German researchers are developing two chemical processes to extract neodymium, iron and boron from scrap computer hard drives. The work, carried out under the European Union NEO-CYCLE project, aims to recover rare earth elements locally to supply motors for each new electric vehicle and wind turbine without relying on overseas refining.
Biochemists in Germany have isolated two previously unknown natural molecules, lavasamycin A and B, from a bacterial strain collected in Iran. The study shows that lavasamycin A stops the growth of Bacillus subtilis, pointing to chemical structures that could aid the invention of new antimicrobial agents.
Giovanni Sapere
A chemical method using salt additives resolves atomic structural flaws in perovskite crystals, offering a practical path forward for renewable energy devices. Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory demonstrated that temporary liquefaction prevents electric charges from becoming trapped in crystal boundaries. This innovation enables solar cells to retain 85.8 percent of their efficiency after 1,400 hours of continuous operation at 85 degrees Celsius.
Giovanni Sapere
Two experimental niobium-titanium alloys stay flexible and resist cracking at -253°C, according to research published on October 14 in Nature. An international research team led by the University of California, Berkeley, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and the University of Oxford discovered that the metals reorganise internally under mechanical stress. This metallurgical innovation alters how materials might be designed for extreme cold in energy systems and space exploration.
Letizia Giugliano
Researchers in South Korea have developed a chemical catalytic process that allows perovskite solar cells to maintain 95 percent of their initial power conversion efficiency after 1,000 hours under harsh environmental conditions. The chemical invention resolves a long-standing durability barrier, offering a viable path for perovskite materials to support industrial renewable energy generation.
Giovanni Sapere
Chemical engineers at the University of Texas at Austin have engineered nanoscale artificial pores that mimic biological cell membranes to filter lithium ions. The chemical innovation allows lithium to pass through while blocking competing metals such as sodium and magnesium. Published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, the method offers a cleaner path to extract critical raw materials for energy storage.
Giovanni Sapere
Chemical engineers at the University of Groningen have developed an invention that doubles the production of clean hydrogen from steam without requiring extra electrical power. The system, detailed in the journal Energy and Environmental Science, operates at high temperatures to split water vapor directly into pure hydrogen gas, providing heavy industry with an efficient alternative to fossil-fuel-derived hydrogen.
Letizia Giugliano
In October 2026, chemists unveiled a method to separate mirror-image molecules that differ solely by the spatial arrangement of hydrogen and deuterium isotopes. This scientific innovation provides a targeted chemical route to resolve isotopic enantiomers from a racemic mixture. As reported by [C&EN – Chemical & Engineering News](https://cen.acs.org/analytical-chemistry/separations/isotope-chirality-hydrogen-deuterium-catalyst/104/web/2026/10?sc=230901_cenrssfeed_eng_latestnewsrss_cen), the process overcomes a classic separation barrier where target molecules exhibit nearly identical physical characteristics.
Giovanni Sapere
Distinguished chemistry professor Mary Jo Ondrechen has been awarded the 2026 Ely S. Parker Award by the American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES). The honor highlights significant leadership and scientific innovation within academic research.
Letizia Giugliano
A research team at Kyungpook National University has developed a self-recharging energy storage device by combining advanced supercapacitors with solar cells. A step forward for sustainable energy and energy independence. Solar energy meets supercapacitors and transparent photovoltaics Solar energy…
Evgeny Novikov
The device, designed and built by EMPA researchers, could power low-power electronic devices, serving as an alternative to conventional batteries. You can’t do without the disposable battery, at least for now. In the field of low-power electronics, especially disposable ones, these batteries offer,…
Contributor
Light Fusion, the project that aims to revolutionise the way nuclear energy is produced, could see its first demonstration plant in 2024
Contributor
Thanks to a discovery by the Norwegian University of Stavanger it is now possible to power a turbine only with hydrogen
Giovanni Sapere
A research team at UC Berkeley has invented a catalyst that can breathe new life into waste plastic by turning it into adhesives
Mario Vincenzo La Rocca
Researchers at Nanyang Technological University have invented an epoxy glue that is activated by a magnet without the need for heat, light or moisture Glues and superglues are materials widely used in all industrial fields. The assembly of finished products in assembly lines or the creation of…
Mario Vincenzo La Rocca
The research, by the University of Science and Technology of China, has produced a new wood-based material with excellent physical and conductive properties
Mario Vincenzo La Rocca
The new material, developed in collaboration between two Japanese universities, is biological and has high resistance to temperatures
Mario Vincenzo La Rocca
The bacterium is able to produce a current of 9 amperes in 20 hours and allows to feed electrochemical systems for water treatment
Mario Vincenzo La Rocca
