Catalyst surface analysed at atomic resolution

Particles observed during the catalysis process

12-Jan-2022 - Catalyst surfaces have rarely been imaged in such detail before. And yet, every single atom can play a decisive role in catalytic activity. A German-Chinese research team has visualised the three-dimensional structure of the surface of catalyst nanoparticles at atomic resolution. This structure ...

Catalytic activity of individual cobalt oxide nanoparticles determined

Using a robotic arm

16-Dec-2020 - Analyzing nanoparticles individually is a challenge precisely because they are so small. A new technique using electron microscopy and a robotic arm could make the process much easier. Precious metal-free nanoparticles could serve as powerful catalysts in the future, for example for hydrogen ...

Catalyst deposition on fragile chips

17-Feb-2020 - Electrocatalysts can help to obtain chemicals from renewable raw materials or to use alternative energy sources. But testing new catalysts brings challenges. Researchers at the Ruhr-Universität Bochum (RUB) and the University of Duisburg-Essen have developed a new method of depositing catalyst ...

Determining the activity of noble-metal-free catalyst particles

08-Oct-2019 - Noble-metal-free nanoparticles could serve as catalysts for the production of hydrogen from water. Because they are so small, their properties are difficult to determine. Chemists have developed a new method with which they can characterise individual noble-metal-free nanoparticle catalysts. The ...

Monitoring the lifecycle of tiny catalyst nanoparticles

06-May-2019 - Since they are so tiny, it is difficult to investigate single nanoparticles. However, this is exactly what researchers are aiming for in order to tailor their properties. A novel approach: particle at the stick. Nanoparticles can be used in many ways as catalysts. To be able to tailor them in ...

Examining silver nanoparticles in natural environments

28-Feb-2019 - Thanks to their antibacterial properties, the particles are used in many products. Their effect on the environment is largely unexplored. This is mainly due to the lack of suitable analytical methods. Researchers from the Resolv Cluster of Excellence at Ruhr-Universität Bochum have developed a ...

Individual silver nanoparticles observed in real time

31-Jul-2018 - The particles have an antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effect. They are used in medicine and the food industry. But little is known about their mode of action and degradation so far. Chemists at Ruhr-Universität Bochum have developed a new method of observing the chemical reactions of ...

2018 WITec Paper Award for Outstanding Scientific Publications

31-May-2018 - Every year WITec, the Raman imaging company, recognizes three peer-reviewed publications that stand out in terms of originality and significance and feature data acquired with a WITec microscope. This year, scientists from universities and institutes in Bochum, Bayreuth and Minneapolis received ...

Measurable for the first time: How bio molecules react to lack of space

Sensor demonstrates lack of space in living cells

07-Jan-2015 - Proteins and other bio molecules are often analysed exclusively in aqueous solutions in test tubes. But it is uncertain if these experimental studies can be transferred to the densely-packed cellular environment. The Bochum-based researchers from the team of Junior Professor Dr Simon Ebbinghaus ...