The quest to improve energy storage and conversion has led to some clever tricks with carbon materials. One standout method involves using a special salt to create carbon nanosheets with plenty of defects and pores. These aren't flaws, but features that make the carbon better at storing energy and catalyzing reactions. The process starts with a mix of leafy zeolitic ...
The world of chemistry is always looking for better ways to make valuable stuff. One big challenge is finding a smart catalyst that can handle tough conditions and make useful compounds like quinazolines. These compounds are super important in many industries. Scientists have been working on a special type of catalyst called polyoxometalates. They are like tiny buil...
Chemical reactions are like recipes in a lab. Sometimes, they need a little extra something to work better. That is exactly what happened with phosphorus compounds. It turns out that adding catechol derivatives can make these compounds work much faster and more efficiently. This is big news for creating medicines and other useful stuff in the lab. A lot of test...
The Swiss Industrial Biocatalysis Consortium (SIBC) hit a major milestone in 2024. They celebrated two decades of uniting professionals from various industries. These industries include pharmaceuticals, flavors and fragrances, fine chemicals, and agrochemicals. They all came together to talk about the latest in enzyme technology. The SIBC has been a hub for these ex...
Chemists have found a clever way to add boron to certain types of molecules. They used a special copper-based catalyst to make this happen. This catalyst is made with a bulky guanidine ligand. It is a type of molecule that helps the copper do its job. This process is called protoborylation. It is a fancy word for adding a boron-hydrogen bond to a molecule. The proce...
The quest for effective environmental cleanup and energy solutions has led to a fascinating discovery. A unique material has been created to mimic nature's own cleanup processes. This material is made from platinum nanoparticles supported on a thin layer of graphdiyne and graphene. The secret lies in the special carbon structure found in graphdiyne, known as sp-hy...
Scientists have been looking into ways to break down Trichloroethylene (TCE) because it is bad for both people and the planet. TCE is a solvent often used in factories. One interesting method is using light to speed up a chemical reaction. The process involves shining ultraviolet (UV) light on titanium dioxide (TiO2). The UV light is like a spark that start...
Catalysts are vital in tackling air pollution, specifically volatile organic compounds (VOCs). These compounds are everywhere, from paints to cleaning supplies, and they're harmful when inhaled. To make catalysts more effective at breaking down VOCs, scientists have been working on improving their performance at lower temperatures and increasing their lifespan. On...
The world of organic chemistry is buzzing with excitement over a new type of catalyst. This catalyst uses visible light to drive chemical reactions. Most of the focus has been on oxygen and nitrogen-based catalysts, like acridinium and pyrylium salts. However, sulfur-based catalysts have been largely overlooked until now. A new sulfur-containing catalyst has eme...
Hydrogen is a big deal for clean energy. It is a clean fuel. It can be made from water using electricity. This process is called water splitting. Scientists have been working on making this process better. They want it to be more efficient, last longer, and cost less. One way to do this is by using special materials called electrocatalysts. These materials hel...