Articles tagged with Catalysis
A team of scientists has identified carbon nanostructures as catalysts for storing and releasing hydrogen. Complex hydrides show promise for hydrogen storage, but previous studies indicate defects from added catalysts. The new solvent technique allows for defect-free introduction of catalysts.
Research by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory scientists discovered water acts as a catalyst in complex explosive reactions at high temperatures and pressures. Water transports oxygen between reaction centers, challenging the current view that it's just a stable detonation product.
Researchers at Brown University have developed a novel approach to creating palladium nanoparticles with increased surface area, resulting in improved efficiency and stability. The breakthrough enables the production of fuel cell catalysts that are four times more stable and twice as active, making them ideal for future applications.
Researchers at Argonne National Laboratory have devised a way to catalyze propane in a more environmentally friendly manner using platinum clusters. The discovery could lead to the development of energy-efficient and sustainable synthesis strategies, potentially replacing petrochemical feedstocks with abundant small alkanes.
Researchers have discovered a new mechanism behind the catalytic effects of carbon nanomaterials in hydrogen storage. The breakthrough could lead to more efficient and sustainable methods for producing, storing, and using hydrogen.
Researchers at the University of Rochester have developed long, thin platinum nanowires that could improve the performance of fuel cells. The wires are designed to provide a larger surface area for catalysis, reducing the loss of platinum particles during fuel cell operation.
Researchers at Iowa State University are developing a new, low-emissions burner and catalyst to produce clean, renewable energy for the ethanol industry. The technologies use biomass-based gasification to efficiently and cleanly burn biomass and convert it into ethanol.
Researchers at Lehigh University have developed a catalyst that can directly produce hydrogen peroxide from hydrogen and oxygen, reducing the need for large quantities and high concentrations. The gold-palladium nanoparticles catalyst enables the on-site production of H2O2 in smaller quantities and more desirable concentrations.
A new catalyst has been developed that can efficiently oxidize ethanol and produce clean energy in fuel cell reactions. This breakthrough could make ethanol-powered fuel cells a viable alternative to hydrogen-based systems.
A University of Houston-led research team has developed a method to identify pollution sources using unique identifiers found in fine particulate matter. The findings suggest that people living close to highways and refineries are more likely to become seriously ill.
Researchers at the University of Illinois have developed self-healing coatings that can automatically repair themselves and prevent corrosion. The coatings use a dual capsule system to deliver a catalyst and healing agent, which react to fix damaged areas within minutes or hours.
Scientists at A*STAR have found imidazolium salts with powerful antioxidant properties that could fight diseases. They also efficiently convert carbohydrates into versatile chemical compounds for biofuel production.
Rice University scientists develop technique to view step-by-step breakdown of TCE, a common groundwater pollutant, using nanoparticles and surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy. The method provides new level of detail for understanding catalyzed reactions in water, with potential applications in biofuels processing.
A team of Boston College and MIT scientists has discovered a new class of exceptionally effective catalysts that promote the powerful olefin metathesis reaction, opening up a vast new scientific platform. The new catalysts provide unprecedented control and selectivity for complex chemical reactions.
Scientists have discovered a biological transformation that occurs in the absence of an enzyme, taking 2.3 billion years to complete. This finding highlights the importance of enzymes as catalysts in life processes and has implications for drug design and molecular studies.
CU-Boulder researchers have developed a new method to observe electrons in action, using ultrafast lasers to chart chemical reactions and understand how atoms move and electrons rearrange. This breakthrough has significant implications for fields like catalysis and alternative energy.
Researchers observed catalysts restructuring themselves in response to gases, gaining insight into their behavior during reactions. This new understanding enables the development of smart catalysts tailored to optimize chemical reactions.
The report aims to initiate collaboration between The Lancet, China Medical Board, and WHO to strengthen China's health system. Key findings include improved translational research capacity and increased international collaboration.
Stevens will evaluate and demonstrate a novel microchannel reactor to reform pyrolysis oil into synthesis gas using reduced energy. The project is one of six university projects awarded by the DOE to develop biomass conversion technologies.
Researchers have developed a new catalyst that directly converts cellulose into ethylene glycol, an important intermediate product for the chemical industry. The catalyst, made of tungsten carbide and nickel on a carbon support, achieves 100% conversion of cellulose with high selectivity.
Physics aims to pull outstanding papers from the American Physical Society's peer-reviewed publications, including Physical Review Letters and the Physical Review series. The online publication features Viewpoints, Trends, and Synopses, providing in-depth commentary and summaries of exceptional research.
Researchers used aberration-corrected STEM instruments to visualize individual gold atoms on iron oxide surfaces, discovering that bilayer nanoclusters with 10 gold atoms are most active in CO conversion, achieving up to 100% efficiency
Researchers from Lehigh University and Cardiff University have identified gold nanoparticles triggered by bilayer clusters as responsible for the critical CO oxidation reaction. The discovery could help protect hydrogen fuel cells and firefighters entering burning buildings.
Brandeis scientists have identified a catalyst that efficiently breaks the carbon-fluorine bond, rendering it harmless to the environment. This breakthrough finding could lead to large-scale reactions to convert environmental pollutants into reusable or destroyable products.
Researchers have developed a manganese-containing complex that effectively catalyzes the photooxidation of water, a crucial half reaction in the photocatalytic splitting of water. This breakthrough could lead to the creation of a photoelectrochemical cell that produces pure hydrogen and oxygen from water and sunlight.
Researchers at Ohio State University have created a catalyst that converts ethanol into hydrogen with a 90% yield, using inexpensive ingredients. The new catalyst is less expensive than others being developed worldwide, making it more practical for widespread use in hydrogen-powered cars.
PNNL scientists are harnessing the power of catalysis to address real-world energy problems, including hydrogen oxidation and production for fuel cells. Researchers are also exploring alternative catalysts using inexpensive metals like nickel and cobalt to reduce costs.
Iron-TAMLs, a type of environmentally friendly catalyst, have been shown to be highly effective in reducing and cleaning up pollutants. The catalysts convert harmful substances into less toxic ones when paired with hydrogen peroxide, making them a promising alternative to existing industrial practices.
A team of researchers has developed a computational model that challenges entrenched ideas about enzyme catalysis, proposing a method for designing custom-designed enzymes. The 'lock and key' model is replaced by an electrical attraction theory, suggesting a perfect physical fit between catalyst and substrate is not necessary.
Scientists at Ames Laboratory and Iowa State University develop a new method to produce ethanol from syngas, a gas created by heating biomass under high pressure. This technology has the potential to expand the types of waste materials that can be converted into fuels.
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.