Latest Chemical Stories
Thomas Midgley Jr: The man who harmed the world the mostSeptember 4, 2018
With his deadly inventions, Thomas Midgley Jr has greatly contributed to the environmental problems we face today, writes Susan Fourtané
New class of materials could be used to make batteries that charge fasterAugust 7, 2018
Researchers used materials with a complex crystalline structure and found that lithium ions move through them at rates that far exceed those of typical electrode materials, which equates to a much faster-charging battery
Piper Alpha – What have we learned?July 24, 2018
Fiona Macleod and Stephen Richardson ask: What went wrong on Piper Alpha? Why did it have such disastrous consequences? And what lessons can still be learned today?
Food-safe lubricants: Avoiding recallsJuly 24, 2018
Chris Johnson examines a common cause of recalls in the food industry — chemical contamination, and provides advice on choosing the correct food-grade lubricant for food processing applications, and the potential dangers of taking shortcuts
Nanomaterials could mean more algae outbreaks for wetlands and waterwaysJuly 10, 2018
Combined with nutrient runoff from fertilised cropland and manure-filled pastures, nanomaterials in agrochemicals like pesticides and fungicides could lead to more toxic algae outbreaks for nearby streams, lakes and wetlands, a study has found
‘Artificial blubber’ protects divers in frigid waterJune 26, 2018
MIT engineers develop a way to triple the survival time for swimmers in wetsuits, writes David L Chandler
Scientists develop process to turn toxic air into cheap carbon nanotubesJune 12, 2018
Vanderbilt University researchers present a new method of extracting cheap carbon nanotubes from the CO₂ in the air, writes Maverick Baker
Chemical sensing chip sniffs out cocaine within minutesMay 29, 2018
What if you could test for cocaine, opioids and marijuana as quickly as a breathalyser identifies alcohol?
Microwaved plastic increases lithium-sulfur battery lifespanMay 29, 2018
Engineers have figured out a way to tackle plastic landfills while also improving batteries - by putting ink-free plastic soaked in sulfur-containing solvent into a microwave, and then into batteries as a carbon scaffold
Engineers upgrade ancient, sun-powered tech to purify water with near-perfect efficiencyMay 15, 2018
Low-cost device - shaped like a birdhouse - could help provide drinking water to people affected by natural disasters
Advanced anaerobic digestion in Ireland: An analysisMay 1, 2018
Matt Smyth looks at the opportunity for advanced anaerobic digestion in Ireland, which, followed by reuse of the residual biosolids on land, has been evaluated to be the most sustainable solution for wastewater sludge treatment and disposal
The river of gold inspiring a blueprint for continued innovationApril 17, 2018
The EU is to take action against Ireland as areas of the country have non-compliance in relation to the quality of sewer/wastewater discharges to water bodies and waterways, writes Patrick Moran
Yeast engineered to manufacture complex medicineApril 3, 2018
Bioengineers have figured out a way to make noscapine, a non-narcotic cough suppressant that occurs naturally in opium poppies, in brewer's yeast
A future colourfully lit by mystifying physics of paint-on semiconductorsMarch 20, 2018
It defies conventional wisdom; it's baffling that it even works; it eludes physics models. This newly tested class of light-emitting semiconductors is so easy to produce from solution that it could be painted onto surfaces to light up our future in myriad colours shining from affordable lasers, LEDs, and even window glass
Scientists create microscopic ‘swimmers’ controlled by a magnetic fieldMarch 20, 2018
Microscopic, magnetic 'swimmers' may someday be used to carry cargoes in fluids, such as drugs that need precise placement to treat disease.
Researchers confirm century-old speculation on chemistry of high-performance batteryMarch 6, 2018
The battery could quickly and efficiently store and distribute energy produced by solar panels and wind turbines across the electrical grid
Water filtration breakthrough using metal-organic frameworksMarch 6, 2018
Researchers discover efficient and sustainable way to filter salt and metal ions from water
Graphene on toast, anyone?February 20, 2018
The same scientists who introduced laser-induced graphene have enhanced their technique to produce what may become a new class of edible electronics
How a thermal resonator takes advantage of swings in temperature to produce electricityFebruary 20, 2018
Technology developed at MIT can harness temperature fluctuations of many kinds to produce electricity
Solution to long-standing chemistry riddle has implications for drug developmentFebruary 6, 2018
TCD scientists have solved a decades-old challenge by working out how to craft functional residues onto a molecular cube. Cubane now has a plethora of additional applications in the fields of drug development, materials science and molecular engineering