Scientists at the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) have created a new system that captures carbon dioxide more cheaply than existing methods and converts it into one of the world’s most widely used chemicals: methanol. The high cost of commercial carbon capture technology has been a longstanding barrier to its widespread use. The … [Read more...] about New carbon capture technology turns CO2 into methanol cheaply
Materials
Scientists create novel steel-bronze alloys
Researchers at the Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology in Moscow have used a 3D printer to fabricate bronze-steel alloys previously unknown to materials science. Blending the distinct properties of bronze and steel, the novel alloys could be used to manufacture combustion chambers for aircraft and rocket engines that would simultaneously benefit from steel’s … [Read more...] about Scientists create novel steel-bronze alloys
Solar-powered system converts plastic and greenhouse gases into sustainable fuels
Researchers from the University of Cambridge have developed a solar-powered system that can transform plastic waste and greenhouse gases into sustainable fuels and other valuable products – the first such system to be capable of converting two waste streams into two chemical products at the same time. The reactor converts carbon dioxide and plastic into different products … [Read more...] about Solar-powered system converts plastic and greenhouse gases into sustainable fuels
US scientists develop new method to recycle single-use plastic
Scientists from Cornell University and the US Department of Energy’s Institute for Cooperative Upcycling of Plastics at the Argonne National Laboratory have developed a new method for recycling high-density polyethylene (HDPE). Using a novel catalytic approach, the s converted post-consumer HDPE plastic into a fully recyclable and potentially biodegradable material with the … [Read more...] about US scientists develop new method to recycle single-use plastic
Paper-thin solar cell can turn any surface into a power source
A team of engineers at MIT has developed ultralight fabric solar cells that can quickly and easily turn any surface into a power source. The durable, flexible solar cells, which are much thinner than a human hair, are glued to a strong, lightweight fabric, making them easy to install on a fixed surface. They can provide energy on the go as a wearable power fabric or be … [Read more...] about Paper-thin solar cell can turn any surface into a power source