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Researchers at EPFL and Northwestern University unveil a groundbreaking design for perovskite solar cells, creating one of the most stable PSCs with a power-conversion efficiency above 25%, paving the way for future commercialization. Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) stand at the forefront of solar energy innovation, and have drawn a lot of attention for their power-conversion efficiency and cost-effective manufacturing.

Plant-based materials give life to tiny soft robots that can potentially conduct medical procedures A team of University of Waterloo researchers has created smart, advanced materials that will be the building blocks for a future generation of soft medical microrobots. These tiny robots have the potential to conduct medical procedures, such as biopsy, and cell and tissue transport, in a minimally invasive fashion.

A team of scientists from the Complutense University of Madrid, the Institute of Catalysis and Petrochemistry of the CSIC (ICP-CSIC) and the Barcelona Supercomputing Center have added a new function -through computational methods- to a defense protein of the strawberry anemone (Actinia fragacea ).

Turning unused waste from food production into clean energy: Researchers at ETH Zurich and Nanyang Technological University Singapore are using chicken feathers to make fuel cells more cost-effective and sustainable. The food industry generates enormous amounts of waste and by-products, including from poultry production.

International team of astronomers publish new findings on the evolution of galactic structures Heavy elements like gold, silver, and uranium are apparently more abundant in the Universe than previously assumed. This is the conclusion of an international research team including scientists from the Centre for Astronomy of Heidelberg University that investigated astrophysical processes in star formation regions and particularly the chemical composition of so-called HII regions.

Research team from the University of Münster presents synthesis method in Nature Chemistry Fluorinated small molecules are very often used to produce medicines or agrochemicals. However, they rarely occur naturally. The societal importance of fluorinated substances, combined with the lack of natural sources, has created a demand for effective, sustainable methods to generate new fluorinated motifs - molecular structures containing one or more fluorine atom - from relatively simple starting materials.

The DNA double helix is composed of two DNA molecules whose sequences are complementary to each other. The stability of the duplex can be fine-tuned in the lab by controlling the amount and location of imperfect complementary sequences. Fluorescent markers bound to one of the matching DNA strands make the duplex visible, and fluorescence intensity increases with increasing duplex stability.

Chemists discover the structures of open and closed states of the channel, which could help the development of antiviral drugs to reduce inflammation. The genome of the SARS-CoV-2 virus encodes 29 proteins, one of which is an ion channel called E. This channel, which transports protons and calcium ions, induces infected cells to launch an inflammatory response that damages tissues and contributes to the symptoms of Covid-19.

A team from the University of Geneva has developed an electrical device that makes it easy to activate chemical reactions in a 'greener' way. New pharmaceuticals, cleaner fuels, biodegradable plastics: in order to meet society's needs, chemists have to develop new synthesis methods to obtain new products that do not exist in their natural state.

The mystery of the Mona Lisa lies not so much in her smile as in the painting techniques used by Leonardo da Vinci. Artist, engineer and architect, da Vinci was also an experimental chemist, with the Mona Lisa being his veritable laboratory.

A research team under the direction of Felix Deschler at Heidelberg University's Institute for Physical Chemistry has developed a semiconductor that efficiently generates light and simultaneously gives that light a certain spin. According to the researchers, the so-called chiral perovskite material has great technological potential that can be used for applications in optoelectronics, telecommunications, and information processing.

Scientists at EPFL have synthesized the first ever metal-organic frameworks membrane with thickness of just one unit cell. The ultrathin film yields record-high separation performance of hydrogen-nitrogen. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are a class of materials that contain nano-sized pores. These pores give MOFs record-breaking internal surface areas, which make them extremely versatile for a number of applications: separating petrochemicals and gases , mimicking DNA , producing hydrogen , and removing heavy metals , fluoride anions , and even gold from water are just a few examples.

Researchers around the world are working on more efficient methods for producing hydrogen. Hydrogen could make a decisive contribution to reducing the consumption of fossil raw materials, especially if it is produced using renewable energies. Existing technologies for producing climate-neutral hydrogen are still too inefficient or too expensive for broader application.

Scientists at EPFL have synthesized the first ever metal-organic frameworks membrane with thickness of just one unit cell. The ultrathin film yields record-high separation performance of hydrogen. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are a class of materials that contain nano-sized pores. These pores give MOFs record-breaking internal surface areas, which make them extremely versatile for a number of applications: separating petrochemicals and gases , mimicking DNA , producing hydrogen , and removing heavy metals , fluoride anions , and even gold from water are just a few examples.

Advancing Catalyst Research: Unveiling Mechanisms through Operando Spectroscopy Catalysts play a pivotal role in facilitating chemical reactions that underlie essential industrial processes, from refining fuels to manufacturing pharmaceuticals.

Study finds that in worms, the HSN neuron uses multiple chemicals and connections to orchestrate egg-laying and locomotion over the course of several minutes. A new MIT study that focuses on a single cell in one of nature's simplest nervous systems provides an in-depth illustration of how individual neurons can use multiple means to drive complex behaviors.

Water is a major driving force in the formation of separate reaction compartments within cells. In order to fulfil their function, biological cells need to be divided into separate reaction compartments. This is sometimes done with membranes, and sometimes without them: the spontaneous segregation of certain types of biomolecules leads to the formation of so-called condensates.

By Philipp Jarke Photovoltaic cells made of organic materials are light and flexible, which is why they are considered very promising. An international research network led by TU Graz is now aiming to increase the stability of the materials. Solar cells made of silicon have been around for 70 years. Organic solar cells, on the other hand, are quite new, but open up new possibilities for emission-free electricity production.

Organic dyes accelerate transport of buffered solar energy The sun sends enormous amounts of energy to the earth. Nevertheless, some of it is lost in solar cells. This is an obstacle in the use of organic solar cells, especially for those viable in innovative applications. A key factor in increasing their performance: Improved transport of the solar energy stored within the material.

Researchers at the Autonomous University of Madrid (UAM) have developed a process based on the photo-Fenton method that allows the efficient degradation of polystyrene nanoplastics in water. This breakthrough could be key in the fight against plastic pollution, especially in wastewater treatment plants (WWTP).