Explore every episode of the podcast String Of Colourful Beads

Inorder to achieve the idea of going carbon negative, Coking has by far been the biggest practical hurdle. This was very effeciently overcome by a group of chemists who made use of a liquid catalyst ,a Gallium alloy Galistan, in the presence of Cerium Nanoparticles. Thus they have been successful in converting Carbon dioxide,the major green house gas,to a solid carbonaceous material. For more information : Doi : 10.1038/s41467-019-08824-8

Phtoelectrochemical cells are those electrochemical cells, which work upon illumination. They are widely studied for conversion of solar energy to chemical energy. They work under mild conditions. But what if this is used to synthesis of organic molecules of great pharmaceutical importance??? Here's what scientists from Laboratory of Inorganic Synthesis and Catalysis, Laboratory of Photonics and Interfaces, Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL),  ISIC-LSCI, Lausanne, Switzerland & Institute of Photoelectronic Thin Film Devices and Technology, College of Electronic Information and  Optical Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin, China have come up with : a novel method for effecient synthesis of Organic molecules! For further information DOI: 10.1038/s41929-019-0231-9

We are heavily dependent on nature to meet our energy requirements and our ever increasing needs has raised many concerns! Use of self tinting Dynamic windows is an innovative approach to minimise our energy consumption without having to compromise on comfort. A group of chemists have now designed Dynamic Windows where the transparency of the window can be altered through reversible electroplating of Bi and Cu at the working electrode and Li+ insertion in a nickel oxide counter electrode. For more information - DOI: 10.1038/s41560-019-0332-3 A conversation with Prof. Christopher Barile, Assistant Professor Department of Chemistry University of Nevada, Reno

With the help of ketimides, which promote metal-metal bonding, Palladium nanocluster with symmetry and ring current similar to Benzene has been synthesized. For more information : DOI: 10.1021/acs.inorgchem.9b03276

Highly toxic haloanilines were thought to be of purely synthetic origin. But their discovery as Novel Natural Product has made us rethink the degradation mechanism of toxic harmful polymers. For further information- DOI : 10.1039/C9CC05992J

Marinomycin A, though a bioactive molecule, does not qualify to be a drug molecule because of its extreme light sensitivity. This hurdle can be overcome by encapsulating the molecule within the sporopollenin exine capsule derived from Lycopodium clavatum. DOI: 10.1039/c9sc01375j

Handling oxygen in reactions which do not require its presence is a very big challenge. Nature inspired technology of using Glucose Oxidase functionalized glassware stand as a ray of hope for conducting Oxygen sensitive reactions on industrial scale. DOI: 10.1039/c9cc03477c

Enantioselective Orientation of chairal molecules with the help of Optical centrifuge causes the unidirectional rotation of the most polarizable molecular axis and gives rise to an orienting torque. This leads to molecular orientation depending on the handedness of the chairal molecule. DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.122.223201

The difference in partial negative charge on the Oxygen atoms in Polyethers determine the water anchoring capacity of the molecule and thus their solubility. DOI :10.1038/s41467-019-10783-z

Application of magnetic field to water splitting electrochemical cell :a green and efficient technique to produce Hydrogen fuel. DOI : 10.1038/s41560-019-0404-4