Water from the Colorado River is critical for agriculture, people and the environment. As populations burgeon and environmental flows are in jeopardy, many see agriculture as the ‘go to’ source to meet shortages. A group of researchers at Colorado State University has...
Energy & Green Tech
New electrocatalysts to produce ethanol more efficiently
In recent years, researchers worldwide have been exploring new methods of producing ethanol, a chemical compound that is extensively used in a variety of industrial settings. One way to produce this compound is via what is known as the carbon dioxide electroreduction...
A method to produce hydrogen in vivo photosynthetically
Researchers have been trying to produce hydrogen photosynthetically for quite some time now, as this could pave the way toward a more sustainable energy infrastructure. Some of them have succeeded by fusing different hydrogenases (H2ase) to photosystem I (PSI) in...
A New Filtration Technique That Could Reduce Lithium Extraction Times
Researchers at Monash University, CSIRO, the University of Melbourne and the University of Texas have devised a new lithium extraction method that could pave the way towards a greener future.
A new flexible piezoelectric composite for 3-D printing
Researchers at Peking University, Southern University of Science and Technology and the University of Jinan in China have recently designed a ceramic-polymer composite that can be used to print complex 3-D grid architectures. This composite, first presented in a paper...
Simultaneously tuning the surface structure and oxidation state of copper catalysts
Electrical energy derived from renewable sources could be used to rearrange bonds in carbon dioxide (CO2) and water molecules into complex hydrocarbons, which can then be burnt to produce new energy and CO2, ultimately enabling a carbon cycle. Copper is a catalytic...
A design strategy to produce stable and high-energy aqueous zinc-manganese dioxide batteries
The global demand for rechargeable batteries has grown exponentially over the past decade or so, as they are needed to power the increasing numbers of portable electronic devices such as smart phones, laptops, tablets, smart watches and fitness trackers. To work most...
A framework for adaptive task allocation during multi-robot missions
In recent years, robots have become increasingly sophisticated, hence they are now able to complete a wide variety of tasks. While some robots are designed to work individually, for instance providing basic assistance in people's homes, others might be more efficient...
A strategy to achieve ultrahigh power and energy density in lithium-ion batteries
In recent years, lithium-based batteries have become widely used to power a wide range of electronic devices, including tablets, smart phones and portable computers. These batteries have different compartments, called cells, each of which contains a positive electrode...
A cyclic phosphate-based electrolyte for safe and high voltage lithium-ion batteries
In light of the ongoing shift toward renewable energy technologies and the growing number of Internet of Things (IoT) devices, researchers worldwide have been trying to develop batteries that can operate more efficiently and for longer periods of time. Lithium-ion...