Catalysis
Researchers find potential building block for catalytic cycle
November 5, 2012 10:47 am | News | CommentsThrough spectroscopic investigations on a hydrogen-producing enzyme, researchers in Germany have found that environment of the catalytic site acts as an electron reservoir in the enzyme. This finding means that the enzyme can produce hydrogen at a highly efficient rate and could be useful as a renewable energy source.
The hunt for electron holes: A molecular glance on solar water splitting
October 30, 2012 1:18 pm | News | CommentsHydrogen production by solar water splitting in photoelectrochemical cells (PEC) has long been considered the holy grail of sustainable energy research. Iron oxide is a promising electrode material, and now an international team of researchers gained in-depth insights into the electronic structure of an iron oxide electrode, while it was in operation. This opens up new possibilities for an affordable hydrogen production from solar energy.
Building a better battery for renewable energy storage
October 29, 2012 10:49 am | by Glenn Roberts Jr., SLAC | News | CommentsSolar, wind and other renewable energy sources reduce consumption of fossil fuels but also pose challenges to the electrical grid because their power generation fluctuates. A team of researchers at Stanford and SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory has developed a mix of materials that shows promise as a cost-effective alternative to standard batteries—able to quickly and efficiently charge and discharge their energy over thousands of charges, with no energy loss after 1,000 charges.
Can cobalt-graphene catalyst beat platinum?
October 17, 2012 7:44 am | News | CommentsPlatinum works well as a catalyst in hydrogen fuel cells, but it has at least two drawbacks: It is expensive, and it degrades over time. Brown University chemists have engineered a cheaper and more durable catalyst using graphene, cobalt, and cobalt-oxide—the best nonplatinum catalyst yet.
The best of both catalytic worlds
October 10, 2012 2:14 pm | News | CommentsLawrence Berkeley National Laboratory researchers have combined the best properties of heterogeneous and homogeneous catalysts by encapsulating metallic nanoclusters within the branched molecular arms of dendrimers. The results are heterogenized homogeneous nanocatalysts that are sustainable and feature high reactivity and selectivity.
Catalytic converters like it hot
October 9, 2012 11:29 am | News | CommentsThe tiny metal particles in catalytic converters that work to clean up vehicle emissions require a minimum temperature to function efficiently, and work poorly when cold. A new measuring method using photoemission electron microscopy has made it possible to examine many different types of these particles at the same time, shedding light on what exactly affects converter efficiency.
Improving performance of a solar fuel catalyst
October 4, 2012 5:17 am | News | CommentsHydrogen gas that is created using solar energy to split water into hydrogen and oxygen has the potential to be a cost-effective fuel source if the efficiency of the catalysts used in the water-splitting process can be improved. By controlling the placement of key additives in an iron oxide catalyst, researchers from NIST have found that the final location of the dopants and the temperature at which they are incorporated into the catalyst crystal lattice determine overall catalytic performance in splitting water.
Simulations of metal-sulfide alloy unlocks secrets to solar-powered catalysts
September 26, 2012 6:06 pm | News | CommentsBy modeling a cadmium sulfide–zinc sulfide alloy with special computational techniques, a Singapore-based research team has identified the key photocatalytic properties that enable this chemical duo to 'split' water molecules into a fuel, hydrogen gas. The breakthrough is significant because each of these semiconductors had previously been limited by their bandgap potential.
The inner world of complex catalysts
September 24, 2012 10:28 am | by Fabio Bergamin | News | CommentsZeolites, porous materials used in commercial products such as cat litter and washing detergents, are attracting the attention of researchers hoping to design better catalysts. Chemical engineers in Switzerland recently brought to bear the latest imaging technologies to examine a newly developed zeolite catalyst applied in the chemical conversion of xylene. It represents one of the most complex organized porous materials known.
Two-faced materials boost hydrogen production
September 12, 2012 9:48 am | News | CommentsThough costly to produce, hydrogen is crucial for the oil-refining industry and the production of essential chemicals such as the ammonia used in fertilizers. The recent invention of a new photocatalyst may help the efficiency of this process. Nanometer-scale “Janus” structures consisting of cheap metal and oxide spheres were recently demonstrated as an excellent catalyst for a hydrogen-production reaction powered only by sunlight.
Researchers set world record for highest surface area material
September 10, 2012 5:35 am | News | CommentsNorthwestern University researchers have broken a world record by creating two new synthetic materials with the greatest amount of surface areas reported to date. Named NU-109 and NU-110, the materials belong to a class of crystalline nanostructure known as metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) that are promising vessels for natural gas storage for vehicles, catalysts, and other sustainable materials chemistry.
New nanoparticle to turn yard waste into biofuel
September 5, 2012 4:43 am | News | CommentsA team of researchers has recently been successful in synthesizing and characterizing monodisperse gold-core silver-shell nanoparticles utilizing a bio-template that has potential as a water soluble catalyst for converting biomass such as dead trees, branches and tree stumps, yard clippings, wood chips, and even municipal solid waste into fuels.
