Main Chemical Feed

Have a great weekend

Fri, 30 Oct 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Well, the big things got done this week, and now the other items need to get done as well. Here's hoping that you had a productive week, and that you have a great weekend. See you on Monday.

The best article you will read about chocolate this week

Fri, 30 Oct 2026 09:30:00 +0000

Via the internet, this article:

On a recent afternoon, somewhere near the tail end of the American empire, I went to the movies. On a whim, I bought a box of Sno-Caps; they’d been my favorite movie candy as a kid. I mindlessly ate at least 19 of the semisweet-chocolate nonpareils until I realized I could barely taste them. What I did taste was somehow both neutral and vaguely unappetizing, like I was chewing on shaved-off pieces of a plain bar of soap. I internalized the problem and blamed myself. Maybe my tongue’s physical properties had changed and it was no longer a reliable source. Or my childhood memories, blurred by nostalgia and brain damage from drugs and the internet, were not to be trusted. Sno-Caps had probably never tasted like chocolate but always like soap. Regardless, it was my fault and not the fault of a multinational conglomerate that had my best interests at heart and would never betray me.

The article is really interesting - read the whole thing. I'm not very convinced by the TBHQ discussion, but nevertheless, it's undoubted that modern food formulation allows for profit-maximizing/taste-impacting substitutions. The true science awaits!

Resumption of basic chemistry research in Gaza put on indefinite hold following Israeli airstrikes

Fri, 30 Oct 2026 09:30:00 +0000

Islamic University of Gaza was attempting to rebuild during ceasefire with ‘simple extraction experiments’ in its rehabbed chemistry lab space

Serbia’s academics hope for better future after student-led movement wins election

Thu, 29 Oct 2026 14:30:00 +0000

Hopes that Student List success will restore academic freedom and funding and lead to reinstatement of researchers fired for criticising previous government

UK budget aims to promote ‘reindustrialisation’

Thu, 29 Oct 2026 11:12:00 +0000

Chancellor affirmed funding for previously introduced support measures, but competitiveness challenges remain

Budget offers little relief for research facilities or universities facing tighter spending

Thu, 29 Oct 2026 10:27:00 +0000

Chancellor John Healey announces no new support for higher education or the Science and Technologies Facilities Council

Job posting: chemist, unnamed company, Carrollton, TX

Thu, 29 Oct 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Via ACS Chemistry Careers:

We’re looking for a hands-on chemist who’s interested in nanocoatings and surface technology to join our R&D team. This is a great opportunity to gain real-world lab experience, work on innovative products, and learn from an experienced team in a fast-growing field.
What We’re Looking For

Bachelor’s, Master’s, or PhD in Chemistry, Materials Science, or a related field
2+ years of industry experience, preferably in coatings, polymers, or surface technologies
Strong hands-on experience in formulation development and product scaling
Experience with nanomaterials, coatings systems, or advanced surface treatments is highly preferred

Full ad here. Best wishes to those interested.

Greener dyes of every colour for fabric and food

Thu, 29 Oct 2026 09:55:00 +0000

Brilliant Dyes is extracting natural colours from algae to reduce energy, water and waste

(+)-Nonthmicin

Thu, 29 Oct 2026 09:33:00 +0000

Photochemistry, biocatalysis, electrochemistry and organocatalysis combine in an enjoyable polyketide synthesis

I’m sharing my @cancerwidower journey to bring a realistic understanding of research progress

Wed, 28 Oct 2026 14:33:00 +0000

Regular Chemistry World contributor Andy Extance is trying to help others after his late partner’s death

A salmon-safe alternative to 6PPD & the first known example of naturally produced MOFs

Wed, 28 Oct 2026 13:20:00 +0000

Can we find a less toxic tyre additive while balancing delicate tyre chemistry? And we discuss a bacteria that appears to synthesize its own MOFs at the bottom of the seafloor.

