Chementator
Batteries not required for this smart gas mask
Researchers from Chung-Ang University (Seoul, South Korea; https://neweng.cau.ac.kr) have developed a triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) that is operable via breathing and can, therefore, be integrated into gas masks. The device is capable of powering LEDs and Bluetooth trackers, and can monitor…
Chementator Briefs [October 2022]
E-Cracking Last month, construction began on the world’s first demonstration plant for large-scale, electrically heated steam cracker furnaces. The demonstration plant will be fully integrated into one of the existing steam crackers at BASF’s Verbund site in Ludwigshafen, Germany. It…
This inorganic fiber-based paper passively cools buildings, vehicles and much more
A new paper material developed at Northeastern University (Boston, Mass.; www.northeastern.edu) is capable of passive cooling, potentially reducing the energy load required for air conditioning in buildings. “The paper is made from fibers of a calcium-based material called hydroxyapatite. The…
Two milestones for industrial solar-thermal production of fuels
In August, Synhelion S.A. (Lugano, Switzerland; www.synhelion.com) became the first company in the world to produce synthesis gas (syngas) on an industrial scale using only solar heat as an energy source. The milestone occurred on the multifocus solar tower of…
Rare-earth recovery from magnet scrap is being scaled up
Rare-earth materials are a crucial part of high-performance magnets in many electronic devices. Right now, only about 5% of these magnets are recycled, but tapping into end-of-life electronics is a promising and more sustainable source for rare-earth materials, the vast…
Compressing hydrogen from electrolyzers with a single stage
At Achema 2022 (Frankfurt am Main, Germany; August 22–26), a new compressor designed for hydrogen service was launched by Aerzen Machinenfabrik GmbH (Aerzen, Germany; www.aerzen.com). “We consider this solution to be the game changer in the market,” said Michael Leitsch,…
Evonik is scaling up membrane-based lithium recycling
Evonik Industries Ag (Essen, Germany) has announced progress to make the recycling of lithium simpler, more cost-effective, and more environmentally friendly. This metal is essential for the batteries used to drive millions of electric vehicles. At present, however, up to…
Extracting pressurized hydrogen from ammonia, methane and biogas
Proton ceramic cells that couple endothermic steam reforming with heat from electrochemical gas separation and compression have been scaled up. These cells, developed by CoorsTek Membrane Sciences AS (Oslo; www.coorstek.com), the University of Oslo (both Norway; www.uio.no) and the Institute…
Silicate-rock-based material can replace flyash in cement, lowering costs and CO2
Flyash, a waste byproduct from coal burning, has been used effectively as a supplementary cementitious material (SCM) in Portland cement to displace a portion of the cement and lower the CO2 emissions associated with cement making. But because coal burning…
A new electrolyte supercharges sodium-ion batteries
Sodium-ion batteries have many advantages over lithium-ion batteries due to sodium’s abundance and low cost. However, there are several performance challenges to overcome with sodium-ion batteries because there is typically a tradeoff between energy density and lifecycle. Now, a research…