Chemistry World Blog

13 November 2011: Have something to say about an article you’ve read on Chemistry World this week? Leave your comments below…

A thermoset plastic that bends like a thermoplastic
Thermoset plastic can be reworked like its thermoplastic cousin thanks to its reversible crosslinks

Metallic microlattice ‘lightest structure ever’
US team makes a metal-based microlattice structure lighter than aerogels whose properties differ remarkably from the bulk material

A lab you can wear?
Cotton cloth microchips give new meaning to the words ‘lab coat’

Giving fuel cells a vitamin boost
Scientists have found a cheaper alternative to platinum catalysts in fuel cells

Unlocking the secrets of DNA’s stiffness
Simulations suggest that electrostatic and non-electrostatic forces contribute equally to make DNA one of nature’s most rigid polymers

Early diagnosis for Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s
A biosensor to distinguish between Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s in the early stages of the diseases

Creating a toolbox for nanoparticle synthesis
US nanotechnologists seek to copy organic chemists and build a total synthesis framework for hybrid nanoparticles

Fracking with propane gel
Using gelled propane-based liquefied petroleum gas instead of water could have environmental benefits

Shedding light on ultracold reactions in space
Counterintuitive results in ultracold chemistry are helping to build a picture of reactions taking place in deep space

Chemists claim metallic hydrogen creation first
Researchers believe they have produced the long-sought substance, but many are sceptical

Australian carbon tax passes into law
Top 500 polluters will have to pay per tonne of carbon dioxide emitted in 2012