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• Undergraduate Research Guide

Undergraduate Research in Chemistry Guide

Research is the pursuit of new knowledge through the process of discovery. Scientific research involves diligent inquiry and systematic observation of phenomena. Most scientific research projects involve experimentation, often requiring testing the effect of changing conditions on the results. The conditions under which specific observations are made must be carefully controlled, and records must be meticulously maintained. This ensures that observations and results can be are reproduced. Scientific research can be basic (fundamental) or applied. What is the difference? The National Science Foundation uses the following definitions in its resource surveys:

• Basic research The objective of basic research is to gain more comprehensive knowledge or understanding of the subject under study, without specific applications in mind. In industry, basic research is defined as research that advances scientific knowledge but does not have specific immediate commercial objectives, although it may be in fields of present or potential commercial interest.
• Applied research Applied research is aimed at gaining knowledge or understanding to determine the means by which a specific, recognized need may be met. In industry, applied research includes investigations oriented to discovering new scientific knowledge that has specific commercial objectives with respect to products, processes, or services.

Planning for Graduate School

Get on the path to graduate school with our comprehensive guide to selecting an institution and preparing for graduate studies.

What is research at the undergraduate level?

At the undergraduate level, research is self-directed work under the guidance and supervision of a mentor/advisor ― usually a university professor. A gradual transition towards independence is encouraged as a student gains confidence and is able to work with minor supervision. Students normally participate in an ongoing research project and investigate phenomena of interest to them and their advisor. In the chemical sciences, the range of research areas is quite broad. A few groups maintain their research area within a single classical field of analytical, inorganic, organic, physical, chemical education or theoretical chemistry. More commonly, research groups today are interdisciplinary, crossing boundaries across fields and across other disciplines, such as physics, biology, materials science, engineering and medicine.

What are the benefits of being involved in undergraduate research?

There are many benefits to undergraduate research, but the most important are:

• Learning, learning, learning. Most chemists learn by working in a laboratory setting. Information learned in the classroom is more clearly understood and it is more easily remembered once it has been put into practice. This knowledge expands through experience and further reading. From the learning standpoint, research is an extremely productive cycle.
• Experiencing chemistry in a real world setting. The equipment, instrumentation and materials used in research labs are generally more sophisticated, advanced, and of far better quality than those used in lab courses
• Getting the excitement of discovery. If science is truly your vocation, regardless of any negative results, the moment of discovery will be truly exhilarating. Your results are exclusive. No one has ever seen them before.
• Preparing for graduate school. A graduate degree in a chemistry-related science is mostly a research degree. Undergraduate research will not only give you an excellent foundation, but working alongside graduate students and post-doctorates will provide you with a unique opportunity to learn what it will be like.

Is undergraduate research required for graduation?

Many chemistry programs now require undergraduate research for graduation. There are plenty of opportunities for undergraduate students to get involved in research, either during the academic year, summer, or both. If your home institution is not research intensive, you may find opportunities at other institutions, government labs, and industries.

What will I learn by participating in an undergraduate research program?

Conducting a research project involves a series of steps that start at the inquiry level and end in a report. In the process, you learn to:

• Conduct scientific literature searches
• Read, interpret and extract information from journal articles relevant to the project
• Design experimental procedures to obtain data and/or products of interest
• Operate instruments and implement laboratory techniques not usually available in laboratories associated with course work
• Interpret results, reach conclusions, and generate new ideas based on results
• Interact professionally (and socially) with students and professors within the research group, department and school as well as others from different schools, countries, cultures and backgrounds
• Communicate results orally and in writing to other peers, mentors, faculty advisors, and members of the scientific community at large via the following informal group meeting presentations, reports to mentor/advisor, poster presentations at college-wide, regional, national or international meetings; formal oral presentations at scientific meetings; or journal articles prepared for publication

When should I get involved in undergraduate research?

Chemistry is an experimental science. We recommended that you get involved in research as early in your college life as possible. Ample undergraduate research experience gives you an edge in the eyes of potential employers and graduate programs.

While most mentors prefer to accept students in their research labs once they have developed some basic lab skills through general and organic lab courses, some institutions have programs that involve students in research projects the summer prior to their freshman year. Others even involve senior high school students in summer research programs. Ask your academic/departmental advisor about the options available to you.

How much time should I allocate to research?

The quick answer is as much as possible without jeopardizing your course work. The rule of thumb is to spend 3 to 4 hours working in the lab for every credit hour in which you enroll. However, depending on the project, some progress can be achieved in just 3-4 hours of research/week. Most advisors would recommend 8-10 hours/week.

