Chemistry posts
- June 15, 2013
- 09:30 AM
- 53 views
Silicon-Boron Electrode to Increase Li-Ion Batteries’ Capacity
by dailyfusion in The Daily Fusion
The electrode material has a decisive influence on a battery’s capacity. So far, the negative electrode typically consists of graphite, whose layers can store lithium atoms. While silicone could be much more efficient choice, most silicon-based designs have a major flaw—structures tend to crack or break easily when they are used repeatedly. Scientists at the Technical University Munich have now developed a material made of boron and silicon that could smooth the way to systems with h........ Read more »
Zeilinger, M., van Wüllen, L., Benson, D., Kranak, V., Konar, S., Fässler, T., & Häussermann, U. (2013) LiBSi : A Tetrahedral Semiconductor Framework from Boron and Silicon Atoms Bearing Lithium Atoms in the Channels . Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 52(23), 5978-5982. DOI: 10.1002/anie.201301540
- June 14, 2013
- 03:24 PM
- 54 views
Mosaic Pathways Open Way to Better Lithium-Ion Batteries
by dailyfusion in The Daily Fusion
Researchers at Sandia National Laboratories have confirmed the particle-by-particle mechanism by which lithium ions move in and out of electrodes made of lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4, or LFP), findings that could lead to better performance in lithium-ion batteries in electric vehicles, medical equipment and aircraft.... Read more »
Chueh, W., El Gabaly, F., Sugar, J., Bartelt, N., McDaniel, A., Fenton, K., Zavadil, K., Tyliszczak, T., Lai, W., & McCarty, K. (2013) Intercalation Pathway in Many-Particle LiFePO Electrode Revealed by Nanoscale State-of-Charge Mapping . Nano Letters, 13(3), 866-872. DOI: 10.1021/nl3031899
- June 12, 2013
- 02:09 PM
- 30 views
Microfluidic Test-Bed for Artificial Photosynthesis Testing Developed
by dailyfusion in The Daily Fusion
Researchers from the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, working at the Joint Center for Artificial Photosynthesis (JCAP), have developed the first fully integrated microfluidic test-bed for evaluating and optimizing solar-driven electrochemical energy conversion systems.... Read more »
Modestino, M., Diaz-Botia, C., Haussener, S., Gomez-Sjoberg, R., Ager, J., & Segalman, R. (2013) Integrated microfluidic test-bed for energy conversion devices. Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, 15(19), 7050. DOI: 10.1039/C3CP51302E
- June 12, 2013
- 10:32 AM
- 42 views
Recent Advances in Battery Technology Review
by dailyfusion in The Daily Fusion
During the last several months a number of new battery technologies has been proposed by different research institutions. Scientists are focusing their attention on finding ways to make batteries store more energy and recharge faster, while at the same time reducing environmental risks posed by the chemicals that are used in batteries.... Read more »
MOON, J., MUNAKATA, H., KAJIHARA, K., & KANAMURA, K. (2013) Hydrothermal Synthesis of Manganese Dioxide Nanoparticles as Cathode Material for Rechargeable Batteries. Electrochemistry, 81(1), 2-6. DOI: 10.5796/electrochemistry.81.2
Zhou, G., Wang, D., Li, F., Hou, P., Yin, L., Liu, C., Lu, G., Gentle, I., & Cheng, H. (2012) A flexible nanostructured sulphur–carbon nanotube cathode with high rate performance for Li-S batteries. Energy , 5(10), 8901. DOI: 10.1039/c2ee22294a
Kravchyk, K., Protesescu, L., Bodnarchuk, M., Krumeich, F., Yarema, M., Walter, M., Guntlin, C., & Kovalenko, M. (2013) Monodisperse and Inorganically Capped Sn and Sn/SnO2 Nanocrystals for High-Performance Li-Ion Battery Anodes Nanocrystals for High-Performance Li-Ion Battery Anodes . Journal of the American Chemical Society, 135(11), 4199-4202. DOI: 10.1021/ja312604r
Augustyn, V., Come, J., Lowe, M., Kim, J., Taberna, P., Tolbert, S., Abruña, H., Simon, P., & Dunn, B. (2013) High-rate electrochemical energy storage through Li intercalation pseudocapacitance. Nature Materials. DOI: 10.1038/nmat3601
