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Compound Interest | Chemistry infographics
@compoundchem.com
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🧪 Infographics exploring everyday chemistry
📅 #PeriodicGraphics in @cenmag.bsky.social
🥇 ACS 2025 Interpreting Chemistry for the Public award
🏆 ABSW 2018 Science Blog Award
🖊️ Posts by @andy.compoundchem.com
🌐 Website: compoundchem.com
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compoundchem.com
Did you know the wasabi in most sushi restaurants isn't wasabi? Or that a chemical synergy between dried seaweed and raw fish enhances sushi's savoury flavours?

Learn more about sushi science with this infographic, as requested by my sushi-mad seven-year-old 🍣 wp.me/s4aPLT-sushi

#ChemSky 🧪
This infographic titled "Sushi chemistry: nori, wasabi and sticky rice" explores the science behind sushi. It features three main panels with illustrations, chemical structures, and explanations. The left section explains how amylopectin in rice creates stickiness and how acetic acid from vinegar aids gelatinisation. The middle panel covers umami flavours from glutamate, inosinate, and guanylate found in nori and raw fish, displaying their molecular structures. The right panel discusses allyl isothiocyanate in wasabi and horseradish, along with gingerol and shogaol compounds in pickled ginger (gari). Photos of six different sushi rolls line the bottom.
September 21, 2026 at 8:20 PM
Reposted by Compound Interest | Chemistry infographics
cenmag.bsky.social
The latest edition of #PeriodicGraphics by @compoundchem.com explores the chemistry that makes friction-erasable pen ink appear and disappear: cen.acs.org/physical-che...

#chemsky 🧪
Infographic titled “How do friction-erasable pens work?”. The pen ink contains microcapsules with a leuco dye, a weak organic acid color developer, and a long-chain alcohol or ester solvent. At room temperature, the developer donates a proton to the leuco dye, making it colored. Heat above 60 °C generated by friction melts the solvent, detaching the developer and turning the dye colorless. Cooling the writing surface below –10 °C in a freezer restores the ink color.
September 16, 2026 at 4:28 PM
compoundchem.com
Wondered why certain caterpillars munch on particular greens in a vegetable patch? 🥬 It's the consequence of a chemical battle between plants and caterpillars, detailed in this edition of #PeriodicGraphics in @cenmag.bsky.social: cen.acs.org/biological-c... #ChemSky 🧪
An infographic titled "Caterpillars vs. plants: A chemical battle"; It details plant defenses—direct toxins like alkaloids, defensive hormones like methyl jasmonate, and protein-digesting enzyme inhibitors—and how caterpillars overcome them. Cabbage whites convert glucosinolates (e.g., sinigrin) into harmless nitriles via digestive enzymes. Monarch caterpillars have mutations that allow them to resist milkweed's cardiac glycosides (e.g., asclepin), storing toxins through pupation to deter predators, similar to cinnabar moths with ragwort alkaloids. Tomato fruitworm moth caterpillars use saliva enzymes to suppress plant toxin production.
September 2, 2026 at 5:11 PM
compoundchem.com
This week is the start of a new school year here in the UK. So I've updated my mapping document, linking over 120 infographics to curriculum topics!

View and download here: wp.me/p4aPLT-8Ty

#ITeachChem #ChatChemistry
Promo image showing several Compound Interest infographics with the subtitle "Compound Interest infographics topic mapping"
September 1, 2026 at 3:31 PM
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chronicleflask.katday.com
Hello, #ChemSky, chemist needed!
@compoundchem.com
sarahmackattack.bsky.social Sarah McAnulty, Ph.D. @sarahmackattack.bsky.social · 26d
I'm making a "your month your scientist match" and I need a chemist and physicist volunteer, everybody I know well enough to text "Hey uhhh can I post this picture of you I took on skype a scientist's insta" are biologists apparently 😅. Any takers?
August 26, 2026 at 6:57 PM
Reposted by Compound Interest | Chemistry infographics
cenmag.bsky.social
The latest edition of #PeriodicGraphics by @compoundchem.com takes a look at how plants defend themselves from caterpillars —and how some caterpillars fight back: cen.acs.org/biological-c...

