ScienceDaily: Organic Chemistry News

Working backward: Computer-aided design of zeolite templates

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 10:20:20 EDT

Taking a page from computer-aided drug designers, researchers have developed a computational method that chemists can use to tailor the properties of zeolites, one of the world's most-used industrial minerals. The method allows chemists to work backward by first considering the type of zeolite they wish to make and then creating the organic template needed to produce it.

Chemical nanoengineering: Designing drugs controlled by light

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 10:15:15 EDT

A new breakthrough will help with the development of light-regulated therapeutic molecules.

'Chemical architects' build materials with potential applications in drug delivery and gas storage

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 14:23:23 EDT

Home remodelers understand the concept of improving original foundations with more modern elements. Using this same approach -- but with chemistry -- researchers have now designed a family of materials that could make drug delivery, gas storage, and gas transport more efficient and at a lower cost.

Simple and inexpensive process to make a material for carbon dioxide adsorption

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 10:46:46 EDT

Researchers in South Korea have developed a novel, simple method to synthesize hierarchically nanoporous frameworks of nanocrystalline metal oxides such as magnesia and ceria by the thermal conversion of well-designed metal-organic frameworks.

Uniquely shaped enzyme amazes chemists

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 10:45:45 EDT

Chemists in the Netherlands have found that a uniquely shaped enzyme that has never been seen before in biology is real: two interlocked ring structures, known as catenanes.

Researchers unmask Janus-faced nature of mechanical forces with supercomputer

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 09:19:19 EDT

The harder you pull, the quicker it goes. At least, that used to be the rule in mechanochemistry, a method that researchers apply to set chemical reactions in motion by means of mechanical forces. However, as chemists report in a new study, more force cannot in fact be translated one to one into a faster reaction. With complex molecular dynamic simulations on a supercomputer, they unmasked the Janus-faced nature of mechanochemistry. Up to a certain force, the reaction rate increases in proportion to the force. If this threshold is exceeded, greater mechanical forces speed up the reaction to a much lesser extent.

Star-shaped macromolecule grabs large anions

Sun, 16 Jun 2013 15:52:52 EDT

Chemists have created a symmetrical, five-sided macrocycle that is easy to synthesize and has characteristics that may help expand the molecular tool box available to researchers in biology, chemistry and materials sciences.

Odors from human skin cells can be used to identify melanoma

Thu, 13 Jun 2013 15:33:33 EDT

Researchers identified odorants from human skin cells that can be used to identify melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer. In addition a nanotechnology-based sensor could reliably differentiate melanoma cells from normal skin cells. Non-invasive odor analysis may be a valuable technique in the detection and early diagnosis of human melanoma.

Nanoparticle opens the door to clean-energy alternatives

Thu, 13 Jun 2013 14:28:28 EDT

Cheaper clean-energy technologies could be made possible thanks to a new discovery. An important chemical reaction that generates hydrogen from water is effectively triggered -- or catalyzed -- by a nanoparticle composed of nickel and phosphorus, two inexpensive elements that are abundant on Earth.

DNA brings materials to life: DNA-coated colloids help create novel self-assembling materials

Thu, 13 Jun 2013 10:44:44 EDT

A colloid is a substance spread out evenly inside another substance. Everyday examples include milk, styrofoam, hair sprays, paints, shaving foam, gels and even dust, mud and fog. One of the most interesting properties of colloids is their ability to self-assemble -- to aggregate spontaneously into well-defined structures, driven by nothing but local interactions between the colloid's particles. Self-assembly has been of major interest in industry, since controlling it would open up a whole host of new technologies, such as smart drug-delivery patches or novel paints that change with light. Scientists have now discovered a technique to control and direct the self-assembly of two different colloids.

'Self-cleaning' pollution-control technology could do more harm than good, study suggests

Thu, 13 Jun 2013 09:23:23 EDT

Environmental scientists shows that air-pollution-removal technology used in "self-cleaning" paints and building surfaces may actually cause more problems than they solve. The study finds that titanium dioxide coatings, seen as promising for their role in breaking down airborne pollutants on contact, are likely in real-world conditions to convert abundant ammonia to nitrogen oxide, the key precursor of harmful ozone pollution.

