- Crystal clear hydrogen storage - Solid materials rich in hydrogen, such as ammonia borane could help solve the gas storage problem for vehicle fuel cells. Now, a crystal structure of an alternative material, DADB, offers new hope of a stable material that works at lower temperature (85 rather than 110 Celsius).
- Tannin test - At Christmas time, there's no need to be afraid…of testing your tannins, at least now that US researchers have developed a sensor capable of discriminating between the different tannins present in red wine.
- Forensic boost - The efforts of forensic investigators are often stymied by the diverse and complex nature of sample mixtures they must analyse but low analyte concentration is probably the most problematic issue they must address. Now, a US team has found a way to improve Raman spectroscopy for low-concentration analysis. Their approach could also improve medical diagnosis, drug/chemical development, and in national security.