Articles tagged with Catalysis
MIT scientists have overcome a major barrier to large-scale solar power by developing an inexpensive and highly efficient process for storing solar energy. Inspired by plant photosynthesis, they've created a system that can split water into hydrogen and oxygen gases, producing carbon-free electricity.
Scientists create model nanocatalyst with controlled molybdenum sulfide nanocluster size and structure. This innovation enables designing more efficient nanocatalysts for hydrodesulfurization processes, reducing pollution from natural gas and petroleum products.
Chemists at Ohio State University have successfully created synthetic molecules that can change shape to suit a particular chemical reaction, similar to natural enzymes. This breakthrough could lead to the development of new catalysts for the pharmaceutical and chemical industries.
The Argonne-developed Diesel DeNOx Catalyst can reduce nitrogen oxide emissions from diesel-fueled engines by 95-100 percent. The technology uses inexpensive metals and diesel fuel as a reductant, making it economical to produce and use.
Carbon nanotubes have been engineered to improve the properties of solar cells by introducing defects, resulting in increased catalytic activity and reduced costs. The new material has the potential to replace traditional layers used in solar cells, leading to improved performance and more affordable energy technologies.
Researchers have found a way to effectively recycle toxic chlorinated compounds using a lanthanum chloride catalyst. The new reaction enables the exchange of chlorine atoms for hydrogen atoms, producing desired products without byproducts.
Researchers have discovered an inexpensive, clean way to prepare amines, nitrogen-containing organic compounds used in various industries. The new method produces no waste and is faster than current costly two-step process.
Scientists have determined the structure of a catalytic material that can convert methane into benzene, laying the foundation for converting excess methane into various useful fuels and chemicals. The breakthrough was achieved using an ultra-high field nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometer to analyze the active catalyst.
Researchers from Rostock have developed a feasible process for the on-demand release of hydrogen, generating it at room temperature from formic acid. The use of formic acid allows the advantages of established hydrogen/oxygen fuel cell technology to be combined with those of liquid fuels.
The new ultramicroelecrodes can detect chemicals up to 1000 times more sensitive than conventional sensors, with fast response times 10 times faster than traditional sensors.
Jingguang Chen, a University of Delaware chemical engineer, has won the 2008 Award for Excellence in Catalysis for his work on understanding the physical and chemical properties of bimetallic and metal carbide surfaces. His research has inspired new applications of fundamental studies to catalytic and fuel cell processes.
Researchers have successfully grown aligned and straight single-walled carbon nanotubes in large numbers using a quartz surface as a template. The achievement marks a significant step forward for the development of nano-scale electronics, which could enable the creation of ultra-tiny chips with improved performance.
Scott A. Strobel has made seminal contributions to the understanding of RNA structure and function, revealing its catalytic role through various disciplines. He will give the award lecture at the American Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology annual meeting.
Researchers at Jülich and Emory University have synthesized a stable inorganic metal oxide cluster that enables the fast and effective oxidation of water to oxygen. This breakthrough could contribute to solving energy and climate problems by producing hydrogen from renewable sources using artificial photosynthesis.
Researchers at Iowa State University are developing an integrated system of thermochemical and catalytic technologies to efficiently produce ethanol from plant biomass. The new nanotechnology-based catalyst addresses selectivity and control issues in the old chemistry, enabling efficient production.
The research successfully created designer enzymes for a chemical reaction known as the Kemp elimination, a non-natural chemical transformation in which hydrogen is pulled off a carbon atom. The researchers also designed an active site for the aldol reaction, involving at least six chemical transformations.
Researchers at PNNL have made a significant breakthrough in understanding how barium oxide attaches to gamma-alumina, a crucial step in reducing toxic nitrogen oxide emissions. The discovery has the potential to improve the efficiency of lean burn engines, which offer up to 35% better fuel economy.
Researchers at Penn State have developed a proof-of-concept device that can split water and produce recoverable hydrogen using sunlight. The system, which uses a catalyst complex to mimic natural photosynthesis, achieves an efficiency of about 0.3 percent but holds promise for future improvements.
Scientists from PNNL found that split oxygen atoms exhibit unexpected chemical behavior on reduced titanium oxide surfaces. The team discovered that one oxygen atom stays in place while the other shimmies away, likely stealing energy from the stationary one.
A new chemical synthesis method based on a rhodium-based catalyst has the potential to dramatically improve the design and production of new drugs. The catalyst can produce large quantities of pharmaceutical products with unprecedented structural entities, making it an enabling technology for drug discovery.
