Image showing how the catalytically active molecules arranged themselves into almost perfect single-layer structures on a polished silver surface. Photo: Ole Bunjes
Image showing how the catalytically active molecules arranged themselves into almost perfect single-layer structures on a polished silver surface. Photo: Ole Bunjes 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. A team from the University of Göttingen, Germany, and the Ulsan National Institute for Science, South Korea, has discovered a new and promising approach: catalytically active molecules are nanoconfined - meaning they are put into an environment that leaves very little space for the single molecules - on a surface that serves as a conductive electron supplier. These molecules promote specific chemical reactions. Such hybrid systems make use of both the properties of the molecules and the properties of the substrate. The results were published in Science Advances. The first step for the team was to deposit the catalytically active molecules as a vapour onto polished silver before examining them with a high-resolution scanning tunneling microscope built in Göttingen.
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