Chemistry & Catalysis

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Scientists Turn X-ray Laser Into World’s Fastest Water Heater

Experiments at SLAC heated water from room temperature to 100,000 degrees Celsius in less than a millionth of a millionth of a second, producing an exotic state of water that could shed light on Earth’s most important liquid.

Q&A: Bruce Gates on the Molecules That Can Drive Chemical Reactions

The professor at University of California, Davis, describes his innovative work at SLAC’s synchrotron to search for simple, selective catalysts.

First Nanoscale Look at How Lithium Ions Navigate a Molecular Maze to Reach Battery Electrode

Streamlining their journey through the electrolyte could help lithium-ion batteries charge faster.

In a First, Tiny Diamond Anvils Trigger Chemical Reactions by Squeezing

Experiments with 'molecular anvils' mark an important advance for mechanochemistry, which has the potential to make chemistry greener and more precise.

Research Zooms in on Enzyme That Repairs DNA Damage from UV Rays

Biochemical 'action shots' with SLAC’s X-ray laser could help scientists develop synthetic enzymes for medicine and answer fundamental questions about how enzymes change during chemical reactions.

SLAC-led Study Shows Potential for Efficiently Controlling 2-D Materials With Light

In experiments with the lab’s ultrafast "electron camera," laser light hitting a material is almost completely converted into nuclear vibrations, which are key to switching a material’s properties on and off for future electronics and other applications.