Researchers discovered that isolated platinum atoms in copper surfaces efficiently catalyze the selective hydrogenation of 1,3 butadiene, a reaction important for many industrial applications.1 A new generation of catalysts with one Pt atom for approximate
Measuring the yield of radioactive decays of 18F nuclei that are produced in nova explosions and ejected into space can help diagnose the mechanism of these violent outbursts, making this a priority of billion-dollar gamma-ray astronomy observatories.
While palladium, a common catalyst, oxidizes easily, it has now been shown that palladium films grown on ruthenium are surprisingly inert to oxidation when they are thinner than six atomic layers.
The ability to control the binding strength of molecules t
Scientific Achievement The effects of porous media on precipitation reactions are shown to be important, but poorly understood. Significance and Impact Geochemical reactions within rocks and soils occur in pores.
Recent developments in piezoresponse force microscopy (PFM) and spectroscopy revealed the presence of electromechanical hysteresis loops in a variety of materials including inorganic oxides, polymers and bio systems.