Strange odor in Long Beach and Orange County from chemical spill in LA – OCRegister

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Residents from Long Beach to Orange County noticed a strange odor in the air on Thursday, Sept. 10 the result of a chemical spill near Compton, officials said.

Workers cleaning by an oil well in the 200 block of Alsina Street in Los Angeles knocked over a tank of liquid mercaptan, a non-toxic chemical used to add a detectable smell to natural gas and other hazardous materials, at about 11:15 a.m., Los Angles County Fire Department officials said.

The substance gave off an odor as it evaporated and was blown south.

Its highly concentrated in its liquid form, said Marvin Lim, a Fire Department spokesman. It went up into the air, and the winds carried it.

The odor could be smelled throughout the region, as far away as Anaheim and Buena Park, officials in those cities said.

Although only two gallons of the chemical was spilled, it can be quite pungent, Fire Department inspector Sean Ferguson said. It has a rotten egg or skunk smell to it.

People were able to smell it over a wide area, Ferguson said. It got picked up over the winds, so we had folks in scattered pockets getting a smell of this, calling 911 thinking it was a gas leak.

Fire officials helped mop up the chemical.

The odor did not pose any health risks, but those with sensitive senses of smell were advised to stay indoors until it dissipated.

Excerpt from:
Strange odor in Long Beach and Orange County from chemical spill in LA - OCRegister

Podcast: Chemists debate the value of name reactions in organic chemistry – Chemical & Engineering News

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Credit: Yang H. Ku/C&EN

Many chemistry professors teach name reactions in their undergraduate organic classes.

Scientists have been naming ideas, theorems, discoveries, and so on after other scientists for a very long time (Newtons laws of motion, anyone?). Chemists are no different. Theyve been naming reactions after each other since about the early to mid 1800s. Nowadays, organic chemists in particular use them as a kind of shorthand. However, because the majority of name reactions honor white men, some organic chemists wonder if using these names is exclusionary. In the latest episode of Stereo Chemistry, host Kerri Jansen and reporter Leigh Krietsch Boerner hear from a plethora of organic chemists on how reactions get named, who theyre named after, and whether the practice should stop.

Share your thoughts with us on Twitter! Tweet at us @cenmag, @absoluteKerri, and @LeighJKBoerner, using the hashtag #namereactions.

Read about the 2020 class of C&ENs Talented 12 at cenm.ag/t12.

Register for C&ENs Futures Festival at FuturesFestival.org.

Subscribe to Stereo Chemistry now on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, or Spotify.

The following is the script for the podcast. We have edited the interviews within for length and clarity.

Maria Gallardo-Williams: All the name reactions that we teach in organic one and organic two are named after all white men. So I find that very discouraging to women in the field or people of color in the field because it looks like nobodys ever going to name a reaction around your name.

Kerri: That was Maria Gallardo-Williams, an organic chemistry teaching professor from North Carolina State University. Shes describing a cultural practice in chemistry that has increasingly come under scrutinynaming certain chemical reactions after the scientists who discovered them, or someone who advanced the technique in a significant way. We call these name reactions. For example, the Grignard reaction, the Swern oxidation, or the Diels-Alder reaction. These names are widely used, but chemists have raised concerns that the highly visible roster of reaction names doesnt reflect the current demographics of the chemistry community. And these scientists question whether the culture of name reactions is serving chemists well.

Maria Gallardo-Williams: I mean its subtle, right? Its not, it shouldnt be a big deal. It shouldnt be a big deal, but it is a big deal.

Kerri: It turns out chemists have a lot of different perspectives on this particular issue, which were going to delve into in this episode of Stereo Chemistry. Im your host, Kerri Jansen. And Ive asked C&EN reporter Leigh Krietsch Boerner to join us, since shes the organic chemistry expert around here. Hi, Leigh.

Kerri: So I know that youve been talking to a lot of chemists about this subject over the last few weeks. What have you learned?

Leigh: Well, what really brought this to my attention was actually a Twitter thread started by Maria, whom we heard at the beginning of this episode. In early June, she posted about how shes trying to include more references to Black chemists in her teaching, to balance out the mentions of reactions named after white men. Mark Levin, an organic professor at the University of Chicago, jumped in to say that maybe organic chemists should remove names of scientists from undergraduate organic classes altogether. The thread then quickly turned to whether using name reactions is elitist or exclusionary, what the purpose of them is, and if the practice should continue. If Im remembering correctly, the phrase Death to named reactions was used.

Kerri: Well definitely link to that thread if you want to read more. But it sounds like there are some strong opinions about this.

Leigh: Yeah. I talked to almost 20 people, including several organic chemists that well hear from in this episode, and their perspectives were all over the board. And its actually kind of a sensitive subjectnot everyone is super into talking about this. But I was able to get a sense of what some of the key concerns are around name reactions, and what people think their future should be.

Kerri: Lets start with some background. How did this practice get started of naming reactions after people?

Leigh: Well a reaction is usually named after the person who discovered it or developed it. So one reason chemists started this practice was to honor a contribution to chemistry. This goes back to the mid 1800s, although its pretty hard to pin down what the first name reaction was.

Today, there are hundreds of these things. The Merck Index, a huge authoritative collection of chemicals, drugs, and biologicals, lists about 470 name reactions. But then I found out about a 3,800-page tome called the Comprehensive Organic Name Reactions and Reagents. The author, Zerong Daniel Wang, told me there are around 675 name reactions, although hes getting ready to put out a new edition, and hes going to add even more.

Kerri: So organic chemists learn 675 reactions?

Leigh: No. Thats a bit nuts. But some organic chemists have probably around 300 or so memorized.

Kerri: Thats still a lot of things to memorize.

Leigh: It is. But when practicing organic chemistry, its useful to have a shorter way to help simplify what might be a complicated chemical transformation. So instead of talking about it like a 3,3 sigmatropic rearrangement of an allyl vinyl ether, you can just say Claisen rearrangement.

Kerri: Right. Thats definitely easier.

Leigh: Exactly, and thats another big part of why the use of name reactions is so widespread. I spoke with Vy Dong, an organic professor at the University of California, Irvine, to learn more about how name reactions are used.

Vy Dong: Its a sort of language when you say, you know, performed an asymmetric Sharpless epoxidation. There, in just three words, you pretty much have conveyed a ton of information to the other person youre speaking to.

Leigh: Vy says she does use name reactions in her classroom and lab, but shes not super formal about them.

Vy Dong: I think for me, I dont expect students to just sit down and memorize the named reactions. But I say that its a really handy way to make an extra connection in your brain to something thats maybe more personal, more human. You know, I do remember meeting Kulinkovich, and trying to learn to pronounce his name exactly. Learning about his named reaction, introducing him at a talk. And now, like, Ill never forget the Kulinkovich reaction.

Kerri: Which is making cyclopropanol derivatives with a Grignard reagent and an ester over a titanium (IV) isopropoxide catalyst.

Leigh: Of course. Now, some other people I spoke with noted that being able to connect a name reaction with a face is maybe less useful for beginners in organic chemistry, who may not have ever heard of these people before. For students, knowing name reactions may be more about showing that they should be taken seriously as chemistry students.

Amanda Bryant-Friedrich: It was in my head all of my academic career. And of course, I perpetuated that with my own students by telling them, you need to know the names of these reactions, because that is how youre going to show people that youre competent, and that you understand organic chemistry.

Leigh: Thats Amanda Bryant-Friedrich, professor of pharmaceutical sciences and dean of the graduate school at Wayne State University. Referring to name reactions is part of thinking of yourself as an organic chemist, she says.

Amanda Bryant-Friedrich: You know, the interesting thing is that its part of the culture. When youre an organic chemist, you almost wear it as a badge of honor, if you can say every reaction by name thats out there.

Kerri: So knowing a bunch of name reactions is kind of proof that you know your stuff, youre on the inside.

Leigh: Yeah, and a lot of people I talked to said this, that students, especially graduate students, should, and are expected to, know some name reactions. And even thoug
h most say that memorizing these names has nothing to do with a students ability to understand the chemistry, there are some that use it as a sort of test. And if students fail this test, they might be looked down upon, in a way. So someone who doesnt know all the right name reactions, for whatever reason, may feel like they cant participate fully in organic chemistry. Heres Maria again.

Maria Gallardo-Williams: So there is a degree of snobbery, theres a degree of being selective. If you cant keep up with all these name reactions, then maybe you shouldnt be an organic chemist, which I hate. I hate things that are exclusionary by design, right? I mean, to me, thats the opposite of what we should be doing.

Leigh: And looking at that roster of name reactions gets at a bigger issue, which is who those names representor dont. Heres Amanda again.

Amanda Bryant-Friedrich: One of the questions that were walking around and one of the things that were not talking about is that most of these are white men. And so the fact that they are white men means that the idea of name reactions and the reactions in organic chemistry, theyve almost all been given to one sector of the world population: white men. And I would imagine that if you even talk to a young woman and told her about the Goldberg reaction, she would definitely first think that thats a man, and its a white man.

Leigh: Its actually not. That ones named after Irma Goldberg, one of the few reactions named after a woman.

Amanda Bryant-Friedrich: Theres a problem with that. Definitely. As we move forward now in science, and we look at these names, we have to be more aware of the fact what it is that were doing. Were being very exclusive there. Its an exclusive group of individuals and I dont know if that will serve us well in the future.

Kerri: OK, to hear that the bulk of reactions from the 19th to the mid 20th centuries were named after white men does not exactly surprise me. But Im curiouswhats the breakdown like today for these hundreds of name reactions?

Leigh: Well, its hard to know the exact numbers, because sometimes theres not that much information about the history of a reaction, and sometimes that would involve us making a call about race, ethnicity, or gender that may not be correct. To get a better handle on this, I called up Kevin Shea, an organic chemistry professor at Smith College. In 2010, Shea and one of his undergraduate students, Julie Olson, wrote a paper in the journal Accounts of Chemical Research called Named Reactions Discovered and Developed by Women.

Kevin Shea: When we started looking into reactions named for women, it was really kind of depressing.

Leigh: Basically, because there were so few, and sometimes who the reaction is named after is not straightforward.

Kevin Shea: A couple of them, its ambiguous, right? Because its like husband and wife, same last name. Right.

Leigh: Almost all of the women that worked in chemistry back in the early to mid part of the last century were married to chemists. Irma Goldberg was married to chemist Fritz Ullmann, but she didnt change her name.

Kerri: So thats how many?

Leigh: Lets see, theres the Piloty-Robinson pyrrole synthesis, the Robinson part after Gertrude and Robert Robinson; the Hunsdiecker reaction, after Clre and Heinz Hunsdiecker; the Goldberg reaction; the Jourdan-Ullmann-Goldberg reaction; the Catellani reaction, discovered by Marta Catellani in the 70s; and most recent, the StaudingerBertozzi ligation, partly after Carolyn Bertozzi. Thats six total. But since we cant be sure that the Robinson and Hunsdieker reactions were named after the female half of those couples, that makes four for sure.

