New Nanomethod Paves the Way for New Measuring Technology and Hypersensitive Sensors Nov 21, 2009
Elin Larsson is further developing the method for the catalytic field at the Competence Center for Catalysis, KCK, at Chalmers. Commercialization is being planned in the CleanSense Project, which was started within the framework of the Chalmers School of Entrepreneurship. (Science Daily)
Rhodes hopefuls await decision Nov 20, 2009
Montoya s interest in catalysis and lab research, with Christopher Williams and John Monnier in the University s department of chemical engineering, led to his being published in the scientific journal, Catalysis Today. If I win I m hoping to attend Oxford to research sustainable chemical processing, and hopefully find more environmentally friendly processes, Montoya said. (Gamecock Online, SC)
Engineers image nanostructure of a solid acid catalyst and boost its catalytic activity Nov 10, 2009
Wachs, who directs Lehigh's Operando Molecular Spectroscopy and Catalysis Laboratory, is principal investigator on the grant. Kiely, director of Lehigh's Nanocharacterization Laboratory, is co-principal investigator, as is Wong, who directs the Catalysis and Nanomaterials Laboratory at Rice ... The Lehigh-Rice team also collaborates closely with Matthew Neurock, a professor of chemical engineering and an expert in computational and theoretical catalysis at the University of Virginia. (EurekAlert!)
How Size Matters For Catalysts: Study Links Size, Activity, Electronic Properties Nov 9, 2009
"One of the big uncertainties in catalysis is that no one really understands what size particles of the catalyst actually make a chemical reaction happen," says Scott Anderson, a University of Utah chemistry professor and senior author of the study in the Friday, Nov. 6 issue of the journal Science ... The North American Catalysis Society says catalysts contribute 35 percent or more of global Gross Domestic Product. (Science Daily)
Computer predicts reactions between molecules and surfaces, with chemical precision Nov 7, 2009
Good news for heterogeneous catalysis and the hydrogen economy: computers can now be used to make accurate predictions of the reactions of (hydrogen) molecules with surfaces ... Their interaction plays a crucial role in heterogeneous catalysis whereby surfaces function as an intermediary allowing two other substances to react with one another. (EurekAlert!)
Transforming Nanowires Into Nano-tools Using Cation Exchange Reactions Nov 3, 2009
Future applications of nanomaterials in electronics, catalysis, photonics and bionanotechnology are driving the exploration of synthetic approaches to control and manipulate the chemical composition, structure and morphology of these materials. To realize their full potential, it is desirable to develop techniques that can transform nanowires into tunable but precisely controlled morphologies, especially in the gas-phase, to be compatible with nanowire growth schemes. (Science Daily)
Venomous Shrew, Lizard: Enzyme Evolved Twice Nov 2, 2009
"Catalysis is fostered by three specific changes that increase enzyme activity," Aminetzach says. "The active site is physically opened up, and the loops surrounding it become more flexible. The area around the active site also becomes positively charged, serving to better guide the substrate directly into the active site.". (Science Daily)
Key Step Made Towards Turning Methane Gas Into Liquid Fuel Oct 24, 2009
The work comes out of a major National Science Foundation-funded collaboration, the UW-based Center for Enabling New Technologies Through Catalysis, which involves 13 universities and research centers in the United States and Canada, including UNC. Additional funding came from the National Institutes of Health. The center, directed by Goldberg, is aimed at finding efficient, inexpensive and environmentally friendly ways to produce chemicals and fuels. (Science Daily)
More to Obamas Nobel Prize than seen at first Oct 22, 2009
So does potential peace by whatever catalysis. I hope he wins another Peace Prize in two years and our military personnel in Iraq and Afghanistan are home to cheer or jeer it for themselves. (Klamath Falls Herald & News, OR)
New Material Could Expand Applications And Lower Costs For Solid Oxide Fuel Cells Oct 19, 2009
