In California, seeking solutions to counteract the rise in plastic trash, scientists at the University of California San Diego have developed new biodegradable materials that are designed to replace conventionally used plastic. After proving their polyurethane foams biodegrade in land-based composts, an interdisciplinary team of scientists have now shown that the material biodegrades in seawater. […]
In Singapore, a new study commissioned by SEA-LNG has found that liquified bio-methane (bio-LNG) can make a major contribution to maritime decarbonization. Conducted by the Maritime Energy and Sustainable Development Center of Excellence (MESD CoE) at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore), the study explored questions around fuel availability, cost, lifecycle emissions and logistics, providing […]
In China, with the help of genetic manipulation and advanced biophysical tools, an international research team has gained unexpected insight into how a bacterium uptakes sugars derived from plant feedstock. Their findings were published on Sept. 7 in mBio. The bacterium, Clostridium thermocellum, has long been a lead contender in the sustainable industrial production of […]
In Maryland, University of Maryland researcher was awarded $2.6 million by the U.S. Department of Energy to investigate the genetics underlying how poplar trees sense nutrients and regulate their metabolism—information that could help farmers maximize yields of this and other plants used in biofuel production. Dedicated biomass crops like poplar, switchgrass, miscanthus and bamboo are […]
In Brazil, a team of researchers has successfully converted methane into methanol using light and scattered transition metals such as copper in a process known as photo-oxidation. The reaction was the best achieved to date for converting methane gas into liquid fuel at ambient temperature and pressure (25 °C and 1 bar, respectively), according to […]
In Oklahoma, funded by the Department of Energy, a theoretical study led researchers at the University of Oklahoma is modeling how carbon dioxide could be combined with ethylene, the most common industrial chemical, to make acrylic acid, a common component of many household industrial products. Acrylic acid is used to make disposable diapers, clothing, plastics, […]
In Texas, a team of Texas A&M AgriLife Research scientists has developed a system that uses carbon dioxide to produce bioplastics. Susie Dai, associate professor in the Texas A&M Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology, noted that today’s petroleum-based plastics do not degrade easily and create a massive issue in the ecosystems and, ultimately, oceans. […]
In Germany, methanol plays an important role for industry as a commodity chemical and is presently considered one of the key energy carriers in the rising hydrogen economy. However, conventional methanol production from coal and natural gas generates large amounts of greenhouse gas emissions. With the project “Carbon2Chem®”, partners from industry, research and academia have […]
In Texas, hydrogen has drawn attention in recent years as a potential source of clean energy because it burns without producing climate-damaging emissions. However, traditional hydrogen production methods have a substantial carbon footprint, and cleaner methods are expensive and technically complex. Now researchers are reporting a significant advance, a two-electrode catalyst that relies on one […]
In Illinois, through funding provided by BioMADE, the National Corn-to-Ethanol Research Center (NCERC) at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, Valerian Materials, the University of Minnesota, and Scientific Bioprocessing Inc. (SBI) have partnered to perform research and development on novel sustainable materials solutions. Launched in 2021, BioMADE is the most-recently established Manufacturing Innovation Institute. By supporting the […]
