Chemistry

Before geoengineering, some fundamental chemistry

Research led by Joseph S. Francisco of the School of Arts & Sciences examines the chemistry of a proposal to curb climate change’s effects—creating a sunshade in the upper atmosphere made of sulfuric acid—and finds that there’s more work to do to successfully pull off such a feat.

Katherine Unger Baillie

Identifying an elusive molecule key to combustion chemistry

Researchers made the most direct observation of a key intermediate formed during the breakdown of hydrocarbons during combustion and in the atmosphere, results that could help in the future design of fuels that burn more efficiently.

Erica K. Brockmeier



In the News


The New York Times

U.S. companies vie for funds in race to build rare earths industry

Eric J. Schelter of the School of Arts & Sciences spoke about rare earth metal mining and the process of separating the metals from ores. “In some sense, the first steps [of rare earth production] are relatively easy and well-understood, but the real challenge to make money is to do the separation,” he said.

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Forbes

Rare earth minerals could be sourced through outdated smartphones, batteries, wind turbines

Eric Schelter and colleagues from the School of Arts and Sciences developed a method to extract rare earth minerals used in high-tech gadgets using common lab equipment.

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Chemistry World

American Civil War Era Tea Yields Modern Day Medicine

Madeleine Jouillé of the School of Arts and Sciences led a team in developing a way to synthesize ceanothine D, a complex cyclopeptide alkaloid found in red root, also known as the New Jersey tea plant, a “staple of American folk medicine.”

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