Crystal Polymorphism and Insecticidal Activity

4/23/2024 | Alexander Shtukenberg (New York University)

The role of polymorphism in the action of pesticides and insecticides has only recently become evident. An inverse correlation between lethality of contact insecticides and thermodynamic stability of crystal polymorph has been found in several contact insecticides. The use of a more lethal polymorph of a contact insecticide can overcome resistant organisms. Greater efficiency requires the application of less active ingredient reducing the environmental impact.

Metal-free Aqueous Energy Storage Electrodes

4/22/2024 | Jodie Lutkenhaus and Daniel Tabor

The findings of this work will provide insights into the general electrochemistry of redox-active polymers regarding ionic transfer and diffusion often observed with batteries, sensors, actuators, and other devices and materials.

Improved Carbon Dioxide Capture under High Humidity

1/31/2024

CALF-20, a Zn-triazolate-based metal−organic framework (MOF), is one of the most promising adsorbent materials for CO2 capture. However, competitive adsorption of water severely limits its performance when the relative humidity (RH) exceeds 40%, limiting the potential implementation of CALF-20 in practical settings where CO2 is saturated with moisture, such as post-combustion flue gas. In this work, three newly designed MOFs related to CALF-20, denoted as NU-220, CALF-20M-w, and CALF-20M-e that feature hydrophobic methyltriazolatelinkers, are presented.

Database Screening for CO2 Capture

6/14/2023

Stabilizing the escalating CO2 levels in the atmosphere is a grand challenge in view of the increasing global demand for energy, the majority of which currently comes from the burning of fossil fuels. Capturing CO2 from point source emissions using solid adsorbents may play a part in meeting this challenge, and metal−organic frameworks (MOFs) are considered to be a promising class of materials for this purpose.

Atomic dynamics in superionic argyrodite Ag8SnSe6

5/18/2023 | Olivier Delaire

Our results provide fundamental insights into the complex atomic dynamics in superionic materials for energy conversion and storage.

Glass Transition Temperature from the Chemical Structure of Conjugated Polymers

2/7/2023

The Tg demarks the transition into a brittle glassy state, making its accurate prediction for conjugated polymers crucial for the design of soft, stretchable, or ﬂexible electronics.

Glass Sponges Inspire Mechanically Robust Lattice

2/5/2023

The predominantly deep-sea hexactinellid sponges are known for their ability to construct remarkably complex skeletons from amorphous hydrated silica. Here, using a combination of finite element simulations and mechanical tests on 3D-printed specimens of different lattice geometries, we show that the sponge’s diagonal reinforcement strategy achieves the highest buckling resistance for a given amount of material.

A New Paradigm for Accessing Chemical Information

2/3/2023 | Gregory Payne and William Bentley

In the 1960s work began toward the personal computer – a landmark in information processing. Since then, devices to access and analyze information have become smaller, faster, cheaper, easier to use and more powerful.

Hybrid Photocatalysts: Tuning Charge Transfer Dynamics and Redox Reactivity with Interfacial Chemistry & Electronic Structure

1/1/2023 | W. Zaheer, C. R. McGranahan, J. R. Ayala, K. Garcia-Pedraza, L. J. Carrillo, A. R. M. Rothfuss, U. Wijethunga, G. Agbeworvi, A. R. Giem, J. L. Andrews, J. V. Handy, S. Perez-Beltran, R. Calderon-Oliver, L. Ma, S. N. Ehrlich, C. Jaye, C. Weiland, D. A. Fischer, D. F. Watson, and S. Banerjee

Photocatalysts that store the sun’s energy in chemical bonds are needed to combat global warming and reduce humanity’s reliance on fossil fuels.

Machine-learning Spectral Indicators of Topology

10/1/2022

Topological materials are promising for next-generation energy and information applications. However, the experimental determination of topology can be painstaking, with a few limitations such as limited sample types, high technical barriers, and limited sample environment.

Research Highlights