Category archives: Chemistry

Investigating the fundamental stages of the CO oxidation reaction using a kinked Pt crystal

Investigating the fundamental stages of the CO oxidation reaction using a kinked Pt crystal

CatalysisChemistryDIPC Interfaces

By DIPC

Carbon monoxide (CO) oxidation (2CO + O2 → CO2) on platinum (Pt) group metal surfaces is the model heterogeneous gas/surface catalytic reaction. Pt itself is of the upmost importance as a catalyst for car exhaust cleaning or for the water gas shift reaction, whereas Pt crystal surfaces are model systems for investigating the catalytic CO […]

Synthesis of organometallic helicenes by simple combinations

Synthesis of organometallic helicenes by simple combinations

ChemistryDIPC BiochemistryMaterials

By DIPC

“Helicene” is the name introduced by Newman in 1955, to describe the benzologues of phenanthrene in which the extra ortho -condensed rings give rise to a (regular) cylindrical helix. The pioneer work of Newman in this field cannot be overemphasized; his brillant synthesis and resolution of [6]helicene will remain as a landmark, for it opened […]

Stable, high-energy-density and fast charging lithium-ion batteries

Stable, high-energy-density and fast charging lithium-ion batteries

ChemistryMaterials

By César Tomé

Convenient fast charging and energy density of lithium-ion batteries have long been considered a trade-off, which has hindered the widespread adoption of electric vehicles. A new process will help develop stable, high-energy-density lithium-ion batteries capable of fast charging. A crucial prerequisite for the widespread adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) is the enhancement of lithium-ion battery […]

Triple-decker antiaromatic π-stacking leads to a liquid crystal

Triple-decker antiaromatic π-stacking leads to a liquid crystal

Chemistry

By César Tomé

In organic chemistry, π-stacking systems are supramolecular structures that arise due to the dispersion force, a type of intermolecular noncovalent interaction. They are a common occurrence in nature. The stabilized structure of DNA is a very prominent example of a π-stacking system, and so are the arrangement of amino acids in certain proteins. Interestingly, π-stacking […]

A closer look at peptide fibril assemblies

A closer look at peptide fibril assemblies

BiochemistryBiologyChemistryNanotechnology

By César Tomé

A new imaging technique can give scientists a much closer look at fibril assemblies, stacks of peptides like amyloid beta, most notably associated with Alzheimer’s disease. These cross-β fibril assemblies are also useful building blocks within designer biomaterials for medical applications, but their resemblance to their amyloid beta cousins, whose tangles are a symptom of […]

Extracting lithium from waste liquids using aluminium hydroxide

Extracting lithium from waste liquids using aluminium hydroxide

Chemical engineeringChemistryEnergyMaterials

By César Tomé

A team of researchers has invented a more efficient way to extract lithium from waste liquids leached from mining sites, oil fields and used batteries. They demonstrated that a common mineral can adsorb at least five times more lithium than can be collected using previously developed adsorbent materials. The new low-cost high-lithium-uptake process presents the […]

The stabilizing effect of a binder for transition metal oxides to sustain water oxidation in acidic environments

The stabilizing effect of a binder for transition metal oxides to sustain water oxidation in acidic environments

CatalysisChemistryDIPC Advanced materialsMaterials

By DIPC

Global energy demand is expected to rise around 30% by 2040 according to the International Energy Agency (IEA). Hydrogen (H2) produced by the electrolysis of water, using renewable electricity, the so-called green hydrogen, has emerged as a promising energy vector to respond to this increasing energy demand with the potential to decarbonize transportation, heating, and […]

Efficient on-surface Ullmann-like reaction on poorly reactive surfaces

Efficient on-surface Ullmann-like reaction on poorly reactive surfaces

ChemistryDIPC Electronic PropertiesDIPC Interfaces

By DIPC

The way a particular reaction proceeds, described in terms of the steps involved, is called mechanism. The study of organic chemistry is, to a great extent, the study of reaction mechanisms and textbooks content both their description and their applications. But something has come to revolutionize the world of mechanisms: surface chemistry. On-surface synthesis is […]