Surface Chemistry podcasts

Charlotte Gerischer and Melina von Wenczowski examine how detergents remove stains, how washing products developed and what their ingredients do. They discuss fragrance, surfactants and environmental consequences, with source references covering phosphate replacements, biodegradation and microplastic release during textile washing.

Hosted by Charlotte Gerischer, Melina von Wenczowski

Margaret Harris talks with Scott Waitukaitis of the Institute of Science and Technology Austria about unresolved questions in contact electrification. The discussion connects his earlier research in granular physics with current investigations of how objects exchange charge, including the role of molecules adsorbed on their surfaces.

Hosted by Margaret Harris

Qichao Hu, founder of Molecular Universe and CEO of SES AI, discusses the difference between building AI research tools and delivering new materials. Using battery development as an example, he traces hypothesis generation, candidate formulation, property prediction, experimental ranking, and autonomous synthesis and testing. The conversation examines the difficult connection between molecular properties and device performance, especially the solid-electrolyte interface, and why reliable experimental data and simulation calibration remain central obstacles. Hosted by Ravid Shwartz Ziv and Allen Roush; watch the complete episode on the publisher's YouTube channel.

Hosted by Ravid Shwartz Ziv, Allen Roush

Melissa and Jam examine how erasers remove graphite from paper. The episode connects the structure of graphite with the polymers and physical interactions that let an eraser lift a mark, contrasting absorption and adsorption and discussing what makes an everyday material effective for this purpose.

Hosted by Melissa, Jam

Melissa and Jam investigate why ice is slippery. They compare proposed explanations involving surface water, pressure and melting with experimental findings on ice surfaces, and discuss water’s unusual properties, amorphous structures and what these imply for skating and everyday slipping.

Hosted by Melissa, Jam

Melissa and Jam examine wool, lanolin and claims about resistance to odour and bacteria. The episode connects their chemical structures with water-repelling behaviour, processing and interactions with microbes, distinguishing observed odour reduction from broader claims about antimicrobial activity.

Hosted by Melissa, Jam