A new class of compounds previously unknown in flames has been discovered by researchers at Sandia National Laboratories' Combustion Research Facility working as part of an international team. The breakthrough could lead to soot reduction, decreases in flame pollutants, improved fuel cells and enhanced modeling of planetary atmospheres and interstellar chemistry.

The discovery of these compounds, called enols, is the biggest breakthrough so far from a powerful new flame-chemistry probe, operated at the Advanced Light Source at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. For more information go to http://www.sandia.gov/news-center/news-releases/2005/comb-research-auto/enols.html