Kerri: Four out of 600-something.

Leigh: Yeah. There are also a handful named after Asian men, for example Sonogashira coupling, the Suzuki reaction, and a few more. Its even harder to find reactions named after Black, Latinx, or Indigenous people. The name reactions list is definitely heavy with chemists who are male and whitetypically American or European. As Kevin and others I spoke with pointed out, thats partly the result of the fields long legacy of denying access to people who did not fit that profile. Heres Amanda again.

Amanda Bryant-Friedrich: Oh yeah, thats what its all about right? Its about access. So you can think about the amount of time that people, lets say African Americans, have actually been involved in academic science and the ways that weve actually become a part of those communities. Yeah, Im sure weve missed a lot. Weve missed a lot. Weve seen stories out there, like people who developed surgical methods that were attributed to people of color, but they did not get the actual recognition for that, because they didnt have the right title. So access has been, and always probably will be in my lifetime, one of the biggest issues that colors everything that were talking about right now.

Leigh: Who was allowed to be in the room, both in the past and now, of course has a giant, giant influence on the people we see represented in name reactions. And as several chemists I spoke with noted, not only does a lack of reactions named for women and people of color highlight a broader systemic issue within chemistry, but it also has the potential to be discouraging to chemists who dont see people who look like them on these lists.

Amanda Bryant-Friedrich: When I was learning about the name reactions and becoming a chemist myself, I recognized pretty early on that there was no one that looked like me or sounded like me or anything that was actually represented by those names. Did it mean that I felt like I could never have my own name reaction? No. It is, of course, a problemits just like walking into buildings where there are these portraits of all white men everywhere.

This is just not a visual, its written, its ingrained in our disciplines. So yeah, its definitely exclusive, and I think for future generations is going to be even more of that.

Leigh: But she says that she hopes that chemists will recognize this and change it. But that brings up the process of naming reactions itself.

Kerri: Righthow does that work? Who decides which reactions get named, and what theyre called? And which scientists are important enough to have the reaction named after them?

Leigh: Well, unlike how we name elements or chemicals, theres no central organization that decides how chemists name reactions. I spoke with Eric Jacobsen, an organic chemistry professor at Harvard University who has a reaction named after him: the Jacobsen epoxidation. He says that the process is pretty subjective.

Eric Jacobsen: You know, it seems, its kind of an arbitrary thing. And, first of all, its almost never the person who discovers the reaction who names it after themselves. There are a few very, very sort of peculiar exceptions to that, but for the most part, the vast majority of cases, other people name it, and its, I think its probably most often people who use the reaction in a synthesis will then refer to that reaction by the persons name.

Leigh: Many chemists say that this system, or lack thereof, can be problematic. Its such a word of mouth phenomenon.

Kerri: An organic process, you might say?

Leigh: Sure. But the point is that what each reaction gets called depends on who you are. For example, is it the Buchwald-Hartwig amination or is it the Hartwig Buchwald? If we think of it as a language, everybody has their own dialect, based on what theyve learned from the people around them. As Carmen Drahl wrote in C&EN in 2010, many people refer to the Mizoroki-Heck reaction as just the Heck reaction, even though Tsutomu Mizoroki developed a lot of the chemistry behind it.

Eric Jacobsen: You know, it gets messy if different people discovered the reaction and made it practical, lets say. Or if competing groups were working on the same reaction at the same time. How do you parse credit that way? Theres often an unpleasantness to it, even though its probably intended to be a nice thing, a thing of
recognition, but it often can be divisive and actually hurtful to people if theyre not recognized, even though they made important contributions to it.

Leigh: As a postdoc, Eric worked on a reaction later named after his advisor, Barry Sharplessthats the Sharpless dihydroxylation reaction. Then in 1990, shortly after Eric started his own lab, a C&EN reporter covering a method for catalytic asymmetric epoxidation of unsubstituted olefins dubbed it the Jacobsen epoxidation. The name stuck, although Eric remembers having mixed feelings about it at the time.

Eric Jacobsen: At the time I was kind of, frankly terrified, because at that point, the reaction wasnt very useful yet, and I wasnt sure if it ever would be. And, um, you know, it just seemed like a lot, a lot more attention than it should be getting. I mean, obviously, on some level, I was happy that I was getting attention and my students in my group were excited about it, but yeah, frankly I was embarrassed and I thought it was a little bizarre.

Leigh: Hes been name dropped more recently too, but C&EN had nothing to do with it this time.

Eric Jacobsen: A paper came out a couple of years ago, where in the title it said it used the Jacobsen amine. And I, frankly, didnt know what that was. I really didnt know that I had an amine. And I had to read the paper to find out what it was.

Leigh: Eric says trying to get things named after him isnt his goal as a chemist, but it was flattering. His personal experiences aside, he says chemists need to think carefully about whether using name reactions does make women and people of color feel excluded.

Eric Jacobsen: I think its important to ask people in that situation if thats the case. I hope that we all have this goal to increase representation in our field and to attract the very best people, the very best scientists for our field regardless of their race and gender. So if something like that dissuades people or discourages people, we definitely should think about it carefully.

Leigh: So how organic chemists use the language of name reactions can potentially have an impact on people that dont look like the white men that reactions are mainly named after. And chemists are trying to figure out how to deal with these issues.

Kerri: Were going to take a short break, and then well hear from these chemists and others about what they see in the future for organic chemistrys culture of name reactions.

Gina Vitale: Hi. Im Gina Vitale, an assistant editor at C&EN. If youre interested in the future of chemistry across all disciplines, check out this years class of Talented 12 early-career chemists. Every year, C&EN highlights a dozen rising stars in chemistry, who are using their creativity and chemical know-how to solve some of sciences toughest problems. The class of 2020 includes researchers who are hunting for compounds in interstellar space, figuring out better ways to diagnose tuberculosis, and dreaming up blueprints for building the next generation of computer chips.

Read all about the 2020 Talented 12 at cenm.ag/T12. Well include that link in this episodes description. You can also listen to the dazzling dozen share their research at the C&EN Futures Festival, a virtual event coming up on Aug. 2526. As well as catching the Talented 12 speak, you can also tune in to hear leaders from across the chemistry enterprise discuss the people, ideas, and discoveries that will shape the future of science. C&ENs Futures Festival is a free event, and you can register at FuturesFestival.org. Itll be recorded, too, so you can catch up with the action on-demand at FuturesFestival.org. Now back to the show.

Kerri: So Leigh, coming back to our discussion about name reactions in organic chemistry. Weve now heard reasons in favor of using name reactions, and reasons against. Youve heard from a lot of people on this subject, even though we couldnt include all of them in this episode. Where do these people think we should go from here? Will organic chemists continue to use name reactions?

Leigh: Well, some chemists would like to see more of an emphasis on descriptive names for reactions instead, like the aldol condensation or olefin metathesis, which is sometimes called the Grubbs reaction. But others, such as Jin-Quan Yu, an organic chemistry professor at Scripps Research, see the culture of name reactions as motivational, and want to keep the tradition going.

Jin-Quan Yu: For myself, Im a person of color. And when I see name reactions, my first feeling is, you know, Im inspired, because basically I admire whoever the scientists are who discovered the reaction, and Im grateful to them for their discovery, and Im enjoying, you know, benefiting from those discoveries. And I can only be inspired to dream maybe one day, my name, you know, will be attached to a reaction. If Im a student, I hope thats how they would be inspired.

Leigh: Jin says hes confident that, while the roster of name reactions is pretty white and male at the moment, that will change, and its already changing as new generations of chemists have a shot at discovering reactions. And some, like Vy from UC Irvine, do not see the use of name reactions as detrimental to the field.

Vy Dong: I could imagine if we put so much emphasis on the importance of having a named reaction or memorizing all of these 450 reactions and knowing who all the people that invented them were, I could see how that could be a problem. I just dont think that thats sort of something that drives the field right now.

Kerri: Theres also the question of what to do with all the existing name reactions, if the practice were ended. Would chemists just stop using them?

Leigh: Right. That is a hard question to answer. Eric from Harvard noted that at the very least, new chemists will need to know name reactions in order to understand references to them in the literature.

Eric Jacobsen: If we were to start from scratch right now, I might make the argument that theres no value to it at all, especially if those names alienate people in any way or discourage people in any way because theyre sort of, its a restricted list. But were not starting today, right? So theres this history to the field and theres a literature to the field and for people, you know, graduate students need to learn how to read the literature. And they also need to learn how to do new chemistry based on existing chemistry. You know, I think that it is important for them to know name reactions, or at the very least, to know where to look them up or where to find them.

Leigh: Amanda, from Wayne State, also notes that we have to work with what we have.

Amanda Bryant-Friedrich: We know in that world that were always talking about the exact same reaction, by giving it that name. Now could we have done that by giving it a name thats related to the actual functional groups involved or the mechanism involved? Sure. But that was not what we actually inherited. So I think it works very well for people now to use those names. I would love to see just having more inclusion of others. And I would imagineand I have never done the research myselfbut I would imagine that there are women, there are people of color who have done important things that we could add to that library, so that people would know that there were diverse people out there who contributed to the advancement of organic chemistry, and are name worthy. Making that list more inclusive would probably be a better way of attacking it than getting rid of it altogether.

Leigh: In fact, most of the people I spoke with do not want to end the use of name reactions. But there is a growing movement to include more context around those reactions when teaching them, and to recognize that there have been reactions named for men whove exploited the work of women, people of color, and even their own white male colleagues.

Amanda Bryant-Friedrich: I wish that there was a way where we could make that known, when people learn the reactions or . . . I know its just too difficult to take the name away, especially i
f its been around for hundreds of years or whatever. But its, it really can trigger in your mind when you know the history behind that person. If that person was someone who, honest to goodness took away opportunities from people, and took away the access that we just talked about. And then we constantly commemorate their contributions. Thats hard. That is hard.

Leigh: Of course, trying to build a more representative environment for organic chemistry doesnt end at discussing the history of named reactions in chemistry classes. What many people that I talked to agreed on is that the organic chemistry community needs to do a better job at inclusion, and work harder to highlight more women and people of color in the classroom and lab. Brandon Quillian, an associate professor of organic chemistry at Georgia Southern University, agrees.

Brandon Quillian: I think, especially from the perspective of where you can find women and minorities, I think that would definitely be very inspiring. I think it would be more of an attention-getter for those select people, because it would have helped me out, without a doubt.

Leigh: Kevin, from Smith College, says that professors can help students see past the white wall of history, by talking about how the field is changing, and pointing out modern women and people of color who are doing important work in organic chemistry.

