Studying atoms can help make phone cases!

By using a technique known as atomic layer deposition, scientists at the Georgia Institute of Technology are developing new films to protect cell phones. Metal oxides are needed to make this heavy-duty case which claims to protect phones from oxygen particles and water molecules also! Most other cases who claim to protect phones in the same way prove to have faults in that their manufacturing process creates small holes in the film allowing these oxygen, water and other particles in. The leader of the research team, Samuel Graham, has lead his team to create new cases which have been proven to protect phones when submerged in salt water over the course of months. These new cases increase the longevity of cellular devices and also will play a large role in future development of future electronics made of organic materials. These cases are so revolutionary as they are constructed on the molecular level. The entire process focuses on the layering of substances and materials such as aluminum, gases, and metal oxides to make extremely thin and durable phone cases which outperform thicker, flimsy phone films. Read more from the article: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/10/131030111312.htm
      This article is not important in that it will provide a new phone film to users of cellular devices. This article is interesting as it includes the scientists' of atomic layer deposition to construct this case. Atomic layer deposition focuses on precisely placing substances in particular places to form a structure with other substances that can be even through out the product and be free of holes. This capability of being able to work on the molecular level shows great promise for future development of electronic devices and its possibilities. Atomic layer deposition reminds me a lot of how atoms are rearranged and joins to form compounds as described in Dalton's atomic theory. This chemistry aspect can also have a large role in the business world. For many cell phone companies, such as Apple, make many sales when products such as iPhones breaks constantly. If many people bought this new phone case, their phones would not break as often. Therefore while consumers would save money, producers such as Apple would lose a large amount of money. This shows how chemistry can affect other areas in society.

I know the government is shut down, but c'mon

Though much focus in the media has been on the government shut down, there has not been relatively any news of the government's lack of response to a depletion of a isotope needed in two thirds of nuclear power plants in the United States. This isotope is lithium-7. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has recognized no assembly has taken control of this pressing issue. To this point, lithium-7 has imported to the U.S. from Russia and China. These two nations are the only suppliers of lithium-7 in the world. As China continues to receive demand for this isotope and difficulties take place with Russia, the U.S. clearly being presented an important issue. This issue also poses a danger as lithium-7 plays a significant role in the pressurized water reactors. These reactors are used to cool the reactor core of the nuclear power plant. The GAO also recently realized the U.S. is using a significantly greater amount of this isotope than experts previously thought. The United States now has three possibilities: build a domestic reserve, create domestic production for this isotope, or alter the pressurized water reactors so they do not need this isotope. Read more in the article: http://www.rsc.org/chemistryworld/2013/10/critical-isotope-threat-two-thirds-us-nuclear-reactors
      Though most Americans could care less about an isotope vital to nuclear power plants, this is a very pressing issue. Nuclear power is a much cleaner alternative to other energy sources, and it would be a shame if this energy production was halted due to an insufficient supply of the isotope. If people realized this could affect electricity supplies, maybe then people would begin to worry. The most nerve-racking part of the article is the part in which it says lithium-7 is used in the pressurized water reactor. Pressurized water reactors are able to cool the reactor core of a power plant, therefore in the absence of lithium-7, what if a crisis like the nuclear crisis of Japan is born? Now as we see the disastrous effects of nuclear disasters both in Chernobyl and Japan, it is obvious this issue must be handled.
 

A Use for Staring at Clouds

     While many people can claim they're experts of watching clouds, not many can say they study clouds like Pierre Herckes. Pierre Herckes is currently leading a team of scientists to collect samples of clouds and fog to observe the chemical reactions and transformations occurring on the atomic level. To gather these samples, Herckes' team hikes up mountains and uses a fan to gather precipitation in the form of beads to analyze the particles after being collected. Herckes notes a large component of this is waiting for a cloud or fog. Herckes' team studies clouds and fog to determine how transformations in the air affect the quality of the air, the health of organisms, and the environment. While these transformations can neutralize harmful substances, they can also form harmful substances from harmless substances. These reactions also form either a cooling or a warming and reflecting effect in the atmosphere. Herckes also studies the formation of Nitrosamines which could potentially pose a threat to human health. In the end, Herckes and his team now studying these gas particles and how they interact within clouds will shine some light on this unclear phenomenon. Find more information in the article: http://www.usnews.com/science/articles/2012/09/19/chemistry-and-clouds
       As many people often learn of the basics of particles and the states of matter (solid, liquid, and gas), this article takes this topic to a whole new level. Based on how these particles interact in the atmosphere, they can either produce beneficial or detrimental effects in our environment. I particularly believe this research is important today as we as a species have contributed such an overwhelming amount of air pollution to the atmosphere to a degree where it's important that we do know how these particles are behaving in atmosphere. For while this could help erase the error of humans by turning pollutants into harmful substances, it could conversely creating a warming, reflective product which would intensify the greenhouse effect and global warming. This could even affect human's health with end results spanning to cancer. Thus this research led by Herckes could certainly help human's understanding and treatment of the atmosphere.

