National Chemistry Week 2026: Celebrate "Chemistry Under Construction" with Resources from the Journal of Chemical Education

National Chemistry Week, a community-based annual event uniting ACS local sections, businesses, schools, and individuals in communicating and promoting the value of chemistry in our everyday life, is being celebrated October 18–24, 2026 with the theme “Chemistry Under Construction." Construction involves the use of many different materials and a wide variety of chemistry applications. Ideas for exploring and experimenting with the chemistry of building materials can be found in the articles listed below from the Journal of Chemical Education. This content can be used to motivate students, illustrate important chemical concepts, and communicate the value of chemistry. Make the most of National Chemistry Week by connecting chemistry to students’ everyday lives through resources from the Journal of Chemical Education.

Concrete and Cement
Wood
Stone and Ceramics
Paint
Glass
Polymers
Advanced Materials

Concrete and Cement

Building More Sustainably with Concrete: A Guided Inquiry Investigation
Seamus Delaney, Andras Fehervari, Vaughan Moon, Madeleine Schultz; J. Chem. Educ. 13 December 2022; 99 (12): 4169–4174.
DOI: 10.1021/acs.jchemed.2c00344

Chemistry of Cement
Patricia Mason; J. Chem. Educ. 1 October 2006; 83 (10): 1472A–1427B.
DOI: 10.1021/ed083p1472A

Cement: Its Chemistry and Properties
Douglas C. MacLaren, Mary Anne White; J. Chem. Educ. 1 June 2003; 80 (6): 623–635.
DOI: 10.1021/ed080p623

Wood

Some aspects of chemistry teaching and research in wood science
B. Riedl, P. D. Kamdem; J. Chem. Educ. 1 July 1990; 67 (7): 543.
DOI: 10.1021/ed067p543

Wood cellulose as a chemical feedstock for the cellulose esters industry
Jim D. Wilson, J. Kelvin Hamilton; J. Chem. Educ. 1 January 1986; 63 (1): 49.
DOI: 10.1021/ed063p49

Chemicals from wood and other biomass: Part II. The chemistry of conversion
David W. Goheen; J. Chem. Educ. 1 July 1981; 58 (7): 544.
DOI: 10.1021/ed058p544

Stone and Ceramics

The Analysis of Dolomitic Marble: A Multifaceted Problem for General Chemistry Students
A. M. Ranjika Priyadarshi Bopegedera; J. Chem. Educ. 8 February 2022; 99 (2): 964–974.
DOI: 10.1021/acs.jchemed.1c00687

Easy Illustration of Salt Damage in Stone
Francesco Caruso, Timothy Wangler, Robert J. Flatt; J. Chem. Educ. 11 September 2018; 95 (9): 1615–1620.
DOI: 10.1021/acs.jchemed.7b00815

Sol–Gel Application for Consolidating Stone: An Example of Project-Based Learning in a Physical Chemistry Lab
Desireé M. de los Santos, Antonio Montes, Antonio Sánchez-Coronilla, Javier Navas; J. Chem. Educ. 9 September 2014; 91 (9): 1481–1485.
DOI: 10.1021/ed4008414

Integrating Chemistry and Art: A Laboratory Activity Exploring Copper-Based Ceramic Glaze Transformations
Jackson Ruddick, Iris Peng, Ariyaporn Haripottawekul, Isabela Lovelace, Matthew Rios, Li-Qiong Wang; J. Chem. Educ. 10 February 2026; 103 (2): 1093–1100.
DOI: 10.1021/acs.jchemed.5c00837

Introducing Engineering Design and Materials Science at an Earlier Age through Ceramic Cold Casting
Alexander J. Boys, Mark C. Walsh; J. Chem. Educ. 8 January 2019; 96 (1): 104–109.
DOI: 10.1021/acs.jchemed.8b00404

Paint

Bringing Lead Awareness into the Classroom: A Multigrade Curriculum Connecting Environmental Chemistry and Public Health
Eshaan M. Patel, Rylie P. Boezeman, Khaled M. Masharqa, Noah C. Bajuyo, Kamila Deavers; J. Chem. Educ. 8 September 2026; 103 (9): 4978–4988.
DOI: 10.1021/acs.jchemed.6c00504

Chemistry of Paint: Interdisciplinary Lessons and Experiments for Undergraduate and High School Students
Leah Kubasek, Lauren M. Rossiter; J. Chem. Educ. 14 April 2026; 103 (4): 1847–1853.
DOI: 10.1021/acs.jchemed.5c00232

Colorful and Creative Chemistry: Making Simple Sustainable Paints with Natural Pigments and Binders
Jillian L. Blatti; J. Chem. Educ. 14 February 2017; 94 (2): 211–215.
DOI: 10.1021/acs.jchemed.6b00591

Glass

Mimicking Stained Glass: A Hands-On Activity for the Preparation and Characterization of Silica Films Colored with Noble Metal Ions and Nanoparticles
Carolina Cionti, Marta Stucchi, Daniela Meroni; J. Chem. Educ. 8 March 2022; 99 (3): 1516–1522.
DOI: 10.1021/acs.jchemed.1c01141