#chemsky 🧪
An infographic titled Caterpillars vs. plants: A chemical battle. It details plant defenses—direct toxins like alkaloids, defensive hormones like methyl jasmonate, and protein-digesting enzyme inhibitors—and how caterpillars overcome them. Cabbage whites convert glucosinolates (e.g., sinigrin) into harmless nitriles via digestive enzymes. Monarch caterpillars have mutations that allow them to resist milkweed's cardiac glycosides (e.g., asclepin), storing toxins through pupation to deter predators, similar to cinnabar moths with ragwort alkaloids. Tomato fruitworm moth caterpillars use saliva enzymes to suppress plant toxin production.
August 12, 2026 at 11:22 AM
compoundchem.com
It’s #NationalWatermelonDay 🍉 Here’s a look at the compounds behind watermelon colour and aroma, as well as the chemical cause of exploding watermelons in China in 2011: www.compoundchem.com/2015/06/09/w...

#ChemSky 🧪
Infographic titled "Watermelon colour, aroma, and explosions" by Compound Interest. Red flesh color comes from lycopene. Aroma stems from fatty acid oxidation producing C6 and C9 aldehydes: (Z,Z)-3,6-nonadienal (watermelon odor) and (Z)-3-hexenal (grass odor). Exploding watermelons in Eastern China in 2011 were caused by overuse of the growth regulator forchlorfenuron during wet weather, which accelerates cell division and growth.
August 3, 2026 at 6:14 PM
compoundchem.com
Wildfires are currently raging in several countries. This edition of #PeriodicGraphics in @cenmag.bsky.social looks at how chemistry helps fight them 🔥 cen.acs.org/environment/...
Infographic on suppressing wildfires with chemistry. The graphic looks at Phos-chek, a fire retardant which contains ammonium phosphates or sulfates as the active ingredient. The red colour comes from iron(III) oxide. While Phos-Chek only causes mild skin and eye irritation for humans, it’s hazardous to aquatic organisms. When applied in front of wildfires, Phos-Chek forms phosphate esters which form a protective char that slows wildfires’ spread.
July 28, 2026 at 12:02 PM
Reposted by Compound Interest | Chemistry infographics
cenmag.bsky.social
This edition of #PeriodicGraphics describes how piezoelectric materials generate electricity, and how this process is used in common applications, including gas ignitors and medical imaging equipment. cen.acs.org/materials/el...

#chemsky 🧪
A graphic that describes how piezoelectric materials generate electricity, and how this process is used in common applications, including gas ignitors and medical imaging equipment.
July 26, 2026 at 9:48 PM
compoundchem.com
Spain are the winners of the 2026 World Cup 🏆 Here's a look at how the materials that make up the shirts help them stand up to all the shirt-pulling and rough-housing in a typical Argentina match ⚽

#ChemSky 🧪
Infographic titled "The chemistry of football shirt materials" by Compound Interest features two jerseys alongside polymer structures. Polyester (Polyethylene terephthalate) forms durable, lightweight, water-wicking shirt fabric absorbing just 0.4% water. Elastane (spandex or lycra) adds elasticity and strength, enduring 600% elongation before rupturing, though it is less breathable. Polyurethane is thermally bonded to print player names, numbers, and sponsor logos onto the shirts.
July 20, 2026 at 9:06 PM
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cenmag.bsky.social
The latest edition of #PeriodicGraphics by @compoundchem.com explains the chemistry that can cause sunscreen to stain clothing and how some chemistry know-how can quickly remove the stains: cen.acs.org/materials/co...

#chemsky 🧪
A graphic explaining the chemistry that can cause sunscreen to stain clothing. The left column shows the structures of the organic compounds that cause stains. The right column shows the structures and chemical reactions involved in removing stains.
July 17, 2026 at 1:01 PM
compoundchem.com
On #NationalCherryDay, here’s a look at the chemistry behind cherries’ poisonous pits and the chemical differences between sweet and sour cherries 🍒 www.compoundchem.com/2016/07/21/c...

#ChemSky 🧪
This Compound Interest infographic explains the chemistry behind sweet and sour cherries. Anthocyanins like cyanidin-3-o-rutinoside and cyanidin-3-glucosylrutinoside determine cherry color. Tartness results from malic acid, with sour cherries having a lower pH of 3.1–3.6 compared to 3.7–4.5 for sweet cherries. Furthermore, cherry pits contain amygdalin, which releases poisonous hydrogen cyanide when digested, with concentrations varying between cherry types.
July 16, 2026 at 3:45 PM
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alanrew.bsky.social
@compoundchem.com
#chemistry
Harry Kane molecules.
July 11, 2026 at 2:32 PM
compoundchem.com
If you've been enjoying the tennis at Wimbledon over the past two weeks, here's a look at the materials science that goes into every game, set and match 🎾 www.compoundchem.com/2026/07/13/t...

