#hydrides

A bizarre new state of matter may be hiding inside Uranus and Neptune

The deep interiors of ice giant planets such as Uranus and Neptune may contain a previously unknown form of matter. This possibility comes from new computer simulations conducted by Carnegie scientists Cong Liu and Ronald Cohen. Their study, published in Nature Communications, suggests that carbon hydride could take on an unusual quasi-one-dimensional superionic state under the intense pressures and temperatures found far beneath the surfaces of these distant planets.

Bursting the barrier: Catalysts unlock hydrogen from magnesium hydride

A new study sheds light on how hydrogen can be stored and released more effectively using magnesium hydride (MgH₂), offering fresh direction for clean energy technologies. Hydrogen is widely seen as a flexible energy carrier, but storing it in a compact and practical way remains a key challenge. Materials must not only hold hydrogen safely, but also release it under conditions suitable for everyday use. MgH₂ has long attracted attention because it can store a large amount of hydrogen using widely available elements. However, releasing that hydrogen typically requires high temperatures, limiting its use in practical systems.

Titanium complexes cleanly edit the core skeleton of highly stable organic compounds

Multi-titanium hydrides can selectively snip the strong structural bonds of stable organic molecules called pyridines, RIKEN researchers have shown. This discovery could guide designing catalysts for applications in multiple branches of industrial chemistry, from oil refining to the synthesis of functional organic molecules. The findings are published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society. Pyridines are stable aromatic molecules characterized by a ring consisting of one nitrogen atom and five carbon atoms. They are a common structural motif in complex organic molecules such as pharmaceuticals. They are also a component of crude oil that needs to be removed during refining. "The removal of nitrogen-containing impurities such as pyridines from crude oil is an important industrial process in petroleum refining," notes Zhaomin Hou of the RIKEN Organometallic Chemistry Laboratory and the RIKEN Advanced Catalysis Research Group.

Scientists unlocked a superconductor mystery under crushing pressure

Scientists have taken a major step toward practical, high-temperature superconductors by finally peering inside one of the most promising materials ever discovered.

Superconductors are materials that allow electrical current to flow with no resistance. This unique ability makes them extremely valuable for technologies such as efficient power transmission, energy storage, magnetic levitation systems, and quantum computers. The challenge is that superconductivity usually occurs only at very low temperatures, far below everyday conditions. This limitation has prevented widespread practical use. That picture began to change with the discovery of superconductivity in hydrogen-rich materials. Hydrogen sulfide (H3S) becomes superconducting at 203 Kelvin (-70°Celsius), while lanthanum decahydrid (LaH10) reaches superconductivity at 250 Kelvin (-23°Celsius). These temperatures are far higher than those of earlier superconductors and are above the boiling point of liquid nitrogen, which is why scientists classify them as high temperature superconductors. Their discovery marked a major step toward the long-standing goal of room-temperature superconductivity.

Accidental lab discovery reveals gold’s secret chemistry

The team unexpectedly formed gold hydride in an experiment that could pave the way for studying materials under extreme conditions like those found inside certain planets and stars undergoing nuclear fusion.

Serendipitously and for the first time, an international research team led by scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy's SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory formed solid binary gold hydride, a compound made exclusively of gold and hydrogen atoms. The researchers were studying how long it takes hydrocarbons, compounds made of carbon and hydrogen, to form diamonds under extremely high pressure and heat. In their experiments at the European XFEL (X-ray Free-Electron Laser) in Germany, the team studied the effect of those extreme conditions in hydrocarbon samples with an embedded gold foil, which was meant to absorb the X-rays and heat the weakly absorbing hydrocarbons. To their surprise, they not only saw the formation of diamonds, but also discovered the formation of gold hydride.

Interpretable AI reveals key atomic traits for efficient hydrogen storage in metal hydrides

Hydrogen fuels represent a clean energy option, but a major hurdle in making its use more mainstream is efficient storage. Hydrogen storage requires either extremely high-pressure tanks or extremely cold temperatures, which means that storage alone consumes a lot of energy. This is why metal hydrides, which can store hydrogen more efficiently, are such a promising option. New digital platform advances hydrogen research To help accurately predict performance metrics of hydrogen storage materials, researchers at Tohoku University used a newly established data infrastructure: the Digital Hydrogen Platform (DigHyd). DigHyd integrates more than 5,000 meticulously curated experimental records from the literature, supported by an AI language model. The work is published in the journal Chemical Science.

Researchers capture inception of hydrogen-uranium reaction for the first time

When hydrogen gas interacts with uranium metal, the combination creates a chemically reactive powder and a runaway reaction that is difficult to stop. The result can impact the safety and lifespan of technology critical for fusion energy, hydrogen storage and nuclear fuels. In a recent study published in npj Materials Degradation, researchers from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) observed and characterized the beginning stages of hydrogen-uranium corrosion for the first time. The result will lead to more predictive and physically grounded models for how uranium components degrade. Imagine the hydrogen-uranium interaction like a geyser. Much like surface water seeping through cracks to make its way underground, hydrogen dissolves and diffuses into the uranium metal. This happens silently and invisibly until it becomes too much hydrogen for the uranium to hold. The two materials combine to form a new compound called uranium hydride, which takes up significantly more volume than the original uranium metal.

Cracking the code: Why platinum electrodes corrode

Scientists from Leiden University and the Department of Energy's SLAC National Laboratory have uncovered the mysterious cause behind the rapid corrosion of platinum electrodes. This study paves the way for more affordable green hydrogen production and more reliable electrochemical sensors. The research is published in the journal Nature Materials. It's a strange quirk that has puzzled scientists for decades: for most metals, being negatively polarized protects against corrosion. But platinum electrodes can rapidly break down under these conditions. That's a problem because electrolyzers and many other electrochemical devices often rely on these negatively polarized platinum electrodes submerged in an electrolyte—essentially saltwater. Although platinum is an expensive but durable and generally stable option, it doesn't stay immune to degradation in these environments.