The computer Deep Thought spent 7 billion years working out the meaning of life, the universe and everything, and came up with the answer: 42 - or so we learn in Douglas Adams’ A hitchhiker’s guide to the Universe. And of course it was right: element 42 is molybdenum without which life as we know it could not exist. Molybdenum is essential to the formation of ammonia from N2 and thus to the amino acids of proteins and other nitrogen-containing molecules upon which life depends. You can read about molybdenum in McFarland’s remarkable book, A world from dust.
Stimuli-responsive materials are now an intrinsic part of our everyday life – even if we didn't know it. They make possible many of the advanced features in devices we take for granted. Some examples are the fingerprint recognition on a mobile phone; the paper strips that diabetics use to test their sugar levels; the surface coatings used on solar cells to keep them clean; and targeted anti-cancer therapies.
The antibacterial drugs market is set to grow from $27.7bn in 2015 to $35.6bn by 2022, representing a compound annual growth rate of 3.97%, according to research by business intelligence provider GBI Research.
Together with Brexit, debate about the circular economy is likely to have a major impact on the chemical industry. Neil Eisberg reports from the 2016 Cefic Annual Assembly in Florence.
Metamaterials that act as molecular invisibility cloaks have already been used to make very small objects invisible to the eye by redirecting light waves. Now, researchers have begun to investigate the idea of using large-scale metamaterial structures to make buildings invisible to earthquakes.
Chromium (III) polyoxycations have been elusive synthetic targets for over two decades, but this is about to change. Researchers at Oregon State University (OSU) have come up with a new controlled strategy to their formation.
A new ‘smart’ fabric that mimics the sophisticated properties of the bone tissue periosteum could lead to a range of advanced functional materials for use in medical, safety and transport applications, according to its designers.
Uncertain future for many state departments as the new US president unveils some controversial appointments
Let’s start 2017 by making a connection (literally) between organic chemistry and materials chemistry. Graphene-based science has become a hugely important area of research, but graphene is in essence a simple carbon-based substance. It is a beautiful hexagonal repeat ring system, which matches up nicely with many of the fused heteraromatic ring systems of organic chemistry.