C&EN: BASF still pursuing Evonik

Wed, 28 Oct 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Via C&EN's Alex Tullo, this news:

BASF has reportedly raised its bid for Evonik Industries to €11.2 billion ($12.5 billion), up from the $11.5 billion that Evonik management rejected, and this time BASF is taking its case for the acquisition to the public.
In a speech posted on BASF’s website, CEO Markus Kamieth addresses the concerns of the government of North Rhine-Westphalia that a merger between Germany’s two largest chemical makers could consolidate production and reduce jobs in the region. He promises that BASF would take over site agreements and would preserve other arrangements, such as compulsory redundancies, at least until 2032.
Kamieth also invokes the familiar struggles European chemical companies have endured in recent years due to high costs and strong overseas competition, particularly from Asia. BASF is large and integrated with raw materials. Evonik, a specialty chemical maker, has to purchase its feedstocks. “Through BASF’s Verbund, these could be sourced more cost-effectively, more directly, and more reliably from within the company,” he says.
Kamieth also warns that German chemical companies could eventually become the targets of foreign buyers. “The chemical industry is consolidating, one way or another. The question is: Do we shape this ourselves?”
Abu Dhabi National Oil Co. purchased the German polymer maker Covestro last year.
Questions? Comments? Tips? Send them to me, senior correspondent Alex Tullo, at a_tullo@acs.org.

Kinda wild. Makes you wonder what will happen to Evonik if BASF moves on.

Scientists oppose proposed cuts to research facilities in open letter ahead of UK’s budget announcement

Tue, 27 Oct 2026 16:18:00 +0000

Cuts risk ‘irreparable damage to the UK’s scientific capabilities’, the letter warns

Learning the language of chemistry

Tue, 27 Oct 2026 14:49:00 +0000

Chemical structures embed vast amounts of information that needs translating for machines

Researchers in Brazil welcome da Silva’s re-election

Tue, 27 Oct 2026 14:37:00 +0000

Scientists celebrate defeat of Jair Bolsonaro’s son in close-run election

Covalent organic frameworks could clean up water pollution and generate ‘green’ ammonia

Tue, 27 Oct 2026 10:41:00 +0000

Supramolecular structures can break down nitrates to produce ammonia and close the fertiliser loop

The 2027 Chemistry Faculty Jobs List: 294 research/teaching positions and 34 teaching positions

Tue, 27 Oct 2026 10:00:00 +0000

The 2027 Chemistry Faculty Jobs List has 321 research/teaching positions and 42 teaching positions.

Want to help out? Here's a Google Form to enter positions.

On October 28, 2025, the 2026 Chemistry Faculty Jobs List had 271 research/teaching positions and 32 teaching positions. On October 29, 2024, the 2025 Chemistry Faculty Jobs List had 378 research/teaching positions and 41 teaching positions.

Want to talk anonymously? Have an update on the status of a job search? Here is the first open thread.

Don't forget to click on "load more" below the comment box for the full thread.

Are you having problems accessing the Google Sheet because of a Google Documents error? Email me at chemjobber@gmail.com and I will send you an Excel download of the latest sheet.

The Chemical Engineering Faculty Jobs List: 89 research/teaching positions and 6 teaching positions

Tue, 27 Oct 2026 09:30:00 +0000

The Chemical Engineering Faculty Jobs List (by Todd N. Whittaker) has 89 research/teaching positions and 6 teaching positions.

Want to chat? Go to the open thread.

Punitive student loans threaten the future of UK science

Mon, 26 Oct 2026 14:30:00 +0000

Science graduates face choice of leaving science sector for higher paid careers or becoming stuck in debt trap

C&EN: "Microplastics might not be as chemically inert as expected"

Mon, 26 Oct 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Via Chemical and Engineering News, this news (article by by Ananya Palivela):