Spot-welding graphene nanoribbons atom by atom

Thu, 13 Jun 2013 09:22:22 EDT

Scientists have created single atom contacts between gold and graphene nanoribbons.

New catalyst neutralizes gases responsible for climate change

Thu, 13 Jun 2013 09:22:22 EDT

New technology prevents nitrous oxide decomposing it into nontoxic products. The catalytic system is active, efficient and stable over time and can purify gases emitted by industries related to the production of fertilizers, plastics and coal burning plants to produce electricity or vehicles.

Molecular 'sieves' harness ultraviolet irradiation for greener power generation

Wed, 12 Jun 2013 09:36:36 EDT

New research shows that exposing polymer molecular sieve membranes to ultraviolet (UV) irradiation in the presence of oxygen produces highly permeable and selective membranes for more efficient molecular-level separation, an essential process in everything from water purification to controlling gas emissions.

Exposure to air transforms gold alloys into catalytic nanostructures

Tue, 11 Jun 2013 16:19:19 EDT

Scientists have created promising gold-indium oxide nanoparticles through room-temperature oxidation.

Testing artificial photosynthesis: Fully integrated microfluidic test-bed for solar-driven electrochemical energy conversion systems

Mon, 10 Jun 2013 13:32:32 EDT

Researchers have developed the first fully integrated microfluidic test-bed for evaluating and optimizing solar-driven electrochemical energy conversion systems. This test-bed system has already been used to study schemes for photovoltaic electrolysis of water, and can be readily adapted to study proposed artificial photosynthesis and fuel cell technologies.

Metabolic model of E. coli reveals how bacterial growth responds to temperature change

Thu, 06 Jun 2013 15:47:47 EDT

Bioengineers have developed a computational model of 1,366 genes in E. coli that includes 3D protein structures and has enabled them to compute the temperature sensitivity of the bacterium's proteins. The study opens the door for engineers to create heat-tolerant microbial strains for production of commodity chemicals, therapeutic proteins and other industrial applications.

Promising material for lithium-ion batteries

Thu, 06 Jun 2013 14:10:10 EDT

Laptops could work longer and electric cars could drive farther if it were possible to further increase the capacity of their lithium-ion batteries. The electrode material has a decisive influence on a battery's capacity. So far, the negative electrode typically consists of graphite, whose layers can store lithium atoms. Scientists have now developed a material made of boron and silicon that could smooth the way to systems with higher capacities.

Nuclear testing from the 1960s helps scientist determine whether adult brains generate new neurons

Thu, 06 Jun 2013 14:06:06 EDT

The birth of new neurons in the adult brain sharpens memory in rodents, but whether the same holds true for humans has long been debated. A new study reveals that a significant number of new neurons in the hippocampus -- a brain region crucial for memory and learning -- are generated in adult humans. The researchers used a unique strategy based on the amount of carbon-14 found in humans as a result of above-ground nuclear testing more than half a century ago.

Metal-free catalyst outperforms platinum in fuel cell

Wed, 05 Jun 2013 11:15:15 EDT

Researchers have discovered an inexpensive and easily produced catalyst that performs better than platinum in oxygen-reduction reactions -- a step toward eliminating what industry regards as the largest obstacle to large-scale commercialization of fuel cell technology.

Catalyst could jump-start e-cars, green energy

Tue, 04 Jun 2013 13:54:54 EDT

Scientists have designed a new type of nanostructured-carbon-based catalyst that could pave the way for reliable, economical next-generation batteries and alkaline fuel cells, providing for practical use of wind- and solar-powered electricity, as well as enhanced hybrid electric vehicles.

