New Cost-effective Way for Graphene Production Using Eucalyptus Trees

Researchers have developed a cost-effective and eco-friendly way of producing graphene using one of Australia’s most abundant resources, eucalyptus trees.

Cheaper and more Sustainable Synthesis Method

Graphene is the thinnest and strongest material known to humans. It’s also flexible, transparent and conducts heat and electricity 10 times better than copper, making it ideal for anything from flexible nanoelectronics to better fuel cells.

The new approach by researchers from RMIT University (Australia) and the National Institute of Technology, Warangal (India), uses Eucalyptus bark extract and is cheaper and more sustainable than current synthesis methods.

Increasing Graphene Availability to Industries Globally

RMIT lead researcher, Distinguished Professor Suresh Bhargava, said the new method could reduce the cost of production from USD 100 per gram to a staggering USD 0.5 per gram.

“Eucalyptus bark extract has never been used to synthesize graphene sheets before and we are thrilled to find that it not only works, it’s in fact a superior method, both in terms of safety and overall cost,” said Bhargava.

“Our approach could bring down the cost of making graphene from around USD 100 per gram to just 50 cents, increasing it availability to industries globally and enabling the development of an array of vital new technologies.” 

Distinctive Features:

Graphene’s distinctive features make it a transformative material that could be used in the development of flexible electronics, more powerful computer chips and better solar panels, water filters and bio-sensors.

Professor Vishnu Shanker from the National Institute of Technology, Warangal, said the ‘green’ chemistry avoids the use of toxic reagents, potentially opening the door to the application of graphene not only for electronic devices but also biocompatible materials.

“Working collaboratively with RMIT’s Centre for Advanced Materials and Industrial Chemistry we’re harnessing the power of collective intelligence to make a lot more useful discoveries,” he said.

A Novel Approach to Graphene Synthesis

Chemical reduction is the most common method for synthesizing graphene oxide as it allows for the production of graphene at a low cost in bulk quantities.

This method however relies on reducing agents that are dangerous to both people and the environment.

Source: RMIT University

Wind and Chemical Industries Join Hands for Wind Turbine Recycling

WindEurope, Cefic (the European Chemical Industry Council) and EUCIA (the European Composites Industry Association) have come together to create a cross-sector platform to advance innovative approaches to the recycling of wind turbine blades. 

Industries Speak

WindEurope CEO, Giles Dickson, said: “Wind energy is an increasingly important part of Europe’s energy mix. The first generation of wind turbines are now starting to come to the end of their operational life and be replaced by modern turbines. Recycling the old blades is a top priority for us and teaming up with the chemical and compositors industries will enable us to do it the most effective way.”

Cefic Director General, Marco Mensink, commented: “The chemical industry plays a decisive role in the transition to a circular economy by investing in the research and development of new materials, which make wind turbine blades more reliable, affordable and recyclable. Innovation is born from collaboration and we look forward to working together to advance wind turbine blade recycling.”

EUCIA President, Roberto Frassine, added: “The wind energy sector has always been at the forefront of using composites as they are instrumental to sustainable energy generation. With this collaboration we hope to set a great industry standard that ultimately will also help customers in other industries like marine and building & infrastructure.”

Learnings from wind turbine recycling will then be transferred to other markets to enhance the overall sustainability of composites.

Recycling Is Crucial

In the next five years 12,000 wind turbines are expected to be decommissioned. Broadening the range of recycling options is critical for the industry’s development. 
In 2018 wind energy supplied 14% of the electricity in the EU with 130,000 wind turbines and this number will only grow in the coming decades. 
Wind turbines blades are made up of a composite material, which boosts the performance of wind energy by allowing lighter and longer blades. Today, 2.5 million tons of composite material are in use in the wind energy sector.

Composite Material- Background Info

Composite materials are being recycled today at commercial scale through cement co-processing, where the cement raw materials are being partially replaced by the glass fibers and fillers in the composite, and the organic fraction replaces coal as a fuel. 

Through that process, the CO2 output of the cement manufacturing process can be significantly reduced (up to 16 % reduction is possible if composites represent 75 % of cement raw materials). Besides recycling through cement co-processing, alternative technologies like mechanical recycling, solvolysis and pyrolysis are being developed, ultimately providing the industry with additional solutions for end-of-life.