Depending on your project, a few of those hours may be of intense work and the rest may be spent simply monitoring the progress of a reaction or an instrumental analysis. Many research groups work on weekends. Saturdays are excellent days for long, uninterrupted periods of lab work.

How do I select an advisor?

This is probably the most important step in getting involved in undergraduate research. The best approach is multifaceted. Get informed about research areas and projects available in your department, which are usually posted on your departmental website under each professor’s name.

Talk to other students who are already involved in research. If your school has an ACS Student Chapter , make a point to talk to the chapter’s members. Ask your current chemistry professor and lab instructor for advice. They can usually guide you in the right direction. If a particular research area catches your interest, make an appointment with the corresponding professor.

Let the professor know that you are considering getting involved in research, you have read a bit about her/his research program, and that you would like to find out more. Professors understand that students are not experts in the field, and they will explain their research at a level that you will be able to follow. Here are some recommended questions to ask when you meet with this advisor:

• Is there a project(s) within her/his research program suitable for an undergraduate student?
• Does she/he have a position/space in the lab for you?
• If you were to work in her/his lab, would you be supervised directly by her/him or by a graduate student? If it is a graduate student, make a point of meeting with the student and other members of the research group. Determine if their schedule matches yours. A night owl may not be able to work effectively with a morning person.
• Does she/he have funding to support the project? Unfunded projects may indicate that there may not be enough resources in the lab to carry out the project to completion. It may also be an indication that funding agencies/peers do not consider this work sufficiently important enough for funding support. Of course there are exceptions. For example, a newly hired assistant professor may not have external funding yet, but he/she may have received “start-up funds” from the university and certainly has the vote of confidence of the rest of the faculty. Otherwise he/she would not have been hired. Another classical exception is computational chemistry research, for which mostly fast computers are necessary and therefore external funding is needed to support research assistants and computer equipment only. No chemicals, glassware, or instrumentation will be found in a computational chemistry lab.
• How many of his/her articles got published in the last two or three years? When prior work has been published, it is a good indicator that the research is considered worthwhile by the scientific community that reviews articles for publication. Ask for printed references. Number of publications in reputable refereed journals (for example ACS journals) is an excellent indicator of the reputation of the researcher and the quality of his/her work.

Here is one last piece of advice: If the project really excites you and you get satisfactory answers to all your questions, make sure that you and the advisor will get along and that you will enjoy working with him/her and other members of the research group.

Remember that this advisor may be writing recommendation letters on your behalf to future employers, graduate schools, etc., so you want to leave a good impression. To do this, you should understand that the research must move forward and that if you become part of a research team, you should do your best to achieve this goal. At the same time, your advisor should understand your obligations to your course work and provide you with a degree of flexibility.

Ultimately, it is your responsibility to do your best on both course work and research. Make sure that the advisor is committed to supervising you as much as you are committed to doing the required work and putting in the necessary/agreed upon hours.

What are some potential challenges?

• Time management . Each project is unique, and it will be up to you and your supervisor to decide when to be in the lab and how to best utilize the time available to move the project forward.
• Different approaches and styles . Not everyone is as clean and respectful of the equipment of others as you are. Not everyone is as punctual as you are. Not everyone follows safety procedures as diligently as you do. Some groups have established protocols for keeping the lab and equipment clean, for borrowing equipment from other members, for handling common equipment, for research meetings, for specific safety procedures, etc. Part of learning to work in a team is to avoid unnecessary conflict while establishing your ground to doing your work efficiently.
• “The project does not work.” This is a statement that advisors commonly hear from students. Although projects are generally very well conceived, and it is people that make projects work, the nature of research is such that it requires patience, perseverance, critical thinking, and on many occasions, a change in direction. Thoroughness, attention to detail, and comprehensive notes are crucial when reporting the progress of a project.

Be informed, attentive, analytical, and objective. Read all the background information. Read user manuals for instruments and equipment. In many instances the reason for failure may be related to dirty equipment, contaminated reagents, improperly set instruments, poorly chosen conditions, lack of thoroughness, and/or lack of resourcefulness. Repeating a procedure while changing one parameter may work sometimes, while repeating the procedure multiple times without systematic changes and observations probably will not.

