Access to fresh water is a pressing geopolitical issue and technological challenge. Desalination is a potentially viable solution considering the abundance of seawater on Earth. While reverse osmosis ...
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Mechanical energy takes many forms in the environment, from ambient vibrations to individual footsteps. It represents a sustainable and largely untapped energy source that could be harnessed to power ...
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Removal of heat from electronic circuitry is one of the limiting factors in the design and performance of most computer systems. One current method of heat removal involves using a cone-shaped spray t...
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Cellulosic biomass has tremendous potential as a renewable resource for the production of fuels and chemicals.  It is especially promising because it is inexpensive and readily available from cro...
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The rise of alternative energy technologies is driving materials R&D. Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) may come to play an important role, as they are able to produce energy by direct chemical-to-electr...
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Many species of Streptomyces are used industrially in the production of medicines, proteins and other fine commodity chemicals. However, the vast majority must be grown on high-cost glucose feedstock ...
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According to the EPA, as of 2015 carbon dioxide and methane comprise about 82% and 10% respectively of greenhouse gas emissions resulting from human activities. Landfill gas is a considerable source ...
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To produce pulp from wood, harsh chemicals are applied during cooking and bleaching mainly because lignin is tough to break down. To make it easier to degrade, Wisconsin researchers discovered how che...
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The platform molecule HMF is derived from biomass and converted into a variety of downstream products. One of the most important of these is FDCA, which is used as a monomer in the production of fiber...
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Distributed energy resources (DER) are small power generators that are typically located near the customer’s load, where energy is used. Small DER produce low emissions, can be manufactured at l...
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Cyanobacteria are photosynthetic microorganisms capable of producing far more sugar per acre than corn, sugarcane or sugar beet. Unlike other bacteria and yeast, cyanobacteria use atmospheric CO2 as t...
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Fuel cells and other types of electrochemical cells rely on platinum cathodes to drive oxygen reduction. Although efficient, platinum cathodes are expensive given the element’s relative scarcity. On...
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Catalysts for organic chemical transformations, in particular those used for alcohol oxidations, are considered to be valuable commodities for the bulk, fine chemical as well as pharmaceutical industr...
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Seismic events produce two types of seismic waves, referred to as P waves and S waves. P waves are relatively easy to detect (or “pick”) with software. S waves travel more slowly and arrive in the...
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Activated (porous) carbon is conventionally produced by pyrolysis (carbonization) of carbon-rich biomass or coal followed by activation/oxidation. Activated carbon produced by this conventional method...
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Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanowires are of tremendous commercial interest because they could help drive the next big advancements in solar cells, flat panel displays and other transparent conductor application...
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Producing biofuel on an industrial scale requires efficient fermentation of cellulosic plant material. Glucose and xylose are two of the most abundant sugars found in biomass. The yeast most commonly ...
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The lignin in corn stalks makes it difficult to process for biomass and harder for animals to digest. Levels are especially high in the tough outer ‘rind’ and vascular bundles of the stem. For th...
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A biomass-derived chemical called HMF (5-hydroxymethylfurfural) can be turned into a variety of industrial molecules. For example, it can be reduced to BHMF or 2,5-bis(hydroxymethyl) furan, an importa...
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Levoglucosenone (LGO) is a highly dehydrated sugar typically derived from cellulose. It is an important, non-petroleum building block chemical with potential uses in a wide range of industrial process...
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Photoelectrochemical cells (PECs) use solar energy to produce fuels, much as nature does through photosynthesis. In a typical PEC, fuels are formed by reduction reactions at the cathode. For example, ...
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Gamma-valerolactone (GVL) is an inexpensive solvent derived from biomass that can be used to break apart tough lignocellulose into fermentable sugars including xylose and glucose. GVL-based techniques...
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Manufacturing paper and producing biofuels is difficult because the lignin in plant cell walls is tough to degrade. Current techniques are energy intensive and use harsh chemicals. In the case of biof...
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An estimated one million tons of heavy metals are discharged into sewers each year in the United States, persisting in soil and water and ultimately contaminating crops and fish. Waste streams contain...
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Conventional techniques for generating plasmas aren't suitable for plasma reactions in liquids such as gasoline or diesel fuels. They are inefficient and can result in significant heat and unwanted ef...
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