Kevin Shea: You have to admit that it is exclusionary. Theres no question that it is. And I think if you dont address that in your classes, then youre perpetuating the exclusionary nature of that.

Leigh: As for Maria, from NC State, shes hoping organic chemists will do away with name reactions for good, abandoning them to the trash bin along with other outdated techniques like mouth pipetting.

Maria Gallardo-Williams: I mean, I dont see the need to teach my students all these names. Theyre not, theyre not going to enhance their understanding of chemistry, right? But then at the same time, if theyre going to go to graduate school, I dont want them to look like fools and not know that there are name reactions. So its really, youre like between a rock and a hard place because you have to make sure that your students look good when they get to grad school. So you have to let them know that this is a thing that other people do. They do it because weve always done it that way. And to look like a cultured and smart organic chemist, you had to do it, you know, you had to drop names, and you had to use name reactions, because it was the way we spoke. That doesnt mean that we have to speak like that forever.

Kerri: Well, thank you, Leigh, for helping us examine this issue. So what happens next? Are chemists going to do anything to change this?

Leigh: Well, not everyone thinks its a problem. But several people I interviewed said: You know, Ive never really thought about this before. Yeah, we should really examine that. Vy from UC Irvine pointed me toward a Carolyn Bertozzi tweet from a few days ago, referring to the Cope rearrangement as the Hardy-Cope. Elizabeth Hardy was a student of Arthur Copes, and the reaction was part of her thesis work. Organic chemists have the ability to change the narrative here. And most people I talked to said that they hope this podcast will launch a bigger conversation around it.

Kerri: And wed like to know what you think about this subject. You can find C&EN on Twitter @cenmag, Im @absoluteKerri.

Leigh: And my Twitter handle is @LeighJKBoerner. Well include those in this episodes description. Use the hashtag #namereactions so others can find your comments.

Kerri: And if Twitters not your thing, you can always email us at cen_multimedia@acs.org.

Leigh: And Id like to thank all the people who talked to me about this, both those that we included in the podcast and the following people we couldnt fit in: Carolyn Bertozzi, Scott Denmark, John Hartwig, Kami Hull, Mark Levin, Jie Jack Li, Jeff Seeman, Stephen Stinson, Zerong Daniel Wang, and the people who spoke to me on background.

Kerri: This episode of Stereo Chemistry was written by Leigh Krietsch Boerner and produced by me, Kerri Jansen. It was edited by Michael Torrice and Amanda Yarnell. Heather Holt was our copy editor. The music in this episode was Uncle Jojo by Dialgo and DuDa by Ian Post.

Stereo Chemistry will be back next month with a new episode. Be sure to subscribe so you dont miss it. Stereo Chemistry is the official podcast of Chemical & Engineering News, which is published by the American Chemical Society.

Leigh: Thanks for listening.

Chemical & Engineering News

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Podcast: Chemists debate the value of name reactions in organic chemistry - Chemical & Engineering News

Crews top playmakers Lucas Zelarayan and Youness Mokhtar working on their chemistry – The Columbus Dispatch

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The infusion of Lucas Zelarayan and Youness Mokhtar back into the lineup on Saturday night at Nipper Stadium against FC Cincinnati improved the Crews possession, but it didnt give the club the offensive lift it needed to come away with three points.

A scoreless draw with its top lineup against FC Cincinnati, less than two months after a 4-0 win against the same team, wasn't so much a regression for the Crew offense as it was a reflection of the new normal the team is navigating as it tries to reestablish what made the offense successful in the MLS is Back tournament.

Like New York City FC in the previous game, FC Cincinnati deployed its defense deep and the Crew struggled to break it down and create opportunities. Future opponents will likely see that as a recipe for success against the team in second place in the Eastern Conference through eight games.

To break down compact defenses such as Cincinnati used, chemistry between attacking players must be sublime. And with playmakers Zelarayan and Mokhtar having missed multiple games and weeks of training, the Crew can only now begin to rebuild what was lost in the offense.

"Those little connections, that little bit of sharpness and, for sure, that chemistry in the final third with our front players we need to get back where we were at early in Orlando," Crew coach Caleb Porter said after Saturdays match.

"I'm confident we'll be back where we were and even better. Tonight, I think you saw we had some good moments, but we need to keep working on it and we just need time. It's that simple."

Zelarayan had his best scoring chance Saturday night in the 51st minute with a ball from Milton Valenzuela at the top of the box. With just enough space to get a clean shot off, Zelarayan hit the side netting just wide of the left post.

Whenever Zelarayan, Mokhtar or winger Pedro Santos had possession and tried to play through the middle from a wide position, the Cincinnati defense blocked passing lanes and pressured the ball. With a back line of five defenders, the Crew was often outnumbered in the box, and crosses from the outside backs or wingers were cleared away consistently.

Zelarayan had the most pressure on him as soon as a pass was directed his way and was uncharacteristically dispossessed multiple times. Defender Josh Williams said that was evidence to him that it takes time coming back from injury because the speed, physicality and sharpness of decision making required in a game cant truly be replicated in training.

"Even a guy like Lucas who, to me, I watch him in training and I don't think he ever loses the ball," Williams said. "As those guys get going, I think you're going to see their play rise and rise, and eventually they'll be back to their old selves and causing havoc for upcoming defenses."

The Crew offense hasnt been completely absent, and theres no reason to panic. Theres time for the Crews execution in the final third to improve with the team being at full strength again and two more days in this upcoming three-game window starting Wednesday at home against Philadelphia compared to the previous window.

"We'll get better with time and more games where we'll play the same group and dig into some of those little final third details," Porter said.

jmyers@dispatch.com

@_jcmyers

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Crews top playmakers Lucas Zelarayan and Youness Mokhtar working on their chemistry - The Columbus Dispatch

What to stream this weekend: ‘Chemical Hearts,’ ‘Lucifer’ – UPI News

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Aug. 21 (UPI) -- Lili Reinhart and Austin Abrams star in Amazon's romance drama Chemical Hearts, Netflix's Lucifer is back with Season 5 Part 1 and an all-star cast present a virtual table read of Fast Times at Ridgemont High this weekend.

In addition, DC Comics will be releasing new trailers and footage for its biggest projects at the DC FanDome virtual event, WWE airs SummerSlam with marquee championship matches and RuPaul's Drag Race is releasing a new docuseries on VH1.

Here's a rundown of some of the films, TV shows and virtual events that are taking place this weekend.

Films

'Chemical Hearts' -- Amazon

Lili Reinhart is high school transfer student Grace who starts dating Austin Abrams' character Henry in Chemical Hearts, which comes to Amazon Prime on Friday. Grace was involved in a car accident that killed her previous boyfriend.

'The Vanished' -- VOD

Thomas Jane and Anne Heche are two parents who are desperately looking to find their missing daughter after stopping at an RV park in The Vanished, which comes to video-on-demand services on Friday. Actor Peter Facinelli wrote and directed the film.

'The One and Only Ivan' -- Disney+

Ivan, a gorilla, wants to return to the wild and leave behind the circus he is stationed at in The One and Only Ivan, which hits Disney+ on Friday. Sam Rockwell voices Ivan with Angelina Jolie as Stella the elephant, Danny DeVito as Bob the dog and Bryan Cranston as the circus owner.

TV

'Lucifer' Season 5 Part 1 -- Netflix

Lucifer returns with the first part of Season 5, which arrives onto Netflix with eight episodes on Friday. Tom Ellis, Lauren German, Kevin Alejandro, D.B. Woodside, Lesley-Ann Brandt and Rachel Harris star. Season 5 will include 16 episodes in total.

'RuPaul's Drag Race: Vegas Revue' -- VH1

RuPaul's Drag Race series presents a new docuseries that premieres Friday on VH1 at 8 p.m. EDT. Vegas Revue will follow former Drag Race legends as they prepare for the RuPaul's Drag Race Live! residency show in Las Vegas.

'Love in the Time of Corona -- Freeform

Freeform is airing a four-part limited series about the search for love and connection during the COVID-19 pandemic that begins Saturday at 8 p.m. EDT. Leslie Odom Jr., Nicolette Robinson, Tommy Dorfman, Rainey Qualley, Gil Bellows, Rya Kihlstedt, Ava Bellows and L. Scott Caldwell star.

'WWE SummerSlam' -- WWE Network

WWE presents its second biggest show of the year Sunday at 7 p.m. EDT on the WWE Network. The Fiend Bray Wyatt challenges Braun Strowman for the Universal Championship while WWE Champion Drew McIntyre defends his title against the malicious Randy Orton.

Streaming

'Fast Times at Ridgemont High' table read -- Facebook, TikTok

An all-star cast will present a live, virtual table read of Fast Times at Ridgemont High to benefit COVID-19 relief efforts Friday at 8 p.m. EDT on CoreResponse's Facebook page and TikTok. Sean Penn, Brad Pitt, Jimmy Kimmel, Jennifer Aniston, Morgan Freeman, Julia Roberts, Matthew McConaughey, Shia LeBeouf and Henry Golding are taking part in the table read.

'DC FanDome' -- DCFanDome.com

DC Comics is offering fans a virtual event that will feature new trailers and information regarding Wonder Woman 1984, The Batman, The Suicide Squad , Black Adam and more at DC FanDome, which begins Saturday at 1 p.m. EDT at DCFanDome.com. The event will also showcase new video games and comic books.

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What to stream this weekend: 'Chemical Hearts,' 'Lucifer' - UPI News

Tesla, Chemical Hearts, and 7 new movies you can now watch at home – Polygon

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If one thing isnt slowing down, its the future of superhero movies. Matt Reeves The Batman, which stars Robert Pattinson as Bruce Wayne, is set to resume production in London in September. In further Batman news, Ben Affleck is set to return as the Caped Crusader in the upcoming The Flash.

This comes on the heels of the news that Michael Keaton might also be reprising his role as Batman for the film, making it clear that the film would be spanning multiple timelines and universes.

Spider-Woman is also set to have her own big-screen adventure soon under the eye of Booksmart director Olivia Wilde. But the Spider-verse news doesnt stop there, as the villain Kraven the Hunter is set to be the subject of his own spin-off from Triple Frontier director J. C. Chandor.

While we wait for those movies, here are the best new movies you can watch at home this weekend.

Where to watch it: Rent on digital, $5.99 on Amazon, $6.99 on Apple

Michael Almereydas biopic of the inventor Nikola Tesla eschews all the conventions of the genre, using anachronisms and breaks in the fourth wall to tell the cult figures story. Ethan Hawke stars as Tesla, with Kyle MacLachlan as Thomas Edison. From our review:

The films experimental nature makes it tougher to swallow than a conventional biopic, but also more interesting and rewarding to engage with. Great performances help keep the whole enterprise anchored Hawke and MacLachlan are wonderful as men caught in conflict with each other and the anachronisms provide food for thought long after the film has ended. Teslas eeriness is appropriate to the man who inspired it.