When reporting failures or problems, make sure that you have all details at hand. Be thorough in you assessment. Then ask questions. Advisors usually have sufficient experience to detect errors in procedures and are able to lead you in the right direction when the student is able to provide all the necessary details. They also have enough experience to know when to change directions. Many times one result may be unexpected, but it may be interesting enough to lead the investigation into a totally different avenue. Communicate with your advisor/mentor often.

Are there places other than my institution where I can conduct research?

Absolutely! Your school may be close to other universities, government labs and/or industries that offer part-time research opportunities during the academic year. There may also be summer opportunities in these institutions as well as in REU sites (see next question).

Contact your chemistry department advisor first. He/she may have some information readily available for you. You can also contact nearby universities, local industries and government labs directly or through the career center at your school. You can also find listings through ACS resources:

• Research Opportunities (US only)
• International Research Opportunities
• Internships and Summer Jobs

What are Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) sites? When should I apply for a position in one of them?

REU is a program established by the National Science Foundation (NSF) to support active research participation by undergraduate students at host institutions in the United States or abroad. An REU site may offer projects within a single department/discipline or it may have projects that are inter-departmental and interdisciplinary. There are currently over 70 domestic and approximately 5 international REU sites with a chemistry theme. Sites consist of 10-12 students each, although there are larger sites that supplement NSF funding with other sources. Students receive stipends and, in most cases, assistance with housing and travel.

Most REU sites invite rising juniors and rising seniors to participate in research during the summer. Experience in research is not required to apply, except for international sites where at least one semester or summer of prior research experience is recommended. Applications usually open around November or December for participation during the following summer. Undergraduate students supported with NSF funds must be citizens or permanent residents of the United States or its possessions. Some REU sites with supplementary funds from other sources may accept international students that are enrolled at US institutions.

• Get more information about REU sites

How do I prepare a scientific research poster?

Here are some links to sites with very useful information and samples.

• How to Prepare a Proper Scientific Paper or Poster
• Creating Effective Poster Presentations
• Designing Effective Poster Presentations

Research and Internship Opportunities

• Internships and Fellowships Find internships, fellowships, and cooperative education opportunities.
• SCI Scholars Internship Program Industrial internships for chemistry and chemical engineering undergraduates.
• ACS International Center Fellowships, scholarships, and research opportunities around the globe

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232 Chemistry Research Topics To Make Your Neurochemicals Dance

Speaking from experience, science can be fun. The only thing that matters is that you should always choose the theme/field that fascinates you the most. Chemistry, if done right, can give you more dopamine rush than riding a racing bike. The trick is to choose a chemistry research paper topic that moves your quarks when you’re writing about it. 

Table of Contents

Chemistry Research Topics: Biochemistry, Chemical, Organic, and more

Our chemistry research writers are not regular researchers but people who actually study and love chemistry. They have spent a lot of time unearthing some of the cool topics that could pump any chemistry geeks with an adrenaline rush. They have years of experience offering chemistry research paper writing services, so you can trust their work.  (Many people around the world already do and you can find that in testimonials on our  PhD Research Paper Writing Services  page.)

Physical chemistry research topics

• Laws of Thermodynamics
• Energy Balance
• Gases: Gas Law
• harles and Gay Lussac’s law
• General Ideal Gas Law
• The mass of a chemical compound
• The moles of an atomic species
• The flow of Fluids in Closed Ducts
• Impact of gravity on the fluids
• Strength effect of elasticity of fluid actions
• Surface tension in fluids
• Statistical Analysis Of Thermodynamic Properties
• Determination of the ideal gas constant
• pH determination
• Distillation of an azeotropic mixture
• Cubic equations of state
• Redox titrations
• Ideal solutions (liquids)
• Laboratory on the States of Matter
• Laboratory on the construction of an atom
• Research on molecular geometry
• Research on the density of bodies
• Kinetic studies of pyrolysis, combustion and gasification of various materials (organic and inorganic)
• Physicochemical Processes of Interaction of Metals with Biomaterials
• Photochemistry of Compounds of Environmental Interest
• Study of the kinetic, thermodynamic and catalytic activity of compounds
• Organic and inorganic academic and environmental interest
• Determination of heat of combustion of acetamidophenols
• Experimental determination of thermochemical properties of chemical compounds
• Experimental evaluation of thermal properties of dangerous organic liquids
• Synthesis and characterization of hydrogels based on acrylic acid
• Incorporation of salts and other chemical substances in acrylic acid/acrylamide hydrogels
• Physical chemistry of polymers and macromolecules
• Pharmaceutical physical chemistry
• Physical chemistry and material sciences
• Biomimetic chemistry
• Petrochemical and related sciences
• Physical chemistry of semiconductors
• Physical chemistry of extractive processes
• Physical chemistry of surfaces

