The Fuel Science Center’s Post

🔥🔥 Extemely excited to share another piece from Connor Durfy (his second today!) and Joseph A. Zurakowski!! “CO2 Reduction at a Borane-Modified Iron Complex: A Secondary Coordination Sphere Strategy” now out in Angewandte Chemie International Edition!! Angewandte Chemie Western University | Western University Science Overview: This contribution details some of our efforts on secondary coordination sphere editing for cooperative CO2 reduction. Connor was a 4th year honours undergraduate student (🔥🔥 now PhD with Nichols at UBC) and Joey is a PhD student in the group at Western! tldr: Using a bifunctional {Fe–H/Cp*–BCy2} complex, which includes both iron-hydride and Lewis acid (borane) components, we demonstrate controlled CO2 reactivity to yield a formoxy borane-bound ferra(II)lactone that incorporates two equivalents of reduced CO2. With excess HBCy2, we additionally establish catalytic dihydroboration of CO2 to produce the bis-acetal, Cy2BOCH2OBCy2. Lots of fun mechanistic stuff in here! #SCS #boron #iron #tuckedin Check it out — ➡️ https://lnkd.in/gQDX5N34

Another paper of the week! https://lnkd.in/g3vk-H5f We studied catalysis that is robust under state preparation noise. Surprisingly, requiring the catalyst to be robust for even the smallest error rules out most of the known catalytic processes. Some other highlights of the paper: 1. Robust catalysis is subtly connected to resource broadcasting: we can broadcast the resource from one system to another if and only if robust catalysis is possible. 2. We explicitly studied minimal and maximal ways of defining the set of free states for a multi-partite system, given the set of free states in each subsystem. Depending on this choice of composition, the possibility of robust catalysis and resource broadcasting is determined. 3. For certain classes of resource theories, resource broadcasting is determined by the max-relative entropy of the resource. If you've met me this year, you must have seen how obsessed I was with this project. We have so many open questions that I'd be happy to discuss if you are interested (e.g. exactly when does a theory become non-extensive). Joint work with amazing collaborators: Ray Ganardi, Shintaro Minagawa, Francesco Buscemi, Seok Hyung Lie, and Nelly Ng

Today has been an exhilarating day filled with insightful presentations and engaging discussions at the Faculty of Technology International Conference. The energy here at Obafemi Awolowo University is contagious as we explore advancements that promise to shape the future of technology and materials science. One of the standout presentations was by C.B. Fiemobebefa, who introduced a cryptographic approach to enhancing computer-based test security. His work focuses on a robust examination number generation and authentication scheme, addressing the growing need for secure and reliable testing systems. This research is crucial in a world where digital examinations are becoming increasingly common, ensuring integrity and trust in academic assessments. A.O. Oluwajobi’s research on using Lafia-Obi coal bottom ash as a partial cement replacement, which could revolutionize sustainable construction. O.H. Bakare’s strategic analysis of the LPG retail industry, providing insights into technological advancements for safer and more efficient energy distribution. A.A. Daniyan’s work on smart coatings using modified zinc-titanium dioxide nanocomposites, paving the way for durable and responsive protective materials.

This coming week, we’ll be taking a look at how Gala and a project funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF), the EFRI program (Emerging Frontiers in Research and Innovation) are collaborating. First, however, let’s gain some insight on EFRI! EFRI develops transformative strategies for engineering research. The potential benefits of this include fostering multidisciplinary research, the creation of new engineering industries, and assisting communities with becoming self-sufficient. Many of their projects focus on integrating machines designed to counter the particular issues of a region. Because each area is different, EFRI adapts their approach on each of their grants. In 2021 they funded“Distributed solar energy harvesting for carbon-free ammonia synthesis,” led by principal investigators Johannes Schwank, Galen Fisher, Andrej Lenert, Neil Dasgupta, and Rebecca Hardin at University of Michigan College of Engineering and University of Michigan- School for Environment and Sustainability. This project explores the viability of small solar powered catalytic converters which rural farmers could use to produce ammonia for fertilizer within their regions, reducing reliance on dangerous large scale storage and transport of ammonia. Could gala help people learn about, contribute to and share such innovations? We are starting with our own classrooms and labs…stay tuned! Read more about EFRI here: https://lnkd.in/eZumERDv

