This Week’s Spectroscopy News

In the news

Researchers perform muon spin rotation spectroscopy to observe the regioselective muoniation process of 12-phosphatetraphene 1 molecule (muonated radical), before using density functional theory to study the radical’s structure. Link 

Copper oxide cubes used as electrocatalysts evolve under electrochemical nitrate reduction reaction conditions depending on the chemical environment – observed via a combination of techniques including electrochemical liquid cell transmission electron microscopy and operando Raman spectroscopy. Link 

A review of the current methods for dihydrogen isotopologue detection identifies electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy as an effective, non-invasive way to characterize local framework structures of nanoporous materials. Link 

Femtosecond stimulated Raman spectroscopy used to assess ultrafast structural dynamics of vitamin A metabolite all-trans-retinal in bacteriorhodopsin. Link  

(Preprint) Researchers use NMR spectroscopy to define lignin-carbohydrate interactions in 13C-labeled Arabidopsis stems during secondary cell wall formation. Link 

The Spectacular and Strange

Slip, Slidin' Away

With evening temperatures still low in the UK, I still have my guard up when faced with an icy pavement or handrail-less set of stairs. (I can’t help but foresee some sort of slapstick incident followed by injury – think Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern in ‘Home Alone’).

For this reason, this study on sticky feet caught my eye. With the aim of imitating the surface-adhesive qualities of gecko and frog toe-pads, Vipin Richhariya, Ashis Tripathy, Md Julker Nine and their colleagues set about developing a polymer with capillary-enhanced adhesion using patterned nanocomposite material with proportions of zirconia nanoparticles.

Infrared spectroscopy and simulated friction tests revealed nanocomposites containing 3% and 5% zirconia nanoparticles by weight to be the most slip-resistant. The team suggest that, in addition to new anti-slip shoes, this technology could be applied in medical contexts to develop innovations such as electronic or artificial skin. 

Essential Reading

Compact Spectral Sensor Offers Lab-Level Precision

A microscopic spectral sensor capable of high-precision chemical analysis that offers a compact alternative to conventional laboratory-based spectrometers has been developed by a team at Aalto University, Finland. Measuring just 5 micrometers across, the device achieves spectral identification with a resolution of approximately 0.19 nanometers in free space and 2.45 nanometers when integrated onto a chip. 

To validate the sensor’s performance, the researchers conducted a series of experiments using monochromatic and broadband light sources. “Our device is ‘trained’ to recognize complex light signatures that are imperceptible to the human eye, achieving a level of precision comparable to the bulky sensors typically found in laboratories,” said lead researcher Zhipei Sun, in a press release. Read more