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Electrochemistry research topics

Below are some of the best topics for research paper about chemistry and its affiliate subjects. Check them out:

• Calibration of carbon paste electrodes modified with iron particles
• Effect of ionic strength on electrochemical detection
• Oxygenated groups present in graphite powder
• Electrochemical analysis
• Potentiometric titrations of functional groups
• Physical and chemical characterization of the modified and unmodified material 
• Electrochemical recovery of toxic metals
• Carbon paste electrodes
• Biological and bioelectrochemical reactors with an optimization approach based on computational methods
• Electrogeneration of oxidizing species
• Electroremediation of contaminated water and water soils
• Electrochemistry: Importance in Robotics and Nanotechnology
• Electrochemistry in Ecology and Environmental Processes
• How electrochemistry plays an important role in energy generation
• Photovoltaic cells and hybrid energy systems
• Nanostructured materials for fuel cells
• Solar Systems and Electrochemistry
• Biomolecular interactions and electroanalysis
• Chemical and electrochemical methods in disease diagnosis
• Synthesis and Electrochemical Properties of Hexacyanoferrate-Doped Polypyrrole
• Energy Storage in Hybrid Organic-Inorganic Materials
• Conducting Organic Polymers with Electroactive Dopants
• Electrochemistry for bioprocess engineering applications
• Electrochemical enhancement of microbial product formation
• Electron transfer of electrode-bound enzymes
• Transport mechanism and interfacial reactions within the oxide layer
• Oxide layer modelling
• Preparative electrochemistry or electrosynthesis
• Electrochemical methods in analytical chemistry
• Electrochemical synthesis methods
• Fuel cell technology in Technical Chemistry 
• Electrochemical reactions
• Phase boundary electrode-electrolyte
• Phase boundary between an electronic conductor (electrode) and an ionic conductor (electrolyte)
• Applications of electrochemistry
• Reduction of metal salts for the production of base metals, mainly by electrolysis
• Use of electrolytic metal deposition in electroplating
• Provision of an electrical voltage, especially for mobile applications
• History of Electrochemistry

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Organic Chemistry research topics

• A novel process for the production of sophisticated molecules
• Addition of amino sugars to acetylenic compounds
• Environmental remediation and as a reaction containment medium
• Intermolecular interactions for the molecular recognition of peptides and proteins
• Synthesis of glycosylamines from disaccharides and lipooligosaccharides
• Catalysis with metal and organocatalysts, photocatalysis, natural product synthesis, unnatural amino acids and peptide foldamers
• Development and modification of gels based on polymers for use in drug delivery
• Reusable catalyst makes oxidation of CH bonds with oxygen easier and more efficient
• Structural analysis of nodulation factors produced by bacteria of the genus Rhizobium
• Imidazopyridines as new materials
• Effects of Ultra-Violet Light on Activation of Oxygen
• Synthesis of large unsymmetrical imines by a palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling reaction
• Improved pharmaceuticals thanks to fluorine
• Application of the hydroxy-ketone reductive grouping in obtaining trans-fused polyethers
• Role of Biochemistry in the creation of Antibiotics
• Application of the olefin metathesis (RCM) reaction in the synthesis of Orthocondensated polyoxepanes
• Sugars in green olives
• Synthetic applications of d-glucose derivatives
• Synthesis, structure, coordination and applications in asymmetric catalysis
• Natural product synthesis and convergent technologies
• Activation of growth factors for fibroblasts by glycosaminoglycans effect
• Thiols, preparation and handling
• Biotransformations of industrial interest catalyzed by fungal peroxygenases
• Carbohydrate multivalent systems functionalize proteins and surfaces
• Fused n-heterocyclic carbenes in biaryl systems
• Hair structure
• Biochemistry for bioremediation
• Chemical and structural characterization of lignin and lipids of lignocellulosic materials of industrial interest
• Physicochemical characterization of citronella, soapstone, and eucalyptus essential oil
• Electrophilic Substitution Reactions: Synthesis of Nitrobenzene
• Essential oils: uses and properties
• Activation of growth factors for fibroblasts by glycosaminoglycans

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Inorganic Chemistry research topics