Where to watch it: Streaming on Amazon Prime Video

Riverdales Lili Reinhart stars in this adaptation of the Krystal Sutherland novel of the same name. When Henry (Austin Abrams) first meets new girl Grace (Reinhart), he doesnt think much of her, but slowly begins to fall in love with her when theyre both chosen to edit the school newspaper.

Where to watch it: Streaming on Shudder

Random Acts of Violence, directed by Jay Baruchel, stars Jesse Williams as Todd, a comic book creator who discovers that a fan is using his creation Slasherman as inspiration for carrying out a series of murders. People at the convention Todd is attending start dropping like flies, and it looks like Todd might be next.

Where to watch it: Rent on digital, $5.99 on Amazon, Apple, and Google Play

In Stage Mother, Jackie Weaver (Silver Linings Playbook) stars as Maybelline, a conservative church choir director whose life is turned upside down when she inherits her late sons drag club. As she struggles to save the club from bankruptcy, she begins to open up and find a new calling in life. The film also stars Lucy Liu as one of Maybellines sons friends.

And heres what dropped last Friday:

Where to watch it: Streaming on Apple TV Plus

The documentary Boys State follows a thousand teenage boys as they participate in a leadership even in which they are charged with creating a state government from the ground up. We were blown away back at Sundance, where the film premiered. From our review:

One of the many things that makes Boys State entertaining as well as relevant is the way Moss and McBaine capture these kids different facets, and track how their combined ambition and navet play into the big picture. On the one hand, the participants clown around with the process, proposing legislation to address the looming threat of alien invasion and the difficulty of pronouncing the letter W. (The wag who introduces that bill demands that Boys State officially change the letter to dubya.) A favorite leadership tactic involves getting them to chant, howl, or hoot like apes in order to focus their attention. Theres a lot of young male energy in these proceedings.

Where to watch it: Rent on digital, $5.99 on Amazon, $6.99 on Apple and Google Play

At the height of the Cold War, a Soviet spacecraft crashes on Earth after a failed mission. The only survivor of the crash is the the missions commander, who has no memory of what happened. Unfortunately, as it turns out, the lone survivor isnt entirely alone: He may have brought back an alien parasite, too.

Where to watch it: Rent on digital, $6.99 on Amazon, Apple, and Google Play

Stranger Things Joe Keery stars in this thriller as Kurt, a young man who dreams of becoming famous on social media. His latest gambit is rigging out his car, which he uses to work for an Uber-esque ride-sharing company, to stage a nonstop stream. This catches the eye of another social-media-famous wannabe, stand-up comedian Jessie (Sasheer Zamata), who sets out to stop him. This is another Sundance find that surprised us. From our review:

Considering how heavy that sounds, theres not too much under the surface of Kurts violent ride. [Director Eugene] Kotlyarenko keeps Spree from becoming a present-set Black Mirror by opting for jokes over profound moments of psychological dissection. The result is a movie gushing with gags and a few moments that get too real for its own good. Killing a clichd Los Angeles club-goer with a motorized drill is wacky! Brutal gun violence baked into an emoji-filled livestream gets a bit uncomfortable. Luckily, the tonal whiplash is rare for Spree, which zips from vignette to vignette on the back of an all-in performance.

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Tesla, Chemical Hearts, and 7 new movies you can now watch at home - Polygon

WPI-MANA Uses AFM’s Probe to Induce Chemical Reactions at Specific Sites on Single Molecule – PRNewswire

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TSUKUBA, Japan, Aug. 21, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- A team at the International Center for Materials Nanoarchitectonics (WPI-MANA) has demonstrated controlled addition reactions at specific sites on a single molecule by using an atomic force microscope's (AFM) local probe at low temperature. This work enables the synthesis of functional carbon nanostructures that cannot be obtained by conventional chemistry. Thanks to their superior electrical properties, such nanostructures are expected to find applications in nanoelectronic devices.

(Image: https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/prwfile/release/M105739/202008183185/_prw_PI5fl_0QP3Fe05.jpg)

The team synthesized three-dimensional graphene nanoribbons (3D-GNR) by on-surface chemical reaction. Then, taking advantage of the AFM's ability to conduct tip-induced assembly, they demonstrated the nanoribbons' capability as a framework for local probe chemistry. This could allow sequential reactions, particularly addition reactions (in which two molecules combine to create a bigger one), by a local probe at the single-molecule level.

The AFM's probe, terminated with a small carbon monoxide molecule, allows direct observation of the inner structures of both single molecules, as well as the products of on-surface chemical reactions.

It also allows researchers to conduct single molecule chemistry via tip-induced reactions. The local probe can be used to generate highly reactive radical species by tip-induced dehydrogenation, dehalogenation or deoxidization on surfaces. However, since these organic redox reactions are conducted with planar molecules, the molecule-substrate interaction has to be reduced by inserting thin insulating films. In contrast, if a 3D hydrocarbon is used, the out-of-plane moiety can be used for local probe chemistry in a similar way to recent measurements of intermolecular interactions.

The WPI-MANA team noted that direct addition reactions at specific sites like the ones they demonstrated can advance chemistry toward synthesis of single compounds atom by atom. Such extremely fine control offers the ability to create unprecedented new functional materials.

This research was carried out by Shigeki Kawai* (Principal Researcher, Nano Functionality Integration Group, Nano-System Field, WPI-MANA, National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS)) and his collaborators.*Present affiliation: Group Leader, Nanoprobe Group, Nano Characterization Field, Research Center for Advanced Measurement and Characterization, NIMS

Shigeki Kawai et al., SCIENCE ADVANCES, Feb. 28, 2020:https://advances.sciencemag.org/content/6/9/eaay8913

SOURCE International Center for Materials Nanoarchitectonics (WPI-MANA), National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS)

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WPI-MANA Uses AFM's Probe to Induce Chemical Reactions at Specific Sites on Single Molecule - PRNewswire

R.C.N. Solutions Srl and the chemical tempering plant – Glass on Web

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As a dated and experienced manufacturer of glass machinery, R.C.N. SOLUTIONS has come to the conclusion the chemical tempering of the glass is open to several advantages and different applications.

CT900 - Chemical tempering plant,"RIVA by RCN"

The process is preferred for all those jobs where thin tempered glass is demanded, a limitation the thermal tempering ovens cannot overcome, albeit some manufacturers have recently extended the thermal tempering to thin glass as well. However, the optical quality is far to be equal to the glass chemically tempered, because the chemical process does not provoke distorsion on the glass surface, not a minor detail , and not the only benefit.

The chemical process consists of submerging the glass into fused potassium salt bath and exposing the glass to an ion exchange process, at a temperature of 450C.

The process provokes a space reduction between the glass particles that are compressed by the bigger size of the potassium ions. The glass surface is under compression (300/400 N/mq) while the core is not in compensating tension.

Thou the chemical tempering requires more time process than the thermal one, the advantages are significant: glass chemically tempered can be processed later -drilling, cutting, edging, polishing, sandblasting; curved glass can also be tempered, special curves in particular. The absolute flatness is essential for the lamination process and the lack of distorsion is a crucial matter in some architectural projects too.

For this reasons RCN, in cooperation with an expert having more than 40 years experience in manufacturing chemical tempering plants, has developped its new chemical tempering line, "Riva by RCN" and it is not by chance that international companies such as AGC, Schott, Europtec and Luxottica have chosen RCNas supplier.

This new line perfectly matches with the other RCN machinescombining a full production "team": bending, tempering and lamination. The winning solution resonding to the latest market requirements, but also granting a free access to several, different applications, giving your products the high added value you are looking for.

R.C.N. SOLUTIONS SRL - Italy

http://www.rcnsolutions.it

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R.C.N. Solutions Srl and the chemical tempering plant - Glass on Web

3D Printing Chemistry 101: The Molecular Makeup of PAEK, PEKK and PEEK Plastic – 3DPrint.com

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If youre anything like this author, you got a C- in high school chemistry and never looked back. With a newfound interest in the topic, Im hoping to revisit the molecular science of some of the most popular materials in 3D printing to understand themnot just in terms of applications and physical properties, but chemical makeup.

According to its Polymer Additive Manufacturing Markets and Applications: 2020-2029 report,SmarTech Analysis expects polymer 3D printing to create as much as $11.7 billion in revenue in 2020, driven by sales of polymer AM hardware and all associated material families. In particular, thepolyaryletherketone (PAEK) family of plastics is one of the most important in the additive space due to the high strength, temperature resistance and chemical resistance. This group includes PAEK, polyether ketone ketone (PEKK) and polyether ether ketone (PEEK). PAEKs differ from their lower cost alternative, polyetherimide (PEI), which is most recognizable under the SABIC brand ULTEM and often discussed in the same context as PAEK polymers.

Due to the above properties, PAEKs are well known in high performance industries, such as aerospace, oil and gas, and automotive. Their ability to undergo sterilization without breaking down makes them well suited for medical applications as well, including medical implants like artificial hips. Unlike other materials, PEI for additive manufacturing (AM), in particular, has received the necessary certifications to be used in critical aerospace applications.

To learn about the chemistry of the PAEK family, we reached out to Victrex, who is the leading provider of PAEK polymers for 3D printing and invented PEEK specifically in 1926. John Grasmeder, chief scientist at Victrex, was able to provide us with an explanation of what gives PAEK plastics their unique physical properties at the molecular level.

Its not so much about the atoms themselves, which are principally carbon, hydrogen and oxygen, but the molecular structure which these atoms form. PolyArylEtherKetones molecular structures comprise the following building blocks:

The aryl and ketone groups are fairly rigid and provide stiffness which means high strength combined with resistance to heat. The ether groups provide some degree of flexibility, for good toughness, and like the aryl and ketone groups are unreactive, so all three building blocks provide resistance to chemical attack, Grasmeder said.

The number and arrangement of ether and ketones in the polymer chains of PAEK plastics (PAEK vs PEEK vs PEKK, etc.) determines the glass transition temperatures and melting point of the plastic, as well as its heat resistance and processing temperature. The higher the ratio of ketones to ether, the more rigid, thus increasing the glass transition temperature and melting point.

In particular, PAEK has a continuous operating temperature of 250 C (482 F) and can even handle loads for a short period of time in temperatures of up to 350 C (662 F). When burned, PAEK puts out a low amount of heat and its fumes are the least toxic and corrosive. PAEK also has good chemical resistance. The material does not break during an unnotched Izod impact test, has a tensile strength of 85 MPa (12,300 psi), a Youngs modulus of 4,100 MPa (590,000 psi) and yield strengths of 104 MPa (15,100 psi) at 23 C (73 F) and 37 MPa (5,400 psi) at 160 C (320 F).

Whereas PEKK possesses all of the same properties as PAEK mentioned above, PEKK can exhibit greater compression strength than PEEK and also has a much wider of processing parameters than PEEK. It can be printed at a lower temperature than PEEK with better layer adhesion.

