Oxidation and reduction are complementary electron-transfer processes that underpin redox chemistry and many biological and industrial transformations. Oxidation is defined as the loss of electrons, an increase in oxidation state, or, in many covalent systems, gain of electronegative substituents (e.g., oxygen) or loss of electropositive ones (e.g., hydrogen). Reduction is the gain of electrons, a decrease in oxidation state, or the converse change in bonding pattern. In any redox reaction, electrons are conserved and transferred from a reductant (electron donor) to an oxidant (electron acceptor), often mediated by redox couples, half-reactions, and characterized quantitatively by standard reduction potentials.
Generating hydrogen without releasing carbon dioxide sounds simple: pass electricity through water, split water molecules and generate green hydrogen. The hard part is the electrocatalyst. The best ones rely on platinum, ...
Fine particulate matter consists of tiny particles with diameters in the nanometer range. They are produced, for example, by fuel combustion, remain suspended in the air and can penetrate deep into the respiratory tract. ...
Environment
Oct 14, 2026
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A new study led by Paul Schulze-Lefert from the Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research in Cologne, in collaboration with Ricardo F.H. Giehl at the Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research in Gatersleben, ...
Plants & Animals
Oct 9, 2026
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71
Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is commonly associated with both health concerns and poor visibility. However, these two effects do not necessarily improve or worsen at the same time.
Environment
Oct 6, 2026
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If you mount a pickle on two metal forks and plug it into a socket, one end will light up in a brilliant orange glow. It's a classic K–12 science demonstration, but the exact physics behind the illumination has long remained ...
General Physics
Oct 1, 2026
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Engineers have developed a new approach for turning ordinary water into a weapon against antibiotic-resistant bacteria, according to a study published in the journal Chem Catalysis.
Cell & Microbiology
Sep 30, 2026
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Electrolysis can reduce CO2 to CO, a raw material for chemical products such as fuels. Within the GreenQUEST project, an international team led by HZB chemist Prashanth Menezes has systematically investigated catalyst layers ...
Nanomaterials
Sep 26, 2026
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138
A new study from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) has identified a molecular switch that controls whether stressed human cells activate a survival mechanism or trigger programmed cell death (apoptosis). The findings, ...
Cell & Microbiology
Sep 26, 2026
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Beauty and mystery—it is hard to imagine a more alluring combination, and this is precisely what we encounter when we observe phenomena in the nanoworld. But are we really sure that observations made using modern microscopic ...
Nanophysics
Sep 17, 2026
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Iron rusts on its own, slowly, over months or years. Now, researchers at Tohoku University have found a way to compress the process of metal reacting with water to form oxide, taking mere hours and using nothing more than ...
Nanomaterials
Sep 17, 2026
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