Administrator Atomic catalyst unlocks the hidden value of plant waste Scientists have created a highly efficient catalyst that breaks down stubborn lignin from plant waste into useful chemicals under relatively mild conditions. By revealing exactly how the catalyst work... chemistry science
Administrator A new recipe unlocks “impossible” nanocrystals for LEDs, implants, and superconductors Scientists have cracked a long-standing chemistry problem, creating nanocrystals from tough metal nitrides that were previously extremely difficult to produce at this scale. The breakthrough could tur... chemistry science
Administrator The magnetic secret inside steel finally explained For years, scientists noticed that magnetic fields could improve steel, but no one knew exactly why. New simulations reveal that magnetism changes how iron atoms behave, making it harder for carbon at... chemistry science
Administrator New catalyst makes plastic upcycling 10x more efficient than platinum Scientists are finding new ways to replace expensive, scarce platinum catalysts with something far more abundant: tungsten carbide. By carefully controlling how tungsten carbide’s atoms are arranged a... chemistry science
Administrator Scientists catch a hidden electronic state forming in just 30 femtoseconds Scientists watched a light-triggered hidden state form inside a material in only 30 femtoseconds, revealing a step that had never been seen before. The material first entered a fleeting electronic sta... chemistry science
Administrator New catalyst turns carbon dioxide into clean fuel source Researchers have found that manganese, an abundant and inexpensive metal, can be used to efficiently convert carbon dioxide into formate, a potential hydrogen source for fuel cells. The key was a clev... chemistry science
Administrator A breakthrough that turns exhaust CO2 into useful materials Scientists have created a device that captures carbon dioxide and transforms it into a useful chemical in a single step. The new electrode works with realistic exhaust gases rather than requiring puri... chemistry science
Administrator Scientists create smart synthetic skin that can hide images and change shape Inspired by the shape-shifting skin of octopuses, Penn State researchers developed a smart hydrogel that can change appearance, texture, and shape on command. The material is programmed using a specia... chemistry science
Administrator Scientists finally solve a 100-year-old mystery in the air we breathe Scientists at the University of Warwick have cracked a long-standing problem in air pollution science: how to predict the movement of irregularly shaped nanoparticles as they drift through the air we ... chemistry science
Administrator New fuel cell breakthrough could help power energy-hungry data centers A new nanostructured carbon design lets fuel-cell catalysts use tiny amounts of platinum while remaining remarkably stable and efficient. The breakthrough could help hydrogen fuel cells become a more ... chemistry science
Administrator Cell-inspired nanoreactor turns sunlight into hydrogen peroxide A new hollow nanoreactor mimics living cells to make hydrogen peroxide more efficiently using visible light. Its light-trapping cavity and proton-shuttling shell could open new possibilities for clean... chemistry science
Administrator Ultrafast X-rays capture chemistry unfolding atom by atom Ultrafast X-rays revealed how a molecule converts absorbed light into motion in just trillionths of a second. Individual atoms recorded different stages of the process, opening a powerful new window i... chemistry science