OXPEKK plastic from Oxford Performance Materials.

This combination of stiffness and flexibility locates PAEK plastics into the semi-crystalline category of thermoplastics. Grasmeder explained how these characteristics manifest in terms of physical performance. The presence of a significant degree of crystallinity ensures that the polymers are more resistant to friction, wear, heat, creep (long-term deflection under temperature and load), fatigue (repeated application of a cyclic stress) and resistant to chemicals. Without crystallinity, these properties would be severely compromised, Grasmeder said.

Whereas PAEK polymers are semicrystalline, PEI is amorphous, meaning that the polymer chains are randomthey have no particular order or arrangement. In turn, PEI is less expensive, has a lower impact strength, and a lower usable temperature.

While PAEKs can be processed using pretty much any manufacturing technology, they present a particular issue for 3D printing, which all polymers face: interlayer bonding. Due to the weakness of the bonds between layers in printed objects, the Z-axis of these parts lack the same strength exhibited in the X- and Y-axes. In turn, PEEK used for injection molding cant simply be taken and used for fused filament fabrication (FFF).

For this reason, Victrex has recently released a PAEK-based filament, VICTREX AM 200, that is meant to be optimized specifically for AM. Grasmeder claims that it is intended to address this weakness in 3D printing PEEK. For some time before the FFF material, Victrex was already well known for its development of PAEKs for use in laser sintering. Specifically, powdered PAEKs were meant to have improved thermal stability for recycling unsintered powder, to lower the costs of printing with the material by ensuring high reusability.

Due to the characteristics described, PAEK family of materials and PEI are becoming increasingly attractive alternatives to metal parts that can be potentially made at a lower cost. This is in part being driven by the third generation of FFF systems that, after the expiration of some Stratasys patents, incorporate heated build chambers and high temperature printheads necessary for 3D printing PAEK plastics and PEI. In particular, PAEK manufacturers are targeting aircraft interiors and some structural components, such as brackets, for light-weighting.

A printed part made with VICTREX AM 200 PAEK filament using an Intamsys FUNMAT PRO 410 3D printer, representative of the third wave of FFF 3D printers. Image courtesy of Victrex.

As we have noted, chemical companies are increasingly looking to take advantage of the shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy in global infrastructure, with oil companies looking to shift revenue streams to petroleum-derived plastics. However, from an ecological perspective, this doesnt address the ecological issues associated with the extraction of the ingredients for these materials or the lifecycles of these materials. Therefore, its important to consider the possibilities of biopolymer alternatives.

Grasmeder said that, while there are not yet any biopolymer equivalents to PAEKs, they may exist in the future.

At present to my knowledge there are no commercially available PAEKs which are wholly based on renewable sources but PAEKs have their own sustainable credentials in the form of lightweighting and recyclability potential in applications, Grasmeder explained. As an aside, the molecules used to make PAEK that are mentioned above are ultimately manufactured from basic chemical building blocks, such as benzene and toluene. There are already bio-based routes to these building blocks being developed and scaled. Its a reasonable assumption that as the bio-based chemical industry expands, the bio-based raw materials that we need to make bio-based PAEK may become available sometime in the future.

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3D Printing Chemistry 101: The Molecular Makeup of PAEK, PEKK and PEEK Plastic - 3DPrint.com

Hartford Athletic Continue to Build Team Chemistry – NBC Connecticut

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The Hartford Athletic have been training at Dillon Stadium ahead of the USL Championship season opener. With a new coach and some new players on the roster, the team is using this time to build team chemistry on the field.

After an usual offseason, the players are excited to be back working face to face and theres a sense of optimism that this years team can do something special.

Theres a certain hunger that I think exists right now in our group, said midfielder Nicky Downs. Its a younger group than we had last year. Guys that really want to get after it and work hard and will buy into the system that Coach is trying to implement.

Radhi Jaidi took over as head coach of the Athletic after the club completed its inaugural season. The USL Championship is tentatively scheduled to begin the 2020 season on July 11.

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Hartford Athletic Continue to Build Team Chemistry - NBC Connecticut

Turnkey State-of-the-art Calcining/Chemical facility and equipment available for sale – Yahoo Finance

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Bids Due July 28, 2020

OTTAWA, Ill., July 7, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --Located just 70 miles from Chicago, Illinois, investment group headed by Federal Equipment Company and Holland Industrial Group is accepting offers for the Cristal Metals (Tronox) production facility in Ottawa, Illinois. The facility is fully configured to produce and process titanium powder and can be converted to many other products. Turnkey for its existing function as a calcining and drying operation, the plant can be used across multiple chemical processes. A $200 million investment was made to build this facility in 2010 and it was operated from 2010-2019.

Bids for the facility are due July 28, 2020.

The facility includes calciners, rotary tray dryers, liquid slurry, filtering, and more. It also features CSX rail spurs branching into (2) buildings.

The sale of this turnkey operation is a unique opportunity:

For more information, to view sale brochure, and bidder packet, please visit: https://fedequipblog.fedequip.com/for-sale-chemical-plant-ottawa-il/.

Contact:Interested parties should contact David Winger for further information: +1 216.536.0309| david@fedequip.com.

Auction Scenario:Should an acceptable sealed bid offer not be received by the July 28, 2020 deadline, an auction of the company's M&E assets will commence, with all assets sold on a piecemeal, "as is, where is" basis. The auction will be conducted online at the end of August or early September 2020. A second inspection of the assets will be made available to interested buyers.

About Holland Industrial Group:

With over 30 years of experience in plant liquidations and equipment auctions, Holland Industrial Group serves large and small corporations in asset recovery for their idle and surplus assets. Our Real Estate arm allows us to help companies understand their short-term and long-term value of their property. We have the capabilities to buy all-cash to complete a smooth transaction in connection with the disposition of all plant assets including the real estate. For more information, please visit HollandIndustrialGroup.com.

About Federal Equipment Company:Federal Equipment Company offers 60 years of expertise buying and selling processing and packaging equipment. We optimize the value you recoup for surplus equipment and ensure you get the equipment you need quickly from our broad, on-hand inventory of reliable used machines. For more information, please visit: fedequip.com.

View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/turnkey-state-of-the-art-calciningchemical-facility-and-equipment-available-for-sale-301088596.html

SOURCE Federal Equipment Company

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Turnkey State-of-the-art Calcining/Chemical facility and equipment available for sale - Yahoo Finance

Chemical Vapor Deposition Industry Report 2020 – Global Market to Reach a Revised Size of $47.4 Billion by 2027 due to COVID-19 -…

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DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The "Chemical Vapor Deposition - Global Market Trajectory & Analytics" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

Global Chemical Vapor Deposition Market to Reach US$47.4 Billion by the Year 2027

Amid the COVID-19 crisis, the global market for Chemical Vapor Deposition estimated at US$26.9 Billion in the year 2020, is projected to reach a revised size of US$47.4 Billion by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 8.4% over the analysis period 2020-2027.

Materials, one of the segments analyzed in the report, is projected to grow at a 8.6% CAGR to reach US$25.1 Billion by the end of the analysis period. After an early analysis of the business implications of the pandemic and its induced economic crisis, growth in the Equipment segment is readjusted to a revised 7.8% CAGR for the next 7-year period. This segment currently accounts for a 30.7% share of the global Chemical Vapor Deposition market.

The U.S. Accounts for Over 27% of Global Market Size in 2020, While China is Forecast to Grow at a 11.3% CAGR for the Period of 2020-2027

The Chemical Vapor Deposition market in the U. S. is estimated at US$7.3 Billion in the year 2020. The country currently accounts for a 27.05% share in the global market. China, the world second largest economy, is forecast to reach an estimated market size of US$9.8 Billion in the year 2027 trailing a CAGR of 11.3% through 2027. Among the other noteworthy geographic markets are Japan and Canada, each forecast to grow at 5.6% and 7.1% respectively over the 2020-2027 period. Within Europe, Germany is forecast to grow at approximately 6.5% CAGR while Rest of European market (as defined in the study) will reach US$9.8 Billion by the year 2027.

Services Segment Corners a 17% Share in 2020

In the global Services segment, USA, Canada, Japan, China and Europe will drive the 8.3% CAGR estimated for this segment. These regional markets accounting for a combined market size of US$3.4 Billion in the year 2020 will reach a projected size of US$6 Billion by the close of the analysis period. China will remain among the fastest growing in this cluster of regional markets. Led by countries such as Australia, India, and South Korea, the market in Asia-Pacific is forecast to reach US$6.7 Billion by the year 2027, while Latin America will expand at a 10.3% CAGR through the analysis period.

The publisher brings years of research experience to this 9th edition of the report. The 286-page report presents concise insights into how the pandemic has impacted production and the buy side for 2020 and 2021. A short-term phased recovery by key geography is also addressed.

Competitors identified in this market include, among others:

Total Companies Profiled: 46

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/etdq0q

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Chemical Vapor Deposition Industry Report 2020 - Global Market to Reach a Revised Size of $47.4 Billion by 2027 due to COVID-19 -...

Proteins pinpointed in cells at nanometre resolution | Research – Chemistry World

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Inside the crowded confines of a cell, individual proteins can now be pinpointed with exceptional accuracy thanks to the combination of two powerful microscopy techniques.

Advances in cryogenic electron tomography (CET) produce images at near atomic scale resolution using purified proteins. However, in order to view a protein in its natural environment, a cell, CET is less useful. One of the real challenges, is youre not looking at a purified protein complex anymore, explains Peter Dahlberg, a postdoctoral researcher at Stanford University.

Within a cell there are a multitude of proteins that interact with each other and other cellular structures like membranes and ribosomes. When viewed using CET it can be difficult to tease out whats what within the cytoplasm, meaning most proteins of interest for biologists arent directly discernable. This is where Nobel-prize winning super-resolution fluorescence microscopy comes in, as it is a powerful tool to pinpoint proteins.

Combining the methods allows a protein to be viewed within a cell. For this, samples are imaged fluorescently first and then with CET, after which the images are combined. However, this poses a problem.

To prevent shifting between the two sets of images the samples are frozen at cryogenic temperatures. Getting fluorescence images with the same levels of resolution as CET is normally done at room temperature and doesnt work as well in frozen samples. To improve the performance of super-resolution fluorescence at low temperatures Dahlberg leveraged his lab groups 2018 discovery of a red photo activated protein called PAmKate that maintains its fluorescence at cryogenic temperatures. PAm was a big step forward for us in being able to do this, but its also a lot of brute force and making something thats not ideal work, he explains. Experiments with the new technique, dubbed correlated imaging by annotation with single molecules (CIASM), showed that it could achieve localisation of proteins within the bacteria Caulobacter crescentus, on average, to 10nm.