Researchers at Brookhaven National Laboratory discovered that gold-cerium oxide and gold-titanium oxide nanocatalysts exhibit high activity in the water-gas shift reaction. The catalysts' oxides break apart water molecules, enabling the elimination of carbon monoxide and improving fuel cell efficiency.
A recent study published in Nature captures enzymes in motion, revealing they engage in a dynamic dance before catalysis occurs. The research, led by Dr. Dorothee Kern, uses advanced techniques to document the tiny changes in enzyme shape and structure.
Researchers at the University of Illinois have developed a new, catalyst-free approach to create self-healing materials that can repair cracks in composite materials. The new system uses chlorobenzene microcapsules to restore structural integrity, with fracture tests showing a 82% recovery of original fracture toughness.
Scientists from University College Cork, Dalian University of Technology, and Cardiff University developed a method for synthesizing bamboo-structured carbon nanotubes. The study found that catalytic nanoparticles played a key role in the synthesis process and acted as nucleation seeds for growth.
NASA Goddard's method for producing high-quality carbon nanotubes has been recognized as a winner in the Nano 50 awards. The technology eliminates the need for metal catalysts, resulting in safer and less expensive production methods.
Researchers develop unconventional metal hydrides to produce water through oxygen reduction, a process essential for making water. This breakthrough could lead to more efficient hydrogen fuel cells and lower production costs.
A University of Houston research team has discovered a method to make fuel cells more efficient and less expensive. This breakthrough could lead to the widespread adoption of fuel cell-powered vehicles, which are already two to three times more efficient than internal combustion engines.
Researchers developed a method to grow nanotube forests on silicon chips, outperforming conventional thermal interface materials. The technique uses dendrimers and metal catalyst particles to create a forest of carbon nanotubes that conform to the heat sink's surface, improving heat conduction and reducing the size of cooling systems.
Researchers at Duke University have developed an inkless microcontact printing technique using enzymes from E. coli bacteria, achieving features as small as 1 nanometer in precision. The method eliminates the need for ink and improves resolution limits by hundreds of times.
Researchers at Argonne National Laboratory have developed new single-site catalysts that can increase hydrogen production at lower temperatures, potentially reducing costs. These catalysts offer improved thermal stability and protection from sulfur species, which are common byproducts in fuel reforming.
Researchers design catalysts inspired by photosynthesis to produce fuels directly from carbon dioxide or water using renewable solar energy. They also reveal a jumpstart in organic electron transfer that could lead to technological advances in small-scale circuits for improving solar cells.
Researchers at LSU are working on improving the efficiency of ethanol fuel production using coal-derived syngas. The project aims to produce clean energy from a domestic resource, making it more easily distributed and convertible into hydrogen-rich gas for use in fuel cells.
Researchers at the University of Illinois have developed a class of carbon-hydrogen catalysts that enable direct synthesis of complex molecules with fewer steps and higher yields.
A new startup company, Catilin Inc., is working to revolutionize biodiesel production using Victor Lin's nanosphere-based catalyst. The technology has the potential to make production cheaper, faster, and less toxic, while producing a cleaner fuel and glycerol co-product.
Researchers at UW-Madison create a two-stage process to turn biomass-derived sugar into 2,5-dimethylfuran (DMF), a liquid fuel with improved energy density and reduced environmental impact. The new fuel address limitations of current renewable liquids like ethanol.
Researchers at University at Buffalo discover how enzymes work, providing insight into catalysis complexity and potential for improving synthetic catalysts. The study reveals interactions between enzymes and substrates are critical for large catalytic rate accelerations.
Researchers at PNNL have successfully converted glucose and fructose into a promising chemical precursor for fuels, polyesters, and other industrial chemicals. The breakthrough uses a novel non-acidic catalytic system and an ionic liquid solvent to achieve high yields with minimal impurities.
Researchers at the University of California, San Diego, have developed a novel biofuel technology that uses steam, sand, and catalysts to convert forest, urban, and agricultural wastes into alcohol for use as a gasoline additive. This technology has the potential to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuels.
Researchers at the University of Illinois developed self-healing materials that can heal cracks in a continuous cycle. The new materials feature embedded microvascular networks that emulate biological circulatory systems, allowing minor damage to be healed repeatedly without exhausting the supply of healing agent.
Researchers at UCSF develop a model describing how simple chemical interactions can lead to natural selection on a micro scale, potentially explaining how life emerged. The model focuses on enzymes and chemical catalysts, suggesting that simple principles of chemical interactions can give rise to complex arrangements.
