Category Chemistry/Nanotechnology

BENZOIC ACID

~Benzoic acid is also known as 65-85-0; Benzenecarboxylic acid; Dracylic acid; Carboxybenzene; Benzeneformic acid etc. occurs naturally in many plants and is used as an intermediate in the biosynthesis of many metabolites. It is the simplest aromatic carboxylic acid and is fairly cheap and readily available.

Chemical structure: C₇H₆O₂ (or C₆H₅COOH)

Odor/ color: faint pleasant, odor, colorless crystalline solid

Production: 

a) Commercially it is produced by partial oxidation of toluene with oxygen, and catalyzed by cobalt or manganese naphthenate.

b) Hydrolysis: benzonitrile/ benzamide can be hydrolyzed to benzoic acid or its conjugate base in acid/ basic conditions.

c) Cannizzaro reaction: Disproportionation (redox reaction) of benzaldehyde -> benzoate and benzyl alcoh...

ACRYLIC ACID 

~ also known as 2-Propenoic acid, 79-10-7, Propenoic acid, Vinylformic acid, Prop-2-enoic acid (preferred IUPAC name) etc. is an incredibly common chemical in the manufacturing industry with over 1 million tons produced per year. It is the most simple unsaturated carboxylic acid.

Chemical structure: CH₂=CHCOOH, vinyl group attached to carboxylic acid terminus.

Odor: Acrid or tart

Production: 

a) From propylene: CH₂=CHCH₃ + ​³⁄₂ O₂ → CH₂=CHCO₂H + H₂O

b) Oxidation of propane to acrylic acid (under research)

c) Carboxylation to acrylic acid (under supercritical CO2).

d) Environmentally-friendly option: Using fermented sugar to produce 3-hydroxypropionic acid (3HP) = acrylic acid precursor

Chemical reactions and Uses:  Acrylic acid reacts with alcohol to form an es...

Novel 3D Printing method embeds sensing capabilities within Robotic Actuators

Soft robots that can sense touch, pressure, movement and temperature. Inspired by our bodies’ sensory capabilities, researchers have developed a platform for creating soft robots with embedded sensors that can sense movement, pressure, touch, and even temperature. Researchers at Harvard University have built soft robots inspired by nature that can crawl, swim, grasp delicate objects and even assist a beating heart, but none of these devices has been able to sense and respond to the world around them.

Inspired by our bodies’ sensory capabilities, researchers at the Harvard John A...

PCN nanolayers under sunlight can split water. Credit: Nannan Meng /Tianjin University

One of the major challenges of the energy transition is to supply energy even when the sun is not shining. Hydrogen production by splitting water with the help of sunlight could offer a solution. Hydrogen is a good energy storage medium and can be used in many ways. However, water does not simply split by itself. Catalysts are needed, for instance Platinum, which is rare and expensive. Research teams the world over are looking for more economical alternatives. Now a team headed by Dr. Tristan Petit from the HZB, together with colleagues led by Prof. Bin Zhang from Tianjin University, Tianjin, China, has made important progress using a well-known class of metal-free photocatalysts.

Bin Zhang and his team ...