chemical and biomolecular engineering

Image of four-step process of capturing microplastics from water.

Mar 26, 2025

New Water Microcleaners Self-Disperse, Capture Microplastics and Float Up for Removal

Proof-of-concept work uses unique, safe particles to remove microplastics in a single cycle.

Campus gateway sign reading NC State University

Mar 24, 2025

Novel Material Holds Promise for Tech to Convert CO2 Into Fuel

Researchers have developed a novel combination of materials that have organic and inorganic properties, with the goal of using them in technologies that convert carbon dioxide from the atmosphere into a liquid fuel.

An aerial photo of NC State's Centennial Campus with the Raleigh skyline behind it.

Mar 3, 2025

NC State Names Krista S. Walton Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation

Noted chemical engineer will lead research enterprise.

illustration shows how a new technique can tune quantum dots to produce a full range of colors

Feb 18, 2025

Light-Powered Breakthrough Enables Precision Tuning of Quantum Dots

The new technique uses light to tune the optical properties of quantum dots – making the process faster, more energy-efficient and more environmentally sustainable.

a small patch rests on the back of a person's left wrist. the person is touching the patch with their right index finger

Jan 15, 2025

Researchers Make Comfortable Materials That Generate Power When Worn

The work stems from an advanced understanding of materials that increase comfort in textiles and produce electricity when rubbed against another surface.

an array of green lights that look like LEDs

Oct 11, 2024

Engineering Perovskite Materials at the Atomic Level Paves Way for New Lasers, LEDs

New technique dictates precisely how layered hybrid perovskite materials convert electrical charge into light.

Oct 4, 2024

Podcast: Microplastics

Nathan Crook talks microplastics - and the microbes that can eat them.

photo of nc state university's iconic belltower

Aug 22, 2024

For First Time, DNA Tech Offers Both Data Storage and Computing Functions

The new DNA computer is the first that can repeatedly store, retrieve, compute, erase and rewrite data.

a flexible circuit has been printed onto a piece of polymer. the polymer and circuit are being crumpled by a pair of gloved hands. the circuit is lighting up an LED. the image is a photograph, not an illustration.

Aug 15, 2024

New Technique Prints Metal Oxide Thin Film Circuits at Room Temperature

Researchers have used the new technique to create transparent, flexible circuits.

An image of a piece of advanced technology that looks like a brain.

Jul 11, 2024

AI Powers Interdisciplinary Innovation

At NC State University, interdisciplinary teams are leveraging AI to revolutionize research in agriculture, chemical engineering, education and more.

image shows robot in a lab, standing in front of a whiteboard that shows a range of catalytic reactions

Feb 27, 2024

AI-Driven Lab Speeds Catalysis Research

The new tool, called Fast-Cat, can provide more information in five days than is possible in six months of conventional testing.

cartoonish image shows a person holding a computer and looking up at a maze of paths that all lead to different glowing lights

Feb 15, 2024

Do AI-driven Chemistry Labs Actually Work? New Metrics Promise Answers

The idea of a self-driving lab is wonderful. But how well do they actually work?

View of biopolymer film on left and microscopic view of the film on right.

Dec 11, 2023

Researchers Combine Biopolymers Derived From the Ocean to Replace Synthetic Plastic Films

Crustacean and seaweed materials combined in a unique way could provide a sustainable alternative to plastic films.

illustration shows a robot conducting chemistry experiments in front of a high-tech machine

Nov 13, 2023

Autonomous Lab Discovers Best-in-Class Quantum Dot in Hours; It Would Have Taken Humans Years

A new autonomous system can identify how to synthesize “best-in-class” materials for specific applications in hours, rather than years.

plastic fibers and debris float in blue ocean water with fish swimming nearby

Sep 14, 2023

Genetically Modified Bacteria Break Down Plastics in Saltwater

The modified organism breaks down a plastic called PET, which is a significant contributor to microplastic pollution in oceans.