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Superman can start worrying we've got the formula for (almost) kryptonite!

IChF160302b fot01smTheoretical chemists from the Institute of Physical Chemistry of the Polish Academy of Sciences have found how to synthesize the first binary compound of krypton and oxygen: a krypton oxide. It turns out that this exotic substance can be produced under extremely high pressure, and its production is quite within the capabilities of today's laboratories.

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Is lignin the crude oil of the future? Maybe so, thanks to the Sun and photocatalysts!

IChF160204b fot01sWe associate refineries with crude oil and a dense tangle of technical fittings. They may, however, change in the future – if crude oil is replaced by lignin, a product currently treated as industrial waste. The research route leading towards this goal is being paved by new photocatalysts, developed by the Institute of Physical Chemistry of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Warsaw. They allow lignin-based model compounds to be transformed into useful chemical substances, in addition, the reactions take place under conditions that occur in nature.

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