Nanocatalyst makes heavy work of formic acid

Researchers have reported a nanocatalyst that is able to produce hydrogen isotope compounds D2 and HD via the heterogeneous dehydrogenation of formic acid in the presence of heavy water. Amine groups on the catalyst support provided a handle for tuning the selectivity of the reaction through their basicity. It is hoped that the reported process, which is appropriate for large-scale production, can be used to improve the accessibility of deuterated materials worldwide.

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Missing electrons reveal the true face of a new copper-based catalyst

New research has resulted in a reactive copper-nitrene catalyst that pries apart carbon-hydrogen (C-H) bonds and transforms them into carbon-nitrogen (C-N) bonds, which are a crucial building block for chemical synthesis, especially in pharmaceutical manufacturing.

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Converting absorbed photons into twice as many excitons

A group of researchers found that when light was exposed to the surface of a tetracene alkanethiol-modified gold nanocluster, which they developed themselves, twice as many excitons could be converted compared to the number of photons absorbed by the tetracene molecules. These findings are expected to contribute to areas such as solar energy conversion, electronics, life sciences, and medical care in the future.

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Microplastics in the Great Lakes: Becoming benthic

From the Great Pacific garbage patch to inland rivers, plastics are among the most widespread contaminants on Earth. Microplastics — particles of plastic smaller than five millimeters — are especially pervasive. As they build up in Earth's waters, microplastics are also becoming a permanent part of the planet's sedimentary layers.

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No clear link between local food and cancer risk in glassworks areas

There is no clear link between cancer incidence and locally produced food from an area with a history of glass manufacture with contaminated soil, according to a new study. A high consumption of certain local foods seems to be linked to an increased risk of certain cancers, but this probably reflects that the exposure to contaminants was higher in the past.

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New method for the measurement of nano-structured light fields

Physicists and chemists have jointly succeeded in developing a so-called nano-tomographic technique which is able to detect the typically invisible properties of nano-structured fields in the focus of a lens. Such a method may help to establish nano-structured light landscapes as a tool for material machining, optical tweezers, or high-resolution imaging.

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