#ChemSky 🧪
An infographic titled "The materials science of tennis" by Compound Interest explaining the chemistry of balls and rackets. Ball cores are vulcanized rubber (natural rubber crosslinked with sulfur) filled with pressurized nitrogen gas. The outer felt is wool and nylon, dyed yellow with a dye such as Basic Yellow 40. Rackets evolved from wood (which warped), to aluminium, then composites (fibreglass, Kevlar), and now carbon fibre with plastic resins. Strings transitioned from cow gut to polyester and nylon.
July 13, 2026 at 8:15 PM
compoundchem.com
The men’s football World Cup has reached the quarter finals stage ⚽️ Wondering what the trophy the eventual winners lift is made of? This edition of #PeriodicGraphics in @cenmag.bsky.social takes a look! cen.acs.org/materials/in...

#ChemSky 🧪
An infographic titled "What's the World Cup made of?" details two trophies. The Jules Rimet Trophy (1930–1970, stolen 1983) is 35 cm tall, weighs 3.8 kg, and is made of gold-plated silver on a blue lapis lazuli base. The FIFA World Cup Trophy (1974–present) is 36.8 cm tall, weighs 6.175 kg, and consists of hollow 18-karat gold with green malachite bands. If solid, it would weigh 70–80 kg. Winners receive replicas, and Nelson Mandela is the only individual to receive a full-sized replica.
July 10, 2026 at 12:31 PM
compoundchem.com
Many of us are relying on the welcome chill of air con during historic heatwaves 🥵 Here's a look at the chemical compounds keeping us cool in @cenmag.bsky.social: cen.acs.org/articles/95/... #ChemSky🧪
Infographic titled "The Chemistry of Air Conditioning" detailing how AC systems work and the evolution of refrigerant compounds. A 4-step diagram shows refrigeration cycles: 1) Compressor pressurizes vapor, 2) Condenser vents warm air, 3) Expansion valve creates a cold mist, and 4) Evaporator cools passing air. Below, it compares "Current Refrigerants" (CFCs, HCFCs, HFCs) with their ozone depletion (ODP) and global warming potentials (GWP), and "The Next Generation" options like HFOs and CO2.
June 29, 2026 at 9:00 PM
compoundchem.com
The 2026 World Cup has kicked off! This edition's ball has fewer polyurethane panels than previous World Cup balls. Learn more about the ball's materials chemistry in this graphic: wp.me/p4aPLT-8VK

#ChemSky 🧪
Infographic titled "The chemistry of the World Cup ball" by Compound Interest. It details the materials used in manufacturing. Polyurethane coating forms the water-resistant outer panels, synthesized from isocyanate and polyol. A nylon lining (polyamide) adds bounce and strength between the cover and bladder. The inner butyl rubber bladder retains air effectively, though latex is an alternative.
June 13, 2026 at 8:12 PM
Reposted by Compound Interest | Chemistry infographics
fischblog.bsky.social
A great day for chemistry!
The first goal of the #worldcup was apparently scored by Quinones.

It's about time these amazing compounds get some recognition! Suck it up, Terpenes!
#chemsky
🧪
June 11, 2026 at 7:34 PM
compoundchem.com
Today is #WorldOceansDay, so here's a graphic which looks at the ocean acidification caused by rising atmospheric carbon dioxide levels and how this affects the ocean habitat 🌊 www.compoundchem.com/2017/01/18/o...