The Unite! Virtual Exchange Energy Courses are a collection of online courses in the field of energy. They’re open to a variety of students, so you don’t necessarily need to be an engineer to take one! All courses are credit-bearing and completely online. This application round, there are 12 courses to choose from! Think: Energy Technologies for Sustainable Transportation 🚗🔋, Small Scale Polygeneration 🔄, Circular Economy and Energy Systems ♻️⚡, and AI Applications in Sustainable Energy Engineering 🤖🔌, to name a few. Do any of these courses ignite an energetic spark in you? If so, you can learn more about them here: https://lnkd.in/dY5Qugue Technische Universität Darmstadt Aalto University Technische Universität Graz Grenoble INP - UGA KTH Royal Institute of Technology Politecnico di Torino University of Lisbon Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya Wroclaw University of Science and Technology 💭 Get inspired, grow together #LetsUnite #letshangout #InternationalStudents #Community #UniteStudents #EuropeanUniversities #UniteStudentCatalogue #virtualexchangeenergy #VirtualExchangeCreditProgramme

🌟 Exciting news from Eion Carbon! They've been awarded $200,000 by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), specifically through the SC Chicago Service Center. This funding will propel their groundbreaking work on enhancing rock weathering rates using geo-tracer measurement. This innovative approach aims to revolutionize chemistry-informed feature engineering and modeling. #Innovation #SBIR #STTR 🔬 This Small Business Innovation Research grant will support Eion Corp's project for 12 months, starting from July 22, 2024, and concluding on July 21, 2025. We can't wait to see the advancements and insights this research will bring to the field of environmental science. #Research #DOE

Opportunity

Best talk of the day here at the American Chemical Society Fall National Meeting? Hands down – James Adair's discussion of how to manage biofuel process water with microbes.   Full disclosure: I am absolutely biased here. James is a superstar #PhD student in my lab.   Watching your students succeed is the absolute best part of being a #faculty member.   James crafted an amazing #presentation. What did he do particularly well? 📕 James told a story. The presentation “set the scene” with a societal challenge, narrowed to a #research question, and discussed the “what” he did woven into the results, so people didn’t feel like he was reading them a paper. 📌 James made several very clear points. He carried three themes throughout the talk and linked his points into the theme. 🙋🏻♀️ James stayed cool as a cucumber during Q&A. He was prepared, knew his science and took his time to listen to the questions and respond thoughtfully. 🫶 James showed passion and a commitment to his science.   James’ first paper (in collaboration with Buz Barstow) on this work going under review soon! I can’t wait to update you on his next successes.

🔬 In just a few days, the largest chemistry conference in the Netherlands kicks off – NWO Chains! This year’s theme, 'Transformation', explores groundbreaking changes in chemical research and their far-reaching impact on both our careers and daily lives. 🌟 A must-attend session is the Focus Session: 'In Situ Electron Microscopy of Catalyst Materials', chaired by Jessi van der Hoeven from Utrecht University. 🤝 We’re excited to share that Dr. Eva Bladt, our Global Sales Manager, will present during this session, highlighting the capabilities of the DENSsolutions Climate Infinity system – our recently launched in situ TEM solution for combined gas, heating and biasing studies. Importantly, Eva will discuss how Climate is advancing catalysis research with compelling application examples. Details in the image below! 💬 Planning to attend? Don’t miss the opportunity to connect with Eva – feel free to send her a message to arrange a chat! We look forward to seeing you in Veldhoven. 👉 Learn more about Climate Infinity: https://lnkd.in/eiUA5JVc 👉 Explore the focus session details: https://lnkd.in/eGqKM49P #NWOChains #NWOChains24 #InSitu #TEM #MEMS #nanotechnology #nanoscience #electronmicroscopy #conference #chemistryresearch