SUNCAT Center for Interface Science and Catalysis

RSS Feed RSS Feed


August 31, 2021
News Feature
A new approach creates an exceptional single-atom catalyst for water splitting
Anchoring individual iridium atoms on the surface of a catalytic particle boosted its performance in carrying out a reaction that’s been a bottleneck for sustainable energy production.
Alt text: Illustration showing surface of a catalyst as a lattice work of atoms, with single iridium molecules held above it on tiny 8-sided structures to facilitate splitting of water molecules seen floating above
August 4, 2021
News Feature
Scientists show a single catalyst can perform the first step of turning CO2 into fuel in two very different ways
Their work aims to bridge two approaches to driving the reaction – one powered by heat, the other by electricity – with the goal of discovering more efficient and sustainable ways to convert carbon dioxide into useful products.
A ball-and-stick illustration of a single nickel atom (green) bonded to nitrogen atoms (blue) on the surface of a carbon material. The arrangement allows the nickel atoms to catalyze two types of reactions involved in making fuel from CO2.
May 5, 2021
News Feature
First nanoscale look at a reaction that limits the efficiency of generating clean hydrogen fuel
With a new suite of tools, scientists discovered exactly how tiny plate-like catalyst particles carry out a key step in that conversion – the evolution of oxygen in an electrocatalytic cell – in unprecedented detail.
illustration of nanoscale catalyst particles in the form of flat, hexagonal plates evolving bubbles of oxygen
January 11, 2021
News Feature
Study shows tweaking one layer of atoms on a catalyst’s surface can make it work better
The surprising results offer a way to boost the activity and stability of catalysts for making hydrogen fuel from water.
Illustration showing a book with layers of atoms on its pages
June 22, 2020
News Feature
SLAC and Stanford scientists home in on pairs of atoms that boost a catalyst’s activity
They discovered the messy environment of a chemical reaction can actually change the shape of a catalytic nanoparticle in a way that makes it more active.
Illustration of catalyst nanoparticle and car with exhaust emissions
October 14, 2019
Press Release
Study shows a much cheaper catalyst can generate hydrogen in a commercial device
Replacing today’s expensive catalysts could bring down the cost of producing the gas for fuel, fertilizer and clean energy storage.
Grad student McKenzie Hubert watches electrolyzer at work
September 16, 2019
News Feature
A new route to carbon-neutral fuels from CO2
SLAC/Stanford scientists and their colleagues find a new way to efficiently convert CO2 into the building block for sustainable liquid fuels.
Graves-Bajdich-Machalo
September 9, 2019
News Feature
Plastics, fuels and chemical feedstocks from CO2? They’re working on it.
SUNCAT researchers discover a way to improve a key step in these conversions, and explore what it would take to turn the climate-changing gas into valuable products on an industrial scale.
Diagram of scheme for turning CO2 from smokestacks into products
August 13, 2019
News Feature
How the catalytic converters in cars go bad and why it matters
A new way to arrange the hard-working atoms in this part of an exhaust system could lower the cost of curbing pollution from automotive engines.
July 31, 2017
Press Release
Scientists Watch ‘Artificial Atoms’ Assemble into Perfect Lattices with Many Uses
A serendipitous discovery lets researchers spy on this self-assembly process for the first time with SLAC’s X-ray synchrotron. What they learn will help them fine-tune precision materials for electronics, catalysis and more.
Illustration of nanocrystals forming into superlattices at SLAC's SSRL

Pages