Ultrafast "electronic camera" captures protons during dissociation process, promising to unravel the mystery of hydrogen transfer

Tech 2023-10-10 03:03:26 Source: Network

A team led by the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory of the US Department of Energy and Stanford University used ultrafast electron diffraction to record the rapid motion of hydrogen atoms within ammonia molecules. This study utilizes the advantages of high-energy (MeV) electrons to study the transfer of hydrogen atoms and protons

A team led by the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory of the US Department of Energy and Stanford University used ultrafast electron diffraction to record the rapid motion of hydrogen atoms within ammonia molecules. This study utilizes the advantages of high-energy (MeV) electrons to study the transfer of hydrogen atoms and protons. The related paper was published in the latest issue of the Physical Review Letters.

Proton transfer drives countless reactions in biology and chemistry. Mitochondria are the power source of cells, and proton pumps are crucial for mitochondria. Therefore, it is necessary to accurately understand how their structure evolves during these reaction processes. However, proton transfer occurs within a few flying seconds, at an extremely fast speed.

To capture proton transfer, X-rays can be emitted into molecules and then used to study the structure during molecular evolution. Unfortunately, X-ray only interacts with electrons, not nuclei, so it is not the most sensitive method.

For this purpose, the SLAC team adopted the ultrafast electron diffraction camera MeV-UED. They use ultraviolet radiation to irradiate ammonia gas, dissociate or destroy one of the hydrogen nitrogen bonds, and then emit a beam of electrons passing through it and photograph diffracted electrons.

The team not only captured signals of separation of hydrogen and nitrogen nuclei, but also captured relevant changes in molecular structure. More importantly, the scattered electrons shoot out at different angles, so they can separate two signals.

Researchers have stated that having the dual ability to be sensitive to both electrons and nuclei in one experiment is very rare and useful. If one can see what initially occurs when an atom dissociates, whether it is the nucleus or electrons that separate first, one can answer questions about how dissociation reactions occur.

This information brings scientists closer to the answer to the mystery of proton transfer, which helps answer more questions in chemistry and biology. This achievement will also have a significant impact on structural biology, as traditional methods such as X-ray crystallography and cryoelectron microscopy find it difficult to "see" protons.

The team hopes to increase the intensity of the electron beam and improve the temporal resolution of the experiment, so as to truly understand each step of proton dissociation over time. (Reporter Zhang Mengran)

Source: Science and Technology Daily

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