developed a homogeneous catalytic process converting methanol, carbon dioxide, and hydrogen into ethanol using inexpensive and stable catalyst precursors. The catalyst achieved high selectivity and yield, outperforming previous systems, and showed stability during storage and recycling tests.
A novel approach using silica microspheres encapsulates colorants in plastics, allowing for easy recycling and selective separation of colors. This technology enables the reuse of high-value resources from previously downcycled plastics, significantly reducing energy consumption and environmental impact.
Dr. Abdoulaye Djire has been selected as a recipient of the prestigious Camille Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Award, recognizing his exceptional early-career faculty in groundbreaking research and undergraduate teaching. The $100,000 award over five years will enhance Djire's educational experience by developing innovative learning tools.
A study by Chiba University researchers reveals the structural origins of widely debated defect peaks in carbon materials. They used isotropic pitch-based carbon fiber to analyze various defects, including oxygen-containing functional groups and vacancy defects.
Researchers found that non-thermal plasma prevents catalyst deactivation and maintains stable performance for 30 hours. The study links performance difference to changes in surface processes on the catalyst.
A new electrochemical system converts biomass-derived compounds into valuable chemicals while reducing energy consumption, producing essential products such as glutaric acid and ammonia. The nickel-vanadium layered double hydroxide catalyst accelerates both chemical reactions efficiently.
A self-driving chemistry lab called Flex-Cat has been developed to autonomously search for faster and more selective ways to make important industrial chemicals. The platform combines robotics, high-pressure reactors, and artificial intelligence to identify high-performing catalysts and those that can be programmed to produce different...
Researchers developed a new gel-based material that filters PFAS 'forever chemicals' from water using 'molecular Velcro', improving filtration capacity and reducing the need for fluorinated materials. The material can be reused by flushing out contaminants, offering a potential solution to removing PFAS from water.
Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh have developed a more sustainable and economically competitive process to produce battery-quality graphite, with hydrogen generated as a valuable co-product. The new method uses molten metal catalysis to dehydrogenate ethane, producing high-quality graphite that is currently dominated by China.
Researchers developed nanotube membranes that enable ultrafast ion transport, opening new pathways for high-efficiency clean energy generation and lithium recovery. The discovery shows boron nitride nanotubes selectively move lithium ions faster than expected, with potential applications in blue energy generation and battery recycling.
A new class of ultrathin polymer membranes can rapidly and selectively separate complex hydrocarbon mixtures, reducing the energy required for refinery streams. The breakthrough enables fast liquid transport and high molecular selectivity, promising a far more energy-efficient alternative to thermal distillation.
Researchers at Harvard's SEAS have developed a highly sensitive calorimeter that can detect metabolic heat signals on the order of 100 picowatts in living cells. The device tracks the growth of small populations of bacteria in real-time, including monitoring how bacterial growth changes in response to different antibiotics.
Graphonos Materials, a startup from the University of Pittsburgh, has developed a novel technology to produce battery-quality graphite and hydrogen using molten metal catalysis. This process is more energy-efficient and sustainable than current methods, which require high temperatures and generate significant carbon emissions.
Southwest Research Institute has patented EZ Flow technology, which reduces the viscosity of heavy crude oil by 40-60%, making it easier and less expensive to transport. The two-part process uses a proprietary chemical additive and controlled hydrodynamic cavitation to reduce viscosity without changing the oil's composition.
A new study transforms agricultural waste from lavender straw into a highly sensitive biochar-based sensor for ethylene glycol detection. The sensor material exhibits exceptional room-temperature performance, a low detection limit of 0.36 ppm, and long-term stability.
Researchers have developed a direct one-step synthesis of cyclohexanone cyanohydrin using nitrogen, methane, and cyclohexanone under mild conditions. The new method achieves high selectivity, yield, and formation rate, offering a new strategy for efficient utilization of inert small molecules.
A new study uses deep learning to predict how fast biochar materials break down antibiotic contaminants, offering a faster path toward cleaner water and smarter environmental remediation. The model reveals key mechanistic insights, including catalyst properties contributing 59.3% of the predictive power.
Researchers have discovered a new iron–scandium catalyst that stabilizes iron catalysts and enables the growth of centimeter-long carbon nanotubes under high-temperature conditions. The study reveals scandium as a key cocatalyst, improving catalyst lifetime and promoting CNT growth.
Researchers at the University of Waterloo developed a flexible polymer shield that provides radiation protection without the health and ergonomic risks associated with lead. The new material weighs almost 90% less than traditional aprons while maintaining excellent X-ray shielding.
Researchers successfully engineered a novel platinum cluster catalyst that maximizes hydrogen production performance while minimizing platinum usage. The catalyst enables precise control over the number of atoms in each cluster, achieving world-leading hydrogen production per unit of platinum.
Researchers developed a system to link polyphenol chemical structures with bitterness, acidity, and astringency. Polyphenols found in tea, cocoa, and other foods influence taste sensations, affecting food preferences and digestive responses.
Researchers at Lehigh University developed a new gold-palladium catalysis mechanism that increases reaction rates and stabilizes catalysts. This breakthrough advances the development of more efficient bio-based chemical manufacturing processes.
Researchers found that linear alkane molecules passed through nanoscale pores faster than shorter ones, with transport rates determined by pore size and gate flexibility. The study revealed a two-step transport mechanism involving an encounter complex at the outer surface of the nanocube.
Researchers developed an ultra-stretchable, anti-freezing hydrogel electrolyte using liquid metal particles, enabling flexible energy storage devices to operate reliably in harsh environments. The material maintains stable electrochemical performance even at -20 °C and retains 98% of its performance after 45,000 charge-discharge cycles.