More complicated than it appears to be

      A small detail that is mostly overlooked, is the ripples on icicles. Though scientists hypothesized this was the result of surface tension between water molecules flowing over the ice, a new experiment conducted by Stephen Morris and Anthony Szu-Han Chan reveals these ripples are actually the result of salt. While tap water produced ripply icicles in the experiment, distilled water did not produce ripples. Also melted icicles were recorded for having a slight amount of salt in their composition. The experiment found a speed and direction of the ripple motion were determined by the concentration of dissolved salt. Though salt does drive this formation, it is not a large amount of salt used to make these ripples, only 20mg of salt per liter. This research can benefit greatly in prevention of ice formation on airplanes, ships, and power lines. Find more information in the article: http://www.chemistrytimes.com/research/Want_ripples_on_your_icicles_Scientists_suggest_adding_salt.asp
       Though the benefits of studying icicle formation are slightly interesting, this article entertaining in how particles react to form these icicles. Scientists first thought these icicles were formed by surface tension between flowing water molecules and the ice. Surface tension is the result of water's property of polarity, which allows it to form hydrogen bonds between slightly negative oxygen atoms and slightly positive hydrogen atoms of neighboring molecules. This polarity explains why water beads and has surface tension. Though scientists believed water was the cause of these ripples, this article described an experiment in which salt was revealed as the cause of formation of ripples. Due to water's polarity, it is capable of moving and reacting with other particles and molecules with different charges. This is most likely why the icicle forms ripples and changing shapes because of the bond and pull of particles of salt and water. These properties and reactions between particles are what drive chemistry and really make it interesting.

A molecular sponge to clean up the messes of mankind

      Though he was not directly searching for it, chemist Paul Edmiston stumbled upon a material that can act a sponge to absorb compounds such as oil and pesticides dissolved in water. Edmiston named this material Osorb. With the capabilities of this material, Edmiston hopes to use Osorb to erase negative side effects of hydraulic fracturing, commonly known as fracking. This process involves drilling into the Earth and injecting chemicals to unearth deposits of natural gas returning to the surface with many harmful substances. Not only has this been a controversial environmental issue, but it has even become a health issue by contaminating water supplies. When coming in contact with these substances, Osorb expands to eight times is weight for materials like oil to fit inside its pores. Edmiston is focusing on how to maximize the effectiveness of Osorb while still making it an economic choice. With the development of this material, Edmsiton hopes he can undo the wrongs caused by mankind's base actions to obtain energy sources. The article describes this further: http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/06/26/a-novel-way-to-clean-wastewater/?ref=chemistry&_r=0.
       As mankind has committed many atrocities to nature to achieve its own selfish goals, this discovery is crucial in preserving our environment. The incredible feature of Osorb is it acts like molecular sponge, absorbing materials even if they have already dissolved into the water. Though the side effects of pollution does fall into the area of biology, the concentration of chemicals, substances, and other pollutants involves chemistry. Think of the many possibilities substances such as Osorb could have! An example very relevant to my society is the Hudson River. Driving across the George Washington Bridge, no one could miss the repulsive yellow water caused by the accumulation of industrial waste and other corrosive substances. Imagine if Osorb could remove harmful substances from bodies of water throughout the world and how this could aid the environment. Developments such as this could even apply to environmental disasters such as the BP oil spill. The article directly mentions Osorb's ability to absorb oil thus Osorb could form an incredible contribution to purging of aquatic ecosystems of harmful substances like oil. With instances like the Exxon Valdez oil spill, the BP oil spill, and fracking, clearly human behavior like this will not go away, but it is up to materials like Osorb to erase and weaken the impact of these behaviors.

Just how strong is the strongest material?

