Research on catalysts that speed chemical reactions. Covers methane conversion, zeolite catalysis, and AI-guided catalyst design.
Researchers have developed a new computational workflow combining generative AI with atomistic simulations to identify promising platinum alloy catalyst structures for hydrogen fuel cells. The method produces high-performing candidates from several material combinations, addressing a longstanding challenge in catalyst design.
Researchers challenged thermodynamic-based framework for catalyst design and proposed new principle focusing on declining efficiency of solid-phase electron transport. They designed homonuclear cobalt-cobalt dual-atom catalyst DA-CoCo, significantly enhancing charge transport in solid intermediates, validating the new design principle.
Researchers at Stanford University have successfully combined five metals to form a single, uniform nanocrystal. The discovery could have significant implications for the future of hydrogen fuel and opens a new chapter in the preparation of nanomaterials.
Researchers from the University of Jyväskylä emphasize the importance of multiscale modeling in understanding and developing electrochemical processes. The study highlights the need for a thorough understanding of methods used and reactions studied, as computational tools can reliably model phenomena on different scales.
Researchers at Tohoku University discovered that hollow nanoreactors can work more efficiently when transport into the reaction space is slightly restricted. This new insight allows for optimized reactions in confined spaces, potentially producing everyday products more efficiently and at a lower price.
A research team has uncovered the atomic-scale understanding of how water drives structural reconstruction in oxide catalysts. The study reveals distinct hydroxylation pathways for different CoOx nanostructure initial structures in the presence of water.
Researchers propose atomically dispersed U−O−Ti bimetallic active sites for high-efficiency PEC OER catalysis, achieving a 3.82-fold enhancement compared to pristine TiO2. The material exhibits excellent structural stability and operational safety.
Researchers identify strong Brønsted acid site (BAS) in fluorinated γ-Al₂O₃ using advanced solid-state NMR techniques. The site is present only on fluorinated alumina and exhibits exceptional robustness, enhancing catalytic activity and aromatization performance.
Researchers at Nagoya University have developed a new method called SMART that accelerates enzyme evolution and reduces costs by accelerating the selection period from weeks to days. The system uses mRNA display, next-generation sequencing, and bioinformatics to identify superior enzyme variants.
Researchers developed a Fe-Mg dual-atom catalyst that regulates spin states to optimize the oxygen reduction reaction, achieving exceptional electrocatalytic metrics and surpassing platinum benchmarks. The optimized catalyst delivers outstanding stability and viability for real-world applications.
Scientists at the University of Minnesota have discovered a powerful new method for controlling the electronic behavior of metals by adjusting film thickness at the nanometer scale, which can tune surface work function by over 1 eV.
A new cobalt-based dual-atom catalyst significantly enhances oxygen reduction reaction performance while avoiding precious metals. The catalyst achieves remarkable catalytic activity and retains durability, enabling outstanding energy performance in zinc-air batteries.
Researchers developed a platinum-based catalyst supported on oxygen-vacancy-rich cerium oxide (Pt/CeO2–Vo) to enhance hydrogen activation. The catalyst achieved a pyrrolidone yield of 95.2% within one hour, with high formation rates and excellent stability.
A new three-step synthesis strategy enables simultaneous control over composition and surface facets of high-entropy alloy nanoparticles. Researchers have scaled the process to produce millions of particles across unique compositions, opening a path to discovering next-generation HEA catalysts with high-index facets.
Scientists at Kyushu University have developed a simple method to produce hydrogen gas by mixing methanol with iron ions and irradiating it with UV light. The reaction produces a considerable amount of hydrogen gas comparable to that of previously reported systems, opening up new possibilities for sustainable hydrogen technologies.
Researchers at Chiba University have found that a balance between photocatalytic and photothermal processes is necessary for efficient CO2 conversion. The team achieved high rates of CO2-to-methane conversion by controlling temperature and light intensity, providing a pathway toward designing more efficient catalysts.
The researchers developed an AI-based method that allows users to input natural language prompts about the materials they want to create and suggests optimal procedures for experiments to produce them. The method has been successfully applied to identify catalysts for turning carbon dioxide and hydrogen into carbon monoxide and water u...
A team from Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics proposed an atomic-to-macro multiscale electrode design to achieve high-efficiency and long-life hydrogen production. The design features abundant atomic heterointerfaces and tri-scale porosity, enhancing water electrolysis and improving mass transfer efficiency.
Scientists have tracked oxygen spillover in catalysts using environmental transmission electron microscopy and observed bulk oxygen spillover for the first time in Ru/rutile-TiO2 catalysts. The research provides new approaches for utilizing catalyst bulk, enabling it to contribute to mass transfer during catalytic reactions.
The São Paulo School of Advanced Science on Electrochemistry aims to strengthen proficiency in advanced techniques for next-gen batteries, catalytic interfaces & sensors. Participants will engage with renowned researchers & benefit from computational tools & instrumentation.
