# Programmable catalysts go beyond the Sabatier limit

Source: [Chemical & Engineering News: Latest News](https://cen.acs.org/synthesis/catalysis/sabatier-principle-catalysis-catalytic-reaction/104/web/2026/11?sc=230901_cenrssfeed_eng_latestnewsrss_cen) · 2026-11-11 · Physics
Page: https://themorning.science/story/programmable-catalysts-go-beyond-the-sabatier-limit-144bd4c5092eac47
Kind: research · Impact: medium

## In brief

- Researchers report that light and voltage help platinum catalysts break down formic acid faster than the Sabatier limit, which is usually treated as the theoretical maximum.
- The catalyst is described as programmable, with its activity adjusted by light and an applied voltage.
- The coverage is based on a Chemical & Engineering News report published 2026-11-11.

## Why it matters

It suggests that external light and voltage can change catalytic rates beyond what the Sabatier principle predicts, which could affect how catalysts are designed and tested for reactions like formic acid decomposition.

## Coverage

- [Programmable catalysts go beyond the Sabatier limit](https://cen.acs.org/synthesis/catalysis/sabatier-principle-catalysis-catalytic-reaction/104/web/2026/11?sc=230901_cenrssfeed_eng_latestnewsrss_cen) — Chemical & Engineering News: Latest News, 2026-11-11

Tags: catalysis, platinum, formic acid, sabatier principle, photocatalysis, electrocatalysis

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Brief generated by AI (claude-haiku-5-5) from the reporting listed under Coverage. Headlines belong to their publishers. The Morning Science – https://themorning.science