Cleantech and Environmental News – Latest Headlines

The future of recycling could one day mean dissolving plastic with electricity (w/video)

Chemists have developed a new way to recycle a common type of plastic found in soda bottles and other packaging. The team's method relies on electricity and some nifty chemical reactions, and it's simple enough that you can watch the plastic break apart in front of your eyes.

July 5, 2023 Read more

Researchers create CO2 measurement tool to calculate emissions caused by digital data

A unique carbon footprint tool has been created to allow businesses to measure the CO2 output of their digital data.

July 4, 2023 Read more

Electrochemical device captures carbon dioxide at the flick of a switch

New carbon capture technology developed by Rice University engineers can generate a continuous, high-purity carbon dioxide stream from diluted, or low-concentration, gas streams using only electricity and a water-and-oxygen-based reaction.

June 28, 2023 Read more

An ingredient in toothpaste may make electric cars go farther

New fluoride-containing electrolyte paves the way for high performance, long-lasting batteries.

June 28, 2023 Read more

Will engineered carbon removal solve the climate crisis?

A new study explores fairness and feasibility in deep mitigation pathways with novel carbon dioxide removal, taking into account institutional capacity to implement mitigation measures.

June 22, 2023 Read more

Engineers 'strike gold' with innovation that recovers heavy metals from biosolids

Engineers have developed a cost-effective and environmentally friendly way to remove heavy metals, including copper and zinc, from biosolids.

June 21, 2023 Read more

Clean, sustainable fuels made 'from thin air' and plastic waste

Researchers have demonstrated how carbon dioxide can be captured from industrial processes - or even directly from the air - and transformed into clean, sustainable fuels using just the energy from the Sun.

June 19, 2023 Read more

Single-use bioplastic sheets made from agricultural waste

Researchers have developed a unique kind of bioplastic sheet that is good for the environment and can decompose naturally. Made using leftover pineapple stems from agricultural waste, this new type of bioplastic sheet has the potential to be used as single-use packaging material, as an alternative to the use of harmful plastic sheets.

June 18, 2023 Read more

New method creates material that could create the next generation of solar cells

Researchers created a new process to fabricate large perovskite devices that is more cost- and time-effective than previously possible and that they said may accelerate future materials discovery.

June 17, 2023 Read more

A novel method for squeezing molecules together could significantly reduce chemical manufacturing waste

The technique uses organic chemistry and nanotechnology to push molecules together and create chemicals without the use of costly solvents that pollute the environment.

June 17, 2023 Read more

To boost supply chains, scientists are looking at ways to recover valuable materials from water

From the oceans to geothermal brines, water is an underexplored resource for providing various materials.

June 16, 2023 Read more

This salty gel could harvest water from desert air

Engineers have synthesized a superabsorbent material that can soak up a record amount of moisture from the air, even in desert-like conditions.

June 15, 2023 Read more

Good vibrations: Researchers develop highly efficient energy harvesting device

Researchers have engineered a new energy-generating device by combining piezoelectric composites with carbon fiber-reinforced polymer, a commonly used material that is both light and strong.

June 15, 2023 Read more

Scientists create long-lasting, cobalt-free, lithium-ion batteries

In a discovery that could reduce or even eliminate the use of cobalt - which is often mined using child labor - in the batteries that power electric cars and other products, scientists have developed a long-lasting alternative made with nickel.

June 14, 2023 Read more

A novel technique to observe colloidal particle degradation in real time

Researchers develop an innovative approach using atomic force microscopy to shed light on the degradation of colloidal particles.

June 14, 2023 Read more

A baking soda solution for clean hydrogen storage

Researchers propose a safe pathway to store and release clean energy based on the chemistry of baking soda.

June 13, 2023 Read more

Creating stronger, eco-friendly materials by combining cellulose nanofibers and pineapple leaf fibers in epoxy composites

Scientists have conducted groundbreaking research using both tiny cellulose nanofibers and long pineapple leaf fibers to create stronger materials.

June 7, 2023 Read more

Gold nanoparticles harness energy from the sun to break down pollution

Researchers have found a way to make gold nanoparticles with a uniform size and shape, opening up the possibility of finding more effective photocatalysts

June 6, 2023 Read more