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Categories: Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry, Environmental: Wildfires
Published Novel method for measuring nano/microplastic concentrations in soil using spectroscopy
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Current techniques for measuring nano/microplastic (N/MP) concentrations in soil require the soil organic matter content to be separated and have limited resolution for analyzing N/MPs sized <1 m. Therefore, researchers have developed a novel yet simple method to measure N/MP concentration in different soil types using spectroscopy at two wavelengths. This method does not require the soil to be separated in order to detect the N/MPs and can accurately quantify N/MPs regardless of their size.
Published Golden ball mills as green catalysts
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A gold-coated milling vessel for ball mills proved to be a real marvel: without any solvents or environmentally harmful chemicals, the team was able to use it to convert alcohols into aldehydes. The catalytic reaction takes place at the gold surface and is mechanically driven. The vessel can be reused multiple times. 'This opens up new prospects for the use of gold in catalysis and shows how traditional materials can contribute to solving modern environmental problems in an innovative way,' says Borchardt.
Published Reduction of esters by a novel photocatalyst
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A ubiquitous compound, called ester can be broken down to produce desirable alcohols and other chemicals for use across industries including pharmaceuticals and cosmetics, but the process can be costly, both financially and in terms of the environment. Researchers developed a novel photocatalyst 'N-BAP.' When irradiated with blue light, the photocatalyst reduces esters in the presence of oxalate, a negatively charged molecule found widely in nature, resulting in the desired alcohols.
Published A liquid crystal source of photon pairs
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Spontaneous parametric down-conversion (SPDC), as a source of entangled photons, is of great interest for quantum physics and quantum technology, but so far it could be only implemented in solids. Researchers have demonstrated, for the first time, SPDC in a liquid crystal. The results open a path to a new generation of quantum sources: efficient and electric-field tunable.
Published Scientists preserve DNA in an amber-like polymer
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source With their 'T-REX' method, researchers developed a glassy, amber-like polymer that can be used for long-term storage of DNA, such as entire human genomes or digital files such as photos.
Published New way to spot beetle-killed spruce can help forest, wildfire managers
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new machine-learning system can automatically produce detailed maps from satellite data to show locations of likely beetle-killed spruce trees in Alaska, even in forests of low and moderate infestation where identification is otherwise difficult. The automated process can help forestry and wildfire managers in their decisions. That's critical as the beetle infestation spreads.
Published A 'liquid battery' advance
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A team aims to improve options for renewable energy storage through work on an emerging technology -- liquids for hydrogen storage.
Published Uncovering the nature of emergent magnetic monopoles
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source To understand the unique physical phenomena associated with the properties of magnetic hedgehogs and antihedgehogs, which behave as virtual magnetic monopoles and antimonopoles respectively, it is essential to study their intrinsic excitations. In a new study, researchers revealed the dynamical nature of collective excitation modes in hedgehog lattices in itinerant chiral magnets. Their findings serve as the foundation for studying the dynamics of emergent magnetic monopoles in magnets.
Published 3D-printed mini-actuators can move small soft robots, lock them into new shapes
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have demonstrated miniature soft hydraulic actuators that can be used to control the deformation and motion of soft robots that are less than a millimeter thick. The researchers have also demonstrated that this technique works with shape memory materials, allowing users to repeatedly lock the soft robots into a desired shape and return to the original shape as needed.
Published Semiconductor doping and electronic devices: Heating gallium nitride and magnesium forms superlattice
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A study revealed that a simple thermal reaction of gallium nitride with metallic magnesium results in the formation of a distinctive superlattice structure. This represents the first time researchers have identified the insertion of 2D metal layers into a bulk semiconductor. By carefully observing materials through various cutting-edge characterization techniques, the researchers uncovered new insights into the process of semiconductor doping and elastic strain engineering.
Published Looking for a new battery platform? Focus on the essentials
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source In facing life's many challenges, we often opt for complex approaches to finding solutions. Yet, upon closer examination, the answers are often simpler than we expect, rooted in the core "essence" of the issue. This approach was demonstrated by a research team in their publication on addressing the inherent issues of solid-state batteries.
Published Researchers engineer new approach for controlling thermal emission
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source If a material absorbs light, it will heat up. That heat must go somewhere, and the ability to control where and how much heat is emitted can protect or even hide such devices as satellites. An international team of researchers has published a novel method for controlling this thermal emission in Science.
Published Perturbations simplify the study of 'super photons'
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Thousands of particles of light can merge into a type of 'super photon' under suitable conditions. Physicists call such a state a photon Bose-Einstein condensate. Researchers have now shown that this exotic quantum state obeys a fundamental theorem of physics. This finding now allows one to measure properties of photon Bose-Einstein condensates which are usually difficult to access.
Published Crystal engineering modifies 2D metal halide perovskites into 1D nanowires
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Engineers have created a patent-pending method that creates layered perovskite nanowires with exceptionally well-defined and flexible cavities that exhibit a wide range of unusual optical properties beyond conventional perovskites.
Published Fighting fires from space in record time: How AI could prevent devastating wildfires
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Scientists are getting closer to detecting bushfires in record time, thanks to cube satellites with onboard AI now able to detect fires from space 500 times faster than traditional on-ground processing of imagery.
Published A new way of designing auxetic materials
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Auxetics defy common sense, widening when stretched and narrowing when compressed. Researchers have now made the process of using them much easier, paving the way for new types of auxetic products -- from better sneaker insoles to blast-resilient buildings.
Published Towards next-gen functional materials: direct observation of electron transfer in solids
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Nanoscale electron transfer (ET) in solids is fundamental to the development of multifunctional materials. However, ET in solids is not yet clearly understood. Now, researchers achieved a direct observation of solid-state ET through X-ray crystal analysis by fabricating a novel double-walled non-covalent crystalline nanotube, which can absorb electron donor molecules and maintain its crystalline structure during ET. This innovative approach can lead to the design of novel functional materials soon.
Published Observing ultrafast photoinduced dynamics in a halogen-bonded supramolecular system
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers uncover how the halogen bond can be exploited to direct sequential dynamics in the multi-functional crystals, offering crucial insights for developing ultrafast-response times for multilevel optical storage.
Published Altered carbon points toward sustainable manufacturing
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers develop a vastly more productive way to convert carbon dioxide into useful materials and compounds.
Published Transition-metal-free zeolite catalyst for direct conversion of methane to methanol
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Direct oxidation of methane to methanol is dominated by transition- or noble-metal-based catalysts, thus making the reaction quite expensive. To make the process efficient and cost-effective, researchers developed a transition-metal-free aluminosilicate ferrierite zeolite catalyst that can produce methanol by using methane and nitrous oxide as starting materials. The new catalyst ensures excellent methanol production efficiency, one of the highest recorded rates in the literature thus far.