chemistry

Dec 8, 2016

Castellano Named Goodnight Distinguished Chair

NC State chemistry professor Felix "Phil" Castellano has been named the first Goodnight Innovation Distinguished Chair. 

Nov 29, 2016

Researchers Tweak Enzyme ‘Assembly Line’ to Improve Antibiotics

NC State chemists have discovered a way to make pinpoint changes to an enzyme-driven “assembly line” that will enable scientists to improve or change the properties of existing antibiotics as well as create designer compounds. 

Sep 26, 2016

The Next Generation of Greenhouses May Be Power Plants

Researchers from NC State and UNC-Chapel Hill are launching a project to develop next generation greenhouses with built-in solar cells that make use of the entire spectrum of solar light. 

Jun 1, 2016

Baby You Can Drive My Nanocar

Off-road driving can be challenging if you’re in a nanocar. 

May 4, 2016

A Fulbright Future

Chemistry major Kyle Virgil will study solar energy conservation in Uppsala, Sweden as one of NC State's five new Fulbright Scholars. 

Sep 24, 2015

The Biochemistry of Fall Foliage

Bernhard Kräutler, a professor of organic chemistry at the University of Innsbruck, Austria, explains the biochemical processes that help trees create their autumnal color displays. Don’t miss this colorful lecture. 

Sep 16, 2015

Researchers Isolate Possible Ovarian Cancer Biomarkers; Find Biomarker Loads Can Vary With Disease Stage

Researchers from North Carolina State University utilized a highly sensitive mass spectrometry analysis to identify and measure difficult-to-detect N-glycan biomarkers associated with ovarian cancers in stages I – IV. In a surprising finding, the researchers determined that the level of biomarkers associated with ovarian cancer does not simply increase or decrease over the course of… 

May 21, 2014

The Difference Between Baking Soda and Baking Powder

Baking soda has only one ingredient: sodium bicarbonate. Sodium bicarbonate is a base that reacts when it comes into contact with acids, like buttermilk, yogurt or vinegar. This reaction produces carbon dioxide (CO2) in the form of bubbles (think of the grade school experiments involving fake volcanoes, vinegar and baking soda). When making baked goods,… 

Mar 11, 2014

Lignin Breakthroughs Serve as GPS for Plant Research

Researchers at North Carolina State University have developed the equivalent of GPS directions for future plant scientists to understand how plants adapt to the environment and to improve plants’ productivity and biofuel potential. Two articles published March 11 in The Plant Cell offer a step-by-step approach for studying plant traits, drawing on comprehensive, quantitative research… 

Feb 10, 2014

A Radical Approach to Defense

When are free radicals good for you? When your next door neighbor produces a toxic chemical soup. Behold the lowly marine worm, Amphitrite ornata. It’s red, looks like spaghetti and spends all of its time sifting through seafloor mud for meals. With absolutely zero defensive capabilities, Amphitrite would make an easy target for predators, yet… 

Jan 22, 2014

Why a New Catalyst for Hydrogen Production May Be a Big Deal

A research team led by Linyou Cao at NC State has shown that a one-atom thick film of molybdenum sulfide (MoS2  ) may work as an effective catalyst for creating hydrogen. Hydrogen holds great promise as an energy source, but the production of hydrogen from water electrolysis – freeing hydrogen from water with electricity – currently… 

Dec 12, 2013

Medicinal Microbes

Chemistry undergrads are learning to make helpful medicines from harmful bacteria. Their hands-on research could produce healing results. 

Sep 18, 2013

Hanck Honored for Service

The Department of Chemistry honored assistant head professor Kenneth W. Hanck for his 43 years of service to the university by dedicating the Dabney 210 conference room in his name. 

Aug 29, 2013

Hungry? Print a Pizza

You’re just dying for a pizza: gooey cheese, sweet tomato sauce, blistered crust. One problem: You’re millions of miles away from a pizza place, flying in some sort of spaceship toward Mars. Domino’s definitely doesn’t deliver up here, pal, so how do you satisfy your pizza craving? Print one out. Working with researchers from the… 

May 7, 2013

New Mechanism Converts Natural Gas to Energy Faster, Captures CO2

Chemical engineering researchers have identified a new mechanism to convert natural gas into energy up to 70 times faster, while effectively capturing the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide (CO2). “This could make power generation from natural gas both cleaner and more efficient,” says Fanxing Li, co-author of a paper on the research and an assistant professor…