Science… Chemistry

I always find Science interesting… Whether it is contemplating about interstellar travel, or figuring how ants in a colony behave.

But I like Chemistry most of all because it is very personal – most experiments can be done by one person in a lab; and there are so many ways Chemistry interact with our lives and enable sustainable development. Here are some Chemical Research subjects I personally find interesting…

  • New Drug Understanding and Development

  • Computational Chemistry and Other Technological Advances

  • Innovating with Better Materials and Alternative Energy

  • Removing Carbon and Pollutants / Raising Crop Productivity

Chem - Breaking News

26 Sept 2024: Nature reported that researchers in Japan have discovered a stable single-electron covalent bond between two carbon atoms, validating a century-old theory by Linus Pauling. I do not have access to the article; whether this may help us understand the quantum nature of covalent bonds, the mere fact that evidences now support a theoretical speculation formed 93 years ago should be a cause for celebration.

Chem - Interaction with Life Sciences

Chemical research enable better drug development and lead to better health (Click on Passage Title to Learn More)

Mechanisms of Aspirin-Like Drugs

We have made aspirin in lab for our A-level class, but I did not fully understand the way nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as aspirin, work as a pain reliever and anti-inflammatory agent. This paper by Nobel award winner John Vane shows that NSAIDs can inhibit cyclooxygenase enzymes, COX-1 and COX-2. Better selectivity for COX-2 can reduce harm to stomach and kidneys, allowing better drug development.

No Need for Sugar to Help the Medicine Go Down

While Whey protein hydrolysates (WPHs) may reduce hypertension, their usage in foods is limited because of their bitterness. However, Cheung finds that treating WPHs with exopeptidases—enzymes that remove terminal amino acids from peptides—can reduce bitterness while maintaining or even enhancing their antihypertensive properties. This shows how a simple change can dramatically change our lifestyle.

Molecular machinery in Eukaroytes

Kornberg explores the transcription process the RNA polymerase II (Pol II) and the molecular machinery involved in regulating gene expression in eukaryotic cells,. His discovery of the nucleosome, and the first detailed crystallographic images of the transcription apparatus in action, offered insights into the DNA, RNA, and the transcription machinery, and earned Kornberg the Noble Prize in Chemistry in 2006.

PSI – Simple Modules Matter

Plant Specific Insert (PSI) proteins are important because they help defend plants against pathogens by interacting with cell membranes. Understanding how PSIs work, modifying them, can lead to better ways to help plants better defend themselves, reducing the need for chemical pesticides. There are also potential applications in medicine, such as new delivery methods to target cells..

Aspirin Mechanisms
PSI
Molecular Machinery
Exopeptidase
Chem - Advanced Tools in the Kitbag

Advances in technology enable us to visualize or gain deeper insights into the world of Chemistry (Click on Passage Title to Learn More)

Mechanochemistry – Argument for Brute Force

This is a lesser-known but rapidly advancing field in chemistry. It challenges the traditional methods of activating chemical reactions, such as thermochemistry and electrochemistry, by introducing mechanical force as a powerful alternative. Aspects of mechanochemistry include macroscopic phenomena to single-molecule studies. This report covers both the theoretical and experimental aspects of mechanochemistry;

Super-Resolved Fluorescence Microscopy

Using single-molecule localization and patterned illumination, scientists can do imaging at the nanoscale level, allowing them to see individual molecules inside living cells, and observe processes like synapse formation in the brain. By combining the power of combining physics and chemistry, this pushed the boundaries of science and culmulated in Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2014 for Betzig, Hell, and Moerner.

Aspirin – Synthesis and FITR Spectroscopy

My A-Level lab work included the synthesis Aspirin from oil of wintergreen. I find this common experiment integrates both organic and inorganic chemistry principles, and highlights the conversion of a naturally occurring substance into one with therapeutic value. This paper presents another experiment on the synthesis, purification, and focuses on qualitative spectroscopic characterization of aspirin.

Molecular Dynamics Simulations

The report by the Nobel Prize Laureate for Chemistry 2013 Martin Karplus chronicles the journey of MD from a theoretical concept to a practical tool that has revolutionized the field of structural biology. It is a fascinating exploration into the evolution and application of molecular dynamics (MD) simulations in the study of biological macromolecules.

Molecular Dynamics
Mechanochemistry
FITR Spectroscopy
Microscopy
Chem- Key to Sustainable Development

Breakthroughs in chemistry will help us reduce carbon emisssion, and even combat climate change (Click on Passage Title to Learn More)

Friendly Way to Convert Cellulose to Glucose

One of our classroom experiments is to break down cellulose into glucose; however, as most procedures use harsh chemicals or extreme conditions, industrial scale processes are precluded. This new method uses solid acid catalysts under milder, more environmentally friendly conditions to convert cellulose, the most abundant biomass, into glucose and other valuable biofuel intermediates, thus helping to address our energy needs.

Carbonate Chemistry to Sequester Carbon

The carbon emissions problem is one of the most urgent environmental issues. Using carbonate chemistry, natural silicate minerals, such as serpentine and olivine, which are abundant in the Earth's crust, can be utilized as sources of base ions to neutralize carbonic acid and form stable carbonates minerals. This can transform CO₂ on a large scale, offering a potential solution that is both sustainable and practical.

Platinum Recovery in a Circular Economy

Platinum has unique catalytic and other properties, is expensive to extract. Traditional recovery methods, such as pyrometallurgy and hydrometallurgy, often involve high temperatures, strong acids, huge energy consumption and generate toxic waste streams,. New alternative methods, such selective electrochemical dissolution and bioleaching, promise to be more sustainable and less harmful to the environment.

Safer Sodium-Ion Battery Thermals

Sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) are a promising alternative to lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) due to their lower cost and availability. While SIBs are generally safer due to the absence of lithium, which reacts violently with water, they still pose significant safety risks. By integrating materials like graphene or metal carbides to help dissipate heatefficiently, reducing the risks of thermal runaway, adoption of SIBs can lead to cheaper energy storage..

Cellulose-Glucose
Sodium Battery
Platinum Recovery
Sequestration