How can a liquid stop flowing without freezing? Sodium metasilicate leads to a beautiful answer: let silicon-oxygen bridges grow until a microscopic network spans the entire liquid.
The four H2O molecules in Mg(CH3COO)2·4H2O aren't just moisture. Remove them, and you don't merely dry the salt—you change the solid itself.
What do lemons and flexible plastic have in common? The answer is chemistry.
Why does an electrical cable stay flexible after years of getting warm and cooling down again?
Can chemists "program" a material? In a surprisingly literal sense, yes.
We usually think good materials should resist chemical reactions.
Why would chemists deliberately put a molecule into rubber because it reacts easily?
Why doesn't a good paint film crack as soon as it dries? Because polymer chemists often mix two opposite personalities into the same material.
How can a tiny molecular ingredient help a polymer survive deep underground?
Why do rubber tires crack even when nobody is driving on them?
Why do modern materials keep getting lighter, stronger, and more heat resistant?
How can the same family of materials appear in a face cream, a waterproof sealant, a medical device, and even aerospace equipment?
How can the same family of materials appear in a face cream, a waterproof sealant, a medical device, and even aerospace equipment?
Why do so many advanced materials begin with molecules that never appear in the final product?
Why don't plastic chairs suddenly crumble after sitting in the sun? Why doesn't a food container become brittle after being molded at temperatures above 200°C?
Although classified as a "heavy metal," why is bismuth often referred to as a "greener" heavy metal? Bismuth(III) oxide provides an answer from the perspective of materials chemistry.