• Soil and water contamination by inorganic compounds
• Synthesis and characterization of Coordination Compounds and their use as homogeneous catalysts
• Free Radicals and Antioxidants
• Analytical Chemistry associated with the study of inorganic compounds
• Quantum molecular modeling and mechanics
• Inorganic Materials
• Hydrogen reactivity with inorganic compounds
• Bond theory analysis
• Chemistry of some transition elements
• Boric Acid Preparation
• Types of inorganic chemical reactions
• Introduction to inorganic chemistry
• Study of the atomic spectrum
• Crystal defects in inorganic chemistry
• Explosives and violent reactions in inorganic compounds
• Objective characterization of wines through aroma components
• Microstructural characterization of nanoparticles and magnetic “nano-composites” of iron
• Chemical, morphological, mineralogical, and genesis characters of the salt mines
• Physical and chemical characteristics of the soils occupied by olive groves
• Theoretical analysis and development of instrumentation to apply the new technique of thermal analysis at a constant rate of reaction
• Alteration of rocks and soil formation in Utah
• The catalytic activity of 4f metal oxides in the decomposition of various carboxylic acids and alcohols
• Activation of ethylene and carbon dioxide by molybdenum complexes
• Platinum promoting action on nickel catalysts supported on activated Bentonite
• Homogeneous catalysis (with an organometallic, transition metal, lanthanide and representative compounds)
• Methods of synthesis of organometallic compounds assisted by microwaves.
• Design of molecular precursors with relevance in materials chemistry.
• Chemistry of inorganic heterocycles.
• Immobilization of organometallic and coordination compounds in polypropylene membranes.

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Biochemistry research topics

• Bioinformatics and Computational Biology
• Cell differentiation and metabolism
• Biochemistry of Individual Molecules
• Enterobacteriaceae envelopes: modulation of their structure in response to environmental cues and impact on pathogenicity
• Neuroplasticidad y Neurogenética
• Environmental biotechnology applied to water decontamination.
• Reproductive Aging
• Neurobiochemistry
• Regulatory proteins of iron metabolism
• Iron deficiency anaemia and cardiovascular disease
• Iron deficiency anaemia and oxidative stress
• Nutritional anaemias independent workers
• Food incompatibilities for iron absorption
• Evaluation of anaemia and iron deficiency in schoolchildren
• Iron deficiency anaemia and evaluation of school performance
• Iron deficiency anaemia in students of Educational Centers
• Copper Levels and Oxidative Stress in the Elderly
• Iron Levels and Oxidative Stress in the Elderly
• Evaluation of transcription factors (surgical samples)
• Biochemical markers in oxidative stress
• Antioxidant activity in irradiated food products
• Kinetics of the reactivity of antioxidants in food
• Evaluation of oxidative stress in various pathological states
• Iron levels in the Elderly
• Copper Levels in the Elderly
• Evaluation of the synergistic effect in a mixture of antioxidant compounds
• Antioxidant activity in medicinal plants
• Food patterns and evaluation of antioxidant capacity in food
• Markers in Diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease
• Biochemical markers in Diabetes mellitus
• Chemotherapy with redesigned Methotrexate
• The Biosynthesis of triglycerides or triacylglycerides
• Consequences of suffering from coronary disease
• What medications should be administered in patients with osteoporosis?
• Appearances of physiological alterations in older adults
• The impact of the administration of clindamycin, amikacin, and ceftazidime in hospitalized patients
• Pharmaceutical advice to reduce stress
• Dyslipidemia in Diabetes mellitus
• Diabetes mellitus and transcription factors (Cell culture)
• Factors that lead to cholesterol excretion
• Nutritional evaluation of pregnant diabetic mothers
• How do blood alcohol levels influence drivers involved in traffic accidents?
• Pleiotropic effects of oral hypoglycemic drugs
• Importance of eating foods rich in carotenoids
• The biochemical and toxicological impact of lead with environmental contact
• The importance of emotions in the intervention of our digestive system
• Lifestyles and Diabetes mellitus
• Adiposity in Diabetes mellitus
• Diabetological education of the patient with Diabetes mellitus
• The impact of drug administration

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Nano / Nuclear Chemistry research topics

