Transition metal valence state, a key property steering heterogeneous catalysis, has remained underexplored for its role in tuning S cathode kinetics in Li–S batteries. This study reported that CuO and Cu₂O particulate catalysts exhibited distinct interactions with sulfur species, dictating the kinetics of sulfur reduction reactions. While Cu²⁺ enables direct (poly)thiosulfate redox, both Cu²⁺ and Cu⁺ indirectly modulate lithium (poly)sulfide chemisorption by altering O^2- reactivity and Li bond strength. CuO with stronger interactions enabled faster sulfur reduction reaction kinetics, achieving enhanced Li–S battery performance. This work expands the scope of metal-valence-state effects in catalysis and offers an unconventional strategy to optimize Li–S battery performance via indirect Li-bond regulation.

Yo Kobayashi from The University of Osaka has demonstrated that it is possible to use human tissue as a computational resource to perform complex calculations. The inherent nonlinear mechanical properties of soft tissue make it a surprisingly ideal reservoir for information processing. The results of this discovery pave the way for applications where human tissue can be used to handle computational tasks.

Around 98 per cent of lignin created as a forestry by-product from plants is discarded, but a new enzyme could be the key to extracting high-value molecules from this waste using a green chemistry approach.

Through the weak nuclear force, one quark flavor can transmute into another. However, current data and theory indicate that the probabilities of quark flavor transmutation do not add up to 100%, as predicted by the Standard Model of Particle Physics. To understand whether this is due to physics beyond the Standard Model or underestimated uncertainties, nuclear theorists laid out a new framework needed to extract the up-down quark flavor mixing with a precision of a few parts in ten thousand from certain nuclear beta decays.

Proof-of-concept work uses unique, safe particles to remove microplastics in a single cycle.

In-depth chemical analysis of three key 12th century medieval bronze doors by Barisanus of Trani uncovers which is the oldest and reveals how they were made

Every year, millions of tires end up in landfills, creating an environmental crisis with far-reaching consequences. In the United States alone, over 274 million tires were scrapped in 2021, with nearly a fifth of them being discarded into landfills. A study led by Dr. Aleksandr Zhukhovitskiy, an assistant professor in the department of chemistry at UNC-Chapel Hill, has pioneered a technique for breaking down this rubber waste and transforming it into valuable precursors for epoxy resins. This technique offers an innovative and sustainable alternative to traditional recycling methods while significantly reducing rubber waste in landfills.