[Image above] Credit: ACerS
ENVIRONMENT
More water, less maintenance: Researchers target 20-year desalination membranes(opens in new tab)
Technology Innovation Institute researchers are developing a desalination technology that could extend the life of membranes used in reverse osmosis from around three to four years to up to 20 years. A special internal coating performs the salt separation, while the ceramic structure is designed to withstand the pressures and cleaning processes involved in desalination.
Zero-waste utilization of feldspathic ores(opens in new tab)
Researchers at Inonu University processed potassium feldspar ore into raw materials for the fertilizer, aluminum, and abrasives sectors without producing waste. Traditionally, separating valuable components from feldspar leaves a significant amount of waste.
MANUFACTURING
Digital tools and 3D printing emerge as key themes in circular economy research(opens in new tab)
A review of the research literature spanning the years 2020 to 2026 has found that digital technologies, additive manufacturing, and resource recovery are major themes in the transition toward a sustainable, circular economy.
New way to reduce metal waste in manufacturing(opens in new tab)
University of Maine researchers developed a method called shear-assisted particle entrapment that separates microscopic metal particles and captures them in a polymer film. These recovered materials could then be reused in 3D printing, sintering, and other powder-based manufacturing processes.
OTHER STORIES
‘Super ice’ rivals concrete in strength(opens in new tab)
By reinforcing ice with tiny plant-based crystals and a specially designed protein, Hebrew University researchers created a material that rivals concrete in strength and absorbs 70 times more energy before breaking.
Quantum calculations reveal how quantum defects lose energy(opens in new tab)
University of Chicago researchers developed a new first-principles framework that revealed a surprisingly important energy-loss mechanism in silicon carbide that scientists had previously underestimated.
Sound holds the key to making glass good at conducting heat(opens in new tab)
Tohoku University researchers investigated 13 different silicate glass compositions to understand how their thermal properties influence heat conduction. Their findings revealed that the speed of sound through glass plays the dominant role in determining its thermal conductivity.
Missouri S&T launches glass science lecture series honoring Delbert Day(opens in new tab)
Missouri University of Science and Technology launched a new lecture series honoring Delbert Day, a longtime university researcher whose research in specialty glass has helped advance cancer treatment and wound care. The inaugural Delbert E. Day Lecture on Glass Science and Technology was held Thursday, Oct. 15.