      In a new paper written by scientists from Rice University, supposedly the strongest material known to man consisting of a chain of carbon atoms is described. This material is known as carbyne. Lead scientist Boris Yakobson of the research group describes the material as capable of being stretched, capable of storing energy with side molecules, and it is resistant to crosslinks with nearby chains. Now to understand the strength of this material, Yakobson points out this material is twice as strong as graphene. To break a sheet of graphene, one of the strongest materials ever tested by scientists, the weight of an elephant on top of a pencil would be required. Therefore the strength of carbyne is incredible. Carbyne's strength can be attributed to its arrangement of carbon atoms in a chain with double bonds or alternating single and triple bonds. Yakobson notes how people usually observe atoms of substances while in ground state, but he states carbyne may be the highest energy configuration for carbon materials. This material is further described in the article: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/10/131009162732.htm.
      Upon reading this article, I was initially amazed at the amount of strength this substance has emphasized in its comparison to the material graphite. If this substance could be produced in a great abundance, maybe it would have possibilities for being used in construction to make stronger structures. Also as a teenager who will soon be receiving their driver's permit, many stories and cases of tragic car accidents are scary and intimidating. Thus incredibly strong materials like this can continue to be discovered and studied, maybe the safety of essential features to life can be improved. As stated in the article, Yakobson proposed carbyne may be a structure of the highest energy configuration. From chemistry lessons of atomic orbitals and electrons, it is interesting to study how the arrangement of these atoms affects the characteristics and chemical properties of a substance. With my past posts discussing the promise of nanotechnology especially with tools like scanning tunneling microscope, this article clearly connects with those topics as its strength, ability to stretch, and capabilities of storing energy can be utilized in creating more advanced, nanotechnology. If scientists hope to invent more complex technology, they must use advanced substances like carbyne. Thus the importance of researching different materials such as carbyne in addition to their energy configurations serves a great significance for technological development.    

       At this year's Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting, past Nobel winners discussed with upcoming chemists how to use chemistry to solve four issues society faces today. These four issues are: alternate fuel sources, science's role in society, finite resources, and the development of medicinal drugs.  For fuel sources, chemists are determining substances that have properties that would allow them to be an alternate fuel source. Since fossil fuels are a finite source, one chemist proposed using hydrogen based fuels as an alternative, but another chemist mentioned the reality if this alternative fuel source is not cheap, it will not be used. All scientists agreed science should have an influence in a nation's government, and it is difficult to receive funding from the corporate and laboring class since results are not immediate. As other resources on Earth are depleting, the laureates also discussed the use of nitrogenous catalysts to replace these resources. Still, a chemist describes how it's difficult how to predict an increase in productivity and how this truly is an area of trial and error. Lastly, chemists discussed the severity of undervaluing the importance of developing antibody resistance. What substances or changes could be made to a person's immune system in order to aid antibodies in the endless war against bacteria. Watch the video and learn more from the article: http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=the-63rd-annual-lindau-trailer-chemistry-better-living
      Mainly I chose this article because as many people resort to the phrase "Why should I spend my time studying this?" This article provides a clear reason to study chemistry: with more developments, it will improve the life in which we live in. One of the main things I noticed in this video was as they introduced the individual chemists in the video, I saw not only chemists but other scientists such as physicists and others. This shows how main areas of science interlock and come together in order to solve issues of the common world. With the topic of alternate fuel sources, it was interesting how the chemist chose hydrogen as the base of its fuel due to its properties. Next, the real question would be which and how much of other elements would scientists combine in whole number ratios in order to form a mixture or compound that could solve this crisis that has left many professionals stymied. With the topic of finite resources, I observed the reoccurring theme in chemistry, the process of trial and error. The chemists use the example of using different substances and then say if you see a positive reaction from say barium, you use reason and assess which course of action will continue this trend of a positive reaction, like adding more barium. Also this video stresses the importance of sharing and communication between scientists and their ideas in order to continue to make advancements in the field. This Lindau Nobel Prize Meeting reminded of the way in which NASA works: lock a bunch of geniuses in a room and have them collaborate until they find a solution!