Researchers at Tokyo University of Science engineered CYP107J1 enzyme from Bacillus subtilis into a more practical tool for selective oxidation chemistry. The modified enzyme showed 28-fold higher catalytic activity and successfully converted indole into indigo, a commercially important blue dye.
Researchers developed a nanocomposite coating that improves stainless steel's resistance to highly acidic conditions, offering a potential solution for industries with metal equipment exposed to aggressive chemicals. The coating delivered up to 98.2% corrosion inhibition efficiency and remained stable over seven days of immersion.
A new study demonstrates a tandem catalytic approach that converts waste polyethylene and carbon dioxide into separable liquid aromatics and carbon monoxide under atmospheric pressure. The catalyst system achieves high selectivity toward separable aromatics, with an aromatic yield of up to 75.3 wt%.
Researchers establish kinetics-guided depolymerization of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) to produce high-performance thermoplastics with improved sustainability. The approach yields well-defined oligomers suitable for direct repolymerization, simplifying operations and reducing energy consumption.
Researchers have developed new chemical recycling methods for polyurethane (PU) foams, including hydrogenation, acidolysis, and chem-solvolysis. These approaches can recover polyols and aromatic amines, which can be used to produce new PU materials.
Researchers developed a surface polarity reconstruction method using silane coupling agents to modify conventional supported metal catalysts. This approach enhances the hydrogenolysis of waste polyolefins by optimizing catalyst surface polarity and reducing polymer chain entropy, leading to improved catalytic activity.
Researchers develop a two-step catalytic process to upcycle PET plastics into lactic acid and 1,4-cyclohexanedicarboxylic acid without external hydrogen. The method yields high-value chemical intermediates with improved economic viability of chemical plastic recycling.
Researchers have developed a chemical upcycling method that converts existing plastics into new materials with rapidly degrading properties. This process has the potential to tackle global plastic pollution issues by replacing non-biodegradable plastics.
Researchers developed high-performance catalysts that convert ortho hydrogen to para hydrogen before liquefaction, reducing energy release and partial vaporization of liquid hydrogen. This innovation is expected to contribute to the development of a hydrogen economy in Japan.
The study reveals that PFESA exposure significantly increases antibiotic resistance gene proliferation by restructuring extracellular polymeric substances and triggering cellular stress responses. This enhances the persistence of resistant taxa in microbial communities, posing a risk to human health.
Researchers found that print angles between 150° to 180° and 50-μm layer thickness performed best for crown accuracy and fit. Printing deviations were not evenly distributed across the inner surface of crowns.
Researchers found that atoms on certain gold surfaces naturally rearrange themselves into protective patterns that suppress reactions with oxygen. This discovery helps explain why gold jewelry and objects can remain untarnished for centuries.
Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) has expanded its ISO 14001:2015 environmental management certification to include multiple research areas. The internationally recognized standard supports proactive systems to reduce emissions and protect the environment, giving clients peace of mind about SwRI's commitment to stewardship.
A new study describes an integrated solar reactor that uses engineered E. coli to grow biomass in a single beaker, combining sunlight, water, and CO2. This technology holds promise for producing environmentally clean chemicals and materials, as well as microbial protein.
Southeast University and Korea University researchers developed advanced copper catalysts to convert CO₂ into valuable fuels. Their strategy integrates tandem effects, synergistic interactions, and geometric control to enhance reaction pathways, reducing energy barriers for C₂+ product formation.
The study demonstrates a rational precursor design principle for heavy-pnictogen-based III–V nanocrystals, enabling safer and more scalable semiconductor quantum dot synthesis. Metal-amide species play a central role in controlling the reduction of heavy-pnictogen precursors.
Osaka Metropolitan University researchers developed a light-driven method to rapidly collect microscopic targets, outperforming traditional techniques. The technique concentrates bacteria between 1000-10,000 times faster than existing approaches, paving the way for early disease detection and analysis of nanoparticles.
Researchers at Newcastle University have created an electrically conductive, water-based reversible adhesive that can join electronic components and allow for their reuse or recycling. This technology has the potential to address the massive problem of e-waste globally.
Hanyang University researchers found that a coating thickness of 2.5 nanometers is necessary to prevent harmful side reactions in sulfide-based all-solid-state batteries. The study showed improved electrochemical performance and cycle life with this minimum effective coating thickness.
Researchers Nadim Hmeidat and Amber Hubbard have been honored with the 2026 Outstanding Young Manufacturing Engineer Award from the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME) for their contributions to advanced manufacturing research and engineering innovation.
Researchers at the University of Waterloo have developed a water-based pesticide formulation that outperforms conventional methods in delivering agricultural pesticides. The new solution uses nanostructured cellulose nanocrystals to stabilize pesticide droplets without chemicals or solvents.
A feasibility study assesses the integration of PeroCycle's patented carbon recycling technology into Jindal Steel's operations, aiming to reduce CO2 emissions and lower reliance on fossil-based agents. The partnership could set a new global benchmark for low-emission steel production in the Middle East.
Prof Liu Bin, a world-renowned researcher in organic functional materials, has been elected a Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors. Her groundbreaking work on light-emitting organic semiconductors has led to applications in medical diagnostics and optical data encryption.
Researchers at Stanford University have successfully combined five metals to form a single, uniform nanocrystal. The discovery could have significant implications for the future of hydrogen fuel and opens a new chapter in the preparation of nanomaterials.