- June 10, 2013
- 05:41 PM
- 44 views
Wood-Eating Bug Helps Produce Biofuel from Waste
by dailyfusion in The Daily Fusion
Scientists have discovered a new enzyme that could prove an important step in the quest to turn waste (such as paper, scrap wood and straw) into liquid fuel.... Read more »
Kern, M., McGeehan, J., Streeter, S., Martin, R., Besser, K., Elias, L., Eborall, W., Malyon, G., Payne, C., Himmel, M.... (2013) Structural characterization of a unique marine animal family 7 cellobiohydrolase suggests a mechanism of cellulase salt tolerance. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1301502110
- June 7, 2013
- 05:11 PM
- 60 views
Low-Cost Zinc-Air Battery Developed
by dailyfusion in The Daily Fusion
A new zinc-air battery developed by the Stanford scientists could prove to be a low-cost to lithium-ion technology. This battery has higher catalytic activity and durability than similar batteries made with platinum and other costly catalysts.... Read more »
Li, Y., Gong, M., Liang, Y., Feng, J., Kim, J., Wang, H., Hong, G., Zhang, B., & Dai, H. (2013) Advanced zinc-air batteries based on high-performance hybrid electrocatalysts. Nature Communications, 1805. DOI: 10.1038/ncomms2812
- June 7, 2013
- 10:25 AM
- 50 views
Twist, Baby, Yeah Twist
by Ragothamanyennamalli in Getting to know Structural Bioinformatics
If you were born in the 1960′s and if you happen to do The Twist with your partner your heart would of course be racing! Thanks to G protein-coupled inwardly-rectifying potassium channels (GIRKs) your heart can beat back to normal levels. Ironically, the protein does a “twist” to slow down the heart. Go Figure!
GIRK is basically a potassium ion-transporter and found in cardiac cells. It regulates the membrane voltage after the GPCR activated G-beta and G-gamma bind to the tr........ Read more »
Whorton, M., & MacKinnon, R. (2013) X-ray structure of the mammalian GIRK2–βγ G-protein complex. Nature. DOI: 10.1038/nature12241
- June 7, 2013
- 04:49 AM
- 53 views
Autism, the ketogenic diet and Dangermouse
by Paul Whiteley in Questioning Answers
I'm proud of my quite 'unusual' area of autism research interest focused primarily on whether diet might, in some way, shape or form, be linked to or impact on some cases of the autisms. It's not been a particularly popular area of research down the years it has to be said. Most of which I've put down to its links to areas far outside of the behavioural dyad (as its known these days). That and all the gastrointestinal (GI) baggage inevitably associated with diets like the gluten- and casein-free........ Read more »
Ruskin, D., Svedova, J., Cote, J., Sandau, U., Rho, J., Kawamura, M., Boison, D., & Masino, S. (2013) Ketogenic Diet Improves Core Symptoms of Autism in BTBR Mice. PLoS ONE, 8(6). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0065021
- June 6, 2013
- 05:25 PM
- 38 views
Scientists Develop Cheap and Efficient Nanostructured-Carbon-Based Catalyst
by dailyfusion in The Daily Fusion
Los Alamos National Laboratory scientists have designed a new type of nanostructured-carbon-based catalyst that could pave the way for reliable, economical next-generation batteries and alkaline fuel cells, providing for practical use of wind- and solar-powered electricity, as well as enhanced hybrid electric vehicles.... Read more »
Chung, H., Won, J., & Zelenay, P. (2013) Active and stable carbon nanotube/nanoparticle composite electrocatalyst for oxygen reduction. Nature Communications, 1922. DOI: 10.1038/ncomms2944
- June 6, 2013
- 01:30 PM
- 61 views
When it Smells Like Team Spirit
by Aurametrix team in Olfactics and Diagnostics
