In Spain, a study led by the University of Barcelona has produced a biodegradable bioplastic of high industrial value — polyhydroxybutyrate or PHB — from unprocessed potato starch in a single 24-hour step, a strategic breakthrough that could help reduce dependence on oil and the volume of persistent plastic waste. The study thus establishes that […]
In South Africa, Engineering News reported that rsearchers from the JENano Group at the University of Johannesburg (UJ) are advancing South Africa’s green hydrogen ambitions through integrated research spanning computational materials design, advanced electrode fabrication, membrane-free electrolyzers, hydrogen storage and fuel-cell systems. Working with local and international partners, the group is developing technologies aimed at […]
In Spain, the president of the Community of Madrid, Isabel Díaz Ayuso, has inaugurated with Her Majesty King Felipe VI the Center for Water and Energy Innovation of Canal de Isabel II, in the framework of the commemoration of the 175th anniversary of the public company, which has the Honorary Presidency of the monarch. Both […]
In South Korea, the KIGAM team developed Flame Plasma Pyrolysis (FPP), a process that directly treats biomass containing approximately 55% moisture under atmospheric-pressure plasma conditions. The system generates plasma flames at temperatures of approximately 800–900°C through the combustion of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and compressed air. Unlike conventional pyrolysis technologies, the process eliminates the need […]
In Switzerland, dairy and tofu production generate large quantities of protein-containing solutions, only a small part of which is reprocessed in food production – the remainder goes to waste. From this waste, ETH Zurich researchers isolate proteins that they use to form long, threadlike chains known as amyloid fibrils. They then load these fibrils with […]
In California, to harness biological systems (plants and microbes) for next-generation energy production and advanced materials, researchers are looking to beneficial plant-microbe interactions. Because these are complex systems, it has proven difficult to reproducibly control exactly which microbes are present. Subtle differences in materials, methods, or even the hands of the researchers themselves can lead […]
In Australia, pv magazine reported that University of Adelaide researchers, along with scientists from Japan’s Tohoku University, the Tokyo University of Science, and Vanderbilt University in the United States, have successfully developed microscopic iridium catalysts that could result in improved production of green hydrogen. The researchers said the tiny catalysts comprise only 15 atoms of […]
In Michigan, silk threads can be fused into transparent, plastic-like materials that twist terahertz frequencies of light, according to research led by Imperial College London, University of Michigan Engineering and Tufts University. The findings could enable components of 6G networks to be made from upcycled silk. The new materials are also lightweight, yet stronger than […]
In Australia, University of Queensland researchers have developed a new method to produce industrial chemicals commonly used in agriculture, textiles and pharmaceuticals with only carbon dioxide (CO₂), water and electricity. The first-of-its-kind electrochemical generator offers high‑emissions industries a safer and more environmentally friendly pathway to convert waste CO₂ into useful products, while reducing the need for fossil-fuel‑based chemical manufacturing. The generator is powered by […]
In Finland, VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland and LUT University have advanced fully cellulose-based film and coating materials through the F3 – Films for Future bio-based materials project, enabling the packaging industry to reduce and replace plastic while meeting performance and processing requirements. The materials combine plastic-like functionality with designed end-of-life performance: films are […]
