Good electrochemical energy storage (EES) devices such as rechargeable batteries and supercapacitors can store a lot of energy and release it quickly, but these design goals are often at odds with each other. Using design optimization and 3D printing, a team led by engineers and scientists at Lawrence Livermore National...
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Building upon the chemistry that oysters use in miles-long reefs, scientists have found a way to create cement that is stronger and cures faster. Jonathan Wilker, a professor of chemistry in Purdue University's College of Science and an expert in adhesives and biomimetic materials innovation, has long been interested in...
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Hydrology experts at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) used artificial intelligence and a physics-based understanding of streamflow to create a model that provides highly accurate predictions of river temperatures, even in waterways that lack sensors. The findings are published in the Journal of Hydrology....
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A model developed by Washington State University researchers can predict how transmission towers might fail and collapse in extreme wind events. The work, reported in the journal Engineering Structures, could someday help power companies identify the most vulnerable transmission towers in extreme wind events and determine which should have retrofits...
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Somewhere between 5% and 7% of U.S. households have rooftop solar panels. Many more Americans want them, but high costs, building locations and landlord restrictions are key obstacles....
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Green hydrogen is a key area of opportunity in the energy transition. However, the use of pipelines to transport this energy source is associated with a degree of risk. Research scientists at the Fraunhofer Institute for High-Speed Dynamics, Ernst-Mach-Institut, EMI, are developing a hydraulic simulation tool to assist with the...
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Wind turbines supply a particularly large amount of electricity in winter—precisely when demand is high. Nevertheless, expansion is stagnating in many regions of Europe. One of the main reasons is that wind turbines can clash with the local scenic landscape and are therefore met with local opposition....
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An international study with EPFL researchers suggests that large reductions in carbon emissions from cement and steel building materials may be achievable by 2050 using already-existing construction technologies....
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Besides water, cement is used more than any other material on Earth. Its manufacture begins by combining limestone with ingredients such as shale, clay, or sand. This mixture is ground into a powder, heated to 1,400°C, cooled, blended with additives, then further pulverized to become cement....
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The case for investing in direct air capture weakens substantially once it is directly compared against solar and wind, according to an analysis published in Communications Sustainability. The paper is titled "Direct air capture has substantial health and climate opportunity costs."...
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Have you ever paid more for a product because a brand told you it was good for you and the planet? Many activewear shoppers do exactly this, trusting that the "healthy" image on the label matches what is actually in the fabric. That trust is now being questioned....
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A research team led by Professor Young-Jun Kim at the Sungkyunkwan Advanced Institute of Nano Technology (SAINT) of SKKU has announced a breakthrough in "dry electrode" technology—a next-generation manufacturing process for batteries. The team has developed materials optimized for solvent-free electrode processing, a feat expected to shift the paradigm of...
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Nuclear reactors generate reliable, low-carbon electricity by using heat from nuclear fission to turn turbines. These steady energy producers are a crucial component of clean power generation. Nuclear engineers are responsible not only for understanding reactor dynamics, ensuring proper maintenance and recognizing unusual behavior, but also for determining appropriate corrective...
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Wave energy technologies can provide reliable, local power for autonomous underwater vehicles, and at-sea applications across U.S. coastal regions, especially where traditional energy supply is limited or costly. Although some wave energy devices have demonstrated promising performance, most are still in early development. Numerical modeling tools reduce cost and risk...
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Safer and more environmentally friendly indoor solar panels could soon help power electronics in homes and offices, thanks to University of Queensland researchers. A team of chemical engineers led by UQ's Dr. Miaoqiang Lyu and Professor Lianzhou Wang have developed a new fabrication method that eliminates the need for toxic...
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