Cs-RHO Goes from Worst to Best as Water Enhances Equilibrium CO Adsorption via Phase Change.

The strong affinity of water to zeolite adsorbents has made adsorption of CO from humid gas mixtures such as flue gas nearly impossible under equilibrated conditions. Here, in this manuscript, we describe a unique cooperative adsorption mechanism between HO and Cs cations on Cs-RHO zeolite, which actually facilitates the equilibrium adsorption of CO under humid conditions. Our data demonstrate that, at a relative humidity of 5%, Cs-RHO adsorbs 3-fold higher amounts of CO relative to dry conditions, at a temperature of 30 °C and CO pressure of 1 bar.

Synthesis of Highly Active Pd@Cu-Pt/C Methanol Oxidation Electrocatalysts via Continuous, Co-Electroless Deposition.

Controlled deposition of metals is essential for the creation of bimetallic catalysts having predictable composition and character. Continuous co-electroless deposition (co-ED) permits the creation of bimetallic catalysts with predictive control over composition. This method was applied to create a suite of Cu-Pt mixed-metal shell catalysts for use in methanol electrooxidation in direct methanol fuel cell applications (DMFCs).

Fabrication of biodegradable particles with tunable morphologies by the addition of resveratrol to oil in water emulsions.

Particles for biomedical applications can be produced by emulsifying biocompatible polymers dissolved in an organic solvent in water. The emulsion is then transferred to an extraction bath that removes the solvent from the dispersed droplets, which leads to polymer precipitation and particle formation. Typically, the particles are smooth and spherical, likely because the droplets remain fluid throughout the solvent extraction process allowing minimization of surface area as the volume decreases.

Selective Catalytic Chemistry at Rhodium(II) Nodes in Bimetallic Metal-Organic Frameworks.

We report the first study of a gas-phase reaction catalyzed by highly dispersed sites at the metal nodes of a crystalline metal-organic framework (MOF). Specifically, CuRhBTC (BTC =benzenetricarboxylate) exhibited hydrogenation activity, while other isostructural monometallic and bimetallic MOFs did not. Our multi-technique characterization identifies the oxidation state of Rh in CuRhBTC as +2, which is a Rh oxidation state that has not previously been observed for crystalline MOF metal nodes.

Humphry Davy and the Problem of Analogy.

Analogy, the comparison of one set of relations to another, was essential to Humphry Davy's understanding of chemistry. Throughout his career, Davy used analogical reasoning to direct and to interpret his experimental analyses of the chemical reactions between substances. In his writing, he deployed analogies to organise and to explain his theories about the relations between physical processes and between the properties of different chemical elements and compounds.