Modeling a better catalyst for PIBSAs
Polyisobutenyl succinic anhydrides (PIBSAs) are important for the auto industry because of their wide use in lubricant and fuel formulations. Their synthesis, however, requires high temperatures and, therefore, higher cost......»»
Breaking the barrier: Low-temp ammonia synthesis with iron catalysts and barium hydride
The Haber-Bosch (HB) process is one of the most important industrial chemical reactions. It combines nitrogen and hydrogen gases in the presence of an iron-based catalyst at high temperatures and pressures to produce ammonia fertilizer which helps pr.....»»
An improved, visible light-harvesting catalyst to speed up reactions
Photocatalysis is the use of light to accelerate the rate of a reaction in the presence of a photocatalyst. The catalyst plays a crucial role in this process—it absorbs the light being shined onto it and makes it available in ways that can help acc.....»»
Modeling agriculture matters for carbon cycling
To understand Earth's changing climate, scientists often turn to science-based computer simulations. Researchers strive to make these Earth system models as accurate as possible. Factors such as wind currents, air quality, and weather patterns all pl.....»»
The Greenland Ice Sheet is close to a melting point of no return, says new study
The Greenland Ice Sheet covers 1.7 million square kilometers (660,200 square miles) in the Arctic. If it melts entirely, global sea level would rise about 7 meters (23 feet), but scientists aren't sure how quickly the ice sheet could melt. Modeling t.....»»
Modeling study shows how bark beetle infestations affect wildfires
A recent modeling study shows that bark beetle outbreaks in forests won't necessarily cause bigger and more damaging wildfires—at least not for awhile......»»
Using targeted computer modeling to accelerate antiviral drug development
Effective drugs against viral diseases like COVID-19 are urgently needed now and in the future. The emergence of viral mutants and yet unknown viruses could push vaccines to their limits......»»
Using a genetic algorithm to uncover new catalyst molecules for organic synthesis
A team of researchers have used a computational method inspired by evolution to discover an organic catalyst with better performance than known catalysts. As the team reports in the journal Angewandte Chemie International Edition, a genetic algorithm.....»»
Novel catalyst for highly selective photoelectroreduction of carbon dioxide to ethanol
Artificial photosynthesis (AP), using sunlight to produce valuable chemicals and fuels from carbon dioxide (CO2), is a promising strategy to achieve solar energy storage as well as negative carbon cycle......»»
Modeling superfast processes in organic solar cell material
In organic solar cells, carbon-based polymers convert light into charges that are passed to an acceptor. This type of material has great potential, but to unlock this, a better understanding is needed of the way in which charges are produced and tran.....»»
Producing synthetic gas from atmospheric carbon dioxide using a transition-metal-free catalyst
Japan has declared carbon neutrality by 2050 as a government target to reduce net greenhouse gas emissions to zero by 2050. In order to substantially reduce CO2 emissions, it is important not only to control CO2 emissions through existing processes,.....»»
Electroactive bacterium generates well-defined nanosized metal catalysts with remarkable water-splitting performance
A biological method that produces metal nanoclusters using the electroactive bacterium Geobacter sulfurreducens could provide a cheap and sustainable solution to high-performance catalyst synthesis for various applications such as water splitting......»»
Customizing catalysts for solid-state reactions
Chemists at Hokkaido University and the Institute for Chemical Reaction Design and Discovery (WPI-ICReDD) have developed the first high-performance catalyst specifically designed and optimized for solid-state, mechanochemical synthesis......»»
China censors women modeling lingerie on livestream shopping -- so men are doing it
Donning a sassy piece of silk lingerie, a male model grooves to the beat and forms a heart shape with his fingers during a livestreaming session on Douyin, one of China's most popular video-sharing platforms......»»
Elegantly modeling Earth"s abrupt glacial transitions
Proxy data—indirect records of the Earth's climate found in unlikely places like coral, pollen, trees and sediments—show interesting oscillations approximately every 100,000 years starting about one million years ago. Strong changes in global ice.....»»
The Food System Is Awful for the Climate. It Doesn’t Have to Be
New modeling estimates that food production could add a degree Celsius to global warming. But it also points to powerful ways to make diets more sustainable......»»
Neural network algorithm predicts Arrhenius crossover temperature with 90% accuracy
A joint paper by the Department of Computational Physics and Modeling of Physical Processes and Udmurt Federal Research Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences published in the journal Materials introduces an algorithm that allows for the correct e.....»»
New zirconia-based catalyst can make plastics upcycling more sustainable
A new type of catalyst breaks down polyolefin plastics into new, useful products. This project is part of a new strategy to reduce the amount of plastic waste and its impact on our environment, as well as recover value that is lost when plastics are.....»»
A newly developed catalyst makes single-use plastics easier to upcycle, recycle and biodegrade
Researchers created a new catalyst that transforms hydrocarbons into chemicals and materials that are higher value, easier to recycle, and biodegrade in the environment. This catalyst transforms materials such as motor oil, plastics in single-use gro.....»»
Chemical functionalized noble metal nanocrystals for electrocatalysis
Electrocatalysis is an interface-dominated process, in which the activity of the catalyst highly relates to the adsorption/desorption behaviors of the reactants/intermediates/products on the active sites. From the perspective of catalyst design, the.....»»
Climate change disrupts core habitats of marine species, finds modeling study
A comprehensive modeling study indicates the extent to which climate change threatens marine ecosystems and their biodiversity. According to the study, the core habitats of a large proportion of marine species could not only shift poleward, but also.....»»