Cleantech and Environmental News – Latest Headlines

How to make hydrogen straight from seawater - no desalination required

Researchers have developed a cheaper and more energy-efficient way to make hydrogen directly from seawater, in a critical step towards a truly viable green hydrogen industry.

February 14, 2023 Read more

Solar-driven chemistry one step closer to reality

Scientists offer new insights onto the control over reaction selectivity with visible light in plasmonic catalysis.

February 13, 2023 Read more

Carbon emissions from fertilisers could be reduced by as much as 80% by 2050

Researchers have calculated the carbon footprint for the full life cycle of fertilisers, which are responsible for approximately five percent of total greenhouse gas emissions - the first time this has been accurately quantified - and found that carbon emissions could be reduced to one-fifth of current levels by 2050.

February 11, 2023 Read more

High-efficiency water splitting process revealed

Experiments have revealed the complex mode of action behind the artificial splitting of water at its most efficient level.

February 10, 2023 Read more

Novel microscope developed to design better high-performance batteries

Researchers developed an operando reflection interference microscope (RIM) that provides a better understanding of how batteries work, which has significant implications for the next generation of batteries.

February 9, 2023 Read more

Make them thin enough, and antiferroelectric materials become ferroelectric

Antiferroelectric materials have electrical properties that make them advantageous for use in high-density energy storage applications. Researchers have now discovered a size threshold beyond which antiferroelectrics lose those properties, becoming ferroelectric.

February 9, 2023 Read more

Biosensors change the way water contamination is detected

Scientists have collaborated on the implementation of an accurate, low-cost and easy-to-use test for detecting toxic levels of fluoride in water.

February 8, 2023 Read more

Nanocarbons for sustainable hydrogen production

Scientists have found that a type of metal-free catalysts could contribute to the development of cost-effective and sustainable hydrogen production technologies.

February 8, 2023 Read more

Ultrathin nanosheets for better hydrogen storage

Researchers created 3-4 nanometer ultrathin nanosheets of a metal hydride that increase hydrogen storage capacity.

February 7, 2023 Read more

An ultra-stable protein nanowire made by bacteria provides clues to combating climate change

Scientists discovered how bacteria make conductive protein naowires and why they show such extremely high conductivity.

February 2, 2023 Read more

Rinse and repeat: An easy new way to recycle batteries is here

Scientists invented a material that will reduce the cost, complexity, and environmental impact of battery recycling.

February 1, 2023 Read more

Seawater split to produce green hydrogen

Researchers have successfully split seawater without pre-treatment to produce green hydrogen.

February 1, 2023 Read more

New catalyst that transforms carbon dioxide into high added-value chemical products

A new pseudopeptide catalytic system allows the production of cyclic carbonates from dilute CO2 under mild pressure and temperature conditions and in an enantioselective way.

January 31, 2023 Read more

Converting temperature fluctuations into clean energy with novel nanoparticles and heating strategy

Researchers triggered a significantly faster and more efficient pyro-catalytic reaction using localized plasmonic heat sources to rapidly and efficiently heat up the pyro-catalytic material and allow it to cool down. The findings open up new avenues for efficient catalysis for biological applications, pollutant treatment and clean energy production.

January 31, 2023 Read more

Powering wearable technology with MXene textile supercapacitor 'patch'

Researchers create 6V textile supercapacitor to power wearable technology.

January 30, 2023 Read more

A landmark solid material that upconverts visible light photons to UV light photons changes how we utilize sunlight

Researchers have developed a solid-state material that can stably and efficiently upconvert sunlight- intensity visible light photons to UV light photons. This photon upconversion material can utilize visible light to successfully drive reactions that would conventionally need UV light, broadening the spectrum of utility for the former.

January 30, 2023 Read more

Scientists illuminate barrier to next-generation battery that charges very quickly

In the race for fast-charging, energy-dense lithium metal batteries, researchers discovered why the promising solid electrolyte version has not performed as hoped. This could help new designs - and eventually battery production - avoid the problem.

January 30, 2023 Read more

Reducing batteries' environmental footprint - RecyLIB project aims to save resources and energy

The ReczLIB project aims to develop new processes for battery electrode production, direct recycling and integrated functional material cycles.

January 30, 2023 Read more