Tm Mignot, a bacterial cell biologist at Aix-Marseille University, says this work is a nice proof of concept that addresses a long-standing problem. You see where the protein is by fluorescence, but now you can really look at its localisation related to the membrane or sides of the membrane, which you could not achieve in the past.

Providing localised context could prove useful for the study of diseases caused by bacteria, viruses and parasites, all of which use unique proteins and structures to invade and exploit host cells and tissue. Identifying these improves our understanding of diseases and might provide targets for drugs that disable their vital processes. Malaria, for example, creates protrusions on the surface of red blood cells which cause them to get stuck in blood vessels. According to Friedrich Frischnknecht, a parasitologist at the University of Heidelberg, electron tomography of these protrusions reveals a spiral structure, but nobody knows what the spiral is made from. Using a technique like CIASM might provide an answer as to how this spiral structure, which has a direct link to pathogenicity, is built.

While the technique provides a more precise location of where a protein is, extracting and directly visualising that protein is not yet possible. Another challenge, adds Dahlberg, will be increasing the numbers of proteins that can be localised using this technique to the same levels found using room temperature methods.

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Proteins pinpointed in cells at nanometre resolution | Research - Chemistry World

The Best Chemical Exfoliants to Buy in 2020 – The Trend Spotter

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Regular exfoliation is a crucial step to add to any beauty and grooming regime. While face scrubs, can feel great, for a deeper, more effective experience, chemical exfoliants are the better choice. The two main types are alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) and beta hydroxy acids (BHAs). Both get deep into the pores to remove dead skin cells and brighten the appearance of the skin. Plus, they can alleviate issues such as wrinkles, acne, or dark pigmentation. Read on for more information about chemical exfoliants, plus our picks for the best in the market.

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Chemical exfoliants are a beauty product that uses acids to break down dead skin cells on the face and neck. Its an alternative to physical exfoliants such as scrubs or brushing. There are various types and concentrations, and you can buy lower concentration chemical exfoliants from grocery stores, pharmacies, and beauty stores. While the higher concentrations are reserved for use at beauty salons or dermatologists. The two most common types of chemical exfoliants are AHAs and BHAs.

RELATED: AHA vs BHA: How to Choose the Right Exfoliant for Your Skin

Skin naturally regenerates every 30 or so days. However, this can be slowed by aging, sun exposure, or a build-up of dirt and bacteria. Chemical exfoliants speed up this regeneration process by removing the top layers of dead skin cells. It works by breaking the bond that holds the skin cells together, allowing them to shed. The acids used in the formulations are gentle and unlikely to cause irritations. However, its best to do a spot test before committing to your whole face. Since this process exposes new skin cells, you do need to be vigilant about moisture and sun protection. Make sure you keep your face and neck hydrated with a moisturizer that suits your skin. Plus, always wear a good sunscreen. Doing so will protect the new skin cells and prevent the damage that causes the slowing of the skins natural rejuvenation in the first place.

The main benefit of chemical exfoliants is that it improves the skins appearance through deep cleaning, improving fine lines and wrinkles, and minimizing pores. Chemical exfoliants can also improve sun damages and pigmentation, as well as acne and scarring. Removing the dead cells also prepares the skin better for moisturizing, allowing all that hydrating goodness to absorb better. Plus, chemical exfoliants can be used on most skin types, from oily and acne-prone to dry and sensitive skin. Compared to physical exfoliants, chemical ones are less abrasive, and they get deeper into the skin for a better clean and improved results.

AHAs are water-soluble and can occur naturally, or be synthesized in a lab. As such, they work well on the surface of the skin, improving the texture. Theyre also fantastic for treating fine lines, mild hyperpigmentation, uneven skin tone, and enlarged pores. AHAs come in various formats, including liquids, gels, and peel pads what you choose comes down to personal preference. Product concentration can vary from 5% to 10%. If you have sensitive skin or are new to chemical exfoliants, its best to start with a lower concentration product and work your way up.

In contrast to AHAs, BHAs are oil-soluble. This means that they can penetrate deeper into the skin to help clear excessive sebum and unclog pores. BHAs are excellent for combination or oily skin, as well as treating acne and sun damage. Additionally, low concentration products can work to calm redness, such as rosacea, in the skin. Concentrations of BHAs are much lower than AHAs, ranging from 0.5% to 2%. Again, its best to start any new skincare routine with a lower concentration to see how your skin reacts. BHAs work best when given time to get into the skin, so using a specific serum is better than cleansers that contain BHAs.

Glycolic acid is a type of AHA derived from sugar cane. Its one of the most widely used acids in chemical exfoliants and comes in cream, toner and cleanser forms. Which you choose will depend on what else already plays a part in your skincare regime. In addition to its exfoliating and skin smoothing properties, its antimicrobial, which means it can help prevent acne breakouts. Keep in mind that you will need to avoid using retinol and vitamin C at the same time as your glycolic acid. Alternate the days you used these with the days you use your glycolic acid.

Another type of AHA, lactic acid, is perfect for more sensitive skin types, as its gentler than some of its counterparts. Its derived from milk and has anti-wrinkle and pigmentation fighting powers. Similar to other AHAs, it comes in many forms, from creams to masks and cleansers. The strength of the formula can also vary, with most at-home products sitting at less than 10%. As with any acid-based product, use a deep moisturizer and broad-spectrum sunscreen every day.

Finally, salicylic acid is a common type of BHA and is derived from salicin, which comes from willow bark. This particular acid is excellent for deep cleaning, right down into the pores. It also has anti-inflammatory properties. As such, its perfect if you experience acne, clogged skin, excessive oil production, or uneven skin tone. However, it may be a bit much for mature or dry skin. Due to the more potent nature of BHAs, the strength will be much lower than AHAs, ranging from 0.5% to 2%.

If your acne issues have persisted beyond your tumultuous teenage years, and now its coinciding with concerns about aging, this is the serum for you. This oil-free solution helps to control acne by slowing down excess sebum production, minimizing blemishes, and deep cleaning the pores. Additionally, it fights aging by reducing hyperpigmentation caused by acne, smoothing skin texture, and refining pores. Its both sulfate and artificial fragrance-free. Use it once or twice daily, applying 4-5 drops to dry skin before continuing with moisturizer and the rest of your daily regimen.

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A cult-favorite, Paulas Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant is a gentle, leave-on product. Salicylic acid is the active ingredient, which unclogs the pores, reduces the appearance of wrinkles, and brightens skin tone. With an ideal pH range of 3.2-3.8, this chemical exfoliant leaves you with radiant, youthful-looking skin. Its easy to use simply wash, dry, and tone your face. Then, soak a cotton pad and apply it all over your face. Finish with a moisturizer and broad-spectrum sunscreen for the daytime.

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Paulas Choice Resist Daily Smoothing Treatment is specially formulated for daily use, with gentle AHAs acting as the exfoliant. Apply it twice daily after cleansing and toning for smoother, more radiant skin. The 5% glycolic acid exfoliates, refines lines and wrinkles, and evens out skin tone. Meanwhile, a unique selection of antioxidants reduces the impact of free-radical damage, while ceramides and peptides moisturize.

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Enjoy clear, smooth skin with Mizons AHA 8% Peeling serum. It has a blend of 8% glycolic acid and papaya enzymes. The combination of these two power ingredients revitalizes the skins texture, evens tone and texture, and reduces the appearance of dark sports. Additionally, theres aloe, panthenol, and portulaca oleracea extract, which calms, adds moisture, and acts as anti-inflammatories. The results of which are smooth, firm skin.

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Featuring 10% glycolic acid, the SkinCeuticals Glycolic 10 Renew Overnight is on the stronger end of the AHA spectrum. It tackles skin texture, tone, and overall radiance. Designed for overnight use, the serum contains botanicals that deeply condition and soothe, as well as exfoliate. Additionally, not only does this chemical exfoliant reduce skin pigmentation, but it also has properties that inhibit the development of new pigmentation. Final
ly, its suitable for all skin types, including dry, normal, combination, and oily.

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Up the ante on your chemical exfoliating with the Nip + Fab Glycolic Fix Night Pads Extreme. This the this leveled up version of Nip + Fabs original glycolic fix pads. These presoaked pads contain 5% glycolic acid, salicylic acid, lactic acid, and ultra-hydrating hyaluronic acid. Consequently, using them two to three times a week will leave you with refined pores, brighter skin, and a decongested complexion. The application couldnt be more straightforward. Simply wipe a pad across your face and neck, in the evening, after cleansing. Finish with a moisturizer, as well as a good sunscreen the next day.

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The SkinCeuticals LHA Solution Priming Toner both tones and exfoliates in one easy step. Twice daily, simply spray some of the liquid onto a cotton pad and apply it to the face, neck, and chest. This toner contains Lipo Hydroxy Acid (LHA), glycolic acid, and salicylic acid. Consequently, the combination of the three unclogs pores and removes debris breaks down the dead skin cells, and reduces the signs of aging. Its best used in conjunction with the SkinCeuticals LHA Cleansing Gel, and SkinCeuticals Blemish + Age Defense Serum, for the optimal results.

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Enjoy smoother, younger-looking skin with regular use of the Paulas Choice Resist Advanced Pore-Refining Treatment. This chemical exfoliant contains 4% salicylic acid to reduce pores and improve skin texture. Plus, this time-release formula also contains powerful antioxidants to soften fine lines, reduce redness, and calm any sensitivity. You can use this weekly or daily, depending on your skins needs. All you need to do is apply a few drops to the face, neck, and chest after youve cleansed and toned.

BUY

Unlike some of the other leave-on chemical exfoliants on this list, this powerful peeling solution from The Ordinary is a 10-minute facial treatment. The combination of 30% AHAs, which include glycolic, lactic, tartaric, and citric acids, with 2% salicylic acid, produces dramatic results. As such, it shouldnt be used more than twice a week. The AHAs exfoliate the surface and brighten the skin, reducing the appearance of fine lines. Meanwhile, the salicylic acid unclogs pores and targets blemishes. Additionally, Tasmania pepperberry derivative and hyaluronic acid reduces irritation and adds moisture. Finally, vitamin B5 helps to heal, while black carrot adds antioxidants. To use, wash, and thoroughly dry your face. Then, evenly apply the lightweight gel across your face and neck. Leave it for no more than 10 minutes before rinsing with lukewarm water.

BUY

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The Best Chemical Exfoliants to Buy in 2020 - The Trend Spotter

Global Market Outlook for the Chemical Injection Metering Pumps & Valves Market to 2027 – ResearchAndMarkets.com – Business Wire

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DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The "Chemical Injection Metering Pumps & Valves - Global Market Outlook (2018-2027)" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The Global Chemical Injection Metering Pumps & Valves market is growing at a CAGR of 5.2% during the forecast period. Some of the key factors propelling the market growth are increase speed in demand from wastewater treatment applications and robust operational process for controlling environmental concerns. However, huge maintenance and replacement costs are the restraining factor for the growth of the market.