Plastics are used for making reusable containers, clothing, and packaging partly because they are considered chemically inert. That assumption has extended to microplastics—particles smaller than 5 millimeters created through the wear and tear of plastics used daily—that turn up in ecosystems and inside human tissue. A new study suggests that microplastics are chemically active in water and can damage cells (Nature 2026, DOI: 10.1038/s41586-026-11141-y).
Wei Min and Teresa Head-Gordon’s group at Columbia University and the University of California, Berkeley, respectively, find that a plastic particle’s surface makes highly reactive hydroxyl radicals in water. All six common plastics the team studies make these radicals without sunlight or any other trigger. The more hydrophobic a plastic is, the more radicals it makes, the researchers have found. Polyethylene and polypropylene make the most, and poly(methyl methacrylate) the least.
...Matthew Campen, a biochemist at the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, who was not involved in the study, agrees with Min. He expects microplastics in the body to be coated in phospholipids, fatty molecules that would keep water away.
“Another aspect that needs further exploration is how aged plastics interact with water,” Campen says. The microplastics that make their way into people’s bodies have often been used, worn down, and exposed to the environment. Such aged plastics can carry a mix of water-attracting and water-repelling groups, which could affect the mechanism shown in this study.

I've been around long enough to both have some skepticism about any particular result, but it will be interesting to see if it reproduces and if it will be biologically relevant.

The race to decarbonise iron and steelmaking

Mon, 26 Oct 2026 09:59:00 +0000

Steel production accounts for up to 11% of global carbon dioxide emissions, yet it remains indispensable to modern life. A wave of new technologies to decarbonise steelmarking is emerging – but the economics remain daunting

Questions about who to credit extend beyond the Nobel prize

Fri, 23 Oct 2026 13:30:00 +0000

Conceptual, epistemic and political factors all influence who is deemed to have made a scientific discovery

Highlighting the ‘missing elements’ in chemistry curricula

Fri, 23 Oct 2026 09:34:00 +0000

How staff and students from a trio of universities in London, UK are working together to produce resources that showcase minoritised chemists

WSJ: "Melrose Industries Says GKN Aerospace Reaches $125 Million Settlement in Chemicals Case"

Fri, 23 Oct 2026 09:30:00 +0000

Via the Wall Street Journal, this news (from October 13):

Melrose Industries said its GKN Aerospace unit reached a $125 million settlement with authorities in California relating to a chemicals case, and that it expects to restart operations at the site this quarter.
The case relates to an incident in May that forced the evacuation of parts of areas surrounding the facility in Garden Grove, California, operated by GKN, as emergency services sought to avoid a chemical leak and vapor explosion. The plant makes equipment for the aviation industry.
The Orange County district attorney’s office this week filed the documentation to start the process of resolving the civil investigation, Melrose said Tuesday. The documentation includes a settlement, an operational safety plan, and details of a plan—set out in August—for a claims program of up to $100 million for eligible businesses and residents, Melrose said. Melrose will pay a further $25 million in penalties and claims.
The settlement is contingent upon court approval, after which claims are expected to open within days, Melrose said.
The attorney’s office isn’t planning to file criminal charges against the company, Melrose said previously.
“Separately, we are engaged in ongoing mediation discussions regarding the various pending civil class action lawsuits,” Melrose said.
The company said it expects a phased return to full operations at the GKN site during this quarter.

Seems to me this was an obvious resolution, but I feel we still don't really know what happened to cause this incident. I suppose that we'll have to learn that from the eventual (I hope?) CSB report.

How to diversify a chemistry department and curriculum

Fri, 23 Oct 2026 09:30:00 +0000

Tips to help a wider range of students feel like they belong in chemistry

X-ray molecular movie of penicillin reveals hidden lives of its intermediates

Fri, 23 Oct 2026 09:17:00 +0000

Snapshots of antibiotic’s enzymatic synthesis are ‘holy grail’ in understanding formation of drug and could aid development of new medicines

Small World photo competition winner announced following disqualification of video winner for AI use

Thu, 22 Oct 2026 14:27:00 +0000

The organisers of the Nikon Small World in Motion contest have now honoured a new winner with its top prize of $3000

Job posting: research and development chemist, Fujimi, Tualatin, OR

Thu, 22 Oct 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Via ACS Careers, this position:

The R&D Chemist is responsible for researching and developing Chemical Mechanical Planarization (CMP) materials for the semiconductor industry that meet specific company and customer requirements. Applications include traditional CMP as well as Advanced Packaging processes. Will create polishing compounds from inception through pilot plant phase and documentation. Creates new concepts and provides solutions to complex technical processes and product modifications as required to optimize product performance. Effectively interacts with peers, departments and customers to share scientific knowledge/interpretation and provide technical advice and consultation.

