Catalyst for a greener future

Researchers improve the ability of catalysts made from metal-metal oxides to convert non-edible plants into renewable fuels, chemicals and plastics

18-Mar-2022 - Catalysts are workhorses that help reactions occur. Put to work, they transform starting materials, such as fossil fuels, biomass or even waste, into products and fuels with minimal energy. Researchers in theCatalysis Center for Energy Innovation(CCEI) at the University of Delaware have found ...

Game-changing technology to remove 99% of carbon dioxide from air

Carbon capture advance could bring environmentally friendly fuel cells closer to market

07-Feb-2022 - University of Delaware engineers have demonstrated a way to effectively capture 99% of carbon dioxide from air using a novel electrochemical system powered by hydrogen. It is a significant advance for carbon dioxide capture and could bring more environmentally friendly fuel cells closer to ...

Creating sustainable material from waste

Researchers report low-pressure method to convert industrially processed biomass into plastics, chemicals

25-Jan-2022 - It’s no secret that we need more sustainable materials if we hope to help the planet. Bio-derived materials are one potential option, but they must be economical if anyone is going to use them. For instance, a better bio-based milk jug would be great. However, if the milk sells for $20 per gallon ...

Using electricity to give chemistry a boost

University Delaware advance opens door to accessing new materials for catalysis, sensing and gas storage

13-Sep-2021 - Metal organic frameworks (MOFs) are a promising class of materials that have many applications as catalysts, sensors and for gas storage. Widely studied over the past two decades, MOFs are typically produced using chemical processes that require high heat and high pressure. Now, University of ...

Nanoparticle gel unites oil and water in manufacturing-friendly approach

Novel gel-creation method could open applications in water filtration, other applications

15-Feb-2021 - Oil and water may not mix, but adding the right nanoparticles to the recipe can convert these two immiscible fluids into an exotic gel with uses ranging from batteries to water filters to tint-changing smart windows. A new approach to creating this unusual class of soft materials could carry them ...

A new way to make valuable chemicals

Research creates process that advances the field of carbon utilization

28-Aug-2019 - In an effort to develop sustainable solutions to humanity's energy needs, many scientists are studying carbon capture and utilization -- the practice of using excess carbon dioxide in the atmosphere or from point sources, instead of fossil fuels, to synthesize chemicals used to make everyday ...

Creating new molecular sieves

Researchers make organic frameworks that could sift antibiotic residue out of water

11-Jun-2019 - An international team of researchers recently synthesized polyarylether-based covalent organic frameworks, the most stable crystalline porous material on record. The team, which includes the University of Delaware's Yushan Yan and Jilin University's Qianrong (Frank) Fang, a former postdoctoral ...

Transforming carbon dioxide

Novel two-step CO2 conversion technology

27-Sep-2018 - A team of researchers at the University of Delaware's Center for Catalytic Science and Technology (CCST) has discovered a novel two-step process to increase the efficiency of carbon dioxide (CO2) electrolysis, a chemical reaction driven by electrical currents that can aid in the production of ...

Magic in metal could help put excess carbon dioxide to good use

01-Jun-2018 - The chunk of metal sitting on a table in Joel Rosenthal's office at the University of Delaware looks like it should belong in a wizard's pocket. Shiny silver with shocks of pink and splashes of gold, it's called bismuth, and it's currently used to make products ranging from shotgun pellets to ...

Coastal water absorbing more carbon dioxide

02-Feb-2018 - As more carbon dioxide enters the atmosphere, the global ocean soaks up much of the excess, storing roughly 30 percent of the carbon dioxide emissions coming from human activities. In this sense, the ocean has acted as a buffer to slow down the greenhouse gas accumulation in the atmosphere and, ...