Johnson Matthey Technology Review - Volume 60, Issue 1, 2016

Electrical resistivity values for both the solid and liquid phases of the platinum group metals (pgms) rhodium and iridium are evaluated. In particular improved values are obtained for the liquid phases of these metals.

Oxidation technologies and advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) have been regarded as a competitive method for the remediation of persistent pollutants in water. Among AOPs, the use of photocatalysis has particularly attracted interest in recent decades. However, attempts to improve the efficiency of photocatalysts in terms of both enhanced activity and applicability under visible light have proved challenging. In this context, there is a need for processes able to achieve the synthesis of innovative nanostructured materials meeting these criteria with reproducibility and scalability in mind. The aim of this review is to focus on two themes of interest, namely noble metal based catalysts and spray pyrolysis (SP) processes. Several alternative SP methods have been reported and these will be described. The emphasis is placed on the recent use of SP for the synthesis of noble metal/semiconductor nanomaterials and their enhanced photocatalytic activity. Recent innovations in the design of SP processes and their potential to further improve noble metal-based photocatalysts are also examined. Finally, the possibility of using SP processes as a flexible tool to achieve immobilisation of photocatalysts onto substrates and in reactor for real water treatment application is considered.

Materials chemistry is concerned with establishing connections between structure, properties, processability and performance of molecular materials, including organic compounds and polymers, supramolecular architectures and nanoporous substances. Encompassed within this diverse field are molecular magnets, graphene, optoelectronic devices, artificial photosynthesis, chemical sensors, speciality polymers, fluorescent labels, functional membranes, composite conjugated hybrids and molecular sieves. The field relies heavily on sophisticated organic synthesis but readily embraces computational chemistry in order to delve more deeply into the properties of the materials. The topic provides an important interface between atomic, molecular and supramolecular behaviour and the functions of the substance under examination. All manner of molecular materials are considered, ranging from thin films to organogels to solids with microscopic cavities. The 12th International Conference on Materials Chemistry was held between 20th–23rd July 2015 at the University of York, UK, and covered the full range of topics, with six plenary lectures supported by twenty-four keynote lectures and over a hundred invited or contributed talks (1). In addition, some 370 posters were presented. The conference was co-chaired by Duncan Bruce (University of York) and Dermot O'Hare (University of Oxford, UK).

The solid phase materials or sorbents applied to the removal of uranium from industrial waste streams and surface waters are reviewed. The speciation of the element in the environment is discussed. A series of examples on uranium remediation from the recent literature using the different kinds of solid phase sorbents are reviewed in detail and evaluated. The criteria for making the best choice of ion exchanger are discussed with suggestions for further evaluation of the described technologies.

The International Symposium on Zeolite and Microporous Crystals 2015 (ZMPC2015) was held at the Sapporo Convention Center, Japan, from 28th June to 2nd July 2015 and had 435 attendees from 32 countries, with 75% from Japan, China, Korea or Taiwan. 396 presentations covered all aspects of zeolites and microporous crystals over four days. Catalysis and synthesis were the two main themes (46% of all presentations) with the others being: new porous materials; membranes and films; adsorption and diffusion; characterisation; novel applications; industrial applications; layered materials; computational chemistry; post-synthetic treatment; crystallography; and ion exchange. There were six plenary talks along with 17 keynote and 94 oral presentations that took place in three parallel sessions. There were two poster sessions for 250 posters and recent research reports.