This research was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy's Basic Energy Science Catalysis Science Program under grant DE-FG02-06ER15837. The comments and conclusions in this document are those of the researchers and do not necessarily represent the views of the U.S. Department of Energy. (Science Daily)
Ribosome Unraveled: A Q&A with Nobelist Thomas Steitz Oct 13, 2009
What we found was this catalysis is done entirely by RNA, which is consistent with the hypothesis that the original ribosome was all RNA, which makes sense if you realize the-chicken-and-the-egg nature of the problem. You can t make proteins starting with a protein if the first protein is the enzyme that does it, so instead you use RNA.. (Scientific American)
Novel Chemistry For Ethylene And Tin Oct 1, 2009
Power did not foresee an immediate application for the discovery, but said that it would contribute in general to understanding ethylene catalysis ... There could be implications for industrial catalysis if similar behavior could be shown for a cheap metal like aluminum, he said. (Science Daily)
2009 Nobel predictions go public Sep 26, 2009
For the Nobel Prize in chemistry, the company picked at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology for his invention of dye-sensitized solar cells, now known as Gratzel cells, at the Max Planck Institute for Coal Research in Germany for his development of organic asymmetric catalysis using enamines, and the research team at the California Institute of Technology, at the University of Basel in Switzerland, and at the Georgia Institute of Technology for their pioneering research in electron charge... (The Scientist)
Catalytic Catamarans: Common Industrial Catalyst Sports Rafts Made Of Platinum Sep 26, 2009
Researchers in the Institute for Interfacial Catalysis at the Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and at DOE's Oak Ridge National Laboratory performed the analysis of the industrial catalyst known as aluminum oxide-supported platinum. Such precious metal and oxide combinations are the most common kinds of industrial catalysts. (Science Daily)
Thomson Reuters Predicts Nobel Laureates Sep 24, 2009
USA -- For their pioneering research of electron charge transfer in DNA. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Benjamin List Professor and Director, Max Planck Institute for Coal Research, Mulheim an der Ruhr, Germany, and Honorary Professor, University of Cologne Cologne, Germany -- For his development of organic asymmetric catalysis using enamines. . (PR Newswire)
Conflict Between Plant And Animal Hormones In The Insect Gut? Sep 18, 2009
The young chemist, originally from Poland, discovered that an enzyme must play a role in the chemical reaction observed: "First, we found that cis-OPDA was not present in the insect feces anymore. Instead of cis-OPDA, our mass spectrometers suggested iso-OPDA. However, iso-OPDA is only constituted by means of enzyme catalysis." Control experiments, solely performed in strong alkaline solutions as present in the insect gut (pH approx. 10), did not cause a cis-iso conversion. (Science Daily)
Asymchem Announces Fall Process Symposium Confirmed List of Speakers Sep 5, 2009
Process Chemistry in a Chemical Small Biotech Company: Development A Case Study 7 BMS Mauricio Futran VP, Process API and Intermediates R&D Outsourcing: The Changing Value Proposition for Suppliers 8 BMS Stephen VP, Pharmaceutical Analysis Scypinski Analytical in the 21st Century: R&D New Challenges and New Solutions 9 Lilly Scott Bradley Scientist NMR-based Reaction Monitoring: From Small Molecules to Biologics 10 Roche Yi Ren Head of Drug Process Research of a Supply and Glucose Kinase... (PR Newswire)
Nanocrystal Growth Spurts: First Real-Time Direct Observations Of Nanocrystal Growth In Solution Aug 14, 2009
Nanocrystals are projected to play important roles in a wide-ranging number of technologies including solar and fuel cell, catalysis, electronics and photonics, medicine, and imaging and sensing ... Also, our in situ liquid cell TEM technique can be applied to other areas of research such as soft matter imaging and nanoparticle catalysis, and offers great potential for addressing many fundamental issues in materials science, chemistry and other fields of science. (Science Daily)
Scientists Launch The First Standard Graphical Notation For Biology Aug 12, 2009