• Modeling of metallic nanostructures
• Modeling of nanostructures supported on oxides
• Development of advanced nanomaterials with specific
• Nanomaterials in the fight against cancer and spinal cord injuries in laboratory rats for neuronal reconnection
• Study of the effects of radiation on the structure and properties of nanomaterials
• Development of nanostructured substrates for Raman spectroscopy applications
• Implants in neural tissues of the spinal cord to promote lost communication between the brain and the rest of the body
• Design and preparation of theragnostic radiopharmaceuticals
• Research and development of radiopharmaceuticals based on nanosystems for use in molecular nuclear medicine
• Hydrogen storage, the capture of toxic gases, improvement of solar cells
• Geometric optimization of nanostructures using classical methods
• Calculation of energies and molecular properties
• Synthesis of supercapacitors with carbon nanotubes
• Simulation of high-resolution transmission electron microscopy images of nanostructures
• Development of bactericidal dressings based on metallic nanoparticles
• Modernization of the ININ X-Ray Diffraction Laboratory
• Thin coatings of transparent materials with high hardness

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Green Chemistry research topics

• Green chemistry and environmental sustainability
• Strategies to make organocatalysis “greener”
• The Chemical Knowledge and Environmental Question
• Approach to school green chemistry, through green protocols
• Sustainable Chemistry: Nature, purposes, and scope
• Postgraduate studies in sustainable chemistry
• Didactic knowledge of the content on green chemistry
• Photochemical synthesis by sunlight
• Green Chemistry: A Present and Future Theme for Chemistry Education
• The environmental dimension of experimentation in the teaching of chemistry
• Role of Chemistry and its teaching in the construction of a sustainable future
• A foundation for the incorporation of green chemistry in organic chemistry curricula
• Contribution of green chemistry to the construction of a socially responsible science
• Aspects of the pedagogical knowledge of the content of green chemistry in university professors of chemistry
• Asymmetric organocatalyzed reactions in the absence of a solvent
• Green Chemistry for Postgraduates

Read More:  Social Work Research Topics

Archaeological Chemistry research topics

• Archaeochemistry of the United States
• Archaeochemistry of Egyptian Pyramids
• Archaeochemistry of Mohanjodaro
• Archaeochemistry of Cambodia
• Archaeological dating, characterization, prospecting, and conservation
• The role of bio-deteriorated ceramics in the formation processes of archaeological sites
• Study of biodeterioration in archaeological ceramics from Mayan Ruins
• Deterioration of ceramic fragments due to the action of lichens
• Applicability of preventive conservation to archaeological ceramics impacted by biodeterioration

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• ACS Publications

19 of the Most Interesting Chemistry Research Topics: Q2 2019

• Sep 13, 2019

Get access to some of the most interesting chemistry research topics with these Virtual Collections from ACS Publications. Virtual Collections include Virtual Issues, Virtual Special Issues, and ACS Selects from ACS journals. These collections reflect topics of scientific interest and are designed for experienced investigators and educators alike. Browse 19 of the Most Interesting Chemistry […]

Get access to some of the most interesting chemistry research topics with these Virtual Collections from ACS Publications. Virtual Collections include Virtual Issues, Virtual Special Issues, and ACS Selects from ACS journals. These collections reflect topics of scientific interest and are designed for experienced investigators and educators alike.

Browse 19 of the Most Interesting Chemistry Research Topics With Virtual Collections released by ACS Publications journals in Q2 2019:

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Collection  29 March 2022

2021 Top 25 Chemistry and Materials Sciences Articles

We are pleased to share with you the 25 most downloaded  Nature Communications  articles* in chemistry and materials sciences published in 2021. Featuring authors from around the world, these papers highlight valuable research from an international community.

Browse all Top 25 subject area collections  here .

*Data obtained from SN Insights (based on Digital Science's Dimensions) and normalised to account for articles published later in the year.

Research highlights

Mechanochemical synthesis of magnesium-based carbon nucleophiles in air and their use in organic synthesis

Grignard reagents have widespread utility in organic chemistry, but their preparation is limited by several drawbacks, such as the use of dry organic solvents and long reaction times. Here, the authors report a general mechanochemical synthesis of Grignard reagents in paste form in air, using a ball milling technique.

• Rina Takahashi

Programmable microbial ink for 3D printing of living materials produced from genetically engineered protein nanofibers

Living cells can precisely assemble to build 3D functional architectures. Here the authors produce an extrudable microbial ink entirely from the engineered cells, which can be further programmed to 3D print functional living materials.

• Anna M. Duraj-Thatte
• Avinash Manjula-Basavanna
• Neel S. Joshi

A novel mechanism for the loss of mRNA activity in lipid nanoparticle delivery systems

Lipid nanoparticle delivery of mRNA vaccines has become of particular importance, however, mRNA stability is a major concern. Here, the authors report on a study of lipid impurity mRNA interactions using reverse phase ion pair HPLC to identify reactions which render the mRNA untranslatable, reducing vaccine efficiency.

