Researchers have developed a novel technique to perform mass spectrometry “imaging” of 3D objects. This method is used to identify novel natural products on whole ants when exposed to a pathogen.
Category: Research Bites
Novel Materials for Next-Generation LEDs: Embedding Light-emitting Quantum Dots in a Perovskite Matrix
Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) already bring cheap and versatile lighting to people across the world, but the latest technological advances are even more promising, embedding nanocrystals in a perovskite matrix for better LEDs.
Cheap and Efficient Solar Energy: Flexible Quantum Dot Solar Cells
Solar energy is often touted as too expensive for large-scale energy production. This work gives insight into making one component of next gen solar cells, the metal oxide layer, significantly easier to fabricate.
The First Chemical Synthesis of Griffipavixanthone: Bringing out Intellectual and Artistic Virtuosity in Synthetic Chemistry
How do synthetic chemists use fundamental, yet robust reactions to chemicals stitch together smaller fragments large and complex natural products? The Porco’s Lab latest work might give you a taste of what it’s like to exercise the art of total synthesis with a hint of inspiration from biology.
Efficient Water Splitting Brought to You by Nickel Foam
We’d love to run cars on hydrogen, spitting only water out of the tailpipe. To produce cheap hydrogen in a green way, these researchers have developed a surprising new material to split water into hydrogen and oxygen.
Testing for HIV using only a smartphone
Fast, cheap, and easy medical testing devices can help diagnose diseases across the world. Let’s learn about one recently developed to detect HIV!
Say No to Drugs: Fast and Efficient Drug Detection in Biofluids
How are Olympic doping agents similar to environmental water contaminants? It all relates back to chemical detection methods!
Alternative Fuel Production by a Cu-Zr Inorganic Sponge
This works explains the design principle of a novel methane oxidation catalyst by putting together Cu and NU-1000, a Metal Organic Framework with heightened structural stability. It also uses various spectroscopic technique to assign the oxidation state of the active catalyst which in turn is the source of higher selectivity in the catalytic reaction.
Carbon Monoxide: Future Therapeutic?
Carbon monoxide is probably one of the last things you would expect to see touted as a new therapeutic. How could this compound be used in medicine?
A pass to the cell: designing peptides for drug delivery.
Antibodies can be used as medicines, but they need some help to enter the cell.
In this paper, the help that they need arrives from another molecule that works as a ticket for the cell taxi.
Titan chemistry – insights from Cassini’s grand mission
In celebration of Cassini’s grand finale, this bite features the discoveries of Titan’s chemistry as revealed by Cassini.
The Persistence of Memory
How do cells “decide” whether they proliferate or enter quiescence? Recent trials on cells’ reproductive behavior may answer this question.
Drawing a map with chemicals!
Buildings and natural preserves create geographical maps. And now, molecules could build a molecular map! By investigating the presence of molecules in the environment, researchers have built some 3D molecular maps, which are the story tellers of our interactions with our living places!
Buckle Up: The Nanobelt has Arrived
What’s so special about a nanobelt? Let’s find out.
What do solar eclipses teach us about Chemistry!
Solar Eclipses are not a subject in Astronomy only! Let’s explore what they teach us in Chemistry!
Next generation of carbon dioxide sorbents
Let’s explore the next generation of CO2 sorbents!
Build a motor, with molecules!
Finding blades and a shaft to build a motor? How about trying out with fluorene and alkene? Yes, it’s the molecular motor! Let’s see how it works!
Beyond paper and furniture: Modern chemical applications of wood
How can chemists use wood to make blue jeans blue and parachutes strong? Check it out!
How to unmask the disguised cooking oil from natural oil?!
In recent years, some traders were found to have recycled cooked oil and added to lard in order to reduce production costs. This oil mixture undoubtedly raised food hygiene and safety issues in the food industry. The big question is, how can we distinguish the disguised animal oil from their natural counterparts?
Smart Bandages for Wound Monitoring
“Smart” bandages – or bandages that provide real-time monitoring of the health and progress of wound healing are here!
Ultrathin Graphene Nanofiltration Membrane for Water Purification
Authors: Yi Han, Zhen Xu , and Chao Gao DOI: 10.1002/adfm.201202601 By: Ehsan Moaseri, Behzad Changalvaie It is predicted that in near future, clean water may become a scarce resource due to rapid population growth, climate change, and growing demands. Therefore, many investigators have focused their…
Nanoreactors for Enzyme Cascades
What are nanoreactors and how can they enhance multi-enzyme reactions? Let’s find out!
Revealing the inside story behind the break-up of water
In this article, let’s hear the inside story of how water has broken up by means of computation!
Nanosizing: a formulation approach for poorly-water-soluble compounds
Authors: Elaine Merisko-Liversidge , Gary G. Liversidge, Eugene R. Cooper European Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences 18 (2003) 113–120 By: Ehsan Moaseri – Behzad Changalvaie There is a very high percentage of active substances, which are poorly water soluble and therefore, efficient delivery of the drug…
Simple Measurement of Alcohol Content with an Infrared Camera
Title: One-Shot, reagent-free determination of the alcoholic content of distilled beverages by thermal infrared enthalpimetry Authors: Juliano Barin et. al. Publication Info: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.talanta.2017.05.011 During the manufacture of chemical products, the ability to rapidly and accurately monitoring the concentrations of various components is critical. For the alcoholic beverage industry,…