#ChemSky 🧪
An infographic titled "Carbon Dioxide and Ocean Acidification" from Compound Interest details how rising carbon dioxide levels lower ocean pH. The first section, "The Basics," shows ocean pH dropping from 8.2 (pre-industrial) to 8.1 (2013) and a projected 7.7 by 2100. "The Chemistry" section uses chemical equations to illustrate CO2 reacting with water to form carbonic acid, which dissociates into hydrogen, bicarbonate, and carbonate ions. "The Effects" outlines risks: decreased shell formation for calcifying organisms, disrupted food webs and fishing economies, and impaired animal chemical signaling.
June 8, 2026 at 9:09 PM
compoundchem.com
What gives smoked foods their flavour, and where do these flavour compounds come from? This edition of #PeriodicGraphics in @cenmag.bsky.social has the answers: cen.acs.org/articles/104...
An edition of Periodic Graphics titled "The chemistry of smoking foods" breaks down the chemical processes of food smoking. It contrasts direct smoking in a smokehouse with liquid smoke, noting liquid smoke has lower carbon emissions and fewer carcinogenic polyaromatic hydrocarbons. The graphic explains that wood pyrolysis at 300 to 700 degrees Celsius breaks down cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin to create flavors. Key flavor compounds include syringol and guaiacol derivatives. Finally, it notes that carbonyl compounds from smoke react with amino acids in food to cause Maillard browning, giving smoked food its characteristic brown color.
June 3, 2026 at 12:04 PM
compoundchem.com
Summer thunderstorms are hitting here ⛈️ Whenever you see a flash of lightning, you’re seeing the trigger for atmospheric chemical reactions. Learn more in this graphic: www.compoundchem.com/2018/07/31/t...

#ChemSky 🧪
An infographic from Compound Interest titled "The Science of Thunderstorms". The left column explains lightning formation, detailing how colliding ice crystals and falling soft hail separate charges, making the cloud top positive and the base negative, inducing a positive charge on the ground. The center shows a lightning strike photo and explains thunder: rapid heating to 30,000°C creates a shock wave traveling at ~343 m/s. The right column explains how strikes split oxygen to form ozone, excite nitrogen and hydrogen to create a blue-violet color, and bond oxygen with nitrogen to create nitrates that aid plant growth.
June 2, 2026 at 3:55 PM
compoundchem.com
Dorothy Hodgkin, Nobel Prize winner and crystallography pioneer, was born #OTD in 1910. Using X-ray crystallography she determined the structures of complex molecules including vitamin B10 and insulin: www.compoundchem.com/2019/05/12/h... #ChemSky 🧪
May 12, 2026 at 7:51 AM
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thetecheng.bsky.social
My vote goes to Chlorine Trifluoride to not just atomize you but also burn through the shag carpet, 2 feet of concrete, and another couple of feet of sand before the fire decides to die out.
It is, of course, extremely toxic, but that’s the least of the problem. It is hypergolic with every known fuel, and so rapidly hypergolic that no ignition delay has ever been measured. It is also hypergolic with such things as cloth, wood, and test engineers, not to mention asbestos, sand, and water-with which it reacts explosively. It can be kept in some of the ordinary structural metals-steel, copper, aluminium, etc.-because of the formation of a thin film of insoluble metal fluoride which protects the bulk of the metal, just as the invisible coat of oxide on aluminium keeps it from burning up in the atmosphere. If, however, this coat is melted or scrubbed off, and has no chance to reform, the operator is confronted with the problem of coping with a metal-fluorine fire. For dealing with this situation, I have always recommended a good pair of running shoes. John Drury Clark, Ignition!: An informal history of liquid rocket propellants
April 15, 2026 at 1:28 AM
compoundchem.com
Did you know magnolia petals are edible?

I didn't until this year, and discovering that they are led me to this exploration of magnolia chemistry (and experiments in making magnolia gin).

Learn more in the graphic here: www.compoundchem.com/2026/04/20/m...

#ChemSky 🧪
An infographic titled "Magnolia molecules: perfume and medicines" details the plant's chemistry. Pink petals contain cyanidin and peonidin pigments. Aroma molecules include aldehydes like 2-nonenal and heptanal, and terpenes like alpha-pinene and linalool. Medicinal bark compounds include magnolol and honokiol, which have antioxidant properties. It also highlights yulanosides, unique phenylethanoid glycosides. Chemical structures for these compounds surround a central magnolia branch photo.
April 20, 2026 at 8:14 PM
compoundchem.com
Researchers working on Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs) won the 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. The latest edition of #PeriodicGraphics in @cenmag.bsky.social looks at applications of MOFs, including water harvesting, gas storage, and more: cen.acs.org/materials/me...

#ChemSky 🧪
This infographic, "MOFs: What are they good for?", defines Metal-Organic Frameworks as crystalline "molecular sponges" made of metal ions and organic linkers. It details four commercial applications: carbon capture using zinc-based CALF-20, safer gas storage for semiconductor manufacturing, harvesting atmospheric water in deserts using aluminum-based MOF-303, and the detoxification of chemical warfare agents. It notes that MOF research won the 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry.
April 15, 2026 at 8:05 PM