Researchers at Northwestern University have developed a single-step process to turn methane into methanol without high heat and pressures. The method harnesses tiny bursts of plasma to break the chemical bonds in methane, producing a cleaner-burning fuel for ships and industrial boilers.
Researchers discover that catalyst supports facilitate nitrogen activation by capturing and transferring active nitrogen species, bypassing metal particles. This mechanism boosts ammonia synthesis efficiency and provides new insights for catalyst design.
Researchers at Tohoku University have made significant progress in precise nanoscale construction of g-C₃N₄ catalysts, which enables efficient photocatalytic H₂O₂ evolution. The study highlights the importance of nanoarchitectonics in scaling up industrial production.
A research team from the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics has developed a novel strategy for direct electrocatalytic ethylene epoxidation using a platinum single-atom catalyst. The catalyst enhances EO production efficiency by stabilizing superoxo species, achieving a Faradaic efficiency of 74% and a partial current density of 71 m...
Researchers at DGIST have developed a novel catalytic technology that can easily assemble key structural frameworks of bioactive compounds exclusively in the desired mirror-image form. The technology uses an inexpensive nickel catalyst to synthesize β-methylene carbonyl derivatives, which are crucial for pharmaceuticals.
Researchers developed a highly efficient dual-copper catalyzed asymmetric tandem reaction for synthesizing chiral N-unprotected cyclic imine esters, achieving excellent stereoselectivity and high substrate universality. The method demonstrates potential in medicinal chemistry and has shown significant antiviral activity.
Researchers developed an AI tool to predict how effectively biochar materials break down antibiotics, offering a faster and smarter way to design environmental cleanup technologies. The framework accurately estimates reaction rates and provides scientific insights into material characteristics that influence performance.
Researchers developed a nitrogen-doped biochar that enhances ozone-based water treatment efficiency by over 100 times, removing persistent pollutants like DEET. The catalyst also shows strong performance against pharmaceuticals and herbicides, offering a promising solution for tackling emerging contaminants.
The team successfully developed a multifunctional catalyst incorporating palladium and copper complexes on mesoporous silica, enabling the efficient activation of ketones and allyl alcohols. This process accelerates the allylation reaction by up to a factor of 15.5 compared to previous catalysts.
A new catalytic strategy using hydroxyl-induced cobalt oxide enables efficient conversion of syngas to light olefins through Fischer-Tropsch synthesis. The catalyst achieved high CO conversion and light olefin selectivity, with carbon utilization efficiency reaching up to 13%.
Researchers developed microfluidic synthesis of polymer microspheres with tunable shape and surface area, enhancing metal loading, mass transfer, and synergistic catalysis. Open-hole Ag-Pt microspheres delivered the strongest performance in converting toxic pollutants into valuable products.
Researchers developed a method to predict how metal strain influences adsorption energies and reaction barriers, enabling the design of strain-engineered catalysts with desired properties. They found that electronegativity is closely correlated with the energetic response to lattice strain.
Researchers developed a perovskite-type ceramic catalyst that maximizes ethanol-to-hydrogen conversion through exsolution of nickel nanoparticles. The study demonstrated the importance of calcination temperature in controlling catalyst performance.
The €30 million ASCEND project aims to accelerate catalyst discovery using Digital Catalysis and thin-film technologies. By combining AI with physical synthesis and stress testing, the project seeks to unlock performance breakthroughs for commercially viable large-scale deployment of green hydrogen and sustainable chemicals.
Researchers have developed a novel solar-driven co-upcycling strategy that enables the synergistic valorization of waste polystyrene and elemental sulfur. The approach integrates clean solar energy with the high-value utilization of industrial byproducts, resulting in the conversion of plastic waste into high-value chemicals.
Researchers developed a new type of engineered biochar that can deliver oxygen in a controlled and stable way, overcoming limitations of current materials. The phosphate-modified biochar demonstrated strong environmental adaptability, making it suitable for complex natural environments.
A collaborative research team has developed a gas-induced structure evolution strategy to create a 'self-transforming' catalyst that selectively converts CO2 into carbon monoxide. The catalyst achieves a targeted shift in product selectivity, increasing the CO/CH4 ratio and enhancing CO selectivity.
Scientists have developed a novel catalyst that enables efficient conversion of CO2 into formate, which is widely used across industries. The catalyst, comprising Co atoms confined within the MoS2 lattice, shows superior catalytic activity and selectivity compared to traditional materials.
Researchers developed a highly efficient biochar-supported catalyst that converts biomass-derived chemicals into valuable industrial products under remarkably mild conditions. The study demonstrates the untapped potential of biochar as an active partner in catalysis.
Researchers from NUS developed a boron-catalysed method to transform oxetanes into larger, medicinally relevant 1,3-oxazinanes with selective insertion of two building blocks, carbon and nitrogen units. This approach harnesses frustrated Lewis pair activation to upgrade cheap starting materials into bioactive compounds.
