Prabhakar Bandaru, a professor in the UCSD Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, along with graduate student Mark Hoefer, have discovered that artificially introducing defects in carbon nanotubes would increase their energy storage capacity.
Nuclear power has been discarded for decades since the tragic accidents from the 80's that led to numerous environmental damages in Ukraine and other parts of the world. Still, nowadays there is a trend of reviving nuclear power, to make it 100% safe and to convince people it's worth investing in it, as an alternative to coal or petrol.
Their discovery drastically reduces the reaction time (99% faster). In the past, the reaction that took place in 48 hours, now only lasts 30 minutes and increases the average molecular weight of the polymer by a factor of more than three.
The Carnot Limit, calculated in the 19th century, demonstrates and sets the maximum efficiency that any device can achieve in converting heat into work. Theoretically and practically, you can't go over that limit. So, the devices constructed up to now only get a tenth of Carnot's limit.
When we hear about carbon dioxide, it's like hearing of a serial killer. LBNL (Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory), and a CA-based company Symyx Technologies, instead, aided by several U.S. universities, have changed the image of this greenhouse gas a bit by putting it into a green job: geothermal energy harvesting.
Solyndra Inc. has recently developed a new solar cell system that will reduce the costs of solar power production. They will install it over the rooftop of a North Sacramento plastics factory. This investment will prove to be one of the biggest West Coast solar harvesting systems.
The greenest high school ever built will conserve energy by using 36 wind turbines and solar panels in conjunction with a green roof and systems that maximize the use of ventilation and natural light.
Saltworks Technologies reported that they can produce 1 cubic meter of fresh water using just 1kWh compared to 3.7kWh per cubic meter achievable using reverse osmosis.
Nanowires have been the center of attention for the past few years. By enabling scientists to produce devices that were never thought to be possible, the nanowires made investments flow into this area and bring even more discoveries of their potential.
A team of U.S. researchers have developed a new way to generate alternative fuel from bacteria. They have genetically modified bacteria to eat CO2 and produce isobutyraldehyde, which can further be used to produce isobutanol.
