EU briefs - news from the chemistry industry in Europe
Read the news in brief from the EU from C&I Magazine Issue 2 2026.
Using solar energy to power ships
Maritime transport is responsible for about 3% of the total CO2 emissions globally and those are expected to rise over time. That means finding more environmentally friendly ways to power shipping is increasingly important.
Ammonia outlook: New options for scaleable production
The Haber-Bosch process remains the standard way to make ammonia – but could it be replaced with one of many emerging ‘low carbon’ processes? Lou Reade reports
New skyrmion-like magnetic materials discovered
Researchers from Florida State University, US, report that blending two materials with nearly identical chemical make-up, but very different crystal structures can produce an entirely new structure that exhibits magnetic properties not found in either of the original materials. The new material could advance data storage technologies and future quantum devices.
Bioethanol and biogas from paper sludge - a look at the options
Researchers have investigated the potential of turning waste from paper production into bioethanol and biogas. Paper production creates paper sludge, a waste-stream largely made up of short cellulose fibre rejects, impurities, fillers and clay. As much as 500m tonnes of wet paper sludge is created annually in this way.
Carbon for chemicals: The groundbreaking Flue2Chem project
A ground-breaking collaboration across the materials supply chain has shown how feedstocks from captured CO2 can help reduce the carbon footprint of the chemical industry. Steve Ranger looks at the impact of the groundbreaking Flue2Chem project.
What startups in digital chemistry need to know about intellectual property
From drug discovery to advanced materials, digital technologies are redefining how innovation happens. In digital chemistry, chemical databases and predictive models are often key company assets. Effective protection of such assets requires a thoughtful and multi-layered IP strategy.
Ancient wheat compound kills aphids
A compound that combats aphids has been discovered in Einkorn wheat (Triticum monococcum), an ancestor of modern varieties. The chemical is saponarin, a C–O diglycosyl flavone, and its presence significantly reduced aphid survival.
Telling better stories about science
It has never really been enough just to do great science; you need to tell people about it, too. A discovery that sits in a lab notebook won’t do much to benefit society (or do much to help boost the career of a researcher, either). That’s why publishing research is so important to both academics and industry; it’s the evidence of the steady progress that contributes to the huge scientific revolutions that underpin modern society.
Silver coating protects battery electrodes
Researchers at Stanford University, US, have created an ultrathin silver coating for solid electrolytes, which makes them five times more resistant to cracking, promising breakthroughs in the safety and longevity of next-generation lithium metal batteries.