A team of researchers at Technical University of Denmark (DTU) may have cracked one of the toughest nuts in sustainable energy: how to make fuel cells light and powerful enough for aerospace applications. In an interdisciplinary collaboration between DTU Energy and DTU Construct, the researchers have developed a radical redesign of the so-called solid oxide cells (or SOCs) … [Read more...] about 3D-printed fuel cells may power future aerospace technologies
Sustainability
Cardboard and earth reshape sustainable construction
Engineers in Australia have developed a new building material with about one quarter of concrete’s carbon footprint, while reducing waste going to landfill. The innovative material, called cardboard-confined rammed earth, is composed entirely of cardboard, water and soil – making it reusable and recyclable. In Australia alone, more than 2.2 million tonnes of cardboard and … [Read more...] about Cardboard and earth reshape sustainable construction
New UK–Norway partnership offers integrated offshore wind design
The Norwegian Geotechnical Institute (NGI) has entered into a partnership with design and engineering consultancy Longitude to provide developers and operators of offshore wind farms with an integrated technical offering in offshore wind design, from concept to detailed design, including foundations, subsea cables and offshore substations. ‘Our goal is to deliver an enhanced … [Read more...] about New UK–Norway partnership offers integrated offshore wind design
New research targets the development of plastics made from sustainable biomaterials
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
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