Latest science news in Physics & Chemistry
Polymer Gets Sticky When Hit With Light
Materials Science: Inspired by mussel proteins, the polymer could be a useful medical adhesive
Researchers confirm intrinsic superconductor behavior revealed
(Phys.org)—When it comes to high-temperature superconductors, a class of materials called cuprates is king, and it is science's ongoing quest to determine their exact physical subtleties. Cornell physicists and materials...
Lift off for nanoscale printing
New ‘lift off’ lithography technique combines high resolution and low cost
Raised eyebrows greet graphite superconductivity claim
German researchers claim to have seen a 'tantalising hint' of room temperature superconductivity
Because they're worth it
From R&D to formulation, safety and manufacturing, L’Oréal is full of chemists. Emma Davies talks to the people behind ‘the science bit’
Silicon sliver implants melt away
Transfer printing silicon and magnesium onto silk makes water-soluble 64-pixel camera and anti-bacterial heater, heralding ‘transient’ medical devices
Cheaper component for greenhouse gas reduction catalyst
By replacing tungsten with iron, scientists have cut the cost of a common greenhouse gas reduction reaction
A sensitive subject
Emma Davies scratches the surface of some of the everyday chemicals that can cause people to suffer allergic reactions.
Superhydrophobic knife slices up water
Phenomenon could be harnessed to separate small samples in a reproducible manner
Tuning photonic crystals by blending brush polymers
Spectrum of photonic crystals made by combining different brush block copolymers
Polystyrene depolymerisation: new recycling option
Continuous conversion of polystyrene back to styrene could make recycling of the plastic more viable
Metal-free resins can drive down cost of solar energy
Scientists have replaced costly metals in dye-sensitised solar cells with cheap resins
Colour and controversy
Bob Hefford considers the spotted past and uncertain future of the chemicals that built the hair dye industry
Perovskite coat gives hybrid solar cells a boost
Cheap organometal halide device overcomes problem that has dogged other low-cost solar cells
Batteries not included
A step towards implantable fuel cells to operate medical devices from within the human body, using the body’s energy
Taming erythropoietin through synthesis
Chemists create protein drug from scratch to try to understand how different sugars change its potency
Chemistry Nobel awarded for protein receptors
US scientists Robert Lefkowitz and Brian Kobilka take prestigious gong for pharmacologically important breakthroughs
Drawing gas sensors with a nanotube pencil
Simple way to make paper-based gas sensors could be used to detect almost any gas or disease biomarkers
Turbo-charged Diels-Alder reaction
A new method for generating arynes from alkynes has been discovered via a Diels-Alder reaction
An ultralight graphene structure for all seasons
Super material is fire resistant and can absorb a record breaking 600 times its own weight in oil
ExBox snares polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons
Cyclophane ‘box’ may be able to be used to trap toxic chemicals in the environment
The future of fashion
A hybrid energy harvesting device to power up mobile devices can be integrated into clothing
$2.2bn speciality chemicals acquisition
Family-owned US speciality chemical company Champion Technologies is to be bought by Ecolab
Molecular muscle machines bulk up
Iron co-ordination wrestles daisy-chain rotaxane molecular machines into a muscle-mimicking polymer
MOF based motorboat
Molecular self propulsion achieved by loading a MOF with a hydrophobic peptides fuel
Fireflies inspire low-cost LED lighting
Mimicking bioluminescent structures could help drive down the cost of manufacturing LEDs
Cardboard to create current from bacteria
Cheap and sustainable corrugated cardboard can be used in a microbial fuel cell to generate electricity
Nitrogen does diamond
Putting nitrogen gas under pressure generates a cage-like material with explosive potential properties