Environment

Dr. Tim Kelly and his team at the University of Saskatchewan (USask) have made key discoveries about why solar cells made with lead halide perovskite degrade prematurely. These discoveries could advance the reliability of a new generation of solar cells. In experiments conducted at the Canadian Light Source (CLS) synchrotron, Kelly, a professor of chemistry…

A new method for recycling black polystyrene plastics, such as coffee lids and food containers, could help divert these materials from landfills. The approach, reported in ACS Central Science, uses sunlight or white LED light to transform black and colored polystyrene waste into reusable chemical components. Black plastics are notoriously difficult to recycle due to…

In recent years, the global demand for batteries has significantly increased. This demand is driven by incorporating energy storage in the power sector, expanding solar and wind power use, and rising interest in electric vehicles globally. Governmental investments and new regulations worldwide support this development and the rise of clean energy. The lithium-ion battery (LIB)…

In the pursuit of sustainable energy, some inventors think big. Zhiyu (Jerry) Hu, Ph.D., thinks small — at the nanoscale. His work in thermoelectric devices is transforming how we understand and harvest energy, turning minute temperature differences into reliable power sources. For much of his life, Hu has found inspiration not just in fire but…

Scientists from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) have identified cellulose diacetate (CDA) foam as the fastest-degrading bioplastic tested in seawater, offering a promising alternative to traditional plastics like Styrofoam. The study, led by Collin Ward and his team, was published in ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering. It revealed that foamed CDA degrades 15 times…

Argonne National Laboratory has developed a new technology that could significantly impact the aviation industry and the environment by turning waste streams into cost-competitive sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). This novel invention, dubbed “membrane-assisted anaerobic digestion” (MAAD), converts high-strength organic wastewater from sources like breweries and dairy farms into volatile fatty acids, which can be further…

Researchers are exploring the potential of the International Space Station’s microgravity environment to improve the sensitivity of biosensors used for cancer detection, leading them to investigate a compelling possibility: Could the key to earlier cancer detection lie in the behavior of bubbles in space? Studies on the ISS are showing that it just might, as…

The R&D World Index (RDWI) was up 2.91% with Cisco leading at 8.78%, in spite of its lay-off announcement. In the week ending August 16, the index closed at 3878.49 for the 25 companies in the RDWI. The Index was up 2.91% (or 109.53 basis points). Twenty-one RDWI members gained value last week from 0.95%…

For six decades, the R&D 100 Awards have been a benchmark of achievement in science and technology, often referred to informally as “The Oscars of Innovation.” This year, we’re offering a new interactive experience, allowing you to explore the remarkable work of both winners and finalists across diverse fields. From advances in mechanical and material…

Methane, a potent greenhouse gas, is naturally produced in many crucial industries, such as agriculture and wastewater treatment. What if we could grab that gas before it enters the atmosphere and make something useful out of it? Mango Materials, a California-based biomanufacturing company, has invented a way to do just that. Using a special mixture…

First Solar, Tempe, Arizona, recently commissioned what it dubs ‘the largest thin-film R&D center in the Western Hemisphere.’ The company — the U.S.’s largest solar panel manufacturer — has sited its Jim Nolan Center for Solar Innovation in Lake Township, Ohio, which is just south of Akron. The 1.3-million-ft² facility includes a pilot manufacturing line…

Imagine a world where even the driest deserts could provide clean drinking water. Such a reality could prove transformative for arid regions such as Saudi Arabia, the Atacama Desert in Chile, the Sahel region in Africa, and the Australian Outback. Yet even the air in these dry regions contains trillions of liters of water vapor.…

Nano and Advanced Materials Institute’s (NAMI) dual-performing coolants, based on segregated fluorination technology, with specific operating temperature, high heat of vaporization, specific heat, and thermal conductivity, can overcome the drawback of high-power usage effectiveness (PUE) of single-phase cooling and the high maintenance cost of a two-phase cooling system. Through molecular engineering, NAMI can achieve high…

We all know that 98.6° F is human body temperature … only it isn’t. A new study reconfirms something extensively covered during the COVID pandemic: Normal human body temperature falls between 97.3° and 98.2° F — with 97.9° F as today’s average. And 5 grams per week is the amount of plastic every person consumes … only it isn’t.…

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. has announced a 15-year virtual power purchasing agreement (VPPA) with international solar developer ib vogt. Thermo Fisher’s 91-megawatt portion of the Serbal solar project will deliver approximately 192,000 megawatt hours of renewable electricity annually. Eurofins Scientific, a bioanalytical testing company, collaborated in the aggregated deal for a 36-megawatt portion of the…

Systems using the new innovative FilmTec Fortilife XC120, a spiral-wound reverse osmosis element from from DuPont Water Solutions, achieve water concentrations beyond 80,000 ppm to ~120,000 ppm of total dissolved solids while operating within the pressure limits of standard available reverse osmosis equipment. Reaching these concentrations pushes the overall water recovery up from 90% to…

Cotton and polyester blended-fiber fabrics have been extensively used by clothing manufacturers, and these materials have made up a considerable number of garment wastes disposed of by consumers. Green Machine uses The Hong Kong Research Institute of Textiles and Apparel Limited (HKRITA)’s hydrothermal technology to separate PET-cotton blended textile fibers and decolor the PET fiber…

Buildings generate 39% of global CO2 emissions. Decarbonizing the building sector and improving the climate resilience of buildings are essential to the global clean economy. However, evaluating and prioritizing cost-effective technical solutions for individual buildings at city scale poses a significant challenge for city stakeholders. City Buildings, Energy and Sustainability (CityBES), developed by Lawrence Berkeley…

Grengine, a developer of the world’s first stackable, modular energy storage system, announces it has named Erin Rand as its new CEO, while founder and former CEO, Connie Stacey, will move into a new role as CTO. Formerly known as Growing Greener Innovations, the company also publicly announced its new corporate brand: Grengine. The new…

Oil-derived, single-use plastics are designed to be disposed of immediately after use, but they persist in the environment for much longer. These plastics take decades to degrade and are a huge source of pollution around the world. Despite the urgency to replace traditional plastics with sustainable alternatives, bioplastics are still decades away from meeting the…

By Mark Jones It looks innocuous in my hand, yet there are growing calls to ban it. It may use technology created for the Manhattan Project, but, in my hand, it doesn’t feel like a weapon. It feels natural, in spite of the very unnatural materials it may contain. I’m not at all cautious as…

The Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation (IACMI), headquartered in Knoxville, Tennessee, has announced it is receiving a funding renewal from the Department of Energy (DOE). IACMI becomes the first clean energy institute to be renewed by DOE. IACMI will be receiving federal funding across five fiscal years, with a first-year investment of $6 million…

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. announced it will power all the company’s current U.S. sites with 100% renewable electricity by 2026. The company’s new 20-year virtual power purchasing agreement with EDF Renewables includes the full output of the 200-MW Millers Branch Solar project. The agreement with EDF Renewables will deliver approximately 545,000 MWh of renewable electricity…

Metaspectral, a software company, has received funding as part of the smartEarth Canadian Space Agency initiative to build a method to systematically and methodically quantify the carbon dioxide (CO2) levels present at ground-elevation using hyperspectral data. Metaspectral has created a hybrid on-premise and cloud-based software platform that is used in a variety of industries to…

2022 has been a busy year for the R&D community, from the continuing fight against the COVID-19 pandemic to the repercussions on the economy and funding for future research. We’ve seen some amazing breakthroughs and innovations — and welcomed back the R&D 100 Awards banquet dinner. It’s been a busy year in the industry. Here’s…