image: CuZn800@C was constructed via solvothermal method and utilizes the high-temperature volatility of zinc to prepare through calcination at different temperatures, which displays a high methane Faradaic efficiency of 64.5% and a remarkable partial current density of -551.3 mA/cm2 at -1.7 V vs. RHE, along with excellent stability. Zn and Cu form a tandem reaction system. Zn sites promote water splitting to provide protons, while Cu sites reduce the energy barrier for *CO h

A joint team from SNU, KAIST, and KBSI has identified the distinct reaction sites of silver nanocatalysts in solid oxide cells. During electricity generation the catalyst–electrode interface dominates, while during hydrogen production the nanoparticle surface is key. The finding enables new design principles for higher-efficiency green hydrogen and clean power systems. Published in Energy & Environmental Science.

Researchers at MPSD and the University of Oxford have discovered that mechanical strain induces chirality in non-chiral crystals, a phenomenon they term the piezochiral effect. Tensile or compressive strain creates left- or right-handed structures that can be reversed on demand. The work establishes a general route to control chirality and is accompanied by an open materials database. Published in Nature.

Researchers from Japan achieve significant breakthrough in optoelectronics that can revolutionize next-generation photodetectors

All-solid-state batteries (ASSB) are widely recognized as a safer and potentially more energy-dense alternative to conventional lithium-ion technologies. Their performance critically depends on fast ionic conduction within solid electrolytes. Traditional methods to identify such materials involve labour-intensive synthesis and characterization processes, often hampered by the limitations of existing computational models in accurately capturing disordered, high-temperature ion

Every chemical reaction faces a barrier: for substances to react with one another, it is first necessary to supply energy. In many cases, this energy barrier is low – such as when striking a match. For many key reactions in industry, however, it is much larger – and increased energy requirements drive up production costs. To lower this barrier, chemists use “reaction helpers” known as catalysts. The best of these substances contain metals – including, in some cases, rare meta

A new study by NYU chemists finds that DNA tiles can assemble into 3D structures without the sticky cohesion of hydrogen bonding. This finding, published in Nature Communications, turns a fundamental paradigm in the field of DNA self-assembly on its head.

Advanced imaging reveals a detailed understanding of the mechanisms driving a previously misunderstood material, researchers say

The study serves as a benchmark for quantum chemical methods in modeling phosphate-containing clusters, opening new pathways for designing more efficient proton-conducting materials and understanding biological proton transfer.

Researchers at The University of Osaka use a nanoreactor to produce pores that mimic biological ion channels

Morphological characterization of the Fe 3 S 4 nanosheet-like structures. (a,b) SEM images at different magnifications. (c) TEM image, evidencing the two-dimensional structure, (d) HRTEM image with the corresponding FFT pattern shown in the inset. (e,f) Magnified views of the boxed regions marked in blue and pink in (d), highlighting the crystallographic planes of Fe 3 S 4 . (g−i) Dark-field STEM image and the corresponding EDX elemental mapping of Fe (red) and S (yellow). (

When ice melts into water, it happens quickly, with the transition from solid to liquid being immediate. However, very thin materials do not adhere to these rules. Instead, an unusual state between solid and liquid arises: the hexatic phase. Researchers at the University of Vienna have now succeeded in directly observing this exotic phase in an atomically thin crystal. Using state-of-the-art electron microscopy and neural networks, they filmed a silver iodide crystal protecte