• Meredith Packer
• Dipendra Gyawali

Understanding Li-based battery materials via electrochemical impedance spectroscopy

Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy is a key technique for understanding Li-based battery processes. Here, the authors discuss the current state of the art, advantages and challenges of this technique, also giving an outlook for future developments.

• Miran Gaberšček

A general strategy for C(sp 3 )–H functionalization with nucleophiles using methyl radical as a hydrogen atom abstractor

When carbon-based units are functionalized in photoredox catalysis, electrophilic coupling partners are often used, such that the polarities of the two fragments are appropriately matched. Here the authors show a generalized methodology to instead use nucleophilic coupling partners, which are cheaper and often simpler, via successive hydrogen atom transfer and oxidative radical-polar crossover.

• Isabelle Nathalie-Marie Leibler
• Makeda A. Tekle-Smith
• Abigail G. Doyle

Identifying molecules as biosignatures with assembly theory and mass spectrometry

The search for life in the universe is difficult due to issues with defining signatures of living systems. Here, the authors present an approach based on the molecular assembly number and tandem mass spectrometry that allows identification of molecules produced by biological systems, and use it to identify biosignatures from a range of samples, including ones from outer space.

• Stuart M. Marshall
• Cole Mathis
• Leroy Cronin

Tempering of cocoa butter and chocolate using minor lipidic components

In chocolate production, a complicated tempering process is used to guide the crystallization of cocoa butter towards its most desirable polymorph, which gives the chocolate proper melting behavior, gloss, and snap—hallmarks of good quality chocolate. Here, the authors find that simply adding a specific phospholipid also directs crystallization towards this polymorph, producing chocolate with comparable microstructure and properties to tempered chocolate.

• Saeed M. Ghazani
• Alejandro G. Marangoni

Production of high-energy Li-ion batteries comprising silicon-containing anodes and insertion-type cathodes

Large-scale manufacturing of high-energy Li-ion cells is of paramount importance for developing efficient rechargeable battery systems. Here, the authors report in-depth discussions and evaluations on the use of silicon-containing anodes together with insertion-based cathodes.

• Gebrekidan Gebresilassie Eshetu
• Egbert Figgemeier

Proliferating coacervate droplets as the missing link between chemistry and biology in the origins of life

Coacervate droplets (CDs) are a model for protocells formed by liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS), but protocell models able to proliferate remain undeveloped. Here, the authors report a proliferating peptide-based CD using synthesised amino acid thioesters as monomers, which could concentrate RNA and lipids, enabling RNA to protect the droplet from dissolution by lipids.

• Muneyuki Matsuo
• Kensuke Kurihara

Nickel-catalyzed electrochemical carboxylation of unactivated aryl and alkyl halides with CO 2

Electrochemistry is a promising approach to make existing chemical protocols milder, but many simple transformations of feedstocks are still out of reach. Here, the authors transform unactivated aryl and alkyl (pseudo)halides into carboxylic acids, via nickel catalysis and electricity, using atmospheric CO 2 as the carbon source.

• Guo-Quan Sun

Gene editing enables rapid engineering of complex antibiotic assembly lines

Engineering biosynthetic assembly lines is a powerful path to new natural products but is challenging with current methods. Here the authors use CRISPR-Cas9 to exchange subdomains within NRPS to alter substrate selectivity.

• Wei Li Thong
• Yingxin Zhang
• Jason Micklefield

Electrochemical ammonia synthesis via nitrate reduction on Fe single atom catalyst

Developing green and delocalized routes for ammonia synthesis is highly important but still very challenging. Here the authors report an efficient ammonia synthesis process via nitrate reduction to ammonia on Fe single atom catalyst.

• Mohammadreza Karamad
• Haotian Wang

Coordination environment dependent selectivity of single-site-Cu enriched crystalline porous catalysts in CO 2 reduction to CH 4

Crystalline porous catalysts with single Cu sites are dedicated to exploring the dependence of CO 2 electroreduction selectivity on the coordination environment of catalytic sites. The conductive MOF Cu-DBC with oxygen-coordinated Cu sites shows a high Faradaic efficiency ~80% of CO 2 -to-CH 4 .

• Long-Zhang Dong
• Ya-Qian Lan

6 nm super-resolution optical transmission and scattering spectroscopic imaging of carbon nanotubes using a nanometer-scale white light source

The authors present a super-resolution hyperspectral imaging technique using a nanoscale white light source generated by superfocusing light from a tungsten-halogen lamp. They achieve 6 nm resolution, measuring longitudinal and transverse optical electronic transitions in single-walled carbon nanotubes.