PhD required, 4 years experience in formulation R&D, preferably in CMP polishing slurries. Full ad here. Best wishes to those interested.

Bacteria discovered to be synthesising metal–organic frameworks with ‘extraordinary conductivity’

Thu, 22 Oct 2026 08:30:00 +0000

Biosynthesis of MOFs observed for the first time and could inspire the design of sustainable electronic structures

Green chemistry co-founder John Warner on tragedy, creativity and science

Wed, 21 Oct 2026 13:46:00 +0000

Warner shares how his passion for music transitioned into a love of chemistry and how life events have shaped his professional successes

What do mathematicians think is the future of mathematics post-AI?

Wed, 21 Oct 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Via Bluesky, this letter from a French mathematician to a student:

Dear [...],
I won't lie to you the math community myself included - is extremely concerned about the current situation. Some colleagues are more optimistic than others, but we are all wondering where we are headed (and the problem obviously extends far beyond mathematics).
In any case, I fully agree with what you wrote (and your email shows that you grasp the situation very well). I, too, am convinced that AI companies do not care about science; if they did, they would have provided more details for instance, regarding the full range of problems they attempted to solve, the methods employed, and so on. They simply want to train and sell their models; they have chosen mathematics as a battleground and a training ground, and this is causing immense harm to science. I also reject the vision of mathematics turning into a "sort of 'math vibing', where you have to decipher what a computer has compiled, churned through, and spewed into a file" as you so eloquently put it.
My view is that the goal of mathematics is to understand the world, not merely to solve problems. Open problems have been put forth in the hope that they should serve as milestones for understanding and for discovering new theories acting as a catalyst for research and inquiry. Al companies are now using them in a largely destructive way, collecting them like trophies while delivering solutions that yield no genuine understanding. Many of us are angry.
But I think it was also partly our fault, as mathematicians, for placing too much importance on "hard problems" and the glory associated with solving them (like the Fields medal), and for sometimes believing that mathematics was a race for results rather than a collaborative effort to understand the world.
I don't know how it will all turn out, so I certainly can't promise you anything. But I do know that "understanding" is a human activity something computers cannot do for us (even if they solve problems better than we do, it serves no purpose unless there are humans who actually understand). Perhaps mathematical research will shift its focus toward the pursuit of interesting questions, illuminating perspectives, or elegant exposition (including aimed at the general public) rather than the race to answer difficult problems; that is what I hope for.
(""I wish it need not have happened in my time,' said Frodo. 'So do I,' said Gandalf, and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us."" -J.R.R. Tolkien, "The Fellowship of the Ring', book I, chap. 2.)
I sincerely believe we need more mathematicians (human ones!) to understand an increasingly complex and confusing world; and also to learn either how to use AI intelligently without making ourselves dump (sic - CJ), or how to forgo using it but in any case, how to manage it productively.
So, I cannot make any promises to you on what will happen tomorrow. Clearly, you have a very good grasp of the current challenges (better than some of my fellow researchers). I would fully understand if you decided to leave mathematics for another field [...] after all, the very purpose of this program is to enable you to decide what you prefer and what you find most interesting and useful. But what I can say with certainty is that if the advent of AI discourages promising students from pursuing mathematics, that will be the greatest harm it has done to the discipline.
[...]
Best regards,
David A. Madore

I appreciate this letter. Mathematics is well beyond my understanding, but there certainly does seem to be a lot of concern around the AI companies' moves in that space. It's nice to see one mathematician's perspective.

Even as I have concerns about the trajectory around chemistry (the Trump Administration's attacks on the funding agencies, which will ultimately impact academia combined with the growth of chemical research in China), I genuinely don't see a major impact from AI on the long-term job prospects of chemists. There is always a need for new chemicals and new materials, and (like the mathematicians!) there needs to be chemists who understand chemistry to interpret and reduce the new knowledge to practice. I would already adjust the long-term trend for chemist hiring down since (say) 2025, but I can't imagine adding more than 0.3% for the 10 year trend based on current AI. There's my bold prediction, but just like Dr. Madore, I shouldn't make any promises.