Graphic showing the catalysis of ERK (extracellular signal-regulated kinase) phosphorylation by the kinase MEK in the growth factors signalling pathway. This is illustrated by the three SBGN diagrams: process, entity relationship and activity flow. (Science Daily)
New Clues About A Hydrogen Fuel Catalyst Aug 11, 2009
The PNNL chemists in the Institute for Interfacial Catalysis study a rhodium-based catalyst that performs this job fairly well, but might have potential for improvement. Their initial work showed that the catalyst worked as a molecule that contained a core of four rhodium atoms in a tetrahedron, or a triangular pyramid, with each corner decorated with boron and other elements. (Science Daily)
Blue Nanocrystals To Fight Global Warming? Jul 22, 2009
As a user facility that provides support to nanoscience researchers around the world, we would like to pursue studies with other scientists who could use our nanocrystals as feedstock for catalysis, another application for which magnesium oxide thin films are commonly used, said Moon. Size-controlled synthesis and optical properties of monodisperse colloidal magnesium oxide nanocrystals, by Hoi Ri Moon, Jeffrey J. Urban and Delia J. Milliron, appears in Angewandte Chemie International Edition... (Science Daily)
Controlling The Electronic Surface Properties Of A Material Jul 21, 2009
This allows direct access to the properties of the material which are dependent on the electronic structure, such as conductivity, reflectivity and surface catalysis properties. This will lead to the emergence of new materials with adjustable electronic properties. (Science Daily)
Method To Efficiently Produce Less Toxic Drugs Using Organic Molecules Jul 10, 2009
ScienceDaily (July 9, 2009) Nanyang Technological University (NTU) s Associate Professor Zhong Guofu has made a significant contribution to the field of organic chemistry, in particular the study of using small organic molecules as catalysts, in the synthesis process called organocatalysis ... e. only single reactions performed) leading to the limitation of the use of organocatalysis in the industry ... This ability to recycle and produce multiple reactions thus increases the efficacy of the... (Science Daily)
Tubules 'Grown' From Droplets Jul 5, 2009
These are currently employed in medical devices, as fibres with extremely high tensile strength, in hydrogen storage, for rechargeable batteries, in catalysis, and in nanotechnological applications. However, a major problem associated with the synthesis of sulfide-based nanotubes is that high temperatures are required for the planar structures to be induced to bend to form cylinders. (Science Daily)
New Material Made From Paper Sludge Could Replace Plastic Packaging Jul 4, 2009
This has been achieved by Margarita Calafell, a researcher at the UPC s Terrassa Campus who runs the Enzyme Catalysis Laboratory of the UPC s Engineering and Biotechnology (ENGIBIO) research group. 1 kg of paper, 1 kg of new material. (Science Daily)
'Smart' process may boost economics of biofuel production Jun 6, 2009
On Monday, June 8, at the North American Meeting of the Catalysis Society, PNNL scientist David King will discuss recent work with copper and chromium chlorides in an ionic liquid called [EMIM]Cl. These recyclable catalyst components work more effectively in tandem to break down cellulose into glucose -- and then convert the glucose into HMF, or 5-hydroxymethylfurfural, in a one-step process. (EurekAlert!)
Plastic That Grows On Trees May 21, 2009
"In biomass like wood, corn stover and switchgrass, cellulose is the most abundant polymer that researchers are trying to convert to biofuels and plastics," said chemist Z. Conrad Zhang, who led the work while at PNNL's Institute for Interfacial Catalysis ... Applied Catalysis A: General, Online 9 April 2009 DOI. (Science Daily)
Plastic that grows on trees, part two May 20, 2009
In this new work, researchers developed a way to bypass the sugar-forming step and go straight from cellulose to HMF. This simple process generates a high yield of HMF and allows the use of raw cellulose as feed material, the researchers report in an upcoming issue of Applied Catalysis A.. "In biomass like wood, corn stover and switchgrass, cellulose is the most abundant polymer that researchers are trying to convert to biofuels and plastics," said chemist Z. Conrad Zhang, who led the work while... (EurekAlert!)