Researchers have developed a new form of platinum nanocrystals with improved catalytic activity, enabling more efficient fuel oxidation and hydrogen production. The nanocrystals, with tetrahexahedral structures, remain stable at high temperatures and can be controlled in size, making them suitable for industrial use.
Chemists at UCSD develop a device that captures sunlight, converts it to electrical energy, and splits carbon dioxide into carbon monoxide and oxygen. This process has the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, produce industrial chemicals, and save fuel.
Researchers at Brookhaven National Laboratory have discovered that copper nanoparticles can replace expensive gold catalysts to improve hydrogen production efficiency. The new material exhibits almost identical reactivity and significantly lower costs.
Brookhaven chemists aim to replicate natural photosynthesis to produce fuels like methanol, methane, and hydrogen from water and carbon dioxide using renewable solar energy. They are investigating various catalysts, including ruthenium-based complexes, to mimic the natural process of oxygen production from water.
Researchers have developed a new method to form tiny, uniform metal crystals with novel chemical and physical properties. These crystals, grown on acid-treated cellulose fibers from cotton, show promise as components in biosensors, biological imaging, drug delivery, and catalytic converters.
Researchers have found a new class of gold catalysts that can act as both an acceptor and a donor of electrons in chemical reactions. This unique property allows gold to participate in reactions at carbon-carbon bonds, leading to the creation of novel organic molecules.
Researchers at Argonne National Laboratory developed an advanced concept in nanoscale catalyst engineering, improving polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells for hydrogen-powered vehicles. The study identified a clear trend in the behavior of extended and nanoscale surfaces of platinum-bimetallic alloy.
The International Research Network, ECSAW, aims to improve air quality and water treatment by reducing NOx emissions and developing new fuels for fuel cells. The four-year collaboration will also focus on decontaminating air and water using photocatalysis and green chemistry.
Researchers at the University of Delaware will identify nano-sized catalysts to convert liquid fuels into hydrogen. The goal is to supply affordable hydrogen with reduced emissions for powering cars and heating homes.
Researchers have identified a new variation of a platinum-nickel alloy that significantly increases oxygen-reduction catalysis on the cathode in polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cells. This breakthrough could eliminate existing limitations and make PEM fuel cell technology more viable for transportation applications.
Scientists at Berkeley Lab have developed a technique to capture and hold intermediate compounds in water, similar to how enzymes function. This method involves trapping the compounds inside molecular pyramids, allowing for controlled study of their properties and reactions.
A study by Catalyst found that one-third of the labor force, including both men and women, may be affected by after-school care concerns, leading to worker stress and lost productivity. Companies can reduce this stress by offering flexible work arrangements and supports for working parents.
Researchers at PNNL discovered that entombed enzymes in silica nanochambers can regain their activity, mimicking cellular crowding. The team developed a method to functionalize the pores with compounds tailored to specific enzymes, allowing for potent catalysis and efficient production of desired products.
Researchers at Max Planck Institute for Microstructure Physics developed single crystal silicon nanowires using an aluminium catalyst, reducing the size of microchips. The new process fulfils key criteria for industrial-scale production and could lead to improved semiconductor components.
The American Institute of Chemical Engineers will dedicate two sessions at its annual meeting on November 13, 2006, to honor WPI professor Yi Hua Ma's pioneering work on inorganic membranes and membrane reactors. Ma's research has led to over 100 scholarly publications and four patents.
Scientists have derived the precise structure of a catalyst composed of four manganese atoms and one calcium atom that drives water-splitting reactions. The high-resolution structure holds promise for developing clean energy technologies that rely on sunlight to split water, enabling the production of hydrogen fuel.
Researchers created a new process for free radical polymerization, the chemical reaction responsible for creating everyday plastic products. The new method takes place at room temperature, uses less metal catalyst and allows for greater control over molecular architecture.
Researchers use sugars and vitamin C to transform atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) into a 'green' approach, enabling large-scale production of specialty plastics. The new process reduces industrial purification costs and permits the creation of unprecedented materials.
Researchers used NMR to detect higher energy structural sub-states of E. coli dihydrofolate reductase, finding that dynamic fluctuations channel the enzyme through its reaction cycle by minimizing energetic barriers. This challenges the traditional 'induced fit' hypothesis and highlights the importance of protein motion in catalysis.
Scientists at University of Illinois designed and built ceramic microreactors to reform hydrocarbons into hydrogen for fuel cells. The new reactors achieved high-temperature operation, surpassing other fuel reformer systems in performance.