Why do we connect and collaborate, deciding to "walk in the light of creative altruism" instead of the "darkness of destructive selfishness"? Is it because of subtle behavioral clues that make us "click" and consider the other person a part of the group? Or is it because it smells like team spirit? It very well might be. We (literally) smell love, victory, fear, along with chemicals that motivate us to cooperate. As was recently shown in double-blind placebo-controlled studies that quantitativel........ Read more »
Huoviala P, & Rantala MJ. (2013) A Putative Human Pheromone, Androstadienone, Increases Cooperation between Men. PloS one, 8(5). PMID: 23717389
Lundström JN, Hummel T, & Olsson MJ. (2003) Individual differences in sensitivity to the odor of 4,16-androstadien-3-one. Chemical senses, 28(7), 643-50. PMID: 14578126
- June 6, 2013
- 10:28 AM
- 33 views
Cheap Silicon Electrodes Improve Lithium-Ion Battery Performance
by dailyfusion in The Daily Fusion
The most commercially popular negative electrode material used in lithium-ion batteries is graphite. While silicone could be a much more efficient choice, all silicon-based designs have a major flaw—these structures tend to crack or break easily when they are used repeatedly.... Read more »
Wu, H., Yu, G., Pan, L., Liu, N., McDowell, M., Bao, Z., & Cui, Y. (2013) Stable Li-ion battery anodes by in-situ polymerization of conducting hydrogel to conformally coat silicon nanoparticles. Nature Communications. DOI: 10.1038/ncomms2941
- May 30, 2013
- 08:32 AM
- 38 views
RecA: A glimpse into the cosmos
by Clay Clark in Biochem Blogs
Waking up thousands of miles from home was a normal occurrence in the summer months as a child. I was never the first awake, there was always one who was waiting for me. To say my grandfather was an early … Continue reading →... Read more »
Verbenko V. N., Kuznetsova L. V., Krupyan E. P., & Suslov A. V. (2009) Operator-constitutive mutation in the recA gene enhances radiation resistance of Escherichia coli. Russian Journal of Genetics, 45(8), 917-923. DOI: 10.1134/S1022795409080043
Slade Dea, Lindner Ariel B., Paul Gregory, & Radman Miroslav. (2009) Recombination and Replication in DNA Repair of Heavily Irradiated Deinococcus radiodurans. Cell, 136(6), 1044-1055. DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2009.01.018
Howard-Flanders Paul, West Stephen C., & Stasiak Andrzej. (1984) Role of RecA protein spiral filaments in genetic recombination. Nature, 309(5965), 215-220. DOI: 10.1038/309215a0
- May 29, 2013
- 12:41 PM
- 51 views
New Catalysts Will Get Cellphones Running on Acid
by dailyfusion in The Daily Fusion
Physicist Florian Nitze at the Umeå University, Sweden, has developed several new catalysts that improve the capacity of the fuel cells, making it possible to use relatively environmentally friendly formic acid in fuel cell powering your mobile phone or laptop.... Read more »
Nitze, F., Mazurkiewicz, M., Malolepszy, A., Mikolajczuk, A., Kędzierzawski, P., Tai, C., Hu, G., Kurzydłowski, K., Stobinski, L., Borodzinski, A.... (2012) Synthesis of palladium nanoparticles decorated helical carbon nanofiber as highly active anodic catalyst for direct formic acid fuel cells. Electrochimica Acta, 323-328. DOI: 10.1016/j.electacta.2011.12.104
- May 28, 2013
- 02:35 PM
- 49 views
Preventing ‘Traffic Jams’ in Brain Cells
by Jason Carr in Wired Cosmos
Imagine if you could open up your brain and look inside. What you would see is a network of nerve cells called neurons, each with its own internal highway system for transporting essential materials between different parts of the cell. When this biological machinery is operating smoothly, tiny motor proteins ferry precious cargo up and … Read More →... Read more »
Gunawardena S, Yang G, & Goldstein LS. (2013) Presenilin controls kinesin-1 and dynein function during APP vesicle transport in vivo. Human molecular genetics. PMID: 23710041
- May 23, 2013
- 03:37 PM
- 59 views
Researchers Turn a Smartphone into a Biosensor
by Jason Carr in Wired Cosmos