Detecting disease with a smartphone accessory

Tue, 04 Jun 2013 11:39:39 EDT

Engineers have created a new optical sensor that plugs in to a smartphone and, using disposable microfluidic chips, allows for inexpensive in-the-field diagnosis of Kaposi's sarcoma, a cancer linked to AIDS.

Scientists create novel silicon electrodes that improve lithium-ion batteries

Tue, 04 Jun 2013 09:47:47 EDT

Scientists have dramatically improved the performance of lithium-ion batteries by creating novel electrodes made of silicon and conducting polymer hydrogel, a spongy material similar to that used in contact lenses and other household products. The scientists developed a new technique for producing low-cost, silicon-based batteries with potential applications for a wide range of electrical devices.

Metamaterials: Leading light waves astray

Tue, 04 Jun 2013 09:46:46 EDT

The development of structured synthetic materials with unusual electromagnetic properties, so-called metamaterials, promises to provide access to special physical effects of great technological interest. Metamaterials have already been fabricated that have a negative refractive index for electromagnetic waves -- bending them in the opposite sense to light waves entering water, for instance -- which opens up completely novel opportunities for the manipulation of light. One of these makes it possible, in principle, to create cloaking devices that seem to make objects disappear. Indeed, such an invisibility cloak has already been realized for microwaves.

Dense hydrogen in a new light

Mon, 03 Jun 2013 16:42:42 EDT

Hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe. The way it responds under extreme pressures and temperatures is crucial to our understanding of matter and the nature of hydrogen-rich planets. New work using intense infrared radiation shines new light on this fundamental material at extreme pressures and reveals the details of a surprising new form of solid hydrogen.

Enzyme from wood-eating gribble could help turn waste into biofuel

Mon, 03 Jun 2013 16:41:41 EDT

Scientists have discovered a new enzyme that could prove an important step in the quest to turn waste (such as paper, scrap wood and straw) into liquid fuel. To do this they turned to the destructive power of tiny marine wood-borers called 'gribble', which have been known to destroy seaside piers.

Molecular switch for cheaper biofuel

Mon, 03 Jun 2013 09:23:23 EDT

Lignocellulosic waste such as sawdust or straw can be used to produce biofuel -- but only if the long cellulose and xylan chains can be successfully broken down into smaller sugar molecules. To do this, fungi are used which, by means of a specific chemical signal, can be made to produce the necessary enzymes. Scientist have now genetically modified fungi in order to make biofuel production significantly cheaper.

Printing innovations provide 10-fold improvement in organic electronics

Sun, 02 Jun 2013 14:46:46 EDT

Researchers have developed a new, printing process for organic thin-film electronics that results in films of strikingly higher quality.

Scientists capture first images of molecules before and after reaction

Thu, 30 May 2013 14:20:20 EDT

Using atomic force microscopy, chemists for the first time can capture images of molecules before and after they react, which will allow them to better tune reactions to get the products they want. Chemists and physicists joined forces to develop the technique, which could help scientists study and improve catalytic reactions like those used widely in industry to make chemicals or crack oil.

Atom by atom, bond by bond, a chemical reaction caught in the act

Thu, 30 May 2013 14:20:20 EDT

Scientists have produced remarkable images of carbon atoms and the bonds among them. Resembling glowing textbook diagrams, hydrocarbon molecules are shown in high resolution for the first time before and after bond-breaking, rearrangement, and reforming of bonds during a complex chemical reaction.

High-efficiency zinc-air battery developed

Wed, 29 May 2013 15:46:46 EDT

Scientists have developed an advanced zinc-air battery with higher catalytic activity and durability than similar batteries made with costly platinum and iridium catalysts. The results could lead to the development of a low-cost alternative to conventional lithium-ion batteries widely used today, according to the researchers.

Self-assembled nanostructures for hostile environments

Tue, 28 May 2013 09:14:14 EDT

Scientists in Japan have developed a new self-assembled nanostructure that can survive very hot or saline environments.

Charge your mobile phone with formic acid?

