A better understanding of ‘hole hopping’ in solar cells

28-Nov-2013 - A team of scientists from the UK, Spain and Switzerland say a method they have developed for probing electron transfer reactions could help them design more efficient solar cells. The research team, led by Piers Barnes of Imperial College London, has pioneered a technique that measures the ...

Solar-powered electrochemistry reduces reagent waste in synthetic organic reactions

30-Oct-2013 - Scientists in the United States have combined electrochemistry with synthetic organic chemistry to perform chemical oxidations that consume only sunlight and produce only hydrogen as a reduction product to reduce reagent waste. The researchers connected a photovoltaic cell to the reaction flask, ...

Ionic liquid formulation for safer herbicide

12-Jul-2013 - An international collaboration of scientists has formulated a commonly used weed-killer as an ionic liquid to reduce its environmental impact. Research published in Green Chemistry describes how the scientists have created a less volatile and less water soluble form of the herbicide dicamba, by ...

HX-splitting photocatalysis for solar fuels

07-May-2013 - Photochemical HX splitting reactions (X = halogen) provide a route for solar-to-fuel energy conversion and halogen photoelimination is a critical step in the process. Scientists in the US have investigated the photoreduction mechanism of a pair of valence-isomeric dirhodium phosphazane complexes ...

Royal Society of Chemistry launches Materials Horizons journal

30-Jan-2013 - Researchers from across the materials science community have a new option for reporting the developments in their field, with the launch of a new Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) journal – Materials Horizons. The addition to the RSC Publishing portfolio will disseminate research across the ...

Chemistry will play a central role to the future of UK nuclear

13-Apr-2012 - Chemistry remains central to the clean-up and continuation of nuclear R&D, a panel of experts including the government’s chief scientific adviser. Professor Sir John Beddington, the keynote speaker at a Royal Society of Chemistry symposium, told the gathering of policy-makers and academics in ...

Fix the under-representation of women in science, says RSC’s first female President

05-Apr-2012 - The UK economy cannot afford the wastage in talent that comes when women in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) careers leave their profession prematurely, according to a new report.Tapping all our Talents says that “expensively trained women are lost in larger proportions than men ...

British pupil claims his gold in Chemistry Olympiad

21-Dec-2011 - Alcester teenager David Edey collected his larger-than-life gold medal from science minister David Willetts today after defeating hundreds of students from around the world in a global chemistry competition. David, 18, became one of the world’s top three chemistry students after winning gold at ...

Government at “half way house” in its life sciences plan, says chemistry chief

Plans to revitalise the biomedical industry must be matched by significant investment in drug discovery, according to the chief executive of the Royal Society of Chemistry

07-Dec-2011 - Dr Robert Parker welcomed the announcement by the prime minister of a £180m biomedical catalyst fund, but was concerned no specific plans have been introduced to capitalise on the UK’s strength in medicinal chemistry.“For this welcome investment to have maximum economic impact, further urgent ...

Former Royal Society of Chemistry Chief Executive Dr Richard Pike dies

29-Jul-2011 - Dr Richard Pike has died at the age of 61. Dr Pike stood down as the RSC’s chief executive in February this year after five successful years at the helm of the learned society. Under his leadership, membership reached a record high of more than 47,500. Among other notable achievements, 10 new ...