Researchers at Tohoku University have developed a comprehensive digital materials ecosystem that integrates AI tools to streamline materials design, enabling faster and more accurate discovery of new materials. The ecosystem uses databases, AI, and scientific workflows to predict material properties and optimize design processes.
A novel design strategy has been proposed to efficiently synthesize methanol from CO2, decoupling active sites through a strong metal-support interaction. This approach enables a significant increase in methanol yield compared to conventional catalysts.
A team of researchers achieved efficient bicarbonate-mediated integrated carbon dioxide capture and electrolysis to produce CO, reducing energy consumption and improving process performance. The new process couples CO2 capture with electrocatalytic conversion, enabling a closed-loop cycle.
Researchers developed a method to convert waste plastic mulch film into useful chemicals through catalytic pyrolysis. The study found that temperature controlled the product distribution and long-term stability of the catalyst, with optimal conditions producing valuable olefins and easily regenerable tar.
Researchers visualized activity across a platinum catalyst with unprecedented detail, revealing coordinated, interconnected systems. Individual crystal grains specialize in different chemical steps, and cooperative electron flows enhance overall reaction efficiency.
The study introduces a conformational isomer strategy to precisely tune nitrogen atom positions in covalent organic frameworks, enhancing photocatalytic hydrogen evolution performance. The imine-linked COF-I2 exhibits superior performance due to the synergistic effect between Pt clusters and single atoms.
Researchers at Tohoku University discovered that subtle variations in coordination symmetry significantly alter reaction energetics and product selectivity in single-atom electrocatalysts. Asymmetric Co-N3 sites exhibited enhanced overall ORR activity, while lower-symmetry Co-N5 centers achieved the highest selectivity toward hydrogen ...
A team of environmental chemists developed a new catalyst made from discarded coffee grounds that efficiently removes hydrogen sulfide, a highly toxic industrial gas, while producing elemental sulfur. The material was produced through a two-step process and demonstrated outstanding performance during laboratory testing.
Researchers developed a nickel-enriched biochar from marine microalgae that can detect hydrogen peroxide at low concentrations, with fast response times. The sensor's stability and sensitivity are improved by the uniform distribution of catalytic sites.
Researchers review how torrefaction converts biomass into versatile precursor for advanced functional materials. The process improves durability, electrical properties, and surface chemistry, enabling specific technological uses.
Wachs was recognized for his work on mixed oxide catalysts that guide the rational design of solid catalysts for air pollution remediation, sustainable energy, fuels, chemicals, and pharmaceuticals. His election to the NAE honors his contributions to chemical engineering and the modern field of operando molecular spectroscopy.
Researchers at Tohoku University successfully synthesized π-electron compounds with a pentagonal silicon framework, 'pentasilacyclopentadienide', and elucidated their molecular structures. The new compound has delocalized π-electrons and aromaticity similar to carbon-based cyclopentadienide.
Researchers at Chalmers University of Technology have developed a compact, humidity-tolerant sensor that detects hydrogen gas in humid environments. The sensor uses platinum nanoparticles to measure the concentration of hydrogen by analyzing the thickness of a water film on its surface.
A new catalyst enables efficient and stable electrosynthesis of ethylamine at industrial scale, overcoming long-standing challenges in selectivity loss and instability. The developed method supports continuous energy-efficient production of EA using electricity and water.
Researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign have developed a new method for synthesizing thermally stable Ni(I) compounds that opens new avenues for building complex molecules. The new catalysts exhibit rapid ligand substitution, exceptional performance in key reactions, and chemo-selectivity.
Researchers discovered that topological surface states can survive and be optimized by electrochemical reconstruction, leading to near-peak ORR activity. The study reveals the importance of considering quantum topology and electrochemical surface chemistry together for next-generation electrocatalysts.
Researchers at the University of Rochester have developed a new way to harness the properties of tungsten carbide as a catalyst for producing valuable chemicals and fuels. The method, which involves carefully manipulating tungsten carbide particles at the nanoscale level, has shown promising results in reducing costs and increasing eff...
Researchers develop synthesis method for metal-single atom catalysts that boosts electrolysis-based hydrogen production. The new method produces high purity H2 with only oxygen as a by-product and demonstrates outstanding catalytic performance.
Researchers developed a novel photoredox catalytic radical-polar cross-reaction to achieve precise bifunctionalization of inert C–N bonds and para-C–H bonds in olefin-substituted aniline derivatives. The strategy utilizes sulfur dioxide to capture Meisenheimer intermediates, suppressing the classical free radical aryl migration pathway.
Researchers at Yale and Missouri developed manganese-based catalysts that effectively convert carbon dioxide into formate, a potential key contributor of hydrogen for fuel cells. This breakthrough addresses the challenge of producing cost-efficient ways to produce and store hydrogen.