Chemistry in Current Events:

Ionocaloric Cooling and Contaminant Biosenors

 Scientists develop a new method of refrigeration
Adding salt to roads changes ice formation, leading to the development of ionocaloric cooling, described in a Dec 23 Science paper by researchers

at the Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Ionocaloroic cooling takes advantage of how energy is stored or released when a

material changes phases. Melting absorbs heat while solidifying releases it, the ionocaloric cycle causing this phase/temp change with salt-ion flow. Many

caloric cooling methods in development use magnetism, pressure, stretching, and electric fields; ionocaloric cooling uses ions for solid-to-liquid phase

changes.

Drew Lilley and Ravi Prasher, corresponding authors, set forth the theory of the ionocaloric cycle, which is more efficient than gaseous refrigerants

in refrigeration systems. Lilley experimentally used salt of iodine and sodium with ethylene carbonate, a solvent common in lithium-ion batteries, to

demonstrate the technique; ethylene carbonate could be carbon-negative as it is produced using carbon dioxide, allowing for the use of carbon capture. The

current running through the system changed the material's melting point, allowing it to absorb heat when melted and give heat back when solidified. The

experiment showed a temperature change of 25°C using less than 1V, more significant than other caloric technologies, and promising data on global

warming potential, energy efficiency, and cost. Further experimentation is needed to test different material and technique combinations to meet the

engineering challenge.
Scientists develop a new method of refrigeration

The ionocaloric cycle can be seen in action in this animation.

When a current is applied, ions flow and cause the material to

transition from solid to liquid, resulting in the absorption of

heat from the surroundings. Removing the ions causes the

material to solidify again, releasing heat in the process.

 Why I chose this topic?
I chose this topic because it got an interested in how new research could potentially change the systems we use in our everyday

lives. Ionocaloric cooling is significant since it is an energy-efficient form of cooling that does not require a compressor to create

temperature changes a. It relies on how ions cause molecules to transition from one phase to another to create cooling and heating effects.

The process works quickly with minimal energy input, which means it can cool objects quickly and efficiently without needing a cooling

system or using any hazardous or toxic materials. It makes this a sustainable option, as it does not release pollutants into the atmosphere.

It is significant as it can cool electronics, medical equipment, computers, and servers, which require a significant amount of cooling

power to operate.
 How Does Ionocaloric Cooling Relate to Chemistry?
Ionocaloric cooling is a type of solid-state cooling technology that utilizes the adiabatic ionization of a specific material to cool a system that relies on a

material's thermodynamic properties. The heat absorbed by the material during ionization is then dissipated into the environment. For this technology to work,

the material must have specific properties, such as high ionic conductivity, high ionization energy, and low thermal conductivity, and be classified as an ionic

solid. Ionocaloric cooling is based on changes in the entropy of an element due to changes in its ionization energy and relates to periodic trends because the

ionization energy of an element is strongly related to its position on the periodic table. As an element moves across the table, its ionization energy will

increase/decrease, affecting its entropy and, thus, it's ionocaloric cooling ability.

Molecular polarity and intermolecular forces are related to ionocaloric cooling in that ionic solids are composed of molecules with a net electrical

dipole moment, which means that the molecules have a positive and negative pole. This polarity of molecules allows for stronger intermolecular forces, such as

hydrogen bonding, van der Waals forces, and dipole-dipole attractions, which increases the material's ionic conductivity and ionization energy. These topics in

Chemistry greatly influence the efficiency of the Ionocaloric cooling process because Nature is based on these topics.
Researchers use a new simple color change test to detect fluoride in water.

Environmental contaminants, which include fluoride, lead, and pesticides, exist all around and exist within us. Researchers have simple

ways to measure concentrations of such contaminants; levels are more challenging to measure and test in the field because they require

specialized equipment. Recent efforts in synthetic biology are using cellular biosensors to detect and report contaminants in a cost-effective and

field-deployable manner. Even though progress has been made, the researchers have struggled to protect sensor components from substances in

extracted samples. Using a riboswitch to build a biosensor for fluoride, the team found that they could protect the sensor and operate it similarly

the way cells do by encapsulating the sensor inside a fatty membrane. They also found that they could modify the makeup and penetrability of

lipid bilayer membranes to further tune and control their sensor performance.
Why I chose this topic?
I chose this topic because I was interested in how why can use such technology in the medical field to be able to develop new methods

for detecting diseases or harmful chemicals within the body. Biosensors are significant because they can detect the presence or concentration of

specific molecules or compounds in a sample and could be used numerous applications some of which are: medical diagnostics, food safety

testing, and can also be used in environmental monitoring to detect water, air, and soil contaminants and food safety to ensure that products

meet quality and safety standards. An advantage of biosensors is that they provide rapid, accurate, and portable detection of target molecules,

making them useful for situations where quick results are needed. Biosensors can also detect low levels of a target molecule and distinguish it

from other similar molecules. Biosensors have many potential uses in healthcare which include: the early detection of diseases, monitoring of

chronic conditions, and drug discovery and development.

