A new smart coating could improve the cleanup of nuclear wastewater
Scientists in China have developed a smart coating that could make it easier to remove tritium (a radioactive form of hydrogen) from nuclear power plant wastewater.
Materials Science news
Self‑building molecular rings bring next‑generation drug delivery and smart materials closer
Rotaxanes are dumbbell-shaped mechanically interlocked molecules in which one or more ring-shaped molecules are threaded through a linear segment, known as the axle. To keep the ring from sliding off, two bulky groups, sometimes ...
Next‑generation membranes can refine crude oil using under half the energy of distillation
Oil refining is necessary for transforming raw, unusable crude oil into valuable goods like gasoline, diesel, jet fuel and petrochemical feedstocks. However, the usual distillation process is energy-intensive, spurring researchers ...
Chemists capture structure of the elusive borylnitrene trapped in a crystal using X-ray
Nitrenes are the ghosts of synthetic chemistry, formed in an instant and gone just as quickly, rearranging into something entirely different. These highly reactive intermediates are widely used in synthesis, yet remain notoriously ...
Tiny water droplets transmutate aniline into pyridine in ambient and catalyst-free conditions
Aniline can now be transformed into pyridine without adding any catalysts, oxidants or toxic reagents. In a recent study published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, researchers achieved skeletal editing, involving ...
Old bottles and battery acid can drive production of valuable industrial chemicals
Battery acid from old cars, with a little help from a catalyst, can give plastic waste a new purpose, using it to drive the production of useful chemicals, powered by sunlight alone. A recent study by researchers at the University ...
Hollow-sphere catalyst enables greener production of 99% pure propene at room temperature
The world's appetite for propene (propylene) is growing faster than the chemical industry can keep up. This petrochemical product powers the production of acrylonitrile, propylene oxide, high-velocity fuels, and, most importantly, ...
Plant-inspired water membrane filters CO₂ with constant selectivity and adjustable permeance
Gas separation membranes are vital for carbon capture, biogas upgrading, and hydrogen purification, all of which require the separation of carbon dioxide from gases like nitrogen, methane and hydrogen. However, the membranes ...
A new equation may help baristas produce the perfect espresso shot every time
Everyone's idea of the perfect cup of coffee is different. Whether you have yours black, with a splash of milk or extra sweet, you like it your way. But is there a universal law that governs how that flavor gets into your ...
New disk-shaped catalyst turns carbon dioxide into methanol at lower temperatures
Low-temperature CO2 hydrogenation might have sounded almost paradoxical until a recent study made it possible. Researchers have designed new catalysts that can transform the greenhouse gas into methanol at temperatures ranging ...
