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— Graphene lights up with new possibilities — The future brightened for organic chemistry when researchers at Rice University found a highly controllable way to attach organic molecules to pristine graphene, making the miracle…
— Scientists develop brand new class of small molecules through innovative chemistry — Inspired by natural products, scientists on the Florida campus of The Scripps Research Institute have created a new class of small molecules with the potential to serve as a rich foundation…
— New 'smart' material could help tap medical potential of tissue-penetrating light — Scientists are reporting development and successful initial testing of the first practical 'smart' material that may supply the missing link in efforts to use in medicine a form of…
— Formaldehyde: Poison could have set the stage for the origins of life — Formaldehyde, a poison and a common molecule throughout the universe, is likely the source of the solar system's organic carbon solids - abundant in both comets and asteroids. Scientists…
— Exploring the possibilities for zeolites — Some people collect stamps and coins, but when it comes to sheer utility, few collections rival the usefulness of Rice University researcher Michael Deem's collection of 2.6 million…
— Microreactors: Small scale chemistry could lead to big improvements for biodegradable polymers — Using a small block of aluminium with a tiny groove carved in it, a team of researchers from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the Polytechnic Institute…
— Small code change, big effect — Scientists at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) in Heidelberg, Germany, have developed a new method which enables researchers to label any protein of their choice with…
— New imaging technique provides rapid, high-definition chemistry — With intensity a million times brighter than sunlight, a new synchrotron-based imaging technique offers high-resolution pictures of the molecular composition of tissues with unprecedented…
Panoramic view into the microcosm
What looks like the intricate makings of a futuristic sculptor is the product of nature itself. The spherical spores of the fungal mould Emericella nidulans are coated by a thin layer of hydrophobin, a water-repellent protein that causes rainwater to run off the skin of the fungus leaving no trace. Recognising the potential benefit of this fungal mechanism for technological applications, BASF scientists became interested in hydrophobin. BASF is now the first company in the world to succeed in synthesising the protein on an industrial scale.
'It's a protein with unique properties. It forms very thin films on any kind of surface and thus changes the properties of that surface. For example, glass with a hydrophobin coating will repel water, while Teflon(R) with a hydrophobin coating will attract water. A coating with this protein is also resistant to temperature, acids and alkalis,' says Dr Claus Bollschweiler, head of the BASF Performance Proteins research group. Scientists are also looking into ways of using hydrophobin-coated polymer sponges to remove diesel and oil from contaminated waters. The protein's broad range of properties makes it suitable for an array of applications. It stabilises pigment dispersions and has potential as a cosmetic ingredient stabilising creams and other emulsions. Best of all: once the protein has done its job, it biodegrades in a natural way.
The microscopic photograph is part of the 'Images from the World of Research' series, now offering twelve new images from BASF's cutting-edge research. The series gives an insight into a microcosm invisible to the naked eye - the domain of atoms and molecules. State-of-the-art technologies like scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy are only now revealing a hidden world of fascinating forms and structures.
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