Genetically engineered E. coli eat glucose, then help turn it into molecules found in gasoline

24-Nov-2021

It sounds like modern-day alchemy: Transforming sugar into hydrocarbons found in gasoline. But that’s exactly what scientists have done. In a study in Nature Chemistry, researchers report harnessing the wonders of biology and chemistry to turn glucose (a type of sugar) into olefins (a type of ...

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Study shows how to make stable and large aerogels that remove heavy metals, organic solvents, organic dyes

16-Apr-2021

Graphene excels at removing contaminants from water, but it's not yet a commercially viable use of the wonder material. That could be changing. In a recent study, University at Buffalo engineers report a new process of 3D printing graphene aerogels that they say overcomes two key hurdles -- ...

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Study shows improvements to chemical sensing chip that aims to quickly and accurately identify drugs and other trace chemicals

13-Jan-2021

University at Buffalo researchers are reporting an advancement of a chemical sensing chip that could lead to handheld devices that detect trace chemicals -- everything from illicit drugs to pollution -- as quickly as a breathalyzer identifies alcohol. The chip, which also may have uses in food ...

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Fully autonomous materials development and manufacturing

09-Jun-2020

Researchers from North Carolina State University and the University at Buffalo have developed a technology called "Artificial Chemist," which incorporates artificial intelligence (AI) and an automated system for performing chemical reactions to accelerate R&D and manufacturing of commercially ...

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Scientists predict new forms of superhard carbon

11-Sep-2019

Superhard materials can slice, drill and polish other objects. They also hold potential for creating scratch-resistant coatings that could help keep expensive equipment safe from damage. Now, science is opening the door to the development of new materials with these seductive ...

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Widely available and inexpensive, the metal could lead to a renewable energy boom

01-Nov-2018

Manganese is known for making stainless steel and aluminum soda cans. Now, researchers say the metal could advance one of the most promising sources of renewable energy: hydrogen fuel cells. In a study a University at Buffalo-led research team reports on catalysts made from the widely available ...

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04-Jun-2018

What's better than platinum? In hydrogen fuel cells, the answer is cofacial cobalt porphyrins. It's a mouthful to say, and if you're not a chemist, you've probably never heard of these compounds before. But these molecules -- which are great at facilitating a chemical reaction that's needed to ...

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04-May-2018

The humble glass microscope slide may be primed for a makeover. A study published online in the journal Nature Communications describes how an updated version of this centuries-old tool can now enable scientists to see tiny objects while also measuring their temperature. The advancement, made ...

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20-Apr-2018

Grow Monsters. Expandable water toys. Whatever you call them, they're plastic-like figurines that swell when placed in water. New materials science research borrows from this concept; only instead of water, engineers discovered that tiny crystal lattices called "self-assembling molecular ...

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Study results could one day inform the design of new materials for protective gear, energy-harvesting devices and more

06-Apr-2018

Helmets that do a better job of preventing concussions and other brain injuries. Earphones that protect people from damaging noises. Devices that convert "junk" energy from airport runway vibrations into usable power. New research on the events that occur when tiny specks of matter called ...

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