Thomas Foley
I earned my MChem degree after four amazing years at the University of Edinburgh and one action-packed year at Nanyang Tech in Singapore. I was always too indecisive to settle down in one field, so I ended up being a jack of all trades. I've been lucky enough to work with some of the best researchers in the world across a huge range of fields – from developing weird and wonderful inorganic complexes in Singapore, to trying (unsuccessfully) to cure malaria in Edinburgh. However, like most of my friends and colleagues at the Royal Society of Chemistry, a life in a lab coat just wasn't for me!
I'm now living in Cambridge after starting my career as a publishing editor at the Royal Society of Chemistry in 2016. It was here that I discovered my love for science writing, and in addition to publishing, I now get to write news stories for Chemistry World about some of the most exciting new developments across the chemical sciences.
ReviewThe Science of Fate: Why Your Future is More Predictable Than You Think
Hannah Critchlow’s book is a voyage into the depths of the human mind
ResearchSelf-deoxygenating glassware is a breath of fresh air for oxygen-sensitive reactions
Lab vials coated with glucose oxidase convert dissolved oxygen into a catalyst for RAFT polymerisation
ResearchGlucose-regulating nanogel keeps blood sugar in the sweet spot
System prevents hyperglycemia in rats by acting like an artificial liver
ResearchWaxing approach to making graphene is a ripping success
Method mimics Scotch tape exfoliation to produce high-quality graphene on a large scale
ResearchLight pulse peels crystal layers off parent
Partial cis–trans isomerisation in photoactive organic molecule results in controlled fragmentation
ResearchLiquid crystals shape up on demand
UV-cured liquid crystal polymers remember complex 3D structures and reversibly deform in response to temperature
ResearchStacked copper clusters create semiconducting supramolecule
Mixed valencies and overlapping π-electron clouds help electrons move from molecule to molecule
ResearchCarbon dioxide recycling on the ball
Cocatalysts on the outside and inside of hollow spheres trigger photocatalytic carbon dioxide reduction to syngas
ResearchBattery-in-screen paves way to ultra-thin smartphones
Multifunctional component made from unique hydrogel electrolyte embedded with water-soluble photoluminescent quantum dots
ResearchBizarre bimetallic compounds break C–F bonds
First ever molecular Mg–Al bond constructed in study that reveals main group metal–metal bonds can readily react with aromatic fluorine
ResearchTelescope arrangement puts a twist on organic synthesis
Solvents, move aside – scientists achieve dry multicomponent synthesis in a single step with twisting screws
ResearchCastable polymers made from castor beans
Super-tough materials derived from inedible plants are lightweight, renewable and strong enough to use in vehicles
ResearchSolid state synthesis not so solid after all
Atmospheric humidity alters the outcome of mechanochemical reactions
ResearchFractal crystals win fashion design contest
Organic compounds form peculiar geometric crystals due to inefficient molecular stacking
ResearchCloudy with a chance of catalysis
Simulation of hydrogen bond interactions gives valuable new insights into how acid rain forms