Innovations in chemistry enable the development of solutions in all industries.
In recent years, chemists from all over the world have proposed remarkable technologies and innovations in their respective fields. A team of experts recruited by the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) reviewed the proposals and selected the most innovative and groundbreaking ones – promising ideas with excellent chances of realization. The emerging key technologies in chemistry are also in line with the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations.
Dual Ion Batteries
The shortage of lithium (Li) and cobalt (Co) limits future developments and also contradicts SDG 12 on sustainable production patterns. Therefore, newer devices such as dual-ion batteries (DIBs) are attracting the attention of the scientific community.
DIBs thus represent an interesting alternative for grid storage applications. In addition, their electrodes are made from cheap and abundant materials in more environmentally friendly ways.
Aggregation-Induced Emission
Luminescent materials are ubiquitous today: from LEDs to bioimaging techniques. Because most of these substances have a multitude of aromatic moieties, the molecules tend to aggregate in high concentrations, eventually killing the luminescence. We know this effect as cancellation by accumulation.
The AIE has broken new ground in the development of luminescent materials – it has already found applications in OLED devices, sensors and new bioimaging tools. The New York Times highlighted the potential of the AIE to reach the real world in the near future.
Microbiome and bioactive compounds
More than 10 trillion microbes live in our gut, airways and skin. Our microbiome may change our behavior and research suggests it can also trigger diseases like cancer and determine our response to treatment. All of these bacteria constantly release metabolites in response to various stimuli in their environment. Chemistry can play a key role in screening and identifying all of these different molecules, which can eventually be isolated and used as new therapeutic candidates.
The microscopic life inside us is incredibly diverse. Chemists and biochemists find a myriad of new bioactive compounds encoded in the genomes of bacteria. In this way, chemistry contributes directly to SDG 3. That said, understanding and unlocking the mysteries of our microbiome can revolutionize the future of health.
As we can see, we use chemistry to find smart and sustainable solutions to improve the quality of human life. Hence the Chemistry tutoring of paramount importance in educating the chemists who will be the future of our society.
Liquid gate technology
The idea of using liquids as a structural material to build responsive gates seems counterintuitive – it even borders on science fiction. But this idea, originally proposed in 2015, has already become a reality and could soon spawn many new applications. Normally, liquid membranes function due to concentration and potential differences along the boundary. However, liquid-permeable membranes respond to pressure changes that depend on capillarity. At the microscale, this phenomenon allows certain liquids to selectively open and close the pores as needed.
Among other things, liquid gating technology could accelerate progress toward achieving SDG 6, which aims to ensure access to safe drinking water and sanitation for all. Since liquid locks do not require electricity, they also provide large energy savings.
Inorganic chemistry under high pressure
We all behave differently under pressure. Chemicals are no exception, and the most extraordinary phenomena occur under extreme conditions. For example, researchers have pressed benzene onto super-strong diamond nanowires and produced metallic hydrogen. High pressure science is no longer a niche. Recent technological advances make it possible to closely observe samples in high-pressure environments and improve our understanding of materials.
High-pressure chemistry becomes very complex under these conditions. But at the same time it becomes very interesting. The discovery of the transformations that take place under ultrahigh pressure may lead to new molecular species and new materials with unprecedented properties, such as room-temperature superconductivity or superhardness. In addition, some of the knowledge gained can be transferred to processes at room pressure.
Macronomes for better plastic recycling
Chemistry played a key role in the development of man-made polymers – durable, versatile materials that have transformed our civilization. However, that longevity has turned against us: the building blocks of the 20th century are everywhere now, accumulating in our landfills and polluting our oceans. Some experts predict that by 2050, the total amount of plastic in the oceans will outweigh the total amount of fish. Now the chemists have to find a solution.
Redesigned monomers and macromonomers are a promising strategy to create more sustainable plastics. Chemists are turning to free-radical ring-opening reactions, which allow them to incorporate heteroatoms and functional groups—such as esters—in structures that traditionally have an all-carbon structure.
The resulting polymers are easier to hydrolyze and recycle. Recently, several groups have optimized this technology and developed a wide range of biodegradable plastics that retain the attractive properties of traditional polymers. From a widely used lactone, the researchers have developed a strong and stable polymer that can be recycled repeatedly under moderate conditions.
Artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence (AI) is changing our society. Its market value grows exponentially as it finds application in finance, justice, transportation and even healthcare. Chemistry is no exception. Researchers train algorithms to accelerate structure elucidation, improve retrosynthetic analysis, design optimized reaction sequences, discover new drugs, and even run futuristic robotic laboratories. The possibilities are endless.
The applications of AI in chemistry are just beginning. Researchers predict that AI has enormous potential. Among other things, they expect that chemical reactions will be more reproducible, more easily scalable and ultimately more environmentally friendly and efficient. Recent studies even suggest that AI has a positive impact on the achievement of the SDGs – it enables 134 goals in all areas.
Conclusion
Chemistry offers us unlimited tools to transform our world into a safer and more sustainable future. From designing more efficient tests to developing a successful treatment, chemistry will play a crucial role in addressing the current COVID-19 pandemic, one of the most difficult challenges our society has faced in recent decades.