Mon, 27 May 2013 23:18:18 EDT

With the technology of today it is possible to use environmental friendly formic acid in fuel cell powering your mobile phone or laptop. A physicist in Sweden has developed new catalysts to improve the capacity of these fuel cells.

New filtration material could make petroleum refining cheaper, more efficient

Thu, 23 May 2013 14:41:41 EDT

A newly synthesized material might provide a dramatically improved method for separating the highest-octane components of gasoline.

Biophysicists measure mechanism that determines fate of living cells

Thu, 23 May 2013 14:37:37 EDT

For the first time, biophysicists have measured the molecular force required to mechanically transmit function-regulating signals within a cell. A new laboratory method, named the tension gauge tether approach, has made it possible to detect and measure the mechanics of the single-molecule interaction by which human cell receptors are activated.

Detecting mirror molecules: New technique reliably tells left-handed from right-handed variant of a compound

Wed, 22 May 2013 13:12:12 EDT

Physicists have developed a novel technique that can detect molecular variants in chemical mixtures -- greatly simplifying a process that is one of the most important, though time-consuming, processes in analytical chemistry.

Carbon capture: Making use of minerals

Wed, 22 May 2013 13:10:10 EDT

Ammonium salts could provide a viable way of removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere via carbon mineralization, studies suggest.

Bacterial spare parts filter antibiotic residue from groundwater

Tue, 21 May 2013 19:40:40 EDT

Researchers have developed and tested a solar-powered nano filter that is able to remove harmful carcinogens and antibiotics from water sources -- lakes and rivers -- at a significantly higher rate than the currently used filtering technology made of activated carbon.

Engineers devise new way to produce clean hydrogen

Tue, 21 May 2013 15:39:39 EDT

Engineers have developed a novel method for producing clean hydrogen, which could prove essential to weaning society off of fossil fuels and their environmental implications.

Single-cell transfection tool enables added control for biological studies

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:22:22 EDT

Researchers have developed a novel tool for single-cell transfection, in which they deliver molecules into targeted cells through temporary nanopores in the cell membrane created by a localized electric field.

Scientists uncover how grapefruits provide a secret weapon in medical drug delivery

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:22:22 EDT

Researchers have uncovered how to create nanoparticles using natural lipids derived from grapefruit, and have discovered how to use them as drug delivery vehicles.

Fastest measurements ever made of ion channel proteins

Mon, 20 May 2013 15:42:42 EDT

Engineers have used miniaturized electronics to measure the activity of individual ion-channel proteins with temporal resolution as fine as one microsecond, producing the fastest recordings of single ion channels ever performed. They designed a custom integrated circuit to perform these measurements, in which an artificial cell membrane and ion channel are attached directly to the surface of the amplifier chip.

Advance in nanotech gene sequencing technique

Mon, 20 May 2013 13:37:37 EDT

The allure of personalized medicine has made new, more efficient ways of sequencing genes a top research priority. One promising technique involves reading DNA bases using changes in electrical current as they are threaded through a nanoscopic hole. Now, physicists has used solid-state nanopores to differentiate single-stranded DNA molecules containing sequences of a single repeating base.

Bacteria use hydrogen, carbon dioxide to produce electricity

Sun, 19 May 2013 19:11:11 EDT

Researchers have engineered a strain of electricity-producing bacteria that can grow using hydrogen gas as its sole electron donor and carbon dioxide as its sole source of carbon.

Add boron for better batteries

Thu, 16 May 2013 16:17:17 EDT

A graphene-boron compound is theoretically capable of storing double the energy of common graphite anodes used in lithium-ion batteries.

Artificial forest for solar water-splitting: First fully integrated artificial photosynthesis nanosystem

Thu, 16 May 2013 14:26:26 EDT

Researchers have created the first fully integrated artificial photosynthesis nanosystem. While "artificial leaf" is the popular term for such a system, the key to this success was an "artificial forest."

