Chemistry

Researchers at Tohoku University have created a new catalyst that can partly renew itself while working, opening possibilities for more durable materials in energy and chemical applications.

Recent research on fullerene’s role as a metal-free catalyst may redefine our understanding of how carbon nanomaterials can be used in clean energy technologies.

Professor Ogawa, Mr. Echigo (PhD student), and their colleagues in Kanazawa University report in Eur J Nucl Med Mol Imaging that combination of an At-211-labeled agent with immune checkpoint blockade significantly enhances its therapeutic effect. This strategy represents a promising advancement in the development of next-generation cancer therapies that combine targeted alpha therapy and immunotherapy.

Most currently used fuel cells can only operate efficiently above 500°C, but researchers found a way to essentially cut that number in half.

Researchers at The University of Osaka have discovered a new type of chiral symmetry breaking (CSB) in an organic crystalline compound. This phenomenon, involving a solid-state structural transition from an achiral to a chiral crystal, represents a significant advance in our understanding of chirality and offers a simplified model to study the origin of homochirality. This transformation also activates circularly polarized luminescence, enabling new optical materials with tunable light properties.

Researchers report a Cu-based catalyst on graphitic carbon nitride with tunable atomic configurations, revealing that intercalated Cu dual-atom selectively drives CO2 reduction to methane with 88% efficiency while single-atom and nanoparticle catalysts favor hydrogen evolution.

Researchers from The University of Osaka used electricity to drive a reaction to form a novel hetero[8]circulene consisting of five hexagons and three pentagons (called a dioxaza[8]circulene). The dioxaza[8]circulene is unsymmetrical, unlike existing hetero[8]circulenes. The novel molecule can be produced from commercially available materials by a two-step method that simultaneously forms six new bonds with only water as a byproduct. The dioxaza[8]circulene may have potential as a photocatalyst, and be used to speed up reactions triggered by light.

Whispers in the gut, "Memory foam" for space 🚀, Potassium power 🔋& Intelligent multitasking. Read all in the latest Editor's Choice

First direct observation of quantum Kelvin–Helmholtz instability reveals eccentric fractional skyrmions

A research team led by Distinguished Professor Hao Li at WPI-AIMR, Tohoku University has reported new findings on copper/cobalt-based catalysts that improve the efficiency of electrochemical nitrate reduction.

Researchers at Tohoku University developed a method that uses an abundant, renewable biomass to ultimately create environmentally-friendly fuels.

- DGIST develops a low-cost, high-performance fuel cell catalyst, paving the way for next-generation eco-friendly hydrogen technologies - The catalyst shows enhanced performance and durability compared to conventional ones, exceeding the U.S. Department of Energy’s 2025 targets

- Fully charges a commercial battery in under two hours... Achieves world-class energy efficiency - Enables battery charging inside the body without surgery... Expected to revolutionize future healthcare technology

Researchers from the Department of Chemistry, National Taiwan University, develop a new synthesis route for ultrathin photoanodes, which enables a 100 nm tantalum nitride layer to outperform much thicker films fabricated through conventional oxide precursors.

Researchers at Tohoku University unveil a cool new technique that can visualize both the structure and elemental distribution of nanomaterials in frozen solvents.

A novel technique has been developed using cellulose nanofibers, a blue-fluorescing amino acid and a covalent bond to yield an easily viewable, non-disruptive and dye-free alternative to conventional fluorescent tagging.

A joint international research team has, for the first time, unveiled the crucial link between the structure of the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) and the efficiency of lithium-mediated nitrogen reduction to ammonia, a promising eco-friendly approach to fertilizer production. Using in situ spectroscopy, the team directly observed the previously poorly understood SEI formation process, revealing that the ethanol-to-water ratio in the electrolyte significantly impacts ammonia conversion efficiency. This discovery opens a new avenue for sustainable fertilizer production by reducing reliance on fossil fuels and lowering greenhouse gas emissions.

Tohoku University researchers discovered some new principles that aid the electrochemical conversion of nitrate waste, an unwanted byproduct of modern day ammonia production. Their discovery will advance cleaner, more sustainable forms of ammonia production.

- A joint research team led by Kyoungsoo Park at DGIST, Sungkeun Kim at Seoul National University, and Graham Hutchings at Cardiff University, the UK, has developed a selective catalyst technology to convert carbon dioxide into an industrial raw material by controlling the interaction between rhodium and the carrier - The study findings were published in ACS Catalysis, one of the most renowned journals worldwide

- DGIST’s Daehwan Kim and Shijoon Sung implemented high-efficiency bifacial solar cells on transparent electrodes at low processing temperatures - Expected to contribute to improved performance in both bifacial and tandem solar cells

When fermented with plant-derived bacteria, stevia leaf extract is toxic to pancreatic cancer cells but not to healthy kidney cells

Formic acid produced from exhaust CO₂ and discarded silicon materials

Researchers have created an alloy that maintains its special ability to act as a sort of temperature-activated memory foam at temperatures as low as -200°C – making it highly suitable for space equipment.

Method has organic chemistry applications, especially in pharmaceuticals.

For many years, scientists have struggled to understand the mechanisms behind palladium/platinum catalysts for propylene electrooxidation, a sustainable means of producing valuable oxygen-containing organic compounds used in various industrial processes. Yet a research group has further clarified the matter in a recently published journal.

Scientists introduced a second molecule to achieve a donor–acceptor (push–pull) effect, aiming to enhance both the efficiency and stability of perovskite and organic solar cells.

In a significant step towards a carbon-neutral future, researchers developed an atomically precise copper nanocluster that demonstrates high stability and exceptional selectivity in electrochemical carbon dioxide reduction reactions.

By just sprinkling it on top and waiting 10 seconds, researchers can use this new fluorescent probe to clearly show synapses, the connection points between brain cells.

Households, cars, and factories generate heat, much of which goes to waste. Likewise, the increasing usage of solar panels means heat needs to be stored at large amounts for longer periods of time. Thus, thermal storage is critical for carbon-neurtrality. A collaboration between Tohoku University and Japan Atomic Energy Agency has developed nanosheets of layered manganese dioxide that can store heat even below 100°C.

Hyperconjugation between aromatic rings and their side chains to stabilize unpaired electrons