A team of university and industry researchers has been awarded funding from the US National Science Foundation (NSF) to develop mechanisms to produce sturdy and reusable bioplastics. Plastic production is a nearly US$1trillion industry with more than 400 million tonnes produced in 2022. However, only about ten per cent of plastics are recycled. Karthik Sankaranarayanan … [Read more...] about New research targets the development of plastics made from sustainable biomaterials
Materials
AI breakthrough unlocks ‘new’ materials to replace lithium-ion batteries
Researchers from New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) have used artificial intelligence to tackle a critical problem facing the future of energy storage: finding affordable, sustainable alternatives to lithium-ion batteries. The NJIT team, led by Professor Dibakar Datta, successfully applied generative AI techniques to rapidly discover new porous materials capable of … [Read more...] about AI breakthrough unlocks ‘new’ materials to replace lithium-ion batteries
Black metal could give a heavy boost to solar power generation
A team of researchers at the University of Rochester in New York have engineered a solar thermoelectric generator that’s 15 times more efficient than current state-of-the-art devices. In the quest for energy independence, researchers have studied solar thermoelectric generators (STEGs) as a promising source of solar electricity generation. Unlike the photovoltaics currently … [Read more...] about Black metal could give a heavy boost to solar power generation
Smart plastic is self-healing and stronger than steel
Aerospace engineering and materials science researchers at Texas A&M University have uncovered new properties of an ultra-durable, recyclable, smart plastic – paving the way for transformative applications in the defence, aerospace and automotive industries. The breakthrough was led by Mohammad Naraghi, director of the Nanostructured Materials Lab and professor of … [Read more...] about Smart plastic is self-healing and stronger than steel
Leaf-inspired design brings better bioplastics
Researchers at Washington University in St Louis have taken inspiration from the humble leaf to create bioplastics that are both biodegradable and stronger by adding introduce cellulose nanofibers. Society has long struggled with petroleum-derived plastic pollution and awareness of microplastics’ detrimental effects on food and water supplies has added further pressure to … [Read more...] about Leaf-inspired design brings better bioplastics