Sponge beneficial for the environment May 18, 2009
This is the first report of chalcogels being used for catalysis and gas separation. Mercouri G Kanatzidis, Charles E and Emma H Morrison, Professor of Chemistry in the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences, and doctoral student Santanu Bag made this catalyst using a method different from that of the conventional catalyst. (India Times, India)
One sponge-like material, three different applications May 18, 2009
This is the first report of chalcogels being used for catalysis and gas separation. "I was surprised at the impressive activity of our catalyst, given how difficult it has been to improve HDS," said Mercouri G. Kanatzidis, the paper's senior author. (EurekAlert!)
Chemists Develop New Preparation Process For Metal-organic Frameworks May 11, 2009
This would even be possible for metal nano particles for catalysis, were there not one little hindrance: if the void spaces in the MOF are too large, a second embedded framework system automatically develops during the synthesis process ... These porous materials are also of interest for heterogeneous catalysis ... These in turn could be used for heterogeneous catalysis and sensorics. (Science Daily)
Macromolecules Made from Activated ... Apr 28, 2009
The results of enzyme catalysis demonstrate the basic energy relationships, i.e. polymers are higher energy configurations than monomers. Activated Intermediated Using ATP. (Suite101.com)
NSF and China extend China's participation in East Asian Pacific Summer Institute Program Apr 17, 2009
MOST is currently providing Chinese-aid funding for the project between the University of California at Santa Barbara and the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics on surface chemistry and catalysis. NSF and the National Science Foundation of China (NSFC) are actively engaged in climate change cooperation, with the second U.S.-China bilateral workshop on climate change scheduled for October 19-31, 2009, following on the first NSFC-NSF workshop on Climate Change held in Shanghai in August 2008. (EurekAlert! -- Business News)
First tri-continuous mesoporous Silica complex structure developed in Singapore Apr 6, 2009
Technology useful for catalysis, separation and drug delivery. Singapore's Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (IBN) has developed the first tri-continuous mesoporous material using a unique surfactant template. (EurekAlert!)
Deadly Rampage At N.Y. Immigration Center Apr 5, 2009
and some of you same people that are writing comments about this incident are the type of people that are the catalysis for this kind of behavior. anyone that says that immigrants,minorities,and certain religious folks are treated like the rest of this society is a damned liar. (CBS News)
China must comprehend that power comes with responsibility Apr 3, 2009
As the British historian Timothy Garton Ash put it, the summit date, April 2, 2009, "may yet be marked as the day on which, through the catalysis of a global economic crisis, China definitively emerged as a 21st-century world power.". But is China really ready for such a role. (Globe and Mail)
Chemists Create More Efficient Palladium Fuel Cell Catalysts Mar 27, 2009
But researchers have wrestled with creating palladium nanoparticles with enough active surface area to make catalysis efficient in fuel cells while preventing particles from clumping together during the chemical processes that convert a fuel source to electricity. Two Brown University chemists have found a way to overcome those challenges. (Science Daily)
New Platinum Catalysts For The Dehydrogenation Of Propane Discovered Mar 23, 2009
That was until scientists at U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory devised a greener way to take this important step in chemical catalysis. See also. (Science Daily)
Longest Nanowires Ever Made May Lead To Better Fuel Cells Mar 19, 2009
As surface area decreases, so too does the rate of catalysis inside the fuel cell. Second, nanoparticles require a carbon support structure to hold them in place. (Science Daily)
Argonne scientists discover new platinum catalysts for the dehydrogenation of propane Mar 14, 2009
That was until scientists at U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory devised a greener way to take this important step in chemical catalysis. "Using platinum clusters, we have devised a way to catalyze propane not only in a more environmentally friendly way, but also using far less energy than previous methods," Argonne scientist Stefan Vajda said. (EurekAlert!)