Source: WindEurope

XG Sciences to work with Sinochem and Yuyao PGS on graphene-enhanced thermoplastic composites

XG Sciences recently announced that it has entered into a memorandum of understanding with Sinochem Plastics and Yuyao PGS New Material Technology (an advanced materials development company focusing on the combination of graphene nanoplatelets and thermoplastic composites) to participate in developing advanced composites in China, based on its xGnP graphene nanoplatelets.

The Agreement strengthens the on-going relationship among the parties through creation of the Graphene Applications Development Center (GADC), a joint venture company between Sinochem Plastics and Yuyao PGS New Material Technology in the Sino-Italy Ningbo Ecological Park in Yuyao City. The parties recently partnered to bring new graphene enhanced anti-corrosion coatings to industrial and marine applications.

Under the Agreement, graphene-enhanced thermoplastic composites will be developed by GADC and will exclusively leverage graphene nanoplatelets produced by XG Sciences. The parties target a range of thermoplastic materials and end-use markets including automotive, industrial and consumer items such a clothing. Products resulting from the collaboration will be manufactured and sold in China through Sinochem and PGS.

“We are pleased to be able to partner with Sinochem and PGS to further leverage the performance of our materials in new advanced composite applications”, said Dr. Philip Rose, Chief Executive Officer, XG Sciences. “This activity further supports the value of our product offering on the international stage and allows XGS to strengthen our relationship with both Sinochem and PGS and leverage their market reach for our products in the important China market”, Dr. Rose further added.

“We have been supporting XGS in the China market since 2015”, said Dr. Shi Yan, President, Yuyao PGS New Material Technology Co., Ltd., “and we are excited to now combine our efforts with Sinochem Plastics under the Graphene Applications Development Center umbrella to create a new platform of materials.”

Researchers Develop Nanobio-Hybrid Microbes Capable of Converting CO2 Into Plastics

CU Boulder researchers have developed nanobio-hybrid organisms capable of using airborne carbon dioxide and nitrogen to produce a variety of plastics and fuels, a promising first step toward low-cost carbon sequestration and eco-friendly manufacturing for chemicals. 

“Living Factories” that Eat Harmful CO2

By using light-activated quantum dots to fire particular enzymes within microbial cells, the researchers were able to create “living factories” that eat harmful CO2 and convert it into useful products such as biodegradable plastic, gasoline, ammonia and biodiesel.

“The innovation is a testament to the power of biochemical processes,” said Prashant Nagpal, lead author of the research and an assistant professor in CU Boulder’s Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering. “We’re looking at a technique that could improve CO2 capture to combat climate change and one day even potentially replace carbon-intensive manufacturing for plastics and fuels.”

Nanoscopic Quantum Dots

The project began in 2013, when Nagpal and his colleagues began exploring the broad potential of nanoscopic quantum dots, which are tiny semiconductors similar to those used in television sets. Quantum dots can be injected into cells passively and are designed to attach and self-assemble to desired enzymes and then activate these enzymes on command using specific wavelengths of light. 

Nagpal wanted to see if quantum dots could act as a spark plug to fire particular enzymes within microbial cells that have the means to convert airborne CO2 and nitrogen, but do not do so naturally due to a lack of photosynthesis.

Activate the Microbes’ CO2 Appetite

By diffusing the specially-tailored dots into the cells of common microbial species found in soil, Nagpal and his colleagues bridged the gap. Now, exposure to even small amounts of indirect sunlight would activate the microbes’ CO2 appetite, without a need for any source of energy or food to carry out the energy-intensive biochemical conversions.

“Each cell is making millions of these chemicals and we showed they could exceed their natural yield by close to 200%,” Nagpal said.

The microbes, which lie dormant in water, release their resulting product to the surface, where it can be skimmed off and harvested for manufacturing. Different combinations of dots and light produce different products: Green wavelengths cause the bacteria to consume nitrogen and produce ammonia while redder wavelengths make the microbes feast on CO2 to produce plastic instead.

The process also shows promising signs of being able to operate at scale. The study found that even when the microbial factories were activated consistently for hours at a time, they showed few signs of exhaustion or depletion, indicating that the cells can regenerate and thus limit the need for rotation.

