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Category: chemistry – Page 5

Scientists discover new phenomenon in chiral symmetry breaking

Researchers at The University of Osaka have discovered a new type of chiral symmetry breaking (CSB) in an organic crystalline compound.

This phenomenon, involving a solid-state structural transition from an achiral to a chiral crystal, represents a significant advance in our understanding of chirality and offers a simplified model to study the origin of homochirality. This transformation also activates circularly polarized luminescence, enabling new optical materials with tunable light properties.

The work has been published in Chemical Science.

3D-printed gyroidal solid oxide cells offer lighter, more compact energy solutions

Over the past decades, energy engineers have been developing a wide range of new technologies that could power electronic devices, robots and electric vehicles more efficiently and reliably. These include solid oxide cells (SOCs), electrochemical devices that can operate in two different modes, as fuel cells or as electrolyzers.

A new model predicts how molecules will dissolve in different solvents

Using machine learning, MIT chemical engineers created a computational model that can predict how well a given molecule will dissolve in an organic solvent. This type of prediction could make it much easier to develop new ways to produce pharmaceuticals and other useful molecules.

Generative AI models build new antibiotics starting from a single atom

Researchers have tapped into the power of generative artificial intelligence to aid them in the fight against one of humanity’s most pernicious foes: antibiotic-resistant bacteria. | Researchers have tapped into the power of generative artificial intelligence to aid them in the fight against one of humanity’s most pernicious foes: antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Using a model trained on a library of about 40,000 chemicals, scientists were able to build never-before-seen antibiotics that killed two of the most notorious multidrug-resistant bacteria on earth.

Engineers Take a Closer Look at How a Plant Virus Primes the Immune System to Fight Cancer

A virus that typically infects black-eyed peas is showing great promise as a low-cost, potent cancer immunotherapy—and researchers are uncovering why.

In a study published in Cell Biomaterials, a team led by chemical and nano engineers at the University of California San Diego took a closer look at how the cowpea mosaic virus (CPMV), unlike other plant viruses, is uniquely effective at activating the body’s immune system to recognize and attack cancer cells.

In preclinical studies, CPMV has demonstrated potent anti-tumor effects in multiple mouse models, as well as in canine cancer patients. When injected directly into tumors, CPMV therapy recruits innate immune cells—such as neutrophils, macrophages and natural killer cells—into the tumor microenvironment to destroy cancer cells. Meanwhile, it activates B cells and T cells to establish systemic, long-lasting anti-tumor memory. This immune reawakening not only helps clear the targeted tumor but also primes the immune system to hunt down metastatic tumors elsewhere in the body.

Challenging a Century-Old Belief: Scientists Rewrite the Rules of Light-Driven Chemistry

Researchers have uncovered a new mechanism in photochemistry showing that a molecule’s microenvironment can strongly influence how it reacts to light. A global team of scientists, led by researchers at QUT, is overturning a long-standing belief in photochemistry with findings that could influence

Solar-powered photoelectrochemical system converts nitrate in wastewater into high-value ammonia

A research team affiliated with UNIST has unveiled a technology that transforms nitrates found in wastewater into ammonia, a vital chemical and promising energy carrier, without carbon emissions. This advancement not only offers a sustainable method for ammonia production but also contributes to wastewater purification efforts.

One Fruit, 1600 Compounds, Countless Health Benefits

Fresh grapes contain a potent mix of over 1,600 compounds that benefit heart, brain, skin, and gut health. New evidence suggests they deserve official superfood recognition, with benefits even at the genetic level.

A new article appearing in the current issue of the peer-reviewed Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry explores the concept of “superfoods” and makes a case that fresh grapes have earned what should be a prominent position in the superfood family. The author, leading resveratrol and cancer researcher John M. Pezzuto, Ph.D., D.Sc., Dean of the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences at Western New England University, brings forth an array of evidence to support his perspective on this issue.

As noted in the article, the term “superfood” is a common word without an official definition or established criteria. Mainstream superfoods are typically part of the Mediterranean Diet and generally rich in natural plant compounds that are beneficial to a person’s health. Pezzuto addresses the broader topic of superfoods in detail, then makes the scientific case for grapes, noting that fresh grapes are underplayed in this arena and often not included with mention of other similar foods, such as berries.

Quantum precision reached in modeling molten salt behavior

Scientists have developed a new machine learning approach that accurately predicted critical and difficult-to-compute properties of molten salts, materials with diverse nuclear energy applications.

In a Chemical Science article, Oak Ridge National Laboratory researchers demonstrated the ability to rapidly model salts in liquid and solid state with quantum chemical accuracy. Specifically, they looked at thermodynamic properties, which control how molten salts function in high-temperature applications. These applications include dissolving nuclear fuels and improving reliability of long-term reactor operations. The AI-enabled approach was made possible by ORNL’s supercomputer Summit.

“The exciting part is the simplicity of the approach,” said ORNL’s Luke Gibson. “In fewer steps than existing approaches, machine learning gets us to higher accuracy at a faster rate.”

Enhancement of Li+ transport through intermediate phase in high-content inorganic composite quasi-solid-state electrolytes

Quasi-solid-state electrolytes promise the safety of ceramics, the flexibility of polymers, and the conductivity of liquids—yet the “how” behind their superior ion transport has remained murky. Now, a joint team from Fudan University and the National Institute for Cryogenic & Isotopic Technologies (Romania), led by Professors Aishui Yu and Tao Huang, delivers a decisive answer in Nano-Micro Letters. Their review, “Enhancement of Li⁺ Transport Through Intermediate Phase in High-Content Inorganic Composite Electrolytes,” decodes the hidden chemistry that lets lithium sprint across solid/liquid boundaries.

The Secret Sauce: Acidic Interfaces

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