Chemistry Newsblog

New PHI 5800 XPS for Surface Analysis

Published November 2, 2016

News

The Applied Chemical and Morphological Analysis Laboratory (ACMAL) on campus received a new PHI 5800 X-ray photoelectron spectrometer (XPS). The PHI5800 XPS is equipped with dual source anode (Al and Mg), a hemispherical analyzer, for XPS and AES analysis, including elemental mapping capabilities, an electron gun source for AED analysis, an ion sputter gun for depth profiling, a heatable sample stage, and stage tilting for angle-resolved XPS.

The XPS was generously donated by the Army Research Laboratories with the help from the Department of Chemistry. The new XPS will help ACMAL and chemistry students greatly expand their research.

The Applied Chemical and Morphological Analysis Laboratory is a Michigan Tech University Core Facility which is part of the Materials Characterization & Fabrication Facilities.

Graduate Students Degaga and Valenzano publish

Published August 31, 2016

By Heather Powers

News

Graduate student Gemechis Degaga (Chem) and Loredana Valenzano (Chem) have published the paper “Part I: C2-C4 Hydrocarbons Separation Addressed via Molecular Cluster Models Carved Out from Periodic MOF-74-Mg/Zn Structures” on Chemical Physics Letters. The paper can be found here.

Shiyue Fang DNA research story in Science360

Published August 16, 2016

By Heather Powers

Science360, a science news website published by the National Science Foundation (NSF) featured the synthetic DNA research of Professor Shiyue Fang (Chem) as one of its “Headlines.”

New Glycobiology Study led by Tarun Dam

Published August 5, 2016

By Heather Powers

Tarun Dam led a new study, published this week in Biochemistry, examining the biomechanics of galectin-3’s interaction with glycosaminoglycans (GAG) and proteoglycans. His team includes graduate students Melanie Talaga, Ni Fan, Ashli Fueri, Robert Brown and Research Assistant Professor Purnima Bandyopadhyay.

At the Laboratory of Mechanistic Glycobiology, Dam and his students study the sugar, including glucose and other structural, complex sugars, that fuel our bodies. GAGs assist in controlling growth factor proteins, which go unchecked as cancerous tumors grow.

Even though the findings of the study were unexpected, it opens up new possibilities for understanding glycobiology and biomechanics. “Seeing galectin-3 interact with GAGs and proteoglycans is like finding a rose in the petunias—it’s very unexpected,” Dam says. “It’s fair to say that this requires revisiting the reported biological functions of GAGs, proteoglycans and galectin-3.”

Next, Dam and his team look into additional research, “Now we have to reconsider the whole drama, retracing the steps and actions of that character… we are using cell lines and animal models to study this interaction in a cellular context.”

Communicating Climate Science: Consensus Matters

Published April 20, 2016

By

Seminars

Dr. Sarah Green, Professor
Department of Chemistry
Michigan Technological University
Date: April 22, 2016
Place: Chem-Sci Room 101
Time: 3:00 pm

Abstract

Climate science does not translate directly into political action to curb climate change. We are conducting a global experiment by modifying the basic chemistry, physics, and biology of the planet. Climate science explains past changes and projects the possible outcomes of this experiment according to parameters that are adjusted through political decisions. The public cannot be expected to grasp all the details of climate science. Yet public acceptance of its key findings is essential to support climate policy. Recognition of the consensus among experts is a gateway to accepting the reality of climate change. How do we know there is a scientific consensus and how do we communicate that fact to the public?

Xia Research Group in Chemical & Engineering News

Published March 29, 2016

By Sue Hill

News

Deposition followed by etching yields ruthenium nanoframes

Michigan Technological University chemists Xiaohu Xia and Haihang Ye, together with researchers at the University of Texas, Dallas, and elsewhere used a ruthenium chloride solution to preferentially deposit ruthenium on the edges and corners of nanosized palladium octahedral seed crystals.

A Noble Calling: Ruthenium Nanoframes Open the Doors to Better Catalysts

The world is run by catalysts. They clean up after cars, help make fertilizers, and could be the key to better hydrogen fuel. Now, a team of chemists, led by Xiaohu Xia from Michigan Technological University, has found a better way to make metal catalysts.

“We are fine-tuning the surface, size, shape and crystal structure,” he says. “Our goal is to increase their catalytic activity while reducing the usage of this precious material.”