PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Too hot to handle

2023-03-13
(Press-News.org) Metal organic frameworks, or MOFs, are kind of like LEGOs.

The pieces are simple to connect, yet they’re capable of building highly sophisticated structures. These structures can be used to filter toxic gasses out of the air or to store fuel for natural or hydrogen gas-powered engines. 

LEGOs melt when they interact with heat. But, what happens to MOFs? 

A new study from the University of Pittsburgh Swanson School of Engineering found that MOFs heat up significantly when they soak up gasses and if they get too hot, they stop working. 

“This study helps us determine which MOFs can soak up gasses and dissipate that heat efficiently, ultimately moving MOFs closer to practical commercial implementation,” Chris Wilmer, associate professor of chemical and petroleum engineering at Pitt and co-author, explained. 

The team used computational screening of thermal conductivity in over ten thousand MOFs, which required over a million hours of supercomputing power. They learned MOFs with high densities, small pores, and four-connected metal nodes are more capable of conducting heat. On the other hand, those with extremely large pores are not.    

“There are millions of different types of MOFs one can design, so it can be hard to determine the best one for the job,” said Meiirbek Islamov, a PhD student at Pitt and first author on the study. “This study allows us to be more accurate as we create them in a lab.” 

Wilmer and his coauthors, who include researchers from Pitt, UC Berkeley, Carnegie Mellon University, and the Colorado School of Mines, focus on designing MOFs with excellent thermal properties. Wilmer has been widely cited for his previous work on using computer simulations to predict the properties of MOFs. 

Their paper, “High-throughput screening of hypothetical metal-organic frameworks for thermal conductivity,” was recently published in npj Computational Materials. (DOI: 10.1038/s41524-022-00961-x)

END


ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Brown widow spiders' aggression likely driver of black widow decline

Brown widow spiders aggression likely driver of black widow decline
2023-03-13
Annapolis, MD; March 13, 2023—Black widow spiders have earned a fearsome reputation for their venomous bite. But in parts of the southern United States these spiders have much to fear themselves—from spider relatives who really don't like their company. In the past couple decades, researchers have noticed black widow spiders commonly being displaced by the brown widow, a fellow species in the same genus, Latrodectus. But new research suggests this isn't a just simple case of one species winning the competition for food or habitat. Instead, a study shows brown widow spiders have a striking propensity to seek out and kill nearby ...

The best of both worlds: a new algorithm fuses quantum and classical information for high-quality imaging

The best of both worlds: a new algorithm fuses quantum and classical information for high-quality imaging
2023-03-13
Researchers from Colorado State University and the Colorado School of Mines have thought up a new computational imaging strategy that exploits the best of both the quantum and classical worlds. They developed an efficient and robust algorithm that fuses quantum and classical information for high-quality imaging. The results of their research were published Dec. 21 in Intelligent Computing, a Science Partner Journal. Recently, the quantum properties of light have been exploited to enable super­resolution microscopy. While quantum information brings new possibilities, it has its own set of limitations. The researchers’ approach is based on classical and quantum ...

Triggering bitter taste receptors could someday treat asthma, COPD

2023-03-13
Surprisingly, bitter taste receptors are not only located in the mouth, but also elsewhere in the body, including the airways. Activating those receptors opens up lung passageways, so they’re a potential target for treating asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Now, researchers report in ACS’ Journal of Medicinal Chemistry that they have designed a potent and selective compound that could lead the way to such therapies. Among the 25 different types of bitter taste receptors, the TAS2R14 subtype is one of the most widely distributed in tissues outside the mouth. Scientists are uncertain about ...

Evaluation of DNA metabarcoding for identifying fish eggs: a case study on the West Florida Shelf

Evaluation of DNA metabarcoding for identifying fish eggs: a case study on the West Florida Shelf
2023-03-13
A new study published in PeerJ Life & Environment and featured in the International Association for Biological Oceanography Hub evaluates the use of DNA metabarcoding to identify fish eggs. The study assessed the performance of DNA metabarcoding to increase throughput and reduce financial and labor costs associated with a long-term fish egg monitoring program.  The study found:  Egg identifications were consistent with prior species distributions observed from individual egg DNA barcoding, and spatial ...

ESC Preventive Cardiology 2023: how to maintain heart health throughout life

2023-03-13
Date: 13 March 2023, 08:30 CET   13 to 15 April in Malaga, Spain   Get ready for practice-changing science at ESC Preventive Cardiology 2023, a scientific congress of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC).   The annual congress of the European Association of Preventive Cardiology (EAPC), a branch of the ESC, takes place 13 to 15 April at the Trade Fair and Congress Centre of Malaga (FYCMA - Palacio de Ferias y Congresos de Malaga) in Malaga, Spain. Explore the scientific programme.   Novel research ...

