[Images above] Credit: NIST
ENERGY
Speargun-inspired device may make offshore wind farms cheaper
RMIT University engineers built a speargun-inspired device that could cut the costs and time involved in planning offshore wind farms. The device launches a probe into the seabed, which can tell surveyors what the ground is like. After the survey is complete, the device has a retraction mechanism to collect the probes.
Energy-storing carbon fiber composites pave the way to weightless batteries
Sinonus, a spin-out from Chalmers Technical University in Sweden, developed a unique carbon fiber material that can store electrical energy, enabling energy storage in existing structures for a variety of industries.
Old solar panels can be recycled into lithium-ion batteries
Chinese researchers found a way to turn silicon from old solar panels into powerful anodes for lithium-ion batteries. The key was mixing the micrometer-sized silicon particles into a specially designed electrolyte made from lithium hexafluorophosphate and a couple of carbon-based solvents.
Novel electrode for improving flowless zinc–bromine battery
Researchers at Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology developed a novel nitrogen-doped mesoporous carbon-coated thick graphite felt electrode for flowless zinc–bromine batteries. The carbon coating on the electrode improved interfacial contact with the aqueous electrolyte and enhanced electrochemical performance.
ENVIRONMENT
Dark oxygen from natural deep-sea ‘battery’ raises questions on mining
Scientists discovered a source of “dark oxygen” on the abyssal seafloor, a place where no sunlight can penetrate. The oxygen, which appears to be made from metals forming a natural battery, might play a role in the ecosystem of the deep ocean. The researchers say that removing these metals might interfere with ocean ecosystems.
Solar farms with stormwater controls mitigate runoff and erosion
As the number of major utility-scale ground solar panel installations grows, concerns about their impacts on natural hydrologic processes also have grown. However, researchers at The Pennsylvania State University suggest that excess runoff or increased erosion can be easily mitigated if these solar farms are properly built.
3D-printed microstructure forest facilitates solar steam generator desalination
Researchers in Singapore 3D printed solar steam generators composed of miniature tree-shaped microstructures, forming an efficient, heat-distributing forest. The device demonstrated a high rate of water evaporation observed in both simulated environments and field trials.
Researchers examine nanotechnological methods for improving agriculture
Researchers from a 2022 interdisciplinary workshop published a paper reviewing the possibility that nanocarriers could make crop agriculture more sustainable and resilient to climate change.
MANUFACTURING
Rapid thermal shock method uniformly disperses metal nanoparticles on carbon supports
Researchers from China developed a rapid joule-heating synthesis method that ensures the uniform dispersion of metal nanoparticles on carbon supports and enhances the electron conductivity of catalysts.
Virginia Tech Helmet Lab develops ratings system for safety helmets
Thirteen years after releasing the first independent safety ratings for varsity football helmets, the Virginia Tech Helmet Lab is expanding beyond the field of athletics. This summer, researchers will begin an 18-month study to develop the first ratings system for safety helmets.
OTHER STORIES
Aluminum scandium nitride films: Enabling next-gen ferroelectric memory devices
Researchers at Tokyo Institute of Technology, in collaboration with Canon Anelva Corporation and Japan Synchrotron Radiation Research Institute, showed that aluminum scandium nitride ferroelectric films remain stable and maintain their ferroelectric properties at temperatures up to 600°C.
Powerful new particle accelerator a step closer with muon-marshaling technology
Imperial College London researchers showed how muons can be corralled into beams suitable for high-energy collisions using magnetic lenses and energy-absorbing materials. They say that positive results of this study gives them the confidence to go ahead with larger prototype accelerators that put the technique into practice.
For students: International Youth Forum on Functional Glass and Optoelectronic Materials
The ACerS Glass & Optical Materials Division and the Chinese Ceramic Society are organizing the International Youth Forum on Functional Glass and Optoelectronic Materials in Qinhuangdao, China, from Aug. 29–Sept. 1, 2024. Ph.D. students and young scholars under the age of 45 can apply for funding by submitting a CV and abstract to xinwang@siom.ac.cn before July 31.
