100+ Chemistry Essay Topics

Chemistry is among the most exciting scientific fields of study today, with discoveries and inventions popping up daily. However, with so many new developments, it can be challenging to pick one topic to research. To help you make this choice easier, we’ve created this list of over a hundred ideas worthy of your attention.

How to Use Our Chemistry Research Paper Topics List

While we’ve split the list into sections, any of the ideas below can be used for a variety of assignments. So the chemistry topics for an extended essay will work just as well for research or term paper writing; some may be suitable for case studies or theses. To find the right idea for your class, follow four simple steps:

1. Browse the topics on offer. You can start with the section that fits your academic level or class best. But if nothing catches your eye there, feel free to skim the other sections; they might sparkle inspiration. 
2. Pick several preliminary topics. Three to five options should be enough for you to make the final choice. And if you’re not sure which idea is best, consult your TA or professor to know for sure.
3. Augment the idea to fit your assignment type. Say you have to write an argumentative piece. There are a couple of chemistry argumentative essay topics on the list. You can turn others into argumentative ones if you tweak the wording a bit to make it more controversial. The same goes for other paper types, such as reflective or persuasive essay writing.
4. Alter the scope of the research. Reread the prompt and edit the topic of your choice to fit it. You may need to broaden or narrow down the scope of the study to keep it manageable and researchable while leaving yourself enough wiggle room to find credible sources.

Choosing the right research topic shouldn’t take you more than an hour, so don’t agonize over the selection too long. You’re better off picking an idea at random and getting fast feedback from your professor than stretching out the first step of your writing process for days and weeks. The sooner you get a go-ahead from your prof, the sooner your paper will be done.

Hand-picked Chemistry Research Topics

We’ve scoured the Chemistry journals and academic news feeds to select 100+ research topics that won’t bore you, your classmates, and professors to death. So you can be sure every idea on the list is fresh and relevant, though you may have trouble finding enough sources to cite for some of the newest additions. Skip to the last section (Researchable Topics) if you want to be sure there are plenty of references to use. 

Chemistry Research Paper Topics for High School

1. The longevity of lead from historical petrol across urban landscapes
2. Creating microbes to accelerate harmful chemicals degradation
3. Recycling superabsorbent polymers for use as pressure-sensitive adhesives
4. The relationship between different types of aromaticity
5. Metal-based antimicrobials to replace inefficient organic antibiotics
6. The truth behind the sustainability of lithium-ion batteries
7. The history of the discovery and development of insulin as a diabetes treatment
8. The effectiveness of breathalyzers for Covid-19 express testing
9. The global challenges and risks of industrial water purification
10. The solution to the increasing pesticide and fungicide resistance for agriculture
11. The clean-up process of water and land contamination after technogenic catastrophes
12. 3D printing applications in the pharmaceutical industry
13. The effect of nitrogen-rich fertilizers on the environment
14. The current state of health-monitoring tattoos and patches
15. The chemical differences in Earth’s and Venus’ atmosphere
16. The quantitative comparison of artificial and natural elastomers
17. Sustainable protection throughout the Covid-19 pandemic
18. The chemical advances of the year 2020 prompted by the pandemic
19. The influence of electric fields in Earth mantle on diamond crystallization
20. Meteorites as the source of life-fuelling phosphates on Earth

Chemistry Undergraduate Research Project Ideas

21. The application of molecular complexity index to identify life on other planets
22. The US and EU genome-editing legislation and regulation
23. Bacterial carbon dioxide capture and recycling
24. The state of the waste-to-raw-materials recycling industry
25. Mechanochemical oxidation for lithium extraction from old batteries
26. The effects of quantum tunneling on the thermal conductivity of defect-free crystals
27. X-ray crystallography software application and pitfalls
28. Non-invasive blood alcohol content sensor relying on sweat analysis
29. Biodegradable surgical sensors to track tendon strain post-surgery
30. Machine learning algorithms to identify ammunition by the gunshot residue
31. The application of porous hydrogel for cleaning contemporary artwork
32. Machine learning in materials design and engineering
33. Blood test DNA methylation detection used for cancer screening
34. Adding calcium to increase corrosion resistance in magnesium alloys
35. The implications of using titanium dioxide in food production
36. Drug-delivery system using metal-covered sperm-based microrobots
37. The use of carbon nanotubes in creating transistors
38. The development of tailored copper complexes for LEDs
39. Silica-embedded flexible polymer capable of turning into glass
40. The opportunities and challenges of biodegradable plastics development