Showing the way to improved water-splitting catalysts
September 4, 2012 5:05 am | News | CommentsScientists and engineers are working to find a way to power the planet using solar-powered fuel cells. Such green systems would split water during daylight hours, generating hydrogen that could then be stored and used later to produce water and electricity. But robust catalysts are needed to drive the water-splitting reaction. Chemists at Caltech have determined the dominant mechanism for cobalt catalysts, a cheaper alternative to platinum catalysts.
New imaging technique homes in on electrocatalysis of nanoparticles
August 28, 2012 5:20 am | News | CommentsBy modifying the rate at which chemical reactions take place, nanoparticle catalysts fulfill myriad roles in industry, the biomedical arena, and everyday life. Finding new and more effective nanoparticle catalysts to perform applications in these areas has become vital. Now, a researcher at Arizona State University has found a clever way to measure catalytical reactions of single nanoparticles and multiple particles printed in arrays, which will help to characterize and improve existing nanoparticle catalysts.
Scientists produce hydrogen for fuel cells using inexpensive catalyst
August 23, 2012 7:01 am | News | CommentsScientists at the University of Cambridge have produced hydrogen, a renewable energy source, from water using an inexpensive catalyst under industrially relevant conditions—using pH neutral water, surrounded by atmospheric oxygen, and at room temperature.
Engineers damage graphene to make batteries perform far better
August 21, 2012 5:58 am | News | CommentsAfter making a sheet of “paper” from the world’s thinnest material, graphene, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute scientists zapped it with a laser. The light blemished the ultrathin paper with countless cracks, pores, and other imperfections. The result is a graphene anode material that can be charged or discharged 10 times faster than conventional graphite anodes used in today’s lithium-ion batteries.
Catalyst could improve production of glass alternatives
August 21, 2012 3:30 am | News | CommentsUniversity of Oregon chemists have identified a catalyst that could dramatically reduce the amount of waste made in the production of methyl methacrylate, a monomer used in the large-scale manufacturing of lightweight, shatter-resistant alternatives to glass such as Plexiglas.
An intriguing twist in the structure of a cobalt oxide catalyst
August 15, 2012 5:41 am | by David Lindley | News | CommentsHydrogen is a clean fuel, producing only water vapor when it burns. But generating hydrogen in large quantities and in a "green" fashion is not straightforward. Biological photosynthesis includes an efficient reaction step that splits water into hydrogen and oxygen with the help of catalysts that have been used as models for synthetic catalysts. Working at the Advanced Photon Source at Argonne National Laboratory, a team of scientists has determined the structure of one such catalyst, a complex cobalt oxide.
New platinum-based catalyst design works better, lasts longer
August 15, 2012 5:28 am | News | CommentsResearchers from two SLAC-Stanford University joint institutes recently joined forces to investigate a catalyst that promotes energy-releasing reactions in fuel cells. What they discovered, after using high-resolution X-ray spectrometry, is that two different platinum-rhodium nanostructures behaved in strikingly different ways. The finding indicated the importance of careful engineering in catalyst design.
Scientists crack long-standing chemistry mystery
August 15, 2012 3:46 am | News | CommentsA team of researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's Ames Laboratory has answered a key question concerning the widely used Fenton reaction—important in wastewater treatment to destroy hazardous organic chemicals and decontaminate bacterial pathogens and in industrial chemical production.
Scientists' gold discovery sheds light on catalysis
August 13, 2012 7:20 am | News | CommentsAn international team of researchers has discovered that the catalytic activity of nanoporous gold originates from high concentrations of surface defects present within its complex 3D structure. The research has the potential to assist in the development of more efficient and durable catalytic converters and fuel cells because nanoporous gold is a catalytic agent for oxidizing carbon monoxide.
Cheaper, cleaner, more efficient catalyst for burning methane
August 9, 2012 12:06 pm | News | CommentsResearchers from the University of Pennsylvania, along with collaborators from Italy and Spain, have created a material that catalyzes the burning of methane 30 times better than currently available catalysts. The discovery offers a way to more completely exploit energy from methane, potentially reducing emissions of this greenhouse gas from vehicles that run on natural gas.
Team develops high-performance flexible solid-state battery
August 6, 2012 9:34 am | News | CommentsUsing a universal transfer approach, a team of engineers in Korea have built a flexible lithium-ion battery structured with high density inorganic thin films. The innovation has potential as an essential energy source for flexible displays.
DOE grant goes to lithium-ion battery development
August 6, 2012 5:43 am | News | CommentsWashington University in St. Louis recently landed a $2 million U.S. Dept. of Energy grant with $1.2 million in matching funds from the university to design a battery management system for lithium-ion batteries that will guarantee their longevity, safety and performance. The development is geared toward electric vehicle technologies.
New battery helps breaks barriers for low-cost energy storage
August 2, 2012 5:25 am | News | CommentsA research team has built an air-breathing battery that uses the chemical energy generated by the oxidation of iron plates that are exposed to the oxygen in the air—a process similar to rusting. The concept has been around for decades, but competing chemical reaction of hydrogen generation sucked away about 50% of the battery’s energy. Recent breakthroughs have lowered this loss to just 4%.
