news 2022

Previously unknown oxidation state of rhodium(VII) could play a role in chemical reactions Mayara da Silva Santos , doctoral candidate at the University of Freiburg's Institute of Physics, has discovered a new oxidation state of rhodium. This chemical element is one of the most catalytically important platinum-group metals and is used, for example, in catalytic converters for automobiles.

International research team deciphers molecular mechanism that allows bristle worms to discriminate between sunand moonlight How animals are able to interpret natural light sources to adjust their physiology and behavior is poorly understood. The labs of biologists Professor Eva Wolf of Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) and the Institute of Molecular Biology in Mainz and Professor Kristin Tessmar-Raible of the Max Perutz Labs in Vienna,

Research team investigates reactivity of single molecules under controlled conditions Researchers around the world are working to develop efficient materials to convert CO2 into usable chemical substances. This is especially important in light of global warming. A team from the University of Göttingen and the Ulsan National Institute for Science, South Korea, has found a promising approach: Catalytically active molecules are anchored to a surface that serves as a conductive electron supplier.

Research team investigates reactivity of single molecules under controlled microscopic conditions Researchers around the world are working to develop efficient materials to convert CO2 into usable chemical substances - work that is particularly pressing in view of global warming.

Fuel cells convert chemical reaction energy into electric power and heat. They are used, for example for the development of electric vehicles, in aviation and aeronautics or for sustainable energy supplies. During the conversion of energy, the catalytic reduction of oxygen plays an important role. Therefore, the development of efficient, inexpensive catalysts is extremely important.

People generate their own oxidation field and change the indoor air chemistry around them People typically spend 90 percent of their lives inside, at home, at work or in transport. Within these enclosed spaces, occupants are exposed to a multitude of chemicals from various sources, including outdoor pollutants penetrating indoors, gaseous emissions from building materials and furnishings, and products of our own activities such as cooking and cleaning.

In order to exploit the promising potential of silicon (Si) as anode material in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), it is necessary to overcome existing challenges such as capacity losses during battery operation. A team from MEET Battery Research Center, BACCARA International Graduate School at the University of Münster, and Helmholtz Institute Münster of Forschungszentrum Jülich demonstrated that coating silicon thin-film anodes with aluminum fluoride (AlF 3 ) leads to an enhanced cycling stability.

New method for the detection of alcohols combines zeroto ultralow-field nuclear magnetic resonance with the SABRE-Relay hyperpolarization technique Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) is an analytical tool with a wide range of applications, including the magnetic resonance imaging that is used for diagnostic purposes in medicine.

Chemists successfully synthesize a cationic, low-valent aluminum complex salt via metathesis The chemists Philipp Dabringhaus , Julie Willrett and Ingo Krossing from the Institute of Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry at the University of Freiburg have succeeded in synthesizing the low-valent cationic aluminum complex [Al(AlCp*) 3 ] + by a metathesis reaction.

The reagent provides access to the class of clustered transition metal carbonyl cations Chemists from Freiburg have succeeded in converting polynuclear transition metal carbonyls into their homoleptic complex cations using typical inorganic oxidants. In their work, the research team of Malte Sellin , Christian Friedmann and Ingo Krossing from the Institute of Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry and Maximilian Mayländer and Sabine Richert from the Institute of Physical Chemistry at the University of Freiburg show that the anthracene derivative with a half-step potential of 1.

In the 1860s, the chemists, Lothar Meyer and Dmitri Mendeleev, independently presented the first periodic system. Since then, the well-known tabular arrangement of the elements has been the guiding principle of chemistry. A team of researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Mathematics in the Sciences and the Interdisciplinary Center for Bioinformatics at the University of Leipzig provides computational approaches based on extensive data sets from the Reaxys chemistry database that explain the development of the first periodic systems.

A new method to cool gases of polar molecules to near absolute zero paves the way for studying quantum effects of exotic forms of matter Researchers at the Max Planck Institute of Quantum Optics have developed a novel cooling technique for molecular gases. It makes it possible to cool polar molecules down to a few nanokelvin.

Researchers unravel the assembly of an enzyme that detoxifies the greenhouse gas N2O The greenhouse gas nitrous oxide (N2O) is produced as a by-product of industrial processes and through the use of fertilizers in agriculture. It makes a steadily growing contribution to climate change and ozone depletion.

HEIDELBERG RESEARCHERS DEVELOP NEW CRYSTALLINE MATERIALS THAT ADSORB POLYFLUORINATED HYDROCARBONS ON THEIR SURFACE Emissions of greenhouse gases contribute significantly to global warming. Not only carbon dioxide (CO2) but also fluorine-containing gases - including so-called per- or polyfluorinated hydrocarbons, or PFCs - have a significant share in this development.

New approach combines zero-to-ultra-low field magnetic resonance with hyperpolarization technique SABRE-Relay to study alcohols Nuclear magnetic resonance provides the basis for numerous applications, such as magnetic resonance imaging in medical diagnostics. However, strong magnetic fields are still required, which limits the use of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR).

Heidelberg researchers develop new crystalline materials that adsorb polyfluorinated hydrocarbons on their surface Emissions of greenhouse gases contribute significantly to global warming. Not only carbon dioxide (CO2) but also fluorine-containing gases - including so-called peror polyfluorinated hydrocarbons, or PFCs - have a significant share in this development.

Synthetic rotary motors at the nanoscale perform mechanical work A research team led by the Technical University of Munich (TUM) has succeeded for the first time in producing a molecular electric motor using the DNA origami method. The tiny machine made of genetic material self-assembles and converts electrical energy into kinetic energy.

Mass spectrometry imaging (MS imaging) provides highly precise information on the spatial distribution of substances in many areas. Researchers at the University of Bayreuth have now presented some exemplary new applications in food analysis in the journal "Food Chemistry". For the first time, they have succeeded in making visible an additive in dairy products and a production-related contamination in baked goods.

Ions are found everywhere in nature. These electrically charged particles in atoms and molecules influence the folding and unfolding of proteins and enzymes, maintain chemical balances, are responsible for transmitting nerve signals, and determine the efficiency of electrochemical reactions. Strong interactions between ions and water molecules play a central role in most processes.

Study investigates process by which plants stabilize the shape of protein molecules Protein molecules require a defined shape in order to function. When they are created, their building blocks are therefore linked together in a very specific way. Researchers at the University of Bonn are now taking a closer look at a key step in this process and are investigating the effects of transient oxygen starvation on protein folding in plants.