Organic Chemistry Research Paper Topics

41. The use of free radicals to create C-C bonds in proteins
42. The application of voltage to augment reactivity
43. Organic reaction optimization through the use of machine learning software
44. Water-splitting photocatalyst optimization via robotic chemists
45. The applications of color-changing luminescence in organic material
46. Monosaccharides to be used as narrow-spectrum antibiotics disrupting bacterial cell wall biosynthesis
47. Efficient methods for creating transition-metal-based non-protein catalysts
48. The mechanism of dioxygen activation by copper-containing enzymes
49. Function-oriented molecular design and synthesis through computer modeling
50. The development of novel materials with tailored optical properties

Good Physical Chemistry Essay Ideas

51. The method for capturing the molecular motions of catalytic reactions
52. Electron transfer between electrodes in sustainable battery technology
53. The method of observing electron motion at excited molecule orbitals
54. Liquid-liquid phase transition in water in a supercooled state
55. Modeling strain location and extent in cyclic molecules
56. The spontaneous generation of hydrogen peroxide in microdroplets of water
57. Superheavy and beyond superheavy element discovery rules
58. Molecules cooled to near absolute zero to explain chemical reactions
59. Molecule examination tools at a cellular and subcellular scale
60. The use of electric fields to control chemical reactions
61. The development of flexible crystals for wearable electronics
62. The application of nanotubes in investigating the properties of quasi-one-dimensional systems
63. Conformational analysis software for automatic entropy evaluation 
64. Valence bond theory as applied to carbon bonding
65. Water solvate properties at a molecular level

Interesting Chemistry Research Ideas

66. Graphene film application for preserving art from light-induced color fading
67. Phase transitions in flexible ice microfibers during bending
68. Sub-zero water splitting for producing hydrogen as a renewable energy source
69. Copper electrocatalysts’ effect on reducing acetylene concentration in the air
70. The potential use of carbon dioxide as a raw material for fuel and chemicals production
71. The failure of personalized medicine and future potential
72. Safe and efficient ways of hydrogen storage in vehicles
73. Future electronic materials using silicon double bonds in metal-based polymers
74. The development of room-temperature superconductors
75. Ionotronic materials for bridging the gap between electronics and live organisms
76. The ethics of infecting healthy people to accelerate vaccine development
77. Spectroscopy and statistics to differentiate between human and animal blood at the crime scenes
78. The safety and nutritional value of lab-grown chicken
79. Microplastic particle consumption causes and risks
80. The properties and uses of porous zeolites
81. The Moon chemistry knowledge evolution since Apollo 11
82. Sustainable hydrogen production through seawater splitting
83. The tools and techniques for direct observation of transition states
84. The unusual chemistry of Einsteinium
85. The discovery of hexagonal sodium chloride predicted by evolutionary algorithms

Researchable Topics in Chemistry

86. The development of subcellular sensors to investigate living cell functions and properties
87. High-pressure nitrogen explains its similarities with other elements of its group
88. The achievability of industry emission reduction targets
89. The potential of cannabinoid-based medicines’ FDA approval
90. The legal implications of patenting drugs and compounds developed using AI
91. Precision-designed properties of metal-glass-based composites
92. The dismantling and recycling of defunct atomic submarines
93. Photocatalytic process of extracting precious metals from electronics waste
94. The lubricating properties of metal carbides and their applications
95. Metal-based coating reacting to heat and friction used to identify strain in climbing ropes
96. Tailored hydrogels used for regenerative cell therapy and transplantation
97. The changes in gene-editing regulations for crops and animals 
98. The application of aluminum in water harvesting
99. Cross-discipline self-assembly techniques for creating precise nanostructures
100. The electrocatalytic properties of mercury
101. The application of barium sulfate for creating broad-spectrum light scattering paint
102. Magnetic properties of ferrofluids and their application in robotics
103. Heat tolerance and hardness of high-entropy alloys
104. The decontamination efforts post-Fukushima
105. Exotic superconductivity in twisted three-layer graphene

Haven’t Found the Right One Among Our Chemistry Essay Topics?

We’ve done our best to select the most relevant and exciting research ideas on this list. But we cannot cover every class and major in a single post. Luckily, this issue is easy to solve. All you have to do is contact our team, and we’ll happily craft any number of chemistry extended essay topics for you to choose from. And we can just as easily take over writing or editing if you need extra help.