Berlin, 29. Mai 2025 – Eine internationale Forschergruppe unter Leitung von HZB-Chemikerin Michelle Browne hat in einer Studie, veröffentlicht in Advanced Functional Materials, einen effizienten, kostengünstigen Katalysator für die Sauerstoffentwicklungsreaktion bei der grünen Wasserstoffproduktion entwickelt. Grüner Wasserstoff, ein zentraler Baustein für künftige Energiesysteme, benötigt Katalysatoren, um die Elektrolyse von Wasser zu beschleunigen. Bisherige Lösungen nutzen teure Edelmetalle, doch das Team setzt auf MXene – blätterteigartige Strukturen aus Kohlenstoff und Übergangsmetallen. Erstautor Can Kaplan synthetisierte an der Linköping University zwei Vanadiumcarbid-MXene-Varianten, eine davon mit Vanadium-Fehlstellen für eine größere innere Oberfläche. Im HZB-Labor bettete er Kobalt-Eisen-Partikel in die MXene ein, was deren katalytische Wirkung erheblich steigerte – besonders bei der Variante mit Fehlstellen. Rasterelektronenmikroskopie bestätigte die strukturellen Veränderungen, und Tests in Laborelektrolyseuren sowie an der Synchrotronquelle SOLEIL zeigten die hohe Effizienz. Die Ergebnisse deuten auf ein großes Potenzial von MXenen als Trägermaterial… 

Cologne, May 29, 2025 – The Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG) has developed a new method to assess the relationship between the volume of services and treatment quality for rare diseases, even when precise studies are lacking. Minimum volumes, set by the Federal Joint Committee (G-BA) for complex, high-risk hospital treatments, are intended to improve quality. Currently, there are no such regulations for rare diseases because the low number of cases makes reliable studies difficult. IQWiG proposes transferring evidence from similar fields of application to rare procedures when direct data is missing. A catalog of criteria checks the transferability, supported by external experts who contribute clinical and procedural expertise. International research found no existing methods for minimum volumes in rare diseases, which is why IQWiG designed its own approach. This is intended to help the G-BA make informed decisions about minimum volumes for rare, high-risk procedures and ensure the best possible care. The...

A groundbreaking study led by Professor Ralf Zimmermann from the Helmholtz Center Munich and the University of Rostock has shown for the first time that while modern EURO 6d particulate filters significantly reduce direct fine dust emissions from vehicles, they cannot prevent the formation of secondary fine dust in the atmosphere. This secondary fine dust poses significant health risks and calls into question the effectiveness of current exhaust gas standards. Fine dust, ozone, and nitrogen dioxide are considered the main causes of air pollution-related health problems. While modern gasoline direct-injection engines with particulate filters achieve filter efficiencies of over 90 percent on roller test benches, the study shows that volatile organic hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides react photochemically in the atmosphere to form secondary fine dust. As part of the investigation, the researchers exposed human lung cells (A549 alveolar and BEAS-2B bronchial epithelial cells) to both fresh and photochemically aged exhaust gases from a EURO 6d vehicle. Fresh exhaust gases showed hardly any measurable particles or toxic effects. However, "atmospheric aging" led to reactive...

The US chemical company Dow Chemical plans to decommission or close its production facilities in Schkopau (Saxony-Anhalt) and Böhlen (Saxony), with a decision by July 2025. High energy prices, rising CO2 costs, and overcapacities threaten around 500 direct jobs and the regional economy. The consequences could weaken the German biotech industry and endanger social peace in East Germany. The plants are the core of the Central German Chemical Triangle, which produces chemicals worth over 2 billion euros annually. In Böhlen, Dow operates a steam cracker that supplies 600,000 tons of ethylene and propylene annually, essential for plastics in packaging, films, and medical products. These substances are distributed via a 1,300-kilometer pipeline network to sites such as Schkopau and Leuna, where 27 companies operate in the ValuePark. Dow employs 3,600 people in Germany, 1,200 of whom are in Central Germany. A closure of the cracker would interrupt supply, affecting suppliers and dependent companies with...