Best wishes to students making these decisions and to the rest of us.

Metal carbyne finally synthesised using f-block element

Wed, 21 Oct 2026 09:28:00 +0000

Bonding in uranium–carbon triple bond differs to transition metal equivalents

US atrazine cancer lawsuit revives hazard vs risk debate in pesticide regulation

Tue, 20 Oct 2026 15:40:00 +0000

Should firms have to issue cancer warnings in states that use different assessment criteria to national regulators?

Covestro cuts polycarbonate production in Europe

Tue, 20 Oct 2026 09:38:00 +0000

Decision attributed to high costs, weak demand and international competition

The Chemical Engineering Faculty Jobs List: 83 research/teaching positions and 6 teaching positions

Tue, 20 Oct 2026 09:30:00 +0000

The Chemical Engineering Faculty Jobs List (by Todd N. Whittaker) has 83 research/teaching positions and 6 teaching positions.

Want to chat? Go to the open thread.

Tyremakers are searching for alternatives to salmon-killing additive

Tue, 20 Oct 2026 07:22:00 +0000

6PPD protects rubber from ozone, but forms a quinone that is extremely toxic to salmon

40 years of patent data reveals an overreliance on hazardous solvents

Mon, 19 Oct 2026 13:30:00 +0000

AI models trained on biased datasets could perpetuate hazardous practices rather than making chemistry more sustainable

WSJ article on Princeton chemical engineering PhD grad who can't find a position

Mon, 19 Oct 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Via the Wall Street Journal, this bit of depressing news:

Jack Weis likes to joke that he’s just another unemployed guy living in his parents’ basement.
That leaves out a few key details: The Salt Lake City native has applied to more than 2,300 jobs since he graduated from Princeton in 2024 with his Ph.D. in chemical engineering. And he still doesn’t have a job.
He first pursued corporate science jobs and prestigious postdoctoral fellowships at national laboratories. Then he cast a wider net, applying to software engineering and other roles. Eventually, he was getting ghosted for food-preparation jobs, including at a company that sells frozen crab cakes.
For a time, Weis got a gig training AI on his expertise, including in engineering and fluid mechanics. That work dried up too.
I first interviewed Weis late last year, the day before his 30th birthday. Covering careers and the labor market, I endeavored to meet job seekers in all 50 states, hoping it would help me understand why many people felt so dim about their futures. Just 34% of Americans surveyed by Gallup in August said it was a good time to find a quality job.
...Weis studied chemical principles and molecular interactions, and he aimed to work in science roles at pharmaceutical companies. The response to numerous applications was mostly silence, with a few rejections.
He soon widened his search geographically, and by industry. He sent hundreds of cover letters and résumés through job portals and often didn’t get an interview.

The article uses him as a tool to talk about relative non-quality of the current job market. I don't think the job market is good, but I speculate that if anyone applies to 2300 jobs without success, at least a portion of the problem lies with the candidate's job application selection choices and how they are presenting themselves.* That said, I do indeed wonder if Dr. Weis, in normal times, would have found himself a postdoctoral position, but post 1/20/25, those positions have probably dried up a bit as well.

Well, best wishes to Dr. Weis, and all of us.

*(Whenever the media does one of these "PhDs who can't find jobs" posts, first, I wish they wouldn't. Second, I often wonder what would have happened had they had talked to their PhD adviser.)

Stop drawing lies: Why chemistry needs hypergraphs

Mon, 19 Oct 2026 09:44:00 +0000

Guillermo Restrepo reflects on the limitations of how we currently draw molecules and calls on chemists to adopt a system that better illustrates their complexity

The evolution of chemical notation

Mon, 19 Oct 2026 08:55:00 +0000

Chemical notation has come a long way since the cryptic symbols of the alchemists – but agreeing on how to represent molecules, bonds and reactions has never been straightforward, and the challenge is far from over

Two-in-one reagent combines fluoroalkylation with being click ready

Fri, 16 Oct 2026 11:54:00 +0000

Researchers add to growing toolkit of bifunctional reagents

EU restores Horizon Europe and Erasmus+ funding to Hungary

Fri, 16 Oct 2026 10:26:00 +0000

The change is linked to former prime minister Viktor Orbán’s landslide defeat in April and subsequent reforms by the new government

Have a good weekend

Fri, 16 Oct 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Well, this wasn't quite as productive of a week as I had hoped, but here we are. I hope that you had a good week and that you have a great weekend. See you on Monday.

