What's Hot In Chemistry> 2010
Year: 2010
The Top Ten lists in Chemistry feature papers published during the last two years (excluding review articles) that were most cited in current journal articles indexed by Thomson Reuters during a recent two-month period. Papers are ranked according to the latest bimonthly citation count. The articles below are accompanied by expert discussion and analysis (including comments from the papers’ authors) written by one of four veteran scientist-journalists and longtime ScienceWatch.com contributors.
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2010
Graphene Gold Rush: Papers And Potential Apps Abound
by John Emsley
Reports on the flat form of carbon known as graphene now
account for nine reports in the current Top Ten in Chemistry. One such
paper comes from a team led by graphene’s discoverers, Kostya
Novoselov (pictured) and Andre Geim—recently announced as
winners of the 2010 Nobel Prize is Physics for their graphene work.
The paper reports a method for depositing a single-layer graphene film
onto a slide, with the ultimate aim of creating conducting film for
liquid crystal devices. This is just one of myriad applications
currently being explored for graphene..View Article
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2010
Graphene, Platinum, and Polymers Go Mad for Power
by John Emsley
Papers examining graphene account for seven placements
in the current Top Ten in Chemistry, including a report on the
synthesis of water-soluble graphene capable of conducting electricity,
thereby holding the promise of application in displays, transistors,
chemical detectors, and other devices. Other chemistry reports
pertaining to new forms of energy include reports on a
palladium-platinum catalyst for fuel cells, and on benzodithazole
polymers for use in solar cells.View Article
JULY/AUGUST 2010
Glittering Achievement in Gold-Nanoparticle Catalysis
by John Emsley
The use of gold as a chemical catalyst continues to
advance, notably in a recent report in which gold nanoparticles were
used to oxidize styrene to benzaldehyde and styrene oxide. The
researchers noted that the size of the nanoparticles significantly
affected catalytic activity, with smaller particles proving more
effective. Because selective oxidation reactions have industrial
applications, such work is significant.View Article
MAY/JUNE 2010
Carbon Nanotubes Open Up to Graphene Ribbons
by John Emsley
Studies of graphene continue to crowd the ranks of
chemistry’s most-cited papers published in the last two years.
Recent studies have centered on modifying carbon nanotubes into
ultra-narrow ribbons of graphene. These nanoribbons, depending on
their width, display either metallic conductivity or semiconductivity.
Another highly cited chemistry paper describes enhancing
thermoelectric performance in silicon nanowires.View Article
MARCH/APRIL 2010
Using Iridium to Illuminate N-Heterocyclic Carbenes
by John Emsley
An international team of chemists recently
reported progress in synthesizing and studying iridium complexes
with N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) ligands. Such carbene complexes
have attracted interest as catalysts for various reactions,
including olefin metathesis, hydrogenation, and isomerization.
Further understanding of this ligand family is expected contribute
toward a sustainably green chemical industry.View Article
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2010
For Solar-Cell Electrodes, A Graphene Film Festival
by John Emsley
Recent research on solar cells has seen the
development of electrodes based on graphene. This material, which
is transparent, electrically conducting, and potentially
ultra-thin, offers several advantages over other compounds,
including lower cost and sustainability. In addition to their
applicability in solar cells, these qualities could propel the
harnessing of graphene electrodes in a range of electronics in the
future.View Article
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