News tagged with precious metals

Fool's gold may prove an unlikely alternative to overexploited catalytic materials

Catalytic materials, which lower the energy barriers for chemical reactions, are used in everything from the commercial production of chemicals to catalytic converters in car engines. However, with current catalytic materials ...

Chemistry / Materials Science

created Feb 10, 2012 | popularity 4.4 / 5 (8) | comments 9 | with audio podcast

Electrochemical dissolution of platinum in an ionic liquid

(PhysOrg.com) -- Precious metals, especially platinum, are important catalytic materials for many chemical reactions. For example, platinum is used in some fuel cells; however, broad commercialization of such ...

Chemistry / Materials Science

created Jan 12, 2012 | popularity 5 / 5 (1) | comments 0 | with audio podcast

Where does all the gold come from?

Ultra high precision analyses of some of the oldest rock samples on Earth by researchers at the University of Bristol provides clear evidence that the planet's accessible reserves of precious metals are the ...

Space & Earth / Earth Sciences

created Sep 07, 2011 | popularity 4.3 / 5 (23) | comments 36 | with audio podcast

Chinese researchers look at possibility of capturing asteroids in Earth orbit

(PhysOrg.com) -- In an interesting twist regarding the study of asteroids and what happens when they come close to our planet, Hexi Baoyin and his two colleagues, Yang Chen and Junfeng Li at Tsinghua University ...

Space & Earth / Space Exploration

created Sep 02, 2011 | popularity 4 / 5 (10) | comments 28 | with audio podcast weblog

3Q: As precious metals grow more precious

The value of silver soared to an all-time high last Thursday, and plunged dramatically yesterday, illustrating the constant volatility of the precious-metals market, which includes lustrous commodities like ...

Other Sciences / Economics & Business

created May 06, 2011 | popularity not rated yet | comments 4

Silver saver: Nanotechnology keeps the shine on silver

(PhysOrg.com) -- Anyone who's ever polished silver knows that keeping the tarnish at bay is never ending work. But, you may not know that polishing also rubs away some of the precious metal, whether it's your ...

Nanotechnology / Nanomaterials

created Apr 12, 2011 | popularity 4.7 / 5 (3) | comments 1 | with audio podcast

Advanced technology creates new range of multi-functional textiles

Research by two Victoria University PhD graduates has advanced cutting edge technology that combines wool with gold and silver to create a new range of multi-functional textiles.

Chemistry / Materials Science

created Jan 19, 2011 | popularity 5 / 5 (2) | comments 0

Japan deep-sea robots to seek minerals: report

Resource-poor Japan plans to use deep-sea mining robots to exploit rare earths and precious metals on the ocean floors around the island nation within a decade, according to a media report.

Electronics / Robotics

created Jan 07, 2011 | popularity 5 / 5 (2) | comments 0

Novel fuel cell catalyst lowers need for precious metal

Fuel cells could create a breakthrough for electric cars, because refuelling them is fast and easy, just like your traditional gas guzzler. But there's an obstacle. Current fuel cells need platinum in order to work. And that's ...

Chemistry / Materials Science

created Nov 23, 2010 | popularity 4.7 / 5 (3) | comments 2

Replacing precious metal catalysts with iron, nickel and other earth-abundant metals

Rare and expensive, precious metals such as platinum, rhodium and palladium are used extensively as catalysts on a large scale in preparing pharmaceutical and agricultural chemicals, as well as for applications ...

Chemistry / Other

created Oct 20, 2010 | popularity 3 / 5 (2) | comments 0

Researchers develop alternative to gold in electrical applications

(PhysOrg.com) -- Researchers at the University of Connecticut, partnering with United Technologies Research Center (East Hartford, CT) engineers, have modeled and developed new classes of alloy materials for ...

Physics / Condensed Matter

created Oct 13, 2010 | popularity 4.8 / 5 (18) | comments 2 | with audio podcast

Geologist says there's no need to fight over mineral resources

It's easy to be a pessimist in a world full of calamities. But for those worried about the continuing availability of natural resources, data from the ocean makes a good case for optimism, says economic geologist Lawrence ...

Space & Earth / Earth Sciences

created Oct 07, 2010 | popularity 4.7 / 5 (13) | comments 18 | with audio podcast

Nanotechnology promises better catalytic converter

(PhysOrg.com) -- Control over material properties would reduce the amount of platinum needed.

Nanotechnology / Nanomaterials

created Sep 27, 2010 | popularity 5 / 5 (3) | comments 0 | with audio podcast

An ideal candidate for sustainable catalysis

(PhysOrg.com) -- The development of environmentally friendly and efficient catalysts is a major challenge in the field of chemical research, with the focus now being placed on the search for inexpensive metal ...

Chemistry / Materials Science

created Sep 16, 2010 | popularity 5 / 5 (1) | comments 0

Metals could forge new cancer drug

Drugs made using unusual metals could form an effective treatment against colon and ovarian cancer, including cancerous cells that have developed immunity to other drugs, according to research at the University ...

Chemistry / Biochemistry

created Oct 19, 2009 | popularity 4 / 5 (1) | comments 0