Chemicals from CO2
The chemicals industry depends heavily on finite fossil fuel feedstocks and is responsible for 2% of global anthropogenic CO2 emissions. A new report, Carbon Dioxide Utilization 2025-2045: Technologies, Market Forecasts, and Players, explores how captured CO2 could be utilised as a feedstock for hundreds of different chemicals instead, providing an economic and environmental incentive to capture carbon dioxide and create a circular economy.
Four changes that could help tackle plastic waste
A new study predicts global plastic waste will double by 2050 under a business-as-usual scenario.
Designing better liquid-repellent surfaces
Research into the balance between material properties and structure has provided a new perspective into designing highly efficient, liquid-repellent surfaces. The findings could lead to the development of advanced surface designs with tailored wetting properties.
Biopesticides bridging the crop protection gaps
As the UK horticultural sector continues to evolve post-Brexit, the need for sustainable crop protection has never been more critical. Rising concerns over synthetic agrochemicals’ environmental and health impacts drive the industry to transition to greener alternatives.
Finding a new path for chemical testing
A government report has advised the UK to modernise its chemical testing and transition away from animal testing. The UK is well positioned to adopt NAMs (new approach methodologies) and rise to global leadership in chemical regulation, it concluded.
Nature-inspired adhesives: How science is learning from oysters - and geckos' feet
Novel nature-mimicking adhesives promise to be stickier than gecko feet. Potentially, they could allow a 60kg human to support their weight with a pad the size of their palm. It’s just one example of new research into adhesives. Lou Reade reports
Meta-organic frameworks to catch hot CO2 from flue gas
Researchers in California have designed metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) to snag CO2 molecules from flue gas at temperatures above 200°C. The porous structure of MOFs are ideal for catching molecules, including gas at extremely low temperatures, but they struggle with gas sorption at higher temperatures due to the high entropy cost of binding gases to a surface.
Why antibiotic resistance could be bacteria's Achilles heel
Antibiotic-resistant bacteria are a well-established threat to human health. Now, US researchers report that while antibiotic resistance provides some advantages for the bacteria to survive, it’s also linked with a physiological limitation that hinders potential dominance. This fact could be exploited to stop the spread of antibiotic resistance without the use of drugs, they claim.