Autonomous synthesis robot uses AI to speed up chemical discovery

Impressive ingenuity

30-Jan-2024 - Chemists of the University of Amsterdam (UvA) have developed an autonomous chemical synthesis robot with an integrated AI-driven machine learning unit. Dubbed ‘RoboChem’, the benchtop device can outperform a human chemist in terms of speed and accuracy while also displaying a high level of ...

New door opened to understanding the catalysis of ammonia production

Research team investigates the reaction mechanism for catalytic ammonia production at PETRA III

26-Jan-2024 - A research team from Stockholm University, in collaboration with DESY and the Montanuniversität Leoben in Austria, has succeeded for the first time in investigating the surface of iron and ruthenium catalysts in the formation of ammonia from nitrogen and hydrogen; the results have been published ...

Bane and boon of oxygen mediating the performance of nickel catalysts in dry reforming of methane

Fundamental insights into the processes occurring at the catalyst surface

22-Jan-2024 - Catalysis is one of the key technologies in the chemical industry and has a wide-reaching impact on various aspects of our daily lives, including plastics manufacturing, drug synthesis, and production of both fertilizers and fuels. It is estimated that over 90% of chemical products are nowadays ...

Let it glow: Scientists develop new approach to detect ‘forever chemicals’ in water

18-Jan-2024 - Scientists at the University of Birmingham in collaboration with scientists from the Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung (BAM) have developed a new approach for detecting pollution from ‘forever chemicals’ in water through luminescence. PFAS or ‘forever chemicals’ are manufactured ...

Glow sticks – Not just for parties anymore

University of Houston researcher using popular party favor to detect biothreats for US Navy

12-Jan-2024 - Remember that party where you were swinging glow sticks above your head or wearing them as necklaces? Fun times, right? Science times, too. Turns out those fun party favors are now being used by a University of Houston researcher to identify emerging biothreats for the United States Navy. It’s ...

Physicists create giant trilobite molecules

Results are important to understand the chemical binding mechanisms of them, which is distinct from all other chemical bonds

04-Jan-2024 - Kaiserslautern physicists in the team of Professor Dr. Herwig Ott have succeeded for the first time in directly observing pure trilobite Rydberg molecules. Particularly interesting is that these molecules have a very peculiar shape, which is reminiscent of trilobite fossils. At the same time, ...

Thianthrenium chemistry allows for reactivity switch of a nucleophilic amino acid into a versatile intermediate

Useful and broadly applicable tool in the field of chemical biology

03-Jan-2024 - Chemical diversification of proteins is an important concept in the study of biological processes and the complex structures of the proteins themselves. It involves using quick and mild reactions that selectively target a specific amino acid and therefore a building block of proteins. Cysteine is ...

Machine learning boosts search for new materials

Scientists have developed deep-learning models that can sift through the massive amounts of data generated by X-ray diffraction techniques

29-Dec-2023 - Scientists from theUniversity of Rochestersay deep learning can supercharge a technique that is already the gold standard for characterizing new materials. In annpj Computational Materialspaper, the interdisciplinary team describes models they developed to better leverage the massive amounts ...

BUND Christmas tree test 2023: Over two thirds of trees contaminated with pesticides

Environmental association calls for pesticide reduction and glyphosate restriction

22-Dec-2023 - The Christmas tree is indispensable for many people. It is often in the living room before December 24th. But how has the tree grown in recent years? The German Federation for the Environment and Nature Conservation (BUND) has had Christmas trees tested for pesticide residues by an independent ...

First observation of how water molecules move near a metal electrode

Movements of water molecules change depending on the applied voltage

20-Dec-2023 - A collaborative team of experimental and computational physical chemists from South Korea and the United States have made an important discovery in the field of electrochemistry, shedding light on the movement of water molecules near metal electrodes. This research holds profound implications for ...