Three injured in Intel explosion in Israel

Fri, 16 Oct 2026 09:30:00 +0000

Credit: Jerusalem Post

Via The Verge and the Jerusalem Post:

Three people were seriously injured in a blast at an Intel factory in Kiryat Gat on Wednesday, caused by what Israel Police suspect to be a gas cylinder explosion.

Israel's Fire and Rescue Authority initially warned that hazardous chemicals may have leaked following the explosion. Firefighters worked to identify the source of the chemicals and extinguish the ensuing fire, which has since been put out.

The Fire and Rescue Authority said the incident involved nitrogen trifluoride (NF3), a non-flammable gas with oxidizing properties...

...Yanaki Weinberg, deputy head of United Hatzalah’s Kiryat Gat branch, and paramedic Moshe Winfeld said they treated a man around 45 who was critically injured and suffered burns across his body. He was transported by a United Hatzalah ambulance to meet an intensive care ambulance while resuscitation efforts were underway. The team delivered two electric shocks using a defibrillator during the journey, and the man's heart miraculously began beating again. He was then transferred to Soroka Medical Center by intensive care ambulance.

Hila Rinkoff and Zvi Levin, paramedics with a second United Hatzalah ambulance team at the scene, said they evacuated another man, around 30, who was also critically injured, to meet an intensive care ambulance while resuscitation efforts were underway.

It will be good to follow this one - we don't often see serious chemical incidents of this kind (explosions) in the semiconductor manufacturing industry.

Why innovation gets stifled if you've settled into the fur-lined rut

Fri, 16 Oct 2026 08:39:00 +0000

Progress involves assessing all processes for improvements – even those whose inefficiencies we’re comfortable with

Rare N₂ dimer could let scientists answer questions about global nitrogen cycle

Fri, 16 Oct 2026 08:30:00 +0000

New technique could track how synthetic fertiliser use has disturbed ecological balance

Strikes at GSK’s Belgian sites over plans to cut 1200 jobs

Fri, 16 Oct 2026 08:00:00 +0000

Layoffs spread across R&D, manufacturing and support functions

Femtosecond x-rays solve contentious question of how azobenzene flips between isomers

Thu, 15 Oct 2026 13:58:00 +0000

First for x-ray liquidography working with molecules comprising only light atoms and opens up new way to study photochemical processes

Job posting: product development chemist, Momentive, Friendly, WV

Thu, 15 Oct 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Via Indeed, this posting:

As a Product Development Chemist on our Urethane Additives (UA) Technology Team, you will play a key role in developing the next generation of materials used in polyurethane slabstock foam. In this role, you will design, synthesize, and evaluate new additive technologies that enhance foam performance across a wide range of applications—from comfort products such as bedding and furniture, to highly technical applications in automotive, medical, and specialty markets.
Responsibilities Include:

Lead laboratory development projects from concept through pilot-scale evaluation. You will design and execute experiments focused on the synthesis, characterization, and performance testing of new urethane additive technologies, translating laboratory discoveries into scalable product solutions.
Maintain the highest safety standards in all laboratory activities. You will follow and promote rigorous safety practices while ensuring compliance with local regulations and company EHS policies. As part of a collaborative R&D environment, you will actively contribute to maintaining a strong culture of safety within the team.

The following are required for the role

PhD with 0–3+ years of relevant experience, or Master’s degree with 3+ years of experience in polymer-related product development and/or customer technical service.
Strong knowledge of organic and/or polymer chemistry.

The following are preferred qualifications:

PhD or Master’s degree in Chemistry, Polymer Science, or a related field.
5+ years of R&D experience in new product development and pilot-scale testing.