Chemists uncover cracks in the amour of cellulose nanocrystals

The most detailed look yet at the surface chemistry and structure of individual cellulose nanocrystal particles

19-Oct-2022 - Chemists in Japan, Canada and Europe have uncovered flaws in the surface structure of cellulose nanocrystals—an important step toward deconstructing cellulose to produce renewable nano-materials relevant to biochemical products, energy solutions, and biofuels. The findings—published in Science ...

A massive advance in spectrometry

Study results may lead to more accurate medical, biological, and chemical tests

21-Jan-2021 - Mass spectrometers (MS) have become essential tools in chemistry and biology laboratories. The ability to quickly identify the chemical components in a sample allows them to take part in a diverse array of experiments, including radiocarbon dating, protein analysis, and monitoring drug ...

New procedure will reduce the need for rare metals in chemical synthesis

Researchers are working to improve the long-term sustainability of pharmaceutical and other chemical syntheses

02-Dec-2020 - Pharmaceuticals, plastics, and many other chemical products have transformed human life. To prepare these products, chemists often use a catalyst--frequently based on rare metals--at various points in their syntheses. Although rare-metal catalysts are incredibly useful, their limited supply means ...

Complete filling of batches of nanopipettes

10-Jan-2020 - Nanopipettes, in which a nanoscale channel is filled with a solution, are used in all kinds of nanotechnology applications, including scanning-probe microscopy. Bringing a solution into a nanopipette with a pore diameter below 10 nanometer is challenging, however, since capillary forces prevent ...

Vicinal reaction: A radical strategy for linking three organic groups together

05-Nov-2019 - Organic chemists are molecular architects, designing sophisticated structures. As the molecules used in science and medicine become ever more complex, new tools are needed to piece together the building blocks. Now, a Japanese team at Kanazawa University has developed a reaction that links up ...

Eco-friendly electrochemical catalysts using solar cells to harvest energy from the sun

07-Oct-2019 - A research team from Tokyo Institute of Technology (Tokyo Tech) and Kanazawa University develops an eco-friendly device that uses solar energy to catalyze an electrochemical oxidation reaction with high efficiency. Green energy sources constitute a hot research field globally because of the ...

Zero-emission diesel combustion using a non-equilibrium-plasma-assisted MnO2 filter

11-Mar-2019 - Diesel engines are widely used in agricultural machinery, vehicles, and ships because of their high thermal efficiency. The sulfur contained in the diesel fuel is oxidized to sulfur dioxide by combustion. This sulfur dioxide not only harms human health but also causes deactivation of the ...

'Flipped' metal oxide cage can sort CO2 from CO

Spherical vanadium oxide clusters that can trap and hold carbon dioxide

10-Jan-2019 - How do you separate carbon dioxide from carbon monoxide? One way, showcased by a new study from Kanazawa University, is to use a bowl of vanadium. More precisely, a hollow, spherical cluster of vanadate molecules can discriminate between CO and CO2, allowing potential uses in CO2 storage and ...

Elucidation of vibration energy of a single molecule in an external force field

14-May-2018 - A molecule adsorbed on a surface (Figure 1A) vibrates on the surface (Figure 1B). The vibration energy is determined by the mass of the molecule and by the restoring forces exerted on the molecule. The restoring force originates from the interaction within the molecule and with the surface. By ...

Synergy of two catalysts in one flask

Exploration of a new chemical synthesis process for medications

15-Mar-2018 - Most medications, agricultural chemicals and functional materials, indispensable for maintaining and improving our lives, are composed of organic molecules. Organic synthesis using a catalyst is the method for the rapid and large scale supply of such organic molecules without imposing a heavy ...