Chemical injection metering pumps & valves are used for the vaccination of accurate and precise volume of liquid in a specific time-frame for elevated flow rate accuracy of the liquid. The utilize of chemical injection metering pumps & valves in the chemical industry, for precise dosing of chemicals into a system is the main highlight of the market. The chemical injection metering valves used along with the pumps to make sure that there is a steady discharge pressure for good working of the metering pumps that let out the fluids.

By application, energy, power and chemicals segment is expected to grow at a significant market share during the forecast period owing to comprises of the mixture of completed or intermediate goods. In chemical processing, metering pumps and valves help in handling different toxic chemicals at special temperature and pressure situations. On the basis of geography, Asia Pacific is anticipated to hold considerable market share during the forecast period owing to use of metering pumps and valves is superior in oil and gas, the downstream manufacture has improved in the country, which has also augmented the production capability of petrochemicals consequently, it will enhance the consumption of chemical injection metering pumps and valves in the country.

Some of the key players in Chemical Injection Metering Pumps & Valves Market include Cameron, Hunting PLC, Idex Corporation, ITC Dosing Pumps, Lewa GmbH, McFarland, Milton Roy, ProMinent, Seepex GmbH, Seko SpA, SkoFlo Industries Inc, SPX FLOW Inc, Swelore Engineering Pvt Ltd and Tritan LLC.

What the report offers:

Key Topics Covered:

1 Executive Summary

2 Preface

2.1 Abstract

2.2 Stake Holders

2.3 Research Scope

2.4 Research Methodology

3 Market Trend Analysis

3.1 Introduction

3.2 Drivers

3.3 Restraints

3.4 Opportunities

3.5 Threats

3.6 Application Analysis

3.7 Emerging Markets

3.8 Impact of Covid-19

4 Porters Five Force Analysis

4.1 Bargaining power of suppliers

4.2 Bargaining power of buyers

4.3 Threat of substitutes

4.4 Threat of new entrants

4.5 Competitive rivalry

5 Global Chemical Injection Metering Pumps & Valves Market, By

5.1 Introduction

5.2 Diaphragm

5.3 Piston

6 Global Chemical Injection Metering Pumps & Valves Market, By Application

6.1 Introduction

6.2 Pharmaceutical

6.3 Food & Beverages

6.4 Oil & Gas

6.5 Water and Wastewater Treatment

6.6 Energy, Power, and Chemicals

7 Global Chemical Injection Metering Pumps & Valves Market, By Geography

8 Key Developments

8.1 Agreements, Partnerships, Collaborations and Joint Ventures

8.2 Acquisitions & Mergers

8.3 New Product Launch

8.4 Expansions

8.5 Other Key Strategies

9 Company Profiling

9.1 Cameron

9.2 Hunting PLC

9.3 Idex Corporation

9.4 ITC Dosing Pumps

9.5 Lewa GmbH

9.6 McFarland

9.7 Milton Roy

9.8 ProMinent

9.9 Seepex GmbH

9.10 Seko SpA

9.11 SkoFlo Industries Inc

9.12 SPX FLOW Inc

9.13 Swelore Engineering Pvt Ltd

9.14 Tritan LLC

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/eav2pb

About ResearchAndMarkets.com

ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends.

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Global Market Outlook for the Chemical Injection Metering Pumps & Valves Market to 2027 - ResearchAndMarkets.com - Business Wire

Panicked chemical giants seek leeway in court ban on their weed killers – US Right to Know – U.S. Right to Know

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Citing an emergency, chemical giants BASF and DuPont have asked a federal court to allow them to intervene in a case in which the court earlier this month ordered their dicamba herbicides to be immediately banned along with a dicamba product made by Monsanto owner Bayer AG.

The action by the chemical companies follows a June 3 ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit that said the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) had violated the law when it approved the dicamba products developed by Monsanto/Bayer, BASF and DuPont, owned by Corteva Inc.

The court ordered an immediate ban on use of each of the companys dicamba products, finding that the EPA substantially understated the risks of the dicamba herbicides and failed entirely to acknowledge other risks.

The EPA flouted that order, however, telling farmers they could continue to spray the herbicides in question through the end of July.

The consortium of farm and consumer groups that originally filed the case against the EPA rushed back to court last week, asking for an emergency order holding the EPA in contempt. The court gave the EPA until the end of the day Tuesday, June 16, to respond.

Uproar in Farm Country

The order banning the companys dicamba products has triggered an uproar in farm country because many soybean and cotton farmers planted millions of acres of dicamba-tolerant crops developed by Monsanto with the intent of treating weeds in those fields with the dicamba herbicides made by the three companies.

The dicamba crop system provides for farmers to plant their fields with dicamba-tolerant crops, which they can then spray over-the-top with dicamba weed killer. The system has both enriched the companies selling the seeds and chemicals and and helped farmers growing the special dicamba-tolerant cotton and soy deal with stubborn weeds that are resistant to glyphosate-based Roundup products.

But for the large number of farmers who do not plant the genetically engineered dicamba-tolerant crops, widespread use of dicamba herbicides has meant damage and crop losses because dicamba tends to volatize and drift long distances where it can kill crops, trees and shrubs that are not genetically altered to withstand the chemical.

The companies claimed their new versions of dicamba would not volatize and drift as older versions of dicamba weed killing products were known to do. But those assurances proved false amid widespread complaints of dicamba drift damage. More than one million acres of crop damage was reported last year in 18 states, the federal court noted in its ruling.

Many farmers initially celebrated the court ruling and were relieved that their farms and orchards would be spared this summer from the dicamba damage theyve experienced in prior summers. But the relief was short-lived when the EPA said it would not immediately enforce the court-ordered ban.

In a filing made Friday, BASF pleaded with the court not to enforce an immediate ban and told the court that it will need to close a manufacturing facility in Beaumont, Texas, that currently operates 24 hours a day nearly continuously through the year if it is not able to produce its dicamba herbicide brand called Engenia. BASF has spent $370 million in recent years improving the plant and employs 170 people there, the company said.

Noting significant investments in its product, BASF also told the court that there is enough of its product currently throughout its customer channel to treat 26.7 million acres of soybeans and cotton. BASF has an additional $44 million worth of the Engenia dicamba product in its possession, enough to treat 6.6 million acres of soybeans and cotton, the company said.

DuPont/Corteva made a similar argument, telling the court in its filing that the ban directly harms the company as well as the many farmers across this country that are in the midst of the growing season. It will damage the companys reputation if its herbicide is banned, the company told the court.

Moreover, DuPont/Corteva expects to generate significant revenues from the sales of its dicamba herbicide, called FeXapan and will lose that money if the ban is enforced, the company said.

Monsanto was active in the case supporting the EPA approvals prior to the ruling, but both BASF and DuPont asserted wrongly that the court case applied only to Monsantos products and not to theirs. The court made it clear, however, that the EPA illegally approved the products made by all three companies.

Led by the Center for Food Safety, the petition against the EPA was also brought by the National Family Farm Coalition, Center for Biological Diversity, and Pesticide Action Network North America.

In asking the court to find the EPA in contempt, the consortium warned of the crop damage to come if the dicamba products are not banned immediately.

EPA cannot get away with allowing the spraying of 16 million more pounds of dicamba and resulting damage to millions of acres, as well as significant risks to hundreds of endangered species, the consortium said in its filing. Something else is at stake too: the rule of law. The Court must act to prevent injustice and uphold the integrity of the judicial process. And given the blatantdisregard EPA showed for the Courts decision, Petitioners urge the Court to hold EPA in contempt.

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Panicked chemical giants seek leeway in court ban on their weed killers - US Right to Know - U.S. Right to Know

Solar cell concept used to enhance nuclear battery – Chemistry World

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Researchers in South Korea and the US have borrowed a strategy traditionally used in photovoltaic devices to enhance a battery concept that generates an electric current from beta particles. The team behind the work say it is a step towards making long-lasting batteries for very small devices.

Betavoltaic cells use a radioactive isotope, in this case carbon-14, to generate beta radiation. Ordinarily such devices contain a semiconductor that absorbs the radiation to generate electrons. Now, a team led by Su-Il In from the Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology has replaced the semiconductor with a titanium dioxide electrode coated with a ruthenium-based dye. The cell reported by Ins team uses a beta-emitting carbon-14 quantum dot layer on the counter electrode, and uses a dye-coated electrode as the anode.

Dye coatings, also known as dye sensitisation, often feature in photovoltaic cells. In the presence of light, the dye absorbs approaching photons and generates electrons in response.

In the new betavoltaic cell, energy provided by beta radiation causes charge transfer from the dyes ruthenium metal ions to its ligand, and that leads to electron-transfer to the titanium dioxide anode. I think that merging old and new technology to solve the problems with beta batteries will be useful for our future, says In.

The dye-sensitised device performed much better than the device without any dye its power density was around 32,000 times greater. Additionally, In says using a dye instead of an expensive and complicated process using a semiconductor, reduces the manufacturing cost by roughly 30%.

The dual role of the carbon-14 quantum dot layer as both the radioactive excitation source and the counter electrode is particularly innovative, comments Yana Vaynzof, an expert in photovoltaic cell technology from the Technical University of Dresden, Germany.

Vaynzof adds that significant hurdles remain to be overcome, both in increasing the efficiency of the device and equally importantly, its stability. The cells efficiency is currently 0.48%, which is not yet high enough for widespread commercialisation.

Ins team aim to improve the efficiency of the dye-sensitised betavoltaic cell in their future research, and In says the technology could ultimately be used to construct self-sustaining battery cells that require little to no charging.

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Solar cell concept used to enhance nuclear battery - Chemistry World

Texas A&M Chemist Retires After 40-Year Career – Texas A&M University Today

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Ganesa Gopalakrishnan, a senior lecturer in the Texas A&M Department of Chemistry, is retiring after 40 years of teaching organic chemistry.

Texas A&M College of Science

In the basement of the Chemistry Building on the campus of Texas A&M University, Ganesa Gopalakrishnan is packing up his office. After 40 years of teaching organic chemistry, Gopalakrishnan, a senior lecturer in the Department of Chemistry, is retiring.

Hes boxed up his collection of textbooks some dating back to the start of his career. The plastic models of molecular structures that adorned his desk are disassembled and stored away.

The last things that remained were decades-worth of awards and plaques on his wall honoring his service to higher education at Texas A&M, a personal retrospective of a profession to which he devoted the majority of his life.

There are so many outstanding researchers and outstanding teachers in our department, Gopalakrishnan said. Im really lucky to have been a part of it.

Gopalakrishnan, whose official last day was May 31, played a major role in helping to develop Texas A&Ms organic chemistry program in its formative years. His genial, straightforward teaching style in conveying the structure of molecular compounds found in living things, often punctuated with humorous anecdotes, made him revered by students who came to affectionately refer to him as G.G.

