Highlights
Latest Highlights
Ions Shed Water to Slide into the Perfect Pore
Metal ions refuse to lose for large gaps, but will for a tighter fitFebruary 2013
Results: To slide
into nano-sized openings inside minerals, certain metals shed layers of water,
according to the NISE (pronounced "nice") theory, first published in
2011 by Dr. Cristian Schulthess and
his colleagues. Recently, scientists at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
worked with Schulthess and his student Dan Ferreira to test the NISE theory. Ferreira
traveled to PNNL, where he was assisted by Dr. Eric Walter and Dr. James
Amonette in the use of a specialized instrument at EMSL that measures key
aspects of a metal's behavior. They compared the reactions of manganese and copper
ions with three different-sized pores in zeolite, a common type of mineral.
Artwork from this study graced the cover of Clays
and Clay Minerals.
BPA Findings Highlighted at AAAS Annual Meeting
Meta-analyses of bisphenol A studies show human exposure is likely to be too low for estrogenic effectsFebruary 2013
A controversial component of plastic bottles and canned food linings that have
helped make the world's food supply safer has recently come under attack:
bisphenol A. Widely known as BPA, it has the potential to mimic the sex hormone
estrogen if blood and tissue levels are high enough. Now, an analysis of almost
150 BPA exposure studies shows that in the general population, people's
exposure may be many times too low for BPA to effectively mimic estrogen in the
human body.
- Synthetic Molecule First Electricity-Making Catalyst to Use Iron to Split Hydrogen Gas
Fast and efficient biologically inspired catalyst could someday make fuel cells cheaperFebruary 2013 - Maria Vlachopoulou Named "New Face of Engineering" by IEEE
February 2013 - Protein Probes for Biomass
New protein probes find enzymes for biofuel productionFebruary 2013 - Toxicologists to Receive Best Paper Award from International Society
February 2013 - Catalyst Becomes More Selective After Oxygen Atoms' Departures
For the first time, scientists saw how titanium dioxide surface defects halt photodecompositionFebruary 2013 - Julia Laskin Named Wiley Research Fellow
February 2013 - Steven Smith Contributes Expertise for Concentrating Solar Power Technology
February 2013 - Lanthanum Chromium Oxide's Energetic Dance with Light
Experimental measurements and modeling resolve two decades of debateFebruary 2013 - Johannes Lercher Honored with 2013 Tanabe Prize for Catalysis
February 2013 - Chun Zhao Served as Guest Editor of Aeolian Research
February 2013 - Extraterrestrial Effects on Climate? Not So Much.
The influence of cosmic rays on cloud droplet formation explored in a global climate modelFebruary 2013 - Adding Natural Elements to Synthetic Catalysts Speeds Hydrogen Production
Scientists show how adding amino acids far from a catalyst's center can rev it upFebruary 2013 - Proton Delivery and Removal Can Speed or Distract Common Catalyst
Placing protons in the right spot lets catalysts avoid wasting time and energy on profligate reactionsFebruary 2013 - PNNL Scientist Invited to Participate in National EPA Advisory Panel
February 2013 - Visiting Postdoc Fellow Receives Young Scientist Paper Award
January 2013 - License Will Lead to Faster-Charging Batteries for Phones, Electric Vehicles
January 2013 - Feng Receives Thesis Award from Chinese-American Ocean-Atmosphere Association
January 2013 - PNNL Researchers Selected to Present at Biology Conference
January 2013 - Seeing a Common Catalyst with New Eyes
Chemical imaging microscope shows corrugated gamma-alumina surfaceJanuary 2013 - PNNL Computer Scientists Receive INCITE Awards
January 2013 - Batteries Lose in Game of Thorns
Scientists see how and where disruptive structures form and cause voltage fading January 2013 - The Biology of Plague
Systems approach used to investigate strains of YersiniaJanuary 2013 - Soot is Warming the Planet
Sunlight-absorbing black carbon emissions from human activities now #2 in climate warmingJanuary 2013 - Catalysis Research Star of New Newsletter, Video
January 2013 - Marginal Lands Are Prime Fuel Source for Alternative Energy
Natural vegetation equals feedstocks for biomass productionJanuary 2013 - An Unexpected Pairing of Frustrated Molecules
Scientists at PNNL explain how separated molecules get together to split hydrogenJanuary 2013 - Sebastien Kerisit Elected Geochemistry Program Chair for Prestigious Chemical Society
January 2013 - Cotton-Ball Clouds Contained
New modeling method captures clouds' shading effects January 2013