Back to the Heart of Chemistry

      Recently, the Nobel Prize committee has awarded chemists Martin Karplus, Michael Levitt, and Arieh Warshel with the Nobel Prize for chemistry by developing a method for modeling complex chemical systems. These chemists used classic computational tools to model chemical reactions vital to life on Earth such as photosynthesis. Since they can model these vital reactions, many peers are saying these chemists have joined the two entities of theoretical and experimental chemistry. These chemists also combined quantum and classic physics to determine how atoms and molecules react with one another. Not only can this new development model large molecules, but it can also observe and isolate particular atoms of a molecule. Other peers recognize this as a huge advancement in the field, as credit is given in the article: http://www.rsc.org/chemistryworld/2013/10/computational-chemists-take-nobel-prize-2013
      Advancements in science such as this are so crucial because quantum chemistry is the driving force of chemistry. A quantum is the amount of energy required for an electron to move from one atomic orbital to another, and thus quantum chemistry focuses largely on electrons and interactions between them and other particles. The movement of these electrons and how they react with other molecules and atoms gives substances their properties and is the heart of chemistry. This technology is ground-breaking as it allows scientists to observe chemical reactions vital to life on Earth such as photosynthesis. If scientists hope to a better understanding of more complex chemical reactions, having a complete understanding of these basic, crucial chemical reactions would make sense. Though most of chemistry is based on experimentation, scientists depend on technology such as this to be able to observe substances on a much higher level of detail. One of the first comments of this articles was a snide comment remarking a Nobel prize for chemistry should not be given to computers, but as time progresses scientists will have to depend on technology such as this to continue making advancements in this field.

The Downside to Every Upside

      In an amazing achievement, the China has found a way to supply for its immense energy demands by using coal-powered synthetic natural gas plants. With private companies deciding to build their own synthetic natural gas plants, China's demand for natural gas is easily met. Though of course since this method has any benefit, this means it also has negative side effects. The amount of greenhouse gas this coal-powered synthetic natural gas plants is seven times greater than the amount of greenhouse gas orthodox plants produce. The new method of producing natural gas also requires 100 times the amount of water used in the production of shale gas. These statistics were acquired by a study conducted by Duke University in which a member of the research group ends China entirely shuts down this alternative program of gas production as it has immense potential for damaging the environment. This is further described in the article: http://www.chemistrytimes.com/research/Chinas_synthetic_gas_plants_would_be_greenhouse_giants.asp.

      By having producing a larger amount of greenhouses gases, more heat would be trapped in the atmosphere according to the theory of global warming. This heat would then cause irregular, extreme weather conditions. Some experts credit  global warming for producing super storms, like Hurricane Sandy. Another environmental issue is the use of water. The amount of fresh water on Earth is currently around 2%, and most of this fresh water cannot even be used since it is frozen in the polar ice caps. Though this may sound like simply a matter of biology, this topic also involves chemistry. For with more greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, heat is trapped causing the particles to move in greater concentrations explaining the sporadic weather conditions. Also, the reactions used in plants to generate natural gas and energy is a process explained using chemistry. Thus it become the task for all nations to use chemistry in a way to generate industry without yielding a product that will harm the environment. It's fascinating how two different areas of science, biology and chemistry, are both involved in this topic.

Preventing the Inhumane Use of Chemistry

      With war remaining as a constant throughout history with participants resorting to crueler and crueler methods of warfare, the University of North Carolina has begun a study to create efficient ways of using antidotes to combat chemical warfare. The researchers, lead by Joseph Desimone, will use technology known as PRINT (Particle Replication in Non-wetting Templates) to achieve this feat. This technology will allow scientists to alter the particles of antidotes and utilize microscopic needles to inject this antidote to those affected by nerve gas. The study is further described in this article: http://www.chemistrytimes.com/research/Grant_to_explore_better_methods_for_delivering_antidotes_after_chemical_attacks.asp.

      Personally, I believe this study is extremely relevant to modern society due to situations like what is presently occurring in Syria. In Syria, Syrian rebels are using nerve gas on innocent civilians, and many believe the rebel group is somehow related to the government. Regardless, this is just one incident in which chemical warfare is used against harmless people. By conducting this research, researchers would be developing life-saving technology to combat this heinous act of war. Many gases from the periodic table have been used in chemical warfare throughout history. One example of this is chlorine which is highly poisonous in its natural gas form. This is why it's important to analyze properties of elements therefore if a situation presents itself in which the effects of the element would have to be neutralized, a solution could be made. This situation is chemical warfare. In studying how nerve gas reacts with the body and learning of how scientists can produce the most effective antidote particles, hopefully scientists could develop this way of saving a countless amount of lives presently and for many years to come.