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign researchers have developed a cradle and app for the iPhone that uses the phone’s built-in camera and processing power as a biosensor to detect toxins, proteins, bacteria, viruses and other molecules. Having such sensitive biosensing capabilities in the field could enable on-the-spot tracking of groundwater contamination, combine the phone’s GPS … Read More →... Read more »
Gallegos, D., Long, K., Yu, H., Clark, P., Lin, Y., George, S., Nath, P., & Cunningham, B. (2013) Label-free biodetection using a smartphone. Lab on a Chip, 13(11), 2124. DOI: 10.1039/C3LC40991K
- May 23, 2013
- 11:58 AM
- 59 views
New Method for Clean and Safe Hydrogen Production Proposed
by dailyfusion in The Daily Fusion
Duke University engineers have developed a new safer method for catalytic hydrogen production. According to the authors of the study, it does not require high temperatures and produces smaller amounts of toxic chemicals than other industrial hydrogen production technologies.... Read more »
Shodiya, T., Schmidt, O., Peng, W., & Hotz, N. (2013) Novel nano-scale Au/α-Fe2O3 catalyst for the preferential oxidation of CO in biofuel reformate gas. Journal of Catalysis, 63-69. DOI: 10.1016/j.jcat.2012.12.027
- May 21, 2013
- 02:23 PM
- 70 views
Berkeley Lab Builds ‘Artificial Forest’ to Harvest Solar Energy
by dailyfusion in The Daily Fusion
Devices for artificial photosynthesis are often called “artificial leaves”. This leaves, however, are of no use unless you can create an “artificial forest” from them. Now, scientists with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory have reported the first fully integrated nanosystem for artificial photosynthesis.... Read more »
Liu, C., Tang, J., Chen, H., Liu, B., & Yang, P. (2013) A Fully Integrated Nanosystem of Semiconductor Nanowires for Direct Solar Water Splitting. Nano Letters, 2147483647. DOI: 10.1021/nl401615t
- May 21, 2013
- 01:27 PM
- 67 views
RNA was capable of catalyzing electron transfer on early earth with iron’s help, study shows
by Perikis Livas in Tracing Knowledge
A new study shows how complex biochemical transformations may have been possible under conditions that existed when life began on the early Earth.... Read more »
Georgia Institute of Technology. (2013) RNA was capable of catalyzing electron transfer on early earth with iron's help, study shows. Georgia Institute of Technology. info:/
- May 20, 2013
- 02:37 PM
- 136 views
Shale Gas Fracking Has No Impact on Groundwater in Arkansas, Study Concludes
by dailyfusion in The Daily Fusion
A new study by scientists at Duke University and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) finds no evidence of groundwater contamination from shale gas production in Arkansas.... Read more »
Warner, N., Kresse, T., Hays, P., Down, A., Karr, J., Jackson, R., & Vengosh, A. (2013) Geochemical and isotopic variations in shallow groundwater in areas of the Fayetteville shale development, north-central Arkansas. Applied Geochemistry. DOI: 10.1016/j.apgeochem.2013.04.013
- May 17, 2013
- 02:10 PM
- 71 views
Scientists Trying to Photograph Photosynthesis
by dailyfusion in The Daily Fusion
Photosynthetic oxidation of water is one of the central processes of life on Earth, but it is still not completely understood. Now, a German-American team of scientists has set out to observe the intermediate stages of this complex catalytic reaction using ultrashort snap shots taken at light sources including BESSY II in Berlin and the Linac Coherent Light Source at Stanford.... Read more »
Kern, J., Alonso-Mori, R., Hellmich, J., Tran, R., Hattne, J., Laksmono, H., Glockner, C., Echols, N., Sierra, R., Sellberg, J.... (2012) Room temperature femtosecond X-ray diffraction of photosystem II microcrystals. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 109(25), 9721-9726. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1204598109
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