Engineers at MIT have developed a new design for the electrodes used in electrochemical systems that are under development to convert carbon dioxide into a valuable commodity that increases the efficiency of the conversion process. ‘The CO2 problem is a big challenge for our times, and we are using all kinds of levers to solve and address this problem,’ said professor of … [Read more...] about MIT engineers make converting CO2 into useful products more practical
Materials
Researchers solve a nearly 200-year-old polymer challenge
Researchers at the University of Virginia School of Engineering and Applied Science have developed a new design that appears to rewrite the textbook on polymer engineering. No longer is it dogma that the stiffer a polymeric material is, the less stretchable it has to be. ‘We are addressing a fundamental challenge that has been thought to be impossible to solve since the … [Read more...] about Researchers solve a nearly 200-year-old polymer challenge
New technology improves structural strength
In a collaborative effort between Texas A&M University and Sandia National Laboratories, researchers have significantly improved a new joining technology known as interlocking metasurfaces (ILMs), using shape memory alloys (SMAs) to increase the strength and stability of a structure in comparison to traditional techniques such as bolts and adhesives. ILMs offer the … [Read more...] about New technology improves structural strength
Nature-inclusive designs to boost biodiversity in North Sea windfarms
Norwich based company Exo Engineering has designed and produced bespoke artificial reefs aimed at increasing cod numbers in the North Sea. The past 200 years have seen significant loss of reef habitats in the North Sea, severely affecting marine biodiversity. The North Sea is already a hotspot for offshore wind farms generating renewable energy. In the Netherlands, … [Read more...] about Nature-inclusive designs to boost biodiversity in North Sea windfarms
Silk thread can turn clothes into charging stations
A research group led by Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden has developed a silk thread, coated with a conductive plastic material, that has the potential to turn textiles into electricity generators. Thermoelectric textiles convert temperature differences, for example between our bodies and the surrounding air, into an electrical potential, which would then be used … [Read more...] about Silk thread can turn clothes into charging stations