Beautiful 'flowers' self-assemble in a beaker

Thu, 16 May 2013 14:22:22 EDT

With the hand of nature trained on a beaker of chemical fluid, the most delicate flower structures have been formed in a laboratory -- and not at the scale of inches, but microns. These minuscule sculptures, curved and delicate, don't resemble the cubic or jagged forms normally associated with crystals, though that's what they are. Rather, fields of carnations and marigolds seem to bloom from the surface of a submerged glass slide, assembling themselves a molecule at a time.

DNA-guided assembly yields novel ribbon-like nanostructures

Thu, 16 May 2013 12:39:39 EDT

DNA "linker" strands coax nano-sized rods to line up in way unlike any other spontaneous arrangement of rod-shaped objects. The arrangement -- with the rods forming "rungs" on ladder-like ribbons -- could result in the fabrication of new nanostructured materials with desired properties.

Electronics comes to paper: Paper, being light and foldable, works well for electrically conducting structures

Wed, 15 May 2013 08:52:52 EDT

Paper, being a light and foldable raw material, is a cost-efficient and simple means of generating electrically conducting structures.

Water governs cell movement: Aquaporins play key role, new research finds

Tue, 14 May 2013 08:53:53 EDT

Water gives life. Researchers now show how the cells in our bodies are driven mainly by water power -- a discovery that in the long run opens the way for a new strategy in cancer therapy.

Molecular basis of strawberry aroma

Mon, 13 May 2013 11:09:09 EDT

You know that summer is here when juicy red strawberries start to appear on the shelves. In Germany, this seasonal fruit has never been more popular: on average 3.5 kilos per head were consumed in 2012 -- a full kilogram more than ten years ago. Scientists decided to find out what gives strawberries their characteristic flavor.

Solar panels as inexpensive as paint?

Mon, 13 May 2013 10:36:36 EDT

Researchers are helping develop a new generation of photovoltaic cells that produce more power and cost less to manufacture than what's available today.

New magnetic graphene may revolutionize electronics

Fri, 10 May 2013 07:55:55 EDT

Researchers have managed to give graphene magnetic properties. The breakthrough opens the door to the development of graphene-based spintronic devices, that is, devices based on the spin or rotation of the electron, and could transform the electronics industry.

'Power plants': How to harvest electricity directly from plants

Thu, 09 May 2013 10:43:43 EDT

The sun provides the most abundant source of energy on the planet. However, only a tiny fraction of the solar radiation on Earth is converted into useful energy.

Engineers fine-tune the sensitivity of nano-chemical sensor

Wed, 08 May 2013 12:28:28 EDT

Researchers have discovered a technique for controlling the sensitivity of graphene chemical sensors.

New mechanism converts natural gas to energy faster, captures carbon dioxide

Tue, 07 May 2013 12:48:48 EDT

Chemical engineering researchers have identified a new mechanism to convert natural gas into energy up to 70 times faster, while effectively capturing the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide.

New device can extract human DNA with full genetic data in minutes

Mon, 06 May 2013 13:21:21 EDT

Engineers have created a device that can extract human DNA from fluid samples in a simpler, more efficient and environmentally friendly way than conventional methods.

Engineers manipulate a buckyball by inserting a single water molecule

Mon, 06 May 2013 10:33:33 EDT

Engineering researchers have developed a technique to isolate a single water molecule inside a buckyball and drive motion of the "big" nonpolar ball through the encapsulated "small" polar H2O molecule, a controlling transport mechanism in a nanochannel under an external electric field. This method could lead to new applications including effective ways to control drug delivery and to assemble C60-based functional 3D structures at the nanoscale level.

Improving materials that convert heat to electricity and vice-versa: Turning waste heat into electricity

Sun, 05 May 2013 14:59:59 EDT

Thermoelectric materials can be used to turn waste heat into electricity or to provide refrigeration without any liquid coolants, and new study has found a way to nearly double the efficiency of a particular class of them that's made with organic semiconductors.

'Going negative' pays for nanotubes

Fri, 03 May 2013 11:47:47 EDT

Researchers turn carbon nanotubes into negatively charged liquid crystals that could enhance the creation of fibers and films.