Top 100 Chemistry Research Topics

Inorganic Chemistry Topics

Inorganic chemistry is a vast topic that includes many sub-fields, and the listed research entries are just a sampling of what’s out there.

• Unusual non-linear optical phenomena in materials. From high-tech computer screens to light shows, this research topic is a hot topic that could have many significant implications.
• Inorganic polymers for electronic applications. These are important areas of study when it comes to designing new components like transistors and solar cells.
• Coordination complexes for catalysis. This is a growing field that is important not just for the petroleum industry but also for many other disciplines.
• Inorganic materials for RF filtration. There is a growing need for better communication systems-and in turn, new technologies that can help improve our existing ones.
• Magnetic semiconductors and superconductors. This topic may be the basis of the next big technological breakthroughs, so it’s definitely one to keep an eye on.
• Inorganic nanoparticles for catalysis. Understanding how to synthesize nanoparticles from inorganic compounds is crucial when it comes to designing new catalysts.
• Nanocrystals for optoelectronics and solar energy conversion. The next generation of technology will require “greener” methods-and this research topic shows one way to clean up the process.
• Atomic layer deposition of inorganic materials. One application for this type of nanotechnology is eliminating “bad” odors-making it even more relevant than you may have realized.
• Inorganic reaction chemistry at supercritical conditions. This topic has many important implications, from creating new plastics to helping to clean up the environment.
• Inorganic materials for sensing and imaging applications. These are a growing area of study, from creating better diagnostic tools to designing new electronic components.

Polymer Chemistry Research Topics

• Self-assembly in polymeric systems. This entry is an example of how polymer chemists are still discovering new methods of creating better products.
• Self-assembled functional materials. This entry touches on yet another growing area, where chemists explore new ways to design new components for technology.
• Solid-state methods for polymer synthesis and modification. A growing number of research topics rely on chemists’ ability to manipulate polymers in a lab setting, and this is one way to do it.
• Polymers for biomedical applications. This entry shows that chemists are not just creating lab-based technologies; they are also helping to improve people’s lives worldwide.
• Polymer chemistry education resources. Many institutions are constantly trying to find better ways to instruct students, and this research topic is a sign that progress is being made.
• Synthetic polymer therapeutics. This entry is only one example of how polymer chemists are working to create better products for people worldwide.
• Polymer synthesis related to morphology control. Another emerging area of study in polymer chemistry is making new materials that have tailored properties.
• Polymers for biological applications. As chemists create more new materials, there’s an increasing need to understand how they interact with the living world around us.
• Cationic ring-opening polymerization of lactones and related 4 membered rings. This is a specific type of polymerization studied by chemists-and another way to find new ways of creating better products.
• Polymer-based self-healing materials. This is an important area for chemists, as it shows a way to create materials that are more environmentally friendly and stronger overall.

Interesting Chemistry Topics

• Nanotechnology-inspired chemistry. This great study area is a sign that the world may be closer than we think to live in a science-fiction movie!
• Energy materials science. This research topic shows that chemists are working to improve our technology in more ways than one.
• Isocyanides and related compounds. These unique chemical compounds have many uses in everyday life, from making new plastics to creating dyes.
• Transition-metal-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions. This entry is only one example of how chemists are finding new ways to manipulate chemical structures.
• Catalysis research topics. Chemists have been working on better catalysts for years now-and this area still shows no signs of slowing down!
• Green chemistry synthesis design. This is a growing field in chemistry and one that is receiving more attention than ever.
• Computational chemistry. This is another area where chemists are working on using computers as a tool to do better research.
• Sustainable chemistry projects. Chemists are hard at work coming up with new ways to reduce waste and create materials using renewable sources.
• Catalysis using transition metals. The main focus of this research topic is making new types of catalysts, and a growing number of chemists are working to do so.
• Passerine birds’ songs. This might seem like an odd research topic, but it’s part of a study on how the environment can affect birds’ songs and the chemicals involved.

Controversial Chemistry Research Topics

Controversies have also risen in the field of chemistry research from time to time. The topic of genetically modified foods is an example of one such discussion.

• Genetically modified organisms. This entry discusses both sides of the debate surrounding this controversial area of research and shows that there is still a lot more work to be done!
• Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. This controversial topic is one of many in chemistry, met with divided opinions over the years.
• Metallic nanoparticles. This research topic is a sign that chemists are working hard to find new ways of manipulating matter at the atomic level.
• Bioremediation in aquatic environments. Combining chemistry and biology, this controversial area of study is an example of how scientists are trying to help the environment.
• Photocatalytic water splitting. Another controversial research topic. This is an example of chemists working to find new ways of creating clean energy.
• Chemical and biological terrorism. Chemists have long been interested in the idea of protecting people against dangerous chemicals and pathogens. This is an example of how this research can sometimes get controversial.
• Electrets. These unique materials have many uses but are often met with controversy because they are made using substances that could be hazardous to the environment.

Innovative Chemistry Research Topics

Innovation has been an important part of the field of chemistry for years now, and it doesn’t show signs of slowing down anytime soon.

• Aromaticity. This entry is a highly unique topic in chemistry. This entry gives a detailed explanation of what it is and how it works and a brief look at where it could go in the future.
• Organized molecular assemblies. This is another example of how chemistry research topics constantly find new ways to combine things previously connected.
• Advances in computer modeling. This is one of many different chemistry research topics where chemists are working on using computers to do their jobs better.
• Molecular junctions and interfaces. This entry discusses the many different ways that chemists have been designing nanowires and how they could be used in the future.
• Bioinspired molecular machines. Chemists are hard at work trying to design new nanoscale structures that mimic those found in nature, and this is an example of one such research topic.
• Solid-state NMR. This entry discusses how NMR spectrometers have changed over time and give a brief look at how this research topic could help us in the future.
• Carbon dioxide capture. Chemists are working hard to find new ways of taking carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere, and this is one example of that research.
• Platinum group metal catalysts. This entry discusses how chemists have been using these precious metals to speed up chemical reactions and what needs to be done to maximize their potential fully.
• Carbon nanotubes. This entry discusses how these tubes of carbon atoms could be used in everything from medicine to computing-and some of the controversies surrounding them.
• Metabolic engineering. One example of a controversial research topic that has been gaining a lot of interest lately, this entry discusses what it is and how it could be used to help the environment.
• Multivalent display. This entry talks about how chemists are creating new materials by joining two or more different materials together and what potential uses this research topic has.

Chemistry Research Topics for High School Students

Research topics for this group of students range from simple chemical reactions to fairly complex subjects-but all of them are designed to give students a deeper understanding.

• Fuel cells. This chemistry research topic and entry discusses how chemicals reactions can be used to create electricity.
• Photochemistry. One of many relatively simple chemistry research topics for high school students, this entry gives an overview of what it is and how it works.
• Electrochemistry. This is another chemistry research that gives students a starting point for learning about the field of electrochemistry-and how one area of focus has to do with batteries.
• Chemical education. As a part of their education, high school students should learn about the different kinds of careers available in the field of chemistry-and this entry helps to give them a head start.
• Toxicity. One of the most important chemistry research topics, toxicity, is something high school students should learn early in their education.