A new class of material developed in Ceder’s lab relies on disordered structures. It is based on abundant materials and is called DRX – disordered rock salts with excess lithium.
A Dutch company says its zinc-based antimicrobial packaging prevents 99.9% of bacteria from attaching to its surface, as well as viruses, fungi and mould. It could find use in protecting food such as fish, which go off rapidly.
There has been much discussion around the world in recent months about achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. The discussions have been given urgency by the imminent COP26 event to be held in November 2021 in Glasgow, UK. Read the C&I Magazine leader article.
Scientists have carried out the first CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing experiments in space, aboard the International Space Station (ISS), (PLOS ONE, doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0253403). Read the C&I Magazine article.
Standard displays in TVs and mobile phones rely on LEDs. However, these are relatively expensive to manufacture and collectively they consume lots of energy. Alternative reflective displays do not always need power and reflect the light from their ambient surroundings.
Negative consumer sentiment, regulation and a global focus on sustainability have combined to push plastics sustainability to the fore. Future projections of a circular economy emphasise that a combination of recycled and bio-based resources will serve as a feedstock.*
A Europe-based biopharma company is trialling what it describes as the first herbal supplement shown to prevent Covid-19 symptoms from worsening. Read the C&I news article.
A new graphene oxide-polyvinyl alcohol aerogel could reduce aircraft engine noise and improve passenger comfort (Nature Sci. Rep., doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-90101-0).
Researchers in the US have reported a simple method for recovering rare earth elements (REEs) from coal waste using an ionic liquid (IL).