Artificial Photosynthesis: Turning Sunlight Into Liquid Fuels Moves A Step Closer Mar 13, 2009
We suspect that the comparatively very large internal area of these 35 nanometer bundles (where catalysis takes place) was the main factor behind their increased efficiency, he said, because when we produced larger bundles (65 nanometer diameters), the internal area was reduced and the bundles lost much of that efficiency gain. Frei and Jiao will be conducting further studies to gain a better understanding of why their cobalt oxide nanocrystal clusters are such efficient and high-speed... (Science Daily)
Gold-palladium Nanoparticles Achieve Greener, Smarter Production Of Hydrogen Peroxide Mar 3, 2009
Hutchings, the lead author, is the director of the Cardiff Catalysis Institute (CCI) in the UK. Edwards, Solsona, Ntainjua N and Carley are members of the CCI. Herzing, who earned a Ph ... The group owes its current success to Hutchings' expertise in catalysis and to his longstanding collaboration with Kiely, who has the ability to obtain data using electron microscopes with unmatched imaging and chemical analysis capabilities. (Science Daily)
Blackhawk Brings New Energy Technology to Sustainable Residential Community Feb 27, 2009
Through the catalysis process of separating electrons from protons of a hydrogen atom, the hydrogen fuel cell is able to create approximately 15KW of energy with water as its only by-product. In addition to using new energy resources, the River Lodge will also feature horse-logged timbers from Northern Idaho forests and reclaimed timbers from a 100 year-old railroad trellis. (Yahoo News -- Press Releases)
Ottawa universities announce research chairs, extend funding Feb 24, 2009
n Tom R. Baker, Canada Research Chair in Catalysis Science for Energy Applications, is studying new catalysts that will enable chemical reactions with reduced energy input and waste production ... They include Jeremy M. Grimshaw, who studies health knowledge transfer; Abdelhamid Sayari, who studies catalysis using nano-structured materials; and Peter S. L. Tugwell, an expert in health equity. (Ottawa Citizen)
Nanoscale Materials Grow With The Flow Feb 23, 2009
" Tringides' work succeeds in terms of uniformity and speed. The lead islands self-organize on silicon in only two to three minutes. Also, better understanding of how the lead islands grow will help researchers see if other systems show the same liquid-like behavior at low temperatures. With such promising findings in hand, Tringides' team, which includes associate scientist Myron Hupalo and graduate students Steven Binz and Jizhou Chen, further investigated the possible use of these unusual... (Science Daily)
Groundbreaking study on complex movements of enzymes Feb 12, 2009
"We have suspected for some time that the enzyme complex is extremely flexible, which makes it difficult to analyze using X-ray crystallography. Last year the X-ray structure of the complex was solved by a group in Switzerland, but this structure provided only a snapshot of the complex in one of its many poses. We were able to use state-of-the-art electron microscopy to obtain images of the complex in many of its different conformations and assemble these images into a movie that displays the... (EurekAlert!)
Showa Denko K.K. (SDK) Announces 2008 Business Results Feb 10, 2009
SDK has concluded a patent cross-license agreement with Hyperion Catalysis International, Inc., which owns many key patents pertaining to materials and applications in the area of carbon nanotube, including for resin composites. Inorganics. (JCN Network, Japan)
Nature Chemistry Feb 8, 2009
FREE ACCESSHeterogeneous catalysis. Contrary to previous observations, the surface of a near-surface alloy rearranges to reveal the less-reactive metal on adsorption of carbon monoxide. (Nature News Service)
Chemistry podcast Feb 8, 2009
In this bumper episode, we meet the researchers who've created a colour-changing polymer that could be used in electronic books, celebrate the extraordinary life and work of 'Mr Stereochemistry', survey the organo-catalysis landscape, and find out what's been reinvigorating the field of metabolomics ... Plus gold catalysis, self-assembling molecules and the terrorism suspect who's been banned from studying school chemistry ... In this episode of Chempod, we get caught up in catalysis, discover... (Nature News Service)
Other podcasts Feb 8, 2009
Whether it's catalysis, carbon nanotubes or chirality, you'll find it in ChemPod. Listen in for the latest research and news from Nature's chemistry journals. (Nature News Service)