How this relates to Chemistry?
The properties and classification of matter can be related to biosensors in several ways. Biosensors are often designed to detect

specific chemical compounds or biological molecules, such as proteins, nucleic acids, or small molecules. The properties of these

molecules, including their size, shape, charge, and chemical reactivity, can affects it interacts with the biosensor and how easy they are

to detect. The phase of a substance (solid, liquid, or gas) can also influence how it interacts with a biosensor. For example, a biosensor

designed to detect a gas or vapor might use a different detection mechanism than one designed to detect a liquid or solid. The

classification of matter as either organic or inorganic can also be relevant to biosensors. Many biosensors are designed to detect organic

molecules, such as proteins or nucleic acids, which are found in living organisms. Inorganic molecules, on the other hand, are typically

not found in living organisms and may not easily be detected by biosensors. The physical and chemical properties of a substance can

also affect how it interacts with a biosensor a substance that is highly soluble in water might be more easily detected by a biosensor than

one that is not. Similarly, a substance with a high molecular weight might be more difficult to detect than one with a low molecular

weight.
How this relates to Chemistry (contd)?
Periodic trends describe the patterns that arise when elements in the periodic table are arranged by increasing atomic number.

These trends can be related to biosensors in various ways: The chemical reactivity of an element is determined by its electron

configuration and can be predicted based on its position on the periodic table. Elements that have high electron affinity, like alkali

metals and halogens, are more chemically reactive and can be used in biosensors to catalyze chemical reactions or detect other elements.

The size of an atom or molecule is also linked to its spot on the periodic table. Generally, atoms become larger as you go down a group

(column) on the periodic table, and molecules made up of atoms in the same group tend to be similar in size. This can be important to

biosensors, as the size of a molecule affects its interaction with the biosensor and how easy it is to detect. The physical properties of an

element, like its melting and boiling points, can also be associated with its spot on the periodic table. Elements with higher melting and

boiling points, like the metals, are usually more stable and less reactive compared to elements with lower melting and boiling points,

like the nonmetals. This can be crucial when designing biosensors as stability and reactivity are essential elements in the selection of

materials for the sensor.

How this relates to Chemistry (contd)?
Molecular polarity also plays an important role in the context of biosensors. Polar molecules are more likely to dissolve in only

polar solvents, while nonpolar molecules can only dissolve in nonpolar solvents. This factor becomes important when designing

biosensors that need to interact with elements, substances, antibodies and enzymes. Additionally, the polarity of a molecule determines

how it interacts with other molecules, either through hydrogen bonding in the case of polar molecules, or through van der Waals forces

in the case of nonpolar molecules.

Future Implications of Biosensors
Biosensors are a technology we detect and monitor various biological processes. small and portable devices that can be used to

measure or sense chemicals which have a high versatility and potential for use in a wide range of applications. An exciting potential

application of biosensors is in healthcare industry. Biosensors can track various medical conditions, such as diabetes and heart disease

physical activity, providing real-time feedback on how much a person is exercising personalized health plans, helping people to manage

their own health better, look for presence of viruses and bacteria, help identify diseases and track the spread of infection. Another

application of biosensors is for environmental monitoring. Biosensors can detect pollutants, toxins, and other contaminants in the air and

monitor water quality, identify hazardous materials, and even track the spread of disease-causing agents monitor climate change and

other environmental factors, providing valuable data for scientists and policy makers.
Future Implications of Biosensors (contd)
Finally, biosensors could be used in a variety of industrial, agricultural, and military applications. Biosensors can be used to

monitor crop health, detect toxic substances in food and water, and even detect the presence of explosives, detect chemical and

biological weapons, as well as track the movement of personnel and equipment. In the future, biosensors are sure to become an even

more important tool for monitoring and controlling various biological, environmental, and industrial processes. With the advances in

technology, biosensors will become smaller and more accurate, making them ideal for a wide range of applications. As the technology

continues to improve, the potential implications of biosensors are sure to be far-reaching and transformative.
 Works Cited
Boyd, M. A., Thavarajah, W., Lucks, J. B., & Kamat, N. P. (2023). Robust and tunable performance of a cell-free biosensor encapsulated in lipid

vesicles. Science Advances, 9(1). https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.add6605

Lilley, D., & Prasher, R. (2022). Ionocaloric refrigeration cycle. Science, 378(6626), 1344–1348.

https://doi.org/10.1126/science.ade1696