chemistry

Waterloo researchers turning plastic waste into vinegar. Researchers at the University of Waterloo have discovered a way to turn plastic waste into acetic acid, the main ingredient of vinegar, using sunlight.

We rely on batteries now more than ever, from our phones and laptops to electric vehicles. But the ones powering today's technologies aren't without their shortcomings. They can be expensive, flammable and they rely on increasingly in-demand materials that must be mined and processed.

Researchers used glowing antioxidants to watch ferroptosis unfold inside living cells; discovery could pave way for better therapies for cancer, neurodegenerative diseases. A team at McGill University studying ferroptosis, a form of cell death, have discovered that the process begins deep inside the cell, a finding that could lead to new treatments for cancer and neurodegenerative diseases.

A natural, superabsorbent material developed at the University of Waterloo could dramatically reduce the environmental impact of personal hygiene products like diapers, menstrual pads and tampons.

A synthetic molecule derived from a natural omega-3 has shown promising results against this disease, which affects around 20% of Canadian adults.

Nobel Prize in Chemistry focuses on a new way to make materials and wouldn't have been possible without UCalgary-researcher contributions.