Art as an Avenue to Science Literacy: Teaching Nanotechnology through Stained Glass
Kimberly A. Duncan, Chris Johnson, Kyle McElhinny, Steve Ng, Katie D. Cadwell, Greta M. Zenner Petersen, Angela Johnson, Dana Horoszewski, Ken Gentry, George Lisensky, Wendy C. Crone; J. Chem. Educ. 1 October 2010; 87 (10): 1031–1038.
DOI: 10.1021/ed10009

Polymers

The Foam Design Challenge: Student-Driven Property Optimization of Flexible Polyurethane Foams by Guided Inquiry and Experimentation
Jacob M. Nantz, Brian J. Sobieski, Andrew J. D. Magenau; J. Chem. Educ. 10 February 2026; 103 (2): 1004–1012.
DOI: 10.1021/acs.jchemed.5c01072

Formulation, Preparation, and Characterization of Polyurethane Foams
Moisés L. Pinto; J. Chem. Educ. 1 February 2010; 87 (2): 212–215.
DOI: 10.1021/ed8000599

Hands-On Laboratory Experience Using Adhesives for Remote Learning of Polymer Chemistry
S. Schmidt, Z. M. Wright, K. E. Eckhart, F. Starvaggi, W. Vickery, M. E. Wolf, M. Pitts, T. Warner, T. Taofik, M. Ng, C. Colliver, S. A. Sydlik; J. Chem. Educ. 12 October 2021; 98 (10): 3153–3162.
DOI: 10.1021/acs.jchemed.0c01374

Polymer Day: Outreach Experiments for High School Students.
Jeffrey M. Ting, Ralm G. Ricarte, Deborah K. Schneiderman, Stacey A. Saba, Yaming Jiang, Marc A. Hillmyer, Frank S. Bates, Theresa M. Reineke, Christopher W. Macosko, Timothy P. Lodge; J. Chem. Educ. 14 November 2017; 94 (11): 1629–1638.
DOI: 10.1021/acs.jchemed.6b00767

Methods for Introducing Inorganic Polymer Concepts throughout the Undergraduate Curriculum
Daniel T. de Lill, Charles E. Carraher; J. Chem. Educ. 14 November 2017; 94 (11): 1674–1681.
DOI: 10.1021/acs.jchemed.7b00028

Polymers: Cornerstones of Construction
Charles E. Carraher, John P. Droske; J. Chem. Educ. 1 October 2006; 83 (10): 1428–1435.
DOI: 10.1021/ed083p1428

Polymers in caulking and sealant materials
van R. Foster; J. Chem. Educ. 1 October 1987; 64 (10): 861–865.
DOI: 10.1021/ed064p861

Advanced Materials

Hands-On Comprehensive Experiment for Synthesis of Geopolymer Materials and Their Hydrophobic Modification for Undergraduates
Yanguang Wu, Liang Li, Xiang Peng; J. Chem. Educ. 9 June 2026; 103 (6): 3287–3293.
DOI: 10.1021/acs.jchemed.2c01192

The Chocolate Curriculum: A Gateway to Materials Science and Engineering and Python Programming
Janine K. Nunes, Ananya Chakravarti, Z. Vivian Feng; J. Chem. Educ. 12 May 2026; 103 (5): 2776–2784.
DOI: 10.1021/acs.jchemed.5c01442

Synthesis of Carbon-Based Xerogels Inspired by Japanese-Solid-Calligraphy Ink as a Teaching Tool for Exploring Carbon Allotropes
Junpei Hayakawa; J. Chem. Educ. 12 August 2025; 102 (8): 3558–3566.
DOI: 10.1021/acs.jchemed.5c00482

Luminescent Solar Concentrators from Food Substances: A Safe and Simple Experiment to Approach Sunlight Energy Harvesting
Alberto Picchi, Andrea Pucci, Marco Carlotti; J. Chem. Educ. 14 November 2023; 100 (11): 4559–4566.
DOI: 10.1021/acs.jchemed.3c00709

Luminescent Solar Concentrator Paintings: Connecting Art and Energy
Alexander Renny, Chenchen Yang, Rebecca Anthony, Richard R. Lunt; J. Chem. Educ. 10 July 2018; 95 (7): 1161–1166.
DOI: 10.1021/acs.jchemed.7b00742

Developing a Portable Organic Solar Cell Kit Suitable for Students to Fabricate and Test Solar Cells in the Laboratory
Nicolas C. Nicolaidis, Phoebe V. Hollott, Benjamin Stanwell, Isaac A. Gill, Justine E. Bull, Sean Bentsen, Jason Iredale, Ted M. Pappenfus, Paul C. Dastoor, Krishna Feron, Matthew J. Griffith, Natalie P. Holmes; J. Chem. Educ. 13 October 2020; 97 (10): 3751–3757.
DOI: 10.1021/acs.jchemed.9b00941