StepChange Innovations blog covering innovations and issues in chemistry.

Graphene, the wonder material for a new industrial revolution?

Graphene is the most promising new development of material sciences, due to its unique combination of properties, which opens a way for exploitation in a wide spectrum of applications. Yet there are many obstacles for the commercial exploitation of this new nano material. One of the greatest challenges today in commercializing graphene is how to manufacture high quality material, on a large scale, at commercially acceptable cost.

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Einstein´s theory of relativity explains why mercury is liquid

Scientists from New Zealand, France, and Germany have solved the old "mystery" why mercury is liquid at room temperature. The study used advanced computer models of theoretical chemistry to prove that the low melting point is due to mercury's special electron structure, something that can only be explained through Einstein's special theory of relativity.

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Nobel Prizes 2013 for natural sciences awarded

The 2013 Nobel Prizes in natural sciences have been awarded by The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. In physics, the Nobel Prize was awarded for the theoretical model which gives mass to all particles. In chemistry, the Nobel Prize was awarded for pioneering work in computational chemistry. In medicine, the Nobel Prize was awarded for discoveries of machinery regulating vesicle traffic, a major transport system in cells.

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Technical background of water and soil repellent finishing on textiles

Perfluorinated fluorocarbon (PFC) polymers provide the best performance for water and oil repellent finishing on textiles, but there are serious concerns regarding their environmental and toxic properties. In this article we discuss the technical and scientific background of water and oil repellent finishing on textiles, and will look into options for future, more sustainable technologies and chemical solutions.

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CRAMS outsourcing in pharmaceutical and chemical research and manufacturing, part III.

In this article we discuss CRO offshore outsourcing in the chemical and pharmaceutical industry, especially what drives outsourcing, the process for vendor selection, typical problems in CRO outsouring, and CRO Offshore Outsourcing to China and India.

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