“We were very surprised that it worked as elegantly as it did,” Nagpal said. “We’re just getting started with the synthetic applications.”

Replace Carbon-Intensive Manufacturing for Plastics

The ideal futuristic scenario, Nagpal said, would be to have single-family homes and businesses pipe their CO2 emissions directly to a nearby holding pond, where microbes would convert them to a bioplastic. The owners would be able to sell the resulting product for a small profit while essentially offsetting their own carbon footprint.

“Even if the margins are low and it can’t compete with petrochemicals on a pure cost basis, there is still societal benefit to doing this,” Nagpal said. “If we could convert even a small fraction of local ditch ponds, it would have a sizeable impact on the carbon output of towns. It wouldn’t be asking much for people to implement. Many already make beer at home, for example, and this is no more complicated.”

The focus now, he said, will shift to optimizing the conversion process and bringing on new undergraduate students. Nagpal is looking to convert the project into an undergraduate lab experiment in the fall semester, funded by a CU Boulder Engineering Excellence Fund grant. Nagpal credits his current students with sticking with the project over the course of many years.

“It has been a long journey and their work has been invaluable,” he said. “I think these results show that it was worth it.”

Source: University of Colorado

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Airbus Engineers Create Free-Flapping Wing Tips

Airbus engineers have developed a new aircraft concept that could be the first to flap its wings. Well, not the entire wing, just the tip.

The team created AlbatrossOne, a scale-model prototype that has been under development for the past 20 months at the Airbus Filton facility in the UK.

The new wing design features what Airbus is calling a "semi-aeroelastic hinge." Essentially, the tip of the wing flickers to fend off turbulence and wind gusts while also reducing drag and overall wing weight.

According to Airbus Engineer Tom Wilson, the team was inspired by the albatross, which locks its wings at the shoulder in order to soar long distances, but can unlock them to maneuver or combat wind gusts.

Made out of a combination of carbon fiber reinforced polymer composites (CFRP), glass fiber reinforced plastic (GFRP), additive layer manufacturing (ALM) and plywood, the scale model proof-of-concept recently took its first flight, and it was a success.

The AlbatrossOne is based on Airbus's A321 plane. While some existing aircraft, like military jets, do have hinged wing-tips, the AlbatrossOne is the first that allows inflight, free-flapping wing-tips.

According to the researchers, by allowing the tips to react and flex, it reduces the load on the wing which could enable lighter and longer wings - longer wings mean less drag and more fuel efficiency. And while others, like a team from NASA and Boeing, have experimented with rigid inflight wing folding, Airbus's Albatross appears to be the first free flapper.

In initial tests, the wings were either fully locked or free-flapping. Next, the team plans to fly the plane in both modes during a single flight before the demonstrator is scaled up for additional tests.

Image Credit: Thomas Industry Update

Bio-on & Kartell Develop the World's First Furniture Made from 100% Natural Bioplastic

One of the leading design firms Kartell and Bio-on have developed the world's first furniture made from BIO-ON's 100% natural, revolutionary bioplastic. The two companies are working together on a number of fronts. "Fully sustainable" edition of modular unit presented at Salone del Mobile already available to buy. 

For Kartell, the way to offer more choices of materials to its customers and designers is through one of its most popular products. The company has chosen one of its signature best-sellers - the modular unit designed by Anna Castelli Ferrieri in 1967 and, to mark its 50th anniversary, it will be on sale immediately in a totally eco-sustainable edition available in four colors, green, pink, cream and yellow, in the three-module version. 

Kartell Chairman Claudio Luti says: “Research is our mission and we continue to experiment to combine innovation and design. Holding firm our values and working on new and developing industrial processes, we are pleased to reach a further milestone in the year of our seventieth anniversary. We have worked with Bio-on to offer our customers an extremely high-quality bioplastic product and we have chosen one of our most world-renowned products to do so. Bioplastic research sits alongside our innovation journey and is part of the “Kartell loves the planet” project aimed at encouraging good sustainability practice.” 

Bio-on founder and CEO Marco Astorri adds: “It's an extraordinary honor for us to see our bioplastic used by one of Italy's best-known design brands and to launch sales at the sector's top trade show. To repay the trust and attention Claudio Luti has given us in the last few months, we named the biopolymer used in this specