Catalysis #RSCCat

We caught up with one of our authors, Federico Calle-Vallejo, from IKERBASQUE and Universidad del País Vasco/Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea, to discuss their manuscript “Gas-Phase Errors in Computational Electrocatalysis: A Review”, published with #EESCatalysis. ✍ Density functional theory (DFT) is massively used in catalysis and has provided great insight for more than two decades. However, a number of researchers may be unaware of its inaccuracies, which affect the predictive power of DFT-based models. Federico and the team’s work shows how to detect and correct the errors present in the DFT description of molecules and how those errors are detrimental in forming strong conclusions from catalysis models. It is great to see researchers acknowledging the errors directly to actively improve the performance! 🖥 Federico explains that more molecules ought to be studied so that systematic errors in families of compounds are found and the impact of those errors in computational models of many more catalytic reactions should be determined. Federico’s next priority is to focus on detecting and correcting the errors in complex organic models involved in biomass valorization reactions. Those molecules are large, have numerous functional groups and are not necessarily in the gas phase. I can already see how impactful this would be on the field! 🌳 We also asked Federico about the publication process with #EESCatalysis: “It was positive, as we got constructive referee reports and the whole process from submission to final publication took a reasonable amount of time. It was interesting for me to see that Energy & Environmental Science now has a sister journal focused on catalysis.” 😃 I would like to thank Federico for the positive comments about publishing with the journal, as well as insightful information regarding the paper! I’m sure the errors in DFT is an important topic which impacts consideration across a wide range of applications! To read the paper, please follow the link here: https://lnkd.in/eyMK3GHh

Our #EESfamily welcomes two new journals. EES Batteries and EES Solar will publish exceptional research that can change how we power our world. #JoinIn and share the news: https://rsc.li/3VKdzpj

Check out this MRes course offered by Institute for Molecular Science and Engineering (IMSE) at Imperial College London! As the first and only Masters in Molecular Engineering in the UK, this one-year MRes is designed to create a new generation of 'multilingual', transdisciplinary scientists and engineers. It combines taught modules and a research project with industry to prepare STEM graduates or professionals to work in multi-disciplinary teams, both in academia and industry. Find out more and apply: https://lnkd.in/d28JjgPp

Join us in congratulating Professor Sébastien Perrier on winning the interdisciplinary prize in this year’s #RSCprizes for his interdisciplinary research in the synthesis and applications of therapeutic materials! Find out more about Sébastien and his research or read his work in the RSC Prize winners web collection: ➡️https://lnkd.in/ez8PgUqR ➡️https://lnkd.in/e54z7Ehg

Today we announce the 2024 winners of our Research & Innovation Prizes, Volunteer Recognition Prizes, Horizon Prizes, and the Inclusion & Diversity Prize. #RSCPrizes This year’s prizes are a true celebration of excellence in all its forms across the chemical sciences. We’ve once again recognised individuals from all career stages and various backgrounds, and this year we announce the first winners of our Technical Excellence Prizes – celebrating technicians and technical roles as invaluable members of the chemical sciences community. We have also expanded our Apprentice Prizes to allow for more awardees, and introduced the new Innovation Through Partnership Prize, which celebrates partnerships across all sectors, including government, industry, education, research institutions and the third sector. Collaboration is essential to great science, and groups, teams and collaborations feature heavily in the line-up of winners. Our team prize winners range from very large teams to very small ones, across sectors, countries, and institutions, comprising individuals in a wide variety of roles. All our winners have made worthy contributions to the chemical sciences community and to our planet. We extend our warmest congratulations to them all. https://rsc.li/3Rj9VRW

🌟 RSC Catalysis Catch up 🌟 As part of the RSC Catalysis catch up series, we spoke to Prof. Hua Song, based at the University of Calgary, about their article “non-thermal plasma catalysis driven sustainable pyrolysis oil upgrading to jet fuel at near ambient conditions”. By seamlessly integrating non-thermal plasma catalysis with nanoclustered iridium on gallium nitride, Hua and coworkers achieved an exceptional 87% liquid oil yield under mild conditions. This breakthrough not only meets stringent aviation standards for jet fuel production but also signifies a transformative shift towards sustainable fuel generation from renewable sources. With this approach, the team are hoping to pave the way for scalable solutions in biomass utilization, fuel production, and beyond, ushering in a future where plasma-driven technologies drive us towards net-zero objectives. 🔰 What lies ahead for research in this field is an exciting trajectory towards further refinement and expansion of plasma-driven technologies for sustainable energy solutions. Researchers, including Hua’s group, will likely focus on enhancing catalyst efficiency, exploring novel feedstock sources, and refining plasma-catalyst interactions to improve yield and selectivity. Additionally, there's a growing interest in integrating this technology into existing industrial infrastructure and exploring its applicability beyond jet fuel production, such as in other transportation fuels or chemical feedstock synthesis, ultimately propelling us towards a more sustainable and energy-efficient future. ⚡ One area of interest is the utilization of plasma catalysis for the conversion of a broader range of biomass feedstocks into valuable fuels and chemicals. By continuing to push the boundaries of plasma-driven innovations, Hua and coworkers aim to contribute towards a more diversified, efficient, and environmentally friendly energy landscape. 🌎 We also asked Hua about the publishing process at EES Catalysis: “Our experience publishing in the EES Catalysis journal was highly rewarding and enriching. The editorial process was rigorous yet fair, ensuring that our research underwent thorough peer review by experts in the field. The editorial team at EES Catalysis provided invaluable guidance and support throughout the submission and review process, facilitating clear communication and prompt responses to any queries or concerns we had. Additionally, the journal's commitment to promoting impactful research in the realm of environmental energy science resonated with our own goals, making it an ideal platform for disseminating our findings to a broad audience of researchers, policymakers, and industry professionals. Overall, our experience with EES Catalysis was positive, and we look forward to potentially collaborating with the journal again in the future.” Thank you for your kind comments! 😃 To read the work discussed here, please use the link provided: https://lnkd.in/e5gcHnKz

⏰ JAAS Emerging Investigator Lectureship Award⏰ There are less than two weeks left to nominate an outstanding candidate for this award! This Lectureship recognises early career researchers, within 10 years of their PhD, who have made a significant contribution in the area of atomic spectrometry, in their independent academic career. It's a fantastic opportunity for researchers to gain recognition for their contributions to the community. Key Benefits for the Awardee: - An invitation to present a lecture at a leading international meeting - Up to £2,000 in funding to support travel and accommodation expenses Nomination Deadline: June 14, 2024 For eligibility criteria and nomination details, please visit our website: https://lnkd.in/eSgS8c_r

Very much looking forward to chairing this RSC Desktop Seminar on Catalytic CO2 Reduction on Wednesday. There's still plenty of time to register to join us - https://lnkd.in/e37WcT6W

The Chinese Chemical Society & Royal Society of Chemistry Young Chemists Summit is taking place next week (on 30 May) with lots of great talks, including lectures from Nanoscience #RSCNano Associate Editor Nguyen T. K. Thanh, MAE FRSC FInstP FRSB FIMMM and Materials #RSCMat Scientific Editor Serena Cussen! All lectures will be given in English and simultaneous interpretation will be available for the discussion session. The webinars are free to attend, just sign up with the QR code in the graphic below to save your place!

We didn't expect to see the day where a Nanoscale article was turned into a comic! Colette Sullivan has rewritten and illustrated her recent work on ❄ Cool carriers: triplet diffusion dominates upconversion yield ❄ as a graphic novel! The graphical abstract was creative but now we have a fully fleshed out chilly adventure of LHP & Rub! You can read the full article from the Lea Nienhaus lab (without illustrations) at https://lnkd.in/eYjq-rFx or you can learn about the work in the illustrated version at https://lnkd.in/ebSTw3XH