Tackling the climate crisis
In this book, Griffith seeks to instruct and motivate us on the current unenviable state of our planet and presents the case for a rapid implementation of assiduous corrective action. Griffith’s basic idea is to call upon every individual on our planet to commit to being part of the solution and this means in practice reducing our carbon footprint as close as possible to zero.
Highlighting H2O2
Hydrogen peroxide is not just useful for bleaching hair, but it is also forming the basis for a whole new approach to artificial photosynthesis, as Jon Evans discovers.
Probiotics for plants
Earlier in 2022, the European Commission proposed a new legal requirement for the EU to reduce pesticide use by 50% by 2030. So could microbes and microbial crop protection products help farmers to combat plant pests and diseases with fewer or no chemical inputs? Anthony King reports
Sweeter polymers
Plant based sugars are increasingly of interest as feedstocks to make greener, better performing plastics – including a polymer filler derived from sugar beet. Lou Reade reports
Fractured gas supply
The UK government has indicated its willingness to look at all possible energy options to end dependency on Russian gas and cope with spiralling prices. So could we bring back fracking as part of the solution? Maria Burke reports
Edible wind turbine
A new composite resin for making wind turbine blades can be recycled into new blades, countertops, vehicle parts and even confectionary, researchers reported at the ACS Fall 2022 meeting in Chicago. Most old turbine blades currently end up in landfill, although some progress has been made in recycling them into lower value materials.
Solid refrigerant
A prototype air conditioner that uses solid materials instead of hydrofluorocarbon refrigerants promises a new direction in environmentally friendly cooling.
REFLEX recycling in Africa
Chemicals giant Dow Chemical announced in June 2022 the expansion of its plastic waste management and recycling initiative, Project REFLEX, in Egypt and Guinea after a successful pilot phase in Nigeria. The move should aid Africa’s goal of diverting at least 50% of the waste generated in the continent towards reuse, recycling and recovery by 2030.
3D-printing wood
3D-printed objects made from a wood-based ink can morph into complex shapes – in a predictable fashion – as the ink dries. The way ink is laid down by the printer dictates the morphing behaviour when moisture evaporates from the printed piece, a team from Israel reported at the ACS Fall 2022 Meeting in Chicago.
Advanced materials
Read the latest Advanced Materials highlights in C&I Magazine Issue 9 2022 written by Arno Kraft, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, UK.