News

The Magic of Transforming Carbon Dioxide to Ethanol: An Analysis of Copper-Based Electrochemical Catalysts

Copper electrocatalysts have been shown in the past literature to selectively reduce carbon dioxide to hydrocarbons. However, due to the lack of systematic studies on time-scale resolved spectral features, the selectivity resulted from the surface atomic characteristics of the copper catalyst– could be copper metal or copper oxide, along the reaction path remains uncertain. This study introduces an X-ray absorption spectrum with a few seconds resolution scale to observe the chemical state evolution of catalysts in reactions. Under specific experimental conditions, it was observed that the average oxidation state consisted of the mixed oxidation states on the surface of copper material could be stably maintained on the electrode surface, thus steadily increasing the effective yield of ethanol. Combined with the first-principles simulations, the catalytic reaction pathway of CO2 conversion can be derived step-by-step and verified by experimental observations.

Asia Pacific Scholars' Reflective Dialogues on the Future of Education Innovation and Teacher Education in the New Normal amidst Global Education

The Asia Pacific Association for Teacher Education (APATE) and the Taiwan Education Alliance convened a conference on "Educational Innovation and Teacher Education in the New Normal" on November 18-19, 2022.With the keynote speakers and panelists invited from approximately ten countries," attendees exchanged ideas and explored pandemic-related issues concerning the development of teacher education systems, teaching, and research in and across different cultural contexts. The lively debate and discussions either in the in-person (physical) or online sessions of the two-day forum feature the concerns of educational researchers and practitioners from various countries concerning the new normal of education.

Congratulations to NTNU Professors being World's Top 2% Scientists

The latest World's Top 2% Scientists list was announced on October 10. 14 faculty members from National Taiwan Normal University (NTNU) were listed on the Lifetime Scientific Impact list and 24 faculty members were listed on the Annual Scientific Impact list, the research results are widely recognized internationally.

Quick home test for Parkinson's medication adjustment: Detection of L-DOPA in blood using enzyme colorimetry

Parkinson's disease is a neurological disorder that primarily affects motor performance. L-DOPA is the precursor of dopamine (DA) synthesis in the body and is widely used in the treatment of Parkinson's disease. However, because of the side effects associated with these drugs, clinical adjustments to the medication are often required. Therefore, measuring the concentration of L-DOPA in patients is an issue of interest for many researchers. Several methods have been developed to detect the concentration of L-DOPA, such as electrochemical assay and liquid chromatography, but there are still some limitations. In this study, a simple enzymatic colorimetric method was developed to selectively identify and oxidize L-DOPA by oxidative enzymes, resulting in a yellow product that can be identified by the naked eye; the concentration of L-DOPA can be inferred from the color intensity. Therefore, it can be used as a quick and easy estimation of the L-DOPA concentration in the test body, which is expected to be used as an indicator and reference for drug formulation.

Dept. of Special Education Designs A8M Digital Learning Tool for Students in Need

October 15th is the White Cane Safety Day, the Day of the Blind. In order to reduce the learning difficulties of blind students in mathematics, Associate Professor Chien-Huey Sophie Chang of the Department of Special Education of NTNU led a team to develop the "A8M Digital Learning Tool" which is convenient for visually impaired students to read and write mathematics. It is easy to use and enables teachers to communicate well with visually impaired students. Users can listen and read repeatedly with a Braille display, which makes it easier to grasp the structure of complex mathematical formulas.