catalyst

Splitting water into its constituent elements – hydrogen and oxygen – is actually pretty simple. All you have to do is pass an electric current through it and the molecules will break up ... slowly. Doing it efficiently requires the addition of a catalyst. Unfortunately, as in so many ...

When it comes to sugar and cars, there's a type of cellulosic ethanol made from sugarcane, much of which is produced in Brazil. However, researchers at Brigham Young University (BYU) have developed a catalyst that breaks glucose molecules in such a way that electrons, and therefore electricity, ...

Believe it or not, catalysts were not mandatory in European gasoline-powered cars until 1988. The reason behind that was that the fuel consumption of European cars, noticeably lower than their American counterparts, was considered less of a harm. Then there is the EU (formerly EC) rule of making ...

Catalytic converters are quite common for gasoline engines but diesel catalysts are less known, in part because they face greater challenges. Still, diesel catalysts have not disappeared because they are efficient and, when you start your car, they don't produce heaps of CO2. Their main problem is ...

Mazda has been working on fibers made from plant sources and destined for car interiors for a while now. Back in early September, Mazda announced it was working on such a biofabric with Teijin Ltd and Teijin Fibers Ltd. This new biotech material was then shown at the Tokyo Motor Show as part of the ...

A team of investigators leaded by Victor Lin, from Iowa State university and program director for the U.S. Department of Energy's Ames Laboratory, have developed a nanosphere-based catalyst claimed to be revolutionary for biodiesel production. Current methods use sodium methoxide – a toxic, ...

Diesel Technology Forum has released a new PDF white paper designed to give diesel users a comprehensive overview of how diesel technology and regulations are changing to reduce diesel emissions. Covered are the new diesel emissions standards and the introduction of Ultra Low Sulphur Diesel (ULSD), ...

Yesterday, PhysOrg reported on the recently published fuel cell research of two Los Alamos scientists, Rajesh Bashyam and Piotr Zelenay, in the scientific journal Nature. Searching for a low-cost alternative to platinum, the duo developed a composite consisting of cobalt, polymer and carbon. The ...