International Research Chemistry Awards

Mohammad Asadi, assistant professor of chemical engineering at Illinois Institute of Technology, has published a paper in the journal Science describing the chemistry behind his novel lithium-air battery design. The insights will allow him to further optimize the battery design, with the potential for reaching ultra-high power densities far beyond current lithium-ion technology. The battery design has the potential to store one kilowatt-hour per kilogram or higher—four times greater than lithium-ion battery technology, which would be transformative for electrifying transportation, especially heavy-duty vehicles such as airplanes, trains, and submarines. Asadi aimed to make a battery with a solid electrolyte , which provides safety and energy benefits compared to liquid electrolyte batteries, and sought an option that would be compatible with the cathode and anode technologies that he has been developing for use in lithium-air batteries. He chose a mix of polymer and ceramic, which are...

Scientists from NASA's Cassini mission suggested in a 2016 paper that the appearance of a cloud of dicyanoacetylene (C4N2) ice in Titan's stratosphere may be explained by "solid-state" chemistry taking place inside ice particles. The particles have an inner layer of cyanoacetylene (HC3N) ice coated with an outer layer of hydrogen cyanide (HCN) ice. Left: When a photon of light penetrates the outer shell, it can interact with the HC3N, producing C3N and H. Center: The C3N then reacts with HCN to yield C4N2 and H (shown at right). Another reaction that also yields C4N2 ice and H also is possible, but the researchers think it is less likely. A news feature can be seen here: http://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2016/nasa-scientists-find-impossible-cloud-on-titan-again . The Cassini-Huygens mission is a cooperative project of NASA, the European Space Agency and the Italian Space Agency. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of Caltech in Pasadena, manages the mission f...

Global food insecurity and uncertainty are becoming an increasing problem, with multiple issues arising from changing climate conditions in major agricultural areas, SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) impacted supply chains and geopolitical challenges.1 One of the ways to combat such problems is to improve the efficiency of agricultural crops, ensure food quality remains high and prevent unwanted spoilage or loss due to contamination. The analytical sciences offer a powerful suite of tools to address many of the challenges around the food we eat. From the development of ‘smart agriculture’ tools to improve crop yields and health, to optimizing farming practices and developing highly sensitive detection methods for trace contaminant identification and quantification, analytical chemistry is now a staple tool in the food science and agricultural industries.2 Analytical chemistry is so valuable for food science and agriculture is because of its ability to identify and quantify the chemical compositio...

Daniel W. Armstrong, the Welch Distinguished Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry Editors and reviewers of the peer-reviewed journal Green Chemistry have highlighted a University of Texas at Arlington study investigating how to make common chemical techniques more environmentally friendly as one of its “hot” articles for 2023. UTA scientists led by Daniel W. Armstrong, the Welch Distinguished Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry, found that using carbonated water in chromatography makes this relatively common chemical technique more environmentally benign. A technique that works by taking a mixture and separating it to examine the individual components, chromatography is widely used to test athletes’ urine for performance-enhancing drugs, analyze crime scene evidence such as blood and cloth, test the ingredients in food, or measure the amount of alcohol in drinks, among many other uses. A single chromatograph produces about a liter of liquid waste, with some major pharmaceutical...

India’s science community has long had a passion for chemistry and the love shows no signs of abating. Between 2012 and 2015, the country’s contribution to publications in the field grew by 35%. Chemistry made up more than half of India’s scientific contributions to the index in 2015. The recent surge in activity can be traced back to changes made in 2008 when a new overarching funding body, the Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB), was established under the auspices of the Department of Science and Technology. Although total funding for the field has not significantly increased, the advent of SERB has brought much needed coordination and accountability, says leading theoretical chemist, Debashis Mukherjee. Much of the funding is now distributed through a competitive grant system. “The quantum of funding has not increased all that much but it is being spent more meaningfully”, says Mukherjee. This has coincided with a growth in the number of chemists, as well as the increasin...

In the fall of 2023, chemistry and biochemistry faculty members Allyson Fry-Petit and Joya Cooley ran a pilot of the course-based undergraduate research experience (CURE) in two lab sections of General Chemistry 2 to teach students resilience while engaging them in novel chemistry research. The CURE brings meaningful research experiences into teaching. The CURE engages students in scientific discovery in a genuine way, versus traditional teaching labs, which focus on making observations that are well-prescribed and lack novel discovery. The CURE centered on the largest problem of this century: “How will we address climate change?” It is well established that combating climate change requires an interdisciplinary approach. One strategy is using sources of energy other than burning fossil fuels. In the CURE, teams of students worked together to design, synthesize and test abundant oxide-based inorganic materials for their potential to split water to form hydrogen gas as an alternative to...

The Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology at Stevens is known for its legacy of fostering and nurturing groundbreaking, world-class innovation. We are a community of researchers with molecular, cellular, and computational minds, dedicated to educating the next generation of science leaders and innovators and exploring transformative scientific ideas for global societal impact. We strive to provide broad-based education and interdisciplinary training to enrich the learning experiences and global perspectives of our students as lifelong learners and future leaders and innovators.

Nowadays, artificial intelligence (AI) and computer programs have infiltrated almost every corner of our lives; from facial recognition, language translation, image and video production, to self-driving cars and personal care aides. Other applications that might not yet be mainstream knowledge have to do with scientific exploration and research and development. For example, AI has the potential to revolutionize medical practices through augmenting medical diagnosis and have found application in drug discovery. In many places, researchers have also attempted to use AI algorithms to manipulate biology, chemistry, and physics with different setup configurations that can detect DNA modifications caused during epigenetic regulation or gene mutation, choose the most optimal reaction pathways in synthesis, and search for exotic particles using adapted learning networks. Now, AI is extending its reach to the chemistry lab, beyond just simple reaction planning. In traditional chemical labs, rea...

The Division of Chemistry at the National Science Foundation, provides an update on their work in driving discovery and development concerning chemistry research that improves the quality of life in the United States The Division of Chemistry (CHE) at the National Science Foundation (NSF) has long supported the discovery and development of the new chemical methods, molecularly designed materials, tools and applications that drive the economy and improve the quality of life. While chemical research has had undeniably large and positive impacts on society, many challenges remain, from better understanding and remediating environmental contaminants, to making existing industries more efficient, to capturing and storing energy from more sustainable sources. Funding With new funding opportunities such as the Critical Aspects of Sustainability program and a focus on promoting the Industries of the Future (for example, Advanced Manufacturing, Biotechnology, Quantum Information Science, and A...

When you’re not well-versed in the world of chemical engineering, it’s easy to forget how science intertwines with nearly every aspect of modern life. Everything from your clothes to your technology contains chemically-engineered parts. According to a study by the National Academy of Sciences, approximately 25% of the United States GDP relies on the chemical economy. Read on to learn more about why chemical research is important to the U.S. economy. Chemical Research Drives Innovation It’s not an overstatement to say that the modern world wouldn’t exist without chemical research. Consider the power of just one product developed through chemical research: the lithium battery. Lithium batteries can hold far more energy than older types and last much longer. We use them in everything from smartphones and laptops to backup power storage for entire communities. This one item is irreplaceable in the modern world. Without it, most of our personal electronics wouldn’t work. And that’s just one...

In the fall of 2023, chemistry and biochemistry faculty members Allyson Fry-Petit and Joya Cooley ran a pilot of the course-based undergraduate research experience (CURE) in two lab sections of General Chemistry 2 to teach students resilience while engaging them in novel chemistry research. The CURE brings meaningful research experiences into teaching. The CURE engages students in scientific discovery in a genuine way, versus traditional teaching labs, which focus on making observations that are well-prescribed and lack novel discovery. The CURE centered on the largest problem of this century: “How will we address climate change?” It is well established that combating climate change requires an interdisciplinary approach. One strategy is using sources of energy other than burning fossil fuels. In the CURE, teams of students worked together to design, synthesize and test abundant oxide-based inorganic materials for their potential to split water to form hydrogen gas as an alternative to...

Green chemistry has become a focus for cutting-edge research into sustainable technologies. These technologies may reduce or even eliminate the production and use of hazardous substances in mining and in the design, manufacture and application of chemical products, and may also lead to energy savings, a better environment and improved human health. Shutterstock.com Last update:13 February 2024 Research in green chemistry and associated areas in biochemistry, geochemistry, biotechnology, ecology and healthcare give young scientists ample opportunity to demonstrate their inventiveness and provide important input to sustainable development. With this in mind, the Green Chemistry for Life project was launched in 2013 by UNESCO’s International Basic Sciences Programme (IBSP) and PhosAgro, the largest producer of phosphate-based fertilizer in Europe, in close cooperation with the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC). Objectives PhosAgro/UNESCO/IUPAC research grants in gr...

The Université de Sherbrooke, a top-ten Canadian research university, is poised to revolutionise organic synthesis, energy utilisation and medicine with crystal engineering. From quantum science to crystal engineering, the Université de Sherbrooke has distinguished itself with cutting-edge technology and equipment, internationally recognised researchers, a culture of partnerships, and an interdisciplinary vision across emerging areas with significant impacts for society. Professor Leonard MacGillivray, the university’s newest recruit, is leading the Canada Excellence Research Chair (CERC) in Crystal Engineering for Green Chemistry and Sustainable Materials. Leonard Macgillivraya He is applying his expertise in the field of crystal engineering, an emerging branch of chemistry that has implications in connected areas such as green chemistry, pharmaceutical chemistry, and materials sciences. The role of crystal engineering Crystal engineering allows scientists to tailor the properties of...