Chemistry

MIT chemists have now developed a 3-D printing technique that allows them to print objects and then go back and add new polymers that alter the materials’ chemical composition and mechanical properties. These new polymers can be reactivated by light.

Technique enables adaptable 3-D printing

Once fabricated, objects can be altered by adding new polymers.

January 13, 2017

Barbara Imperiali, Class of 1922 Professor of Biology and professor of chemistry

Probing the function of key proteins

Professor Barbara Imperiali creates better biochemical tools for basic biology and drug development.

January 12, 2017

Through the RAPID Manufacturing Institute, MITEI and partner organizations like the U.S. Department of Energy support researchers’ studies of modular chemical process intensification. Process intensification involves combining many of the steps of traditional manufacturing — mixing, reacting, and separation — into a single process. This could dramatically reduce the size and scale of equipme...

U.S. Department of Energy announces MIT Energy Initiative will join new Manufacturing USA Institute

MITEI faculty affiliates to contribute clean energy expertise to national coalition that will address manufacturing challenges in energy-intensive processing industries.

January 11, 2017

This photosynthetic antenna consists of several pigments, which collect light energy, and their associated proteins.

How photosynthetic pigments harvest light

New model could help scientists design materials for artificial photosynthesis.

January 11, 2017

New research shows that when metal oxide (flat array of atoms at bottom) is used as a catalyst for splitting water molecules, some of the oxygen produced comes out of the metal oxide itself, not just from the surrounding water. This was proved by first using water with a heavier isotope of oxygen (oxygen 18, shown in white), and later switching to ordinary water (made with oxygen 16, shown in red)...

Study: Some catalysts contribute their own oxygen for reactions

Finding may help researchers fine-tune metal-oxide catalysts to enhance energy storage technology.

January 9, 2017

“Understanding how our innate immune system works is important for thinking about the development of new ways to treat infectious disease,” says MIT associate professor of chemistry Elizabeth Nolan.

Exploring the tug-of-war over metals during infection

Chemist Elizabeth Nolan studies the battle between microbes and hosts for essential metals.

January 4, 2017

A new system to monitor radiation damage in a material creates acoustic oscillations by using two pulsed laser beams aimed at a sample, in such a way that the light waves of the two beams cause an interference pattern. This interference pattern causes heating at the sample surface, generating a standing acoustic wave. The motion of the surface caused by this wave can be monitored by another set of...

Measuring radiation damage on the fly

Technique could continuously assess aging of materials in a high-radiation environment, in real-time.

December 13, 2016

Materials scientist Jeffrey Grossman lectures to a full house of first-year students in his popular version of a core course, 3.091 (Introduction to Solid State Chemistry). Earlier this year, he was honored with a MacVicar Award for exceptional undergraduate teaching.

Solid-state learning

First-year students get a spirited introduction to materials science and chemistry from Professor Jeffrey Grossman.

November 18, 2016

Common Sensing co-founders Richard Whalley (left) and James White

Data-driven diabetes management

Smart insulin-pen cap lets patients and doctors track dosage data to better manage treatment.

November 16, 2016

A silver-based catalyst material with a porous honeycomb-like structure, developed by the MIT team, can selectively transform carbon dioxide (CO2) to carbon monoxide (CO).

Turning greenhouse gas into gasoline

New catalyst provides design principles for producing fuels from carbon dioxide emissions.

November 15, 2016

MIT chemists have determined the structure of a bacterial enzyme that can produce biodegradable plastics, an advance that could help chemical engineers tweak the enzyme to make it even more industrially useful.

A step toward biodegradable plastics

Chemists discover structure of bacterial enzyme that generates useful polymers.

November 11, 2016

A new immunization strategy against microbes that invade the gastrointestinal tract may someday offer an alternative to antibiotics.

A new approach against Salmonella and other pathogens

Immunization strategy could prevent gastrointestinal disease.

November 7, 2016

Michale Fee and Elizabeth Nolan win Teaching Prizes for Graduate and Undergraduate Education

School of Science faculty members honored for excellence in teaching.

November 1, 2016

Clockwise from top left: Riccardo Comin, Timothy Cronin, Andrew Lawrie, Elchanan Mossel, Kerstin Perez, Alexander Radosevich, and Bin Zhang.

Seven new faculty members join the School of Science this fall

October 21, 2016

Robert Macfarlane, the AMAX Assistant Professor of Materials Science and Engineering at MIT, holds vials of gold nanoparticles. Macfarlane designs nanoscale crystal structures whose assembly is activated by mutually attractive “sticky ends.”

Faculty highlight: Robert Macfarlane

MIT chemist constructs nanoparticle-based crystals by programming interactions of synthetic polymers and biopolymers at the molecular level.

October 14, 2016

MIT News | Massachusetts Institute of Technology

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