The 2016 Nobel Prize in Chemistry - "The design and synthesis of molecular machines"

A much awaited prize announcement , the most prestigious award for Chemistry and Chemists. 


"5 October 2016

The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences has decided to award the Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2016 to

Jean-Pierre Sauvage
University of Strasbourg, France

Sir J. Fraser Stoddart
Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA

and

Bernard L. Feringa
University of Groningen, the Netherlands

"for the design and synthesis of molecular machines"

They developed the world's smallest machines.

A tiny lift, artificial muscles and miniscule motors. The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2016 is awarded to Jean-Pierre Sauvage, Sir J. Fraser Stoddart and Bernard L. Feringa for their design and production of molecular machines. They have developed molecules with controllable movements, which can perform a task when energy is added." from The Nobel Prize website.

READ more 

LINK_There is some good chemisry here, please visit my page

READ some good chemistry at the folloing link to my related blog on Materials Science

Optimizing deoxidation and desuIphurization during vacuum induction melting of alloy 718 is now online and free to members of IOM3. 

EU’s REACH Called "Threat" to Chemical Innovation | Engineering360

"REACH, the European Union’s system of regulations governing the Registration,Evaluation, Authorization and restriction of CHemicals. The set of rules took effect in June 2007 and calls for the phasing in of requirements governing the manufacture, tracking, transportation and eventual ban of chemicals deemed to be harmful to health and the environment.

Now, as additional mandates loom, the European chemical industry association, known by the acronym CEFIC, is calling the regulations an over-REACH that threatens to stymie innovation."

Poor and dangerous Complaint? :

"CEFIC Vice President Tony Bastcok goes even further, complaining, that chemical companies are now spending more money on regulatory compliance than innovation at a time when Europe is struggling to compete globally."  (Underdevelopped Country Stance!?)

I kindly ask participants and readers: 

"Who would wish to innovations which are possibly, or worse, potenially dangerous with no safety net!?"

NB.

"However, not all chemical companies want to see the European Commission delay the REACH registration requirements or alter the current list of substances to be brought into regulatory compliance.

German chemical maker BASF, ranked as one of the world’s largest chemical companies, remains supportive of the regulations.

“REACH aims to ensure that chemicals are handled in the EU without risks for human health and the environment,” the company said in a statement. “BASF welcomes the EU Commission’s decision not to impede the ongoing implementation of REACH and not to propose legal revisions to the regulation before 2018.”

The company says, however, that it’s concerned that REACH’s complexity may jeopardize the goal of strengthening innovation and competitiveness of EU’s chemical industry. 

NB I trust that the BASF company calling for simplification is not another attempt at passing the buck to avoid necessary health and saftey testing preferably by independent authorities?

EU’s REACH Called "Threat" to Chemical Innovation | Engineering360

Solar hydrogen production on a roll with 2D films reported by Chemistry World of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Solar hydrogen production on a roll with 2D films from Chemistry World

Renewable Energy: Progress in Solar PVs published 2015 (blogged here b"better late than nevers?)

NB. slim on strategic materials, and hence on cost.


"Swiss researchers have developed an affordable and scalable way to make atom thin films of tungsten diselenide for converting solar energy into hydrogen. The method, which exploits the interface of two layers of liquid to act as a ‘rolling pin’ to form the films, could bring the goal of cheap solar cells for hydrogen production a step closer."

One of a number of such approaches is reported Chemistry World with interviews and comments from reputable critics in the field.

COMMENTS in Chem World by 

 John Turner, who investigates hydrogen energy at the US government's National Renewable Energy Laboratory, is unimpressed.

Co-author of the paper,  Kevin Sivula underlines the advantage of low cost processing
While agreeing that improvement is needed but argues that it is difficult to imagine a less-expensive technique than solution-based processing.

REFERENCES

Self-assembled 2D WSe2 thin films for photoelectrochemical hydrogen production

X Yu et al, Nat. Commun., 2015, DOI: 10.1038/ncomms8596

• Xiaoyun Yu,
• Mathieu S. Prévot,
• Néstor Guijarro
• & Kevin Sivula

LINK: Theme Issue 'Plastics, the environment and human health_COP21?

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences | Table of Contents — July 27, 2009, 364 (1526): "Theme Issue 'Plastics, the environment and human health' compiled by R. C. Thompson, C. J. Moore, F. S. vom Saal and S. H. Swan"



Repeat :"Theme Issue 'Plastics, the environment and human health'