Arctic climate modelling too conservative

Arctic climate modelling too conservative
2023-03-13
Climate models used by the UN’s IPCC and others to project climate change are not accurately reflecting what the Arctic’s future will be. Researchers at the University of Gothenburg argue that the rate of warming will be much faster than projected. Due to the Arctic´s sea ice cover and its harsh climate, relatively few observations are made in that part of world. This means that the climate models used for projecting the future of the Arctic have not been calibrated to the same extent there as in other parts of the world. Two recent ...

New drug to lower brain pressure could treat blinding IIH headaches, trial finds

2023-03-13
Patients with ‘blinding’ headaches known as Idiopathic Intercranial Hypertension (IIH) could be treated with an injectable peptide used for type 2 diabetes, a new trial has found.   The study, published in the journal Brain, today reports on a phase two trial of a drug called exenatide, a GLP-1 receptor agonist, as a potential treatment for IIH.   The IIH Pressure Trial led by a team of neurologists from the University of Birmingham and University Hospitals Birmingham found that for the seven ...

Links between maternal autonomy support and controlling parenting and adolescents’ depressive symptoms

Links between maternal autonomy support and controlling parenting and adolescents’ depressive symptoms
2023-03-13
The relationship between adolescents and their parents has always been an intriguing issue in psychological research. Several studies underscore the significance of parenting behavior in the development of young people. Parental autonomy support, in particular, has been considered essential for adolescents’ growth and healthy functioning. Parental autonomy support and controlling parenting are the two most important facets of parenting. The former refers to parents supporting the independence of their children, including listening carefully, providing choices, perspective-taking, and offering valid reasoning for particular behaviors. On the contrary, controlling parenting refers to parental ...

Organosulfur content of vegetables quantified

Organosulfur content of vegetables quantified
2023-03-13
Osaka, Japan – The health-promoting effects of sulfur-rich vegetables such as onions and garlic have been known for a long time. How food containing sulfur compounds promotes health has not been easy to explore, as the levels—and types—of reactive polysulfides found in different vegetables had not been accurately measured. A research team, led by Assistant Professor Shingo Kasamatsu from the Osaka Metropolitan University Graduate School of Science, has established a method for selective and sensitive detection of reactive ...

Scientists to examine whether SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy affects a child’s risk for neurodevelopmental disorders

2023-03-13
BALTIMORE, Md. (March 13, 2023) – Scientists led by the Lieber Institute for Brain Development are studying how a mother’s SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy affects the biology of the placenta and the corresponding trajectory of the child’s brain development, including the risk for neurodevelopmental disorders such as schizophrenia and autism. The work is made possible by a $3 million, five-year grant from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development, part ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Study unexpectedly finds living in rural, rather than urban environments in first five years of life could be a risk factor for developing type 1 diabetes

Editorial urges deeper focus on heart-lung interactions in pulmonary vascular disease

Five University of Tennessee faculty receive Fulbright Awards

5 advances to protect water sources, availability

OU Scholar awarded Fulbright for Soviet cinema research

Brain might become target of new type 1 diabetes treatments

‘Shore Wars:’ New research aims to resolve coastal conflict between oysters and mangroves, aiding restoration efforts

Why do symptoms linger in some people after an infection? A conversation on post-acute infection syndromes

Study reveals hidden drivers of asthma flare-ups in children

Physicists decode mysterious membrane behavior

New insights about brain receptor may pave way for next-gen mental health drugs

Melanoma ‘sat-nav’ discovery could help curb metastasis

When immune commanders misfire: new insights into rheumatoid arthritis inflammation

SFU researchers develop a new tool that brings blender-like lighting control to any photograph

Pups in tow, Yellowstone-area wolves trek long distances to stay near prey

AI breakthrough unlocks 'new' materials to replace lithium-ion batteries

Making molecules make sense: A regional explanation method reveals structure–property relationships

Partisan hostility, not just policy, drives U.S. protests

The Journal of Nuclear Medicine Ahead-of-Print Tip Sheet: August 1, 2025

Young human blood serum factors show potential to rejuvenate skin through bone marrow

Large language models reshape the future of task planning

Narrower coverage of MS drugs tied to higher relapse risk

Researchers harness AI-powered protein design to enhance T-cell based immunotherapies

Smartphone engagement during school hours among US youths

Online reviews of health care facilities

MS may begin far earlier than previously thought

New AI tool learns to read medical images with far less data

Announcing XPRIZE Healthspan as Tier 5 Sponsor of ARDD 2025

Announcing Immortal Dragons as Tier 4 Sponsor of ARDD 2025

Reporting guideline for chatbot health advice studies

[Press-News.org] Too hot to handle