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Categories: Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry, Offbeat: Computers and Math
Published Decontamination method zaps pollutants from soil



A rapid, high-heat electrothermal soil remediation process flushes out both organic pollutants and heavy metals in seconds without damaging soil fertility.
Published Harnessing molecular power: Electricity generation on the nanoscale



Researchers tested a molecular energy harvesting device that captures the energy from the natural motion of molecules in a liquid. Their work showed molecular motion can be used to generate a stable electric current. To create the device, they submerged nanoarrays of piezoelectric material in liquid, allowing the movement of the liquid to move the strands like seaweed waving in the ocean, except in this case the movement is on the molecular scale, and the strands are made of zinc oxide. When the zinc oxide material waves, bends, or deforms under motion, it generates electric potential.
Published Researchers develop organic nanozymes suitable for agricultural use



Nanozymes are synthetic materials that mimic the properties of natural enzymes for applications in biomedicine and chemical engineering. They are generally considered too toxic and expensive for use in agriculture and food science. Now, researchers have developed a nanozyme that is organic, non-toxic, environmentally friendly, and cost effective.
Published New polymer membranes, AI predictions could dramatically reduce energy, water use in oil refining



Researchers describe a new kind of polymer membrane they created that could reshape how refineries process crude oil, dramatically reducing the energy and water required while extracting even more useful materials. The team also created artificial intelligence tools to predict the performance of these kinds of membranes, which could accelerate development of new ones.
Published Novel catalyst for green production of fine chemicals and pharmaceuticals



Scientists have developed an innovative catalyst that achieves a significantly lower carbon footprint, paving the way for greener chemical and pharmaceutical manufacturing processes.
Published An electrical switch to control chemical reactions



New pharmaceuticals, cleaner fuels, biodegradable plastics: in order to meet society's needs, chemists have to develop new synthesis methods to obtain new products that do not exist in their natural state. A research group has discovered how to use an external electric field to control and accelerate a chemical reaction, like a 'switch'. This work could have a considerable impact on the development of new molecules, enabling not only more environmentally friendly synthesis, but also very simple external control of a chemical reaction.
Published Plastic production via advanced recycling lowers GHG emissions



Research reveals that recycling post-use plastic through pyrolysis can reduce GHG emissions by 18-23%. Approach can potentially enhance sustainability by minimizing waste and fossil resource reliance.
Published Surprising discovery shows electron beam radiation can repair nanostructures



In a surprising new study, researchers have found that the electron beam radiation that they previously thought degraded crystals can actually repair cracks in these nanostructures. The groundbreaking discovery provides a new pathway to create more perfect crystal nanostructures, a process that is critical to improving the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of materials that are used in virtually all electronic devices we use every day.
Published Metal-organic frameworks could someday deliver antibacterial nitric oxide



Because metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) — highly porous metal complexes — are so structurally and chemically diverse, they could be used for many applications, such as drug delivery and environmental clean-up. But researchers still need to get a better understanding of how they function, especially when embedded in polymers. Researchers have now developed and characterized nitric oxide (NO)-storing MOFs embedded in a thin film with novel antibacterial potential.
Published Bringing out the color in zinc



Researchers have synthesized a zinc complex based on two zinc centers that absorbs visible light. They demonstrated that this capability depends on the proximity of the zinc ions, where the complex responds to visible light when the zinc atoms are closer. This new property is expected to expand the utility of zinc, which already offers advantages including biological relevance, cost effectiveness, and low toxicity.
Published Ecotoxicity testing of micro- and nano-plastics



An international team of researchers has published the first harmonized exposure protocol for ecotoxicity testing of microplastics and nanoplastics.
Published Ionic crystal generates molecular ions upon positron irradiation, finds new study



The interaction between solid matter and positron (the antiparticle of electron) has provided important insights across a variety of disciplines, including atomic physics, materials science, elementary particle physics, and medicine. However, the experimental generation of positronic compounds by bombardment of positrons onto surfaces has proved challenging. In a new study, researchers detect molecular ion desorption from the surface of an ionic crystal when bombarded with positrons and propose a model based on positronic compound generation to explain their results.
Published Groundbreaking study shows defects spreading through diamond faster than the speed of sound



Settling a half century of debate, researchers have discovered that tiny linear defects can propagate through a material faster than sound waves do. These linear defects, or dislocations, are what give metals their strength and workability, but they can also make materials fail catastrophically – which is what happens every time you pop the pull tab on a can of soda. The fact that they can travel so fast gives scientists a new appreciation of the unusual types of damage they might do to a broad range of materials in extreme conditions.
Published Physicists find evidence for magnetically bound excitons



Physicists have experimentally detected how so-called Hubbard excitons form in real-time.
Published Two-dimensional compounds can capture carbon from the air



Some of the thinnest materials known to humankind -- MXene and MBene compounds -- may provide solutions to scientists in their quest to curb the effects of global warming. These substances are only a few atoms thick, making them two-dimensional. Because of their large surface area, the materials have the potential to absorb carbon dioxide molecules from the atmosphere, which could help reduce the harmful effects of climate change by safely sequestering carbon dioxide, according to a review study.
Published New 'Assembly Theory' unifies physics and biology to explain evolution and complexity



An international team of researchers has developed a new theoretical framework that bridges physics and biology to provide a unified approach for understanding how complexity and evolution emerge in nature. This new work on 'Assembly Theory' represents a major advance in our fundamental comprehension of biological evolution and how it is governed by the physical laws of the universe.
Published Could future AI crave a favorite food?



Can artificial intelligence (AI) get hungry? Develop a taste for certain foods? Not yet, but a team of researchers is developing a novel electronic tongue that mimics how taste influences what we eat based on both needs and wants, providing a possible blueprint for AI that processes information more like a human being.
Published Instant evolution: AI designs new robot from scratch in seconds



Researchers developed the first AI to date that can intelligently design robots from scratch by compressing billions of years of evolution into mere seconds. It's not only fast but also runs on a lightweight computer and designs wholly novel structures from scratch — without human-labeled, bias-filled datasets.
Published Electronic sensor the size of a single molecule a potential game-changer



Researchers have developed a molecular-sized, more efficient version of a widely used electronic sensor, in a breakthrough that could bring widespread benefits.
Published Metal-loving microbes could replace chemical processing of rare earths



Scientists have characterized the genome of a metal-loving bacteria with an affinity for rare earth elements. The research paves the way towards replacing the harsh chemical processing of these elements with a benign practice called biosorption.