Inorganic Chemistry – Page 8 – PossibleThreat Articles

New synthetic polymer degradable under very mild acidic conditions

September 25, 2019 0 Comments Acid Rain, Chemistry, Electronics, Geochemistry, Inorganic Chemistry, Materials Science

A new type of degradable synthetic polymer was prepared by Rh-catalyzed three-component polymerization of a bis(diazocarbonyl) compound, bis(1,3-diketone), and tetrahydrofuran. The resulting polymer was highly sensitive to mild acidic conditions and degraded into a combination of well-defined low molecular weight compounds. With this unique degradability, the polymer could be utilized as an environmentally friendly polymeric material.

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Nanocatalyst makes heavy work of formic acid

September 25, 2019 0 Comments Alternative Fuels, Chemistry, Energy and Resources, Engineering and Construction, Inorganic Chemistry, Materials Science, Organic Chemistry, Petroleum

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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Light-activated metal catalyst destroys cancer cells' vital energy source

September 24, 2019 0 Comments Cancer, Chemistry, Inorganic Chemistry, Lung Cancer, Optics, Physics, Prostate Cancer, Skin Cancer

A space-age metal that formed part of the asteroid that destroyed the dinosaurs could provide a new method of treating cancer tumors selectively using light.

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

September 24, 2019 0 Comments Chemistry, Dietary Supplements and Minerals, Healthy Aging, Inorganic Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Pharmaceuticals, Physics, Vitamin

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

September 24, 2019 0 Comments Chemistry, Energy and Resources, Graphene, Inorganic Chemistry, Optics, Organic Chemistry, Physics, Solar Energy

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

September 23, 2019 0 Comments Coral Reefs, Engineering and Construction, Geography, Geology, Inorganic Chemistry, Materials Science, Water

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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Cracking the ethylene code

September 23, 2019 0 Comments Chemistry, Energy and Resources, Energy Technology, Inorganic Chemistry, Materials Science, Organic Chemistry, Petroleum, Physics

Separating pure ethylene from ethane is a difficult and costly process, but one that new research is poised to streamline. The technique would avoid liquefaction and distillation by designing a material that only binds ethylene molecules, thus separating them from ethane.

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

September 23, 2019 0 Comments Breast Cancer, Cancer, Chemistry, Colon Cancer, Inorganic Chemistry, Landslides, Oceanography, Ozone Holes, Petroleum

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 framework for nanoantenna light absorption

September 23, 2019 0 Comments Chemistry, Energy and Resources, Energy Technology, Graphene, Inorganic Chemistry, Nanotechnology, Optics, Physics

Harnessing light's energy into nanoscale volumes requires novel engineering approaches to overcome a fundamental barrier known as the 'diffraction limit.' However, researchers have breached this barrier by developing nanoantennas that pack the energy captured from light sources.

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New reaction will make indoline scaffolds available for pharmaceutical development

September 23, 2019 0 Comments Biochemistry, Chemistry, Diseases and Conditions, Inorganic Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Pharmaceuticals, Pharmacology, Workplace Health

New approach to producing indolent scaffolds could streamline development and production of small-molecule pharmaceuticals, which comprise the majority of medicines in use today.