Electrochemical C–N bond activation for deaminative reductive coupling of Katritzky salts

Electrochemical transformations use electrons and electron holes instead of chemical oxidants and reductants as reagents. Here, the authors report an electrochemical reductive deaminative cross-coupling of Katrizky salts with various radical acceptors, including examples of fluoroalkenylation, alkynylation and thiolation.

• Xiangzhang Tao

Ultra-thin self-healing vitrimer coatings for durable hydrophobicity

By now a plethora of ultrathin hydrophobic coatings are available but their durability are not well developed. Here, the authors present a thin, durable and fluorine-free PDMS-based vitrimer coating that implements many desirable aspects like energy efficiency, durability and sustainability.

• Jingcheng Ma
• Laura E. Porath
• Christopher M. Evans

A saccharide-based binder for efficient polysulfide regulations in Li-S batteries

The long-term cycling of Li-S batteries depends on the polysulfides shuttling regulation. Here, the authors present a saccharide-based binder system to control the polysulfides migration and improve the cycle life of a Li-S pouch cell.

• Yingyi Huang
• Mahdokht Shaibani
• Mainak Majumder

Sustained enzymatic activity and flow in crowded protein droplets

Living cells can harvest environmental energy to drive chemical processes. Here the authors design a minimal artificial system that achieves steady states at similar metabolic densities to microorganisms.

• Andrea Testa
• Mirco Dindo
• Paola Laurino

Freezing of few nanometers water droplets

Ice nucleation in confined geometries is a ubiquitous phenomenon, but difficult to characterize. Here the authors investigate experimentally the freezing of water nanodroplets surrounded by octane in nanopores down to 2 nm, and demonstrate that the soft curved oil-water interface suppresses heterogeneous ice nucleation, which occurs at a lower temperature than homogenous bulk nucleation.

• Alireza Hakimian
• Mohammadjavad Mohebinia
• Hadi Ghasemi

Transition metal-doped Ni-rich layered cathode materials for durable Li-ion batteries

Long-term efficient cycling stability is of paramount importance for the development of high-energy Li-ion batteries. Here, the authors investigate the effect of transition metal dopants on the electrochemical, morphological, and structural properties of Ni-rich cathode active materials.

• H. Hohyun Sun
• Un-Hyuck Kim
• Yang-Kook Sun

Divergent functionalization of aldehydes photocatalyzed by neutral eosin Y with sulfone reagents

Acyl radicals represent a reactive species that allow for aldehyde subunits to be nucleophilic instead of their typical electrophilic behavior; however, these species are difficult to access in mild conditions. Here the authors show a method to generate acyl radicals using only an organic photocatalyst and light, and these species are shown as competent nucleophiles in a variety of couplings.

• Jianming Yan

Engineering single-atomic ruthenium catalytic sites on defective nickel-iron layered double hydroxide for overall water splitting

Rational design of single atom catalyst is critical for efficient sustainable energy conversion. Single-atomic-site ruthenium stabilized on defective nickel-iron layered double hydroxide nanosheets achieve superior HER and OER performance in alkaline media.

• Panlong Zhai
• Mingyue Xia
• Jungang Hou

Artificial intelligence-enhanced quantum chemical method with broad applicability

Artificial intelligence is combined with quantum mechanics to break the limitations of traditional methods and create a new general-purpose method for computational chemistry simulations with high accuracy, speed and transferability.

• Peikun Zheng
• Roman Zubatyuk
• Pavlo O. Dral

Controlled self-assembly of plant proteins into high-performance multifunctional nanostructured films

Green use of plant derived proteins in functional materials has been limited by inefficient methods to control micro and nanoscale structure. Here, the authors use nanoscale assembly of water-insoluble plant proteins to make meter scale films with comparable properties to conventional plastics.

• Ayaka Kamada
• Marc Rodriguez-Garcia
• Tuomas P. J. Knowles

Moving beyond bimetallic-alloy to single-atom dimer atomic-interface for all-pH hydrogen evolution

While single, dispersed atoms enable efficient atomic utilization, controllably preparing single-atom dimers remains challenging. Here, authors prepare nickel-cobalt single-atom dimers as high-performance pH-universal H 2 evolution electrocatalysts.

• Ashwani Kumar
• Viet Q. Bui
• Hyoyoung Lee

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