Tim Wogan

4 days ago | physicsworld.com | Tim Wogan

Proton energies achievable in laser accelerators could be tripled by using specially designed micronozzle targets, according to computer simulations done by physicists in Japan and India. In their design, the electric field generated in the micronozzle would be funnelled towards the outgoing protons, allowing the acceleration to proceed for much longer. The researchers believe that the research could be useful in nuclear fusion, hadron therapy and materials science.

1 week ago | physicsworld.com | Tim Wogan

Independent measurements of the charge radius of the helium-3 nucleus using two different  methods have yielded significantly different results – prompting a re-evaluation of underlying theory to reconcile them. The international CREMA Collaboration used muonic helium-3 ions to determine the radius, whereas a team in the Netherlands used a quantum-degenerate gas of helium-3 atoms.

1 week ago | chemistryworld.com | Tim Wogan

The coordination environments of different platinum atoms in single-atom catalysts have been measured by researchers in Switzerland using platinum NMR spectroscopy.

2 weeks ago | chemistryworld.com | Tim Wogan

The first neutral nitrogen molecule – other than dinitrogen – has been isolated and characterised by researchers in Germany. The molecule, the most energetic ever synthesised, is effectively stable at liquid nitrogen temperatures, which could make it attractive as an energy storage material. Source: © Peter Schreiner The dinitrogen molecule, which was first identified in the late 18th century, owes its extreme stability to its triple bond.

1 month ago | chemistryworld.com | Tim Wogan

A new polymer membrane for separating hydrocarbons in crude oil might one day save huge amounts of energy by removing the need for fractional distillation. The polymer is similar to reverse osmosis membranes used for desalination of seawater, making it potentially scalable to the large volumes that would be needed in industry. Fractional distillation of crude oil consumes nearly 1% of global energy and accounts for 6% of the world’s carbon emissions.