Nearly 80 colleagues and former students recently gathered via video conference to celebrate Gopalakrishnans career with a virtual retirement ceremony.For an hour and a half, teary goodbyes were interwoven with fond recollections of Gopalakrisnans quirky lectures and personal accounts of how his influence impacted lives.

Every aspect of teaching, I loved it, Gopalakrishnan said. My teaching philosophy was to put myself in the shoes of each student and explain things in a way that they would be able to understand. Every lecture had to be taught a different way; thats what made teaching both challenging and enjoyable.

Simon W. North, professor and head of Texas A&M Chemistry, emceed the event and estimates that Gopalakrishnan taught approximately 25,000 students during his four decades as an instructor. Although a formal gathering to honor Gopalakrishnan was not possible due to COVID-19 social distancing restrictions, the outpouring of support from those wanting to send him off with one last thank-you, especially former students, was overwhelming.

It is his ability to connect to students that they remember, and his students consistently comment that they feel he truly cares, not only about their success in the course, but also about them as individuals, North said. His record serves as a reminder to us all to try and see every interaction with students as an opportunity to inspire and encourage and connect.

Anna Birgisson 21 remembers being terrified as a freshman. Despite an advisor telling her point-blank to avoid organic chemistry, Birgisson says Gopalakrishnans enthusiasm and nurturing demeanor quickly put her at ease.

Little did I know that his class would end up being my favorite because G.G. really did care so much, she said. He made it so much fun to learn with all of his stories. Im just really honored that I got to be a part of G.G.s legacy.

While many of Gopalakrishnans pupils through the years would go on to pursue careers in research, education and medicine, his own academic journey was an uphill struggle. Raised in the small farming village of Maruthur in southern India, no one in Gopalakrishnans family had ever received any formal education, and he was homeschooled until the fifth grade.

In 1980, Gopalakrishnan joined the Department of Chemistry, where he completed his postdoctoral studies as a member of the late John L. Hoggs research group. Six months later, a full-time teaching position became available, and Gopalakrishnan was officially hired on as faculty.

Little did I know what a treasure I was bringing to Texas A&M University when he joined my research group those many years ago, Hogg said years later when reflecting on his decision to hire Gopalakrishnan.

His flair for teaching earned him numerous awards, including the Student Led Award for Teaching Excellence (2008), the Piper Professor Award (1999), the Texas A&M Association of Former Students Distinguished Achievement Award in Teaching (1998) and the Texas A&M Association of Former Students Distinguished Achievement College-Level Award in Teaching (1994).

In addition to teaching, Gopalakrishnan was a stalwart of educational outreach, helping to organize the Brazos Valley Regional Engineering and Science Fair for 15 years and the Joy of Chemistry in Summer Program for local junior high students for five years.

I never sought or applied for any other job in my life, even in India, Gopalakrishnan said. I only applied for a teaching position at Texas A&M, and I continued it. I have to thank the Department of Chemistry for offering me the job all those years ago and keeping me.

I could not have achieved any of this in any other place.

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Texas A&M Chemist Retires After 40-Year Career - Texas A&M University Today

Sustainable solutions for plastics: the future role of lignins – Chemistry World

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Lignin which comes from the Latin word for wood is what gives plants their shape and sturdiness. Functionally, lignocellulose biopolymers strengthen the cell wall of plants and are made of three main components.

Cellulose and hemicellulose form a framework and the third component, lignin, is an adhesive that solidifies the cell wall. It is that reinforcement of the plants cell walls that provides plants protection against threats like wind, pests and other external factors including pathogens.

Lignins are like a sustainable warehouse of fine chemicals

The structural and functional benefits that terrestrial plant life derives from lignins are also useful industrially you can think of lignins as kind of like a sustainable warehouse of fine chemicals.And the magic of lignins doesnt stop there, because scientists hold the key to that warehouse it is called depolymerisation.

Once the lignin is depolymerised, its polyaromatic feedstocks can often stand in for the essential feedstocks of petroleum-derived materials.

These lignin-based chemicals can be used to produce the plastics, drugs, paints and electronic products that are currently made from traditional petroleum. Lignins however, mean they can be produced more sustainably, and they can even be produced with a biodegradable end of life outcome set in place.

Unlike petroleum derived polymers, lignins can be derived from renewable resources including wood, straw, and even miscanthus a giant, hardy and fast-growing grass that flourishes in nutrient-poor soils which can minimise the competition of using food crops as sources of lignin. Even industrial waste products like paper pulp can be used as a source for lignins.

While it is clear that lignins have a huge market potential as a sustainable feedstock, it must be acknowledged that unlocking the full potential of lignins is an area of active research. How lignins will be used in the chemical industry of the future depends on many factors including the advancement of scientific research that enables the responsible and cost-effective scaling of lignin processing into useful chemical feedstocks.

Click the button below to register and view a recording of the webinar

Register and view now

Millions of tonnes of technical lignins are produced annually and they accountfor almost a third of the organic carbon in our biosphere.

Carbon is vital for the production of chemicals and materials and is a viable replacement for fossil fuel in a circular economy which requires a sustainable source. Lignin is a good candidate because we generate such large amounts of it.

Yet, while lignins potential has been on the scientific radar for 70 years, there is a bottleneck when it comes to application. Antje Potthast, a professor at the Institute of Chemistry of Renewable Resources has researched lignin and found significant increase in the number of lignin patents in recent years. But, she says, compared to that number we see only few applications on the market.

Characterising lignin has proven tricky partly due to its lack of regularly repeating multi-unit structures and its high fluorescence but also the complex changes that can occur during the reconstitution stage of pulping.

Consequently, lignin is not a constitutionally well-defined compound as most polymers are. While we already have a good understanding of the native lignin structure, we still struggle with the structure of the technical lignin and some unknown features that are in the technical lignins that we have only a limited understanding of today, explains Potthast.

And yet, effective lignin analysis is vital to the introduction of the biopolymer into utilisation streams. But, comprehensive analysis of lignins generally requires a whole set of techniques to cover functional groups, by-products and also molar mass.

Although the webinar explores all the lignins biorefinery, organosolv, kraft and lignosulfonates, Potthasts places particular focus on the two most important kraft and lignosulfonates exploring relative molar mass distribution (MMD). With MMD such a decisive parameter for determining structure and property relationships, Potthasts outlines some of the analysis methods currently in use worldwide and outlines some of the pros and cons of each.

Fully recognising the current lack of uniformity in techniques used by chemists, Potthast shows how, using Waters APC apparatus alongside tried and tested technical lignin separation techniques, reliable data is within reach.

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Sustainable solutions for plastics: the future role of lignins - Chemistry World

The 15th Yulin International Coal and High-end Energy Chemical Industry Expo held in Yulin, China – PRNewswire

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In addition to the exhibition, which covered some 30,000 square meters, the event also included 12 forums and sessions on topics including the development of the high-end energy and chemical sector, the development of energy and chemical equipment manufacturing, intelligent innovation of coal mines, and smart energy. During the event, a total of 98 projects were signed off, attracting investment of CNY 89.38 billion and generating sales of more than CNY 5 billion. Additionally, transactions for a range of large-scale mining machinery and intelligent manufacturing equipment amounted to CNY 670 million.

Yulin City is located in the northernmost part of Shaanxi Province, China. It is rich in energy and mineral resources. In Yulin is located the Shenfu Coalfield, one of the seven largest coalfields in the world, and also the Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia Gas Field, the largest verified integrated gas field onshore in China. In the 1990s, Yulin began its construction as an energy and chemical industry base and gradually put together a system centered on electric power and chemical industries bolstered by the exploitation of coal, oil, gas and salts.

In recent years, Yulin City has been pursuing its development goal of building a world-class high-end energy and chemical base, and striving to promote high-quality development through transformation and upgrading. To date, the investment of completed energy and chemical projects is around CNY 500 billion, which puts Yulin amongst the four national modern coal chemical demonstration zones. It is estimated that by the end of 2025, the proportion of high-end products in the Yulin chemical industry will have reached 25% and the refinement rate will exceed 40%. The full industry chain covering core raw materials, chemical materials, and coal-based high-end refined products such as nylon, polyester, fiber, and textiles will be aligned.

Image Attachments Links:

Link: http://asianetnews.net/view-attachment?attach-id=371225Caption: Visitors to the exhibition watching a heading machine from an exhibitor at the Coal Expo on September 8.

SOURCE The People's Government of Yulin City

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The 15th Yulin International Coal and High-end Energy Chemical Industry Expo held in Yulin, China - PRNewswire

Is there life on Venus? | Opinion – Chemistry World

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The news that phosphine has been detected in Venuss upper atmosphere elicited great excitement among inorganic chemists last week (Nat. Astron., DOI: 10.1038/s41550-020-1174-4). Oh, who am I kidding? The paper, with its live-streamed press conference, column inches and Sky at Night special, generated excitement among almost everyone as the gass presence could be evidence that life exists in the planets skies.

The otherworldly idea isnt quite as out of this world as it might appear. Phosphine, PH3, shouldnt really exist in the atrocious sounding conditions of Venuss atmosphere, with its thick carbon dioxide and sulfuric acid. The phosphorus would be oxidised to phosphate or phosphoric acid, as most of it is here on Earth. Yet there it is, and at levels around 20 parts per billion making it less common than, for example, neon in our atmosphere at 20 parts per million that although low mean it must be being replenished.

But how? Well, thats the million dollar question or perhaps billion dollar, given how much it costs to send missions to other planets these days. The reason phosphine has previously been suggested as a biomarker for life on other rocky planets, and was searched for on Venus for this study, is that theres no known way to produce it abiotically volcanoes, lightning strikes and even meteorites are all ruled out.

There are microbes and chemists, who also count as living beings, to a certain extent here on Earth producing phosphine, so maybe there are similar bugs on Venus too. The idea that the higher elevations of the Venusian atmosphere might be hospitable enough for life has been suggested before, notably by Carl Sagan and Harold Morowitz in 1967.

One of the ever-quotable Sagans most famous sayings of course is that Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence. The claim of life on other planets is about as extraordinary as they get, and one which the scientists behind the paper are very careful not to make unlike the majority of journalists covering the story. In the papers concluding paragraph, the scientists emphasize that the detection of PH3 is not robust evidence for life, only for anomalous and unexplained chemistry.

Im all for explaining anomalous chemistry check out the rest of the magazine if you dont believe me especially when it comes to other planets whose atmospheric chemistry we dont completely understand yet. So Im looking forward to the same breathless rush from the worlds media to cover whatever the addition to our understanding of phosphorus chemistry and planetary science this will probably turn out to be. My moneys on chemistry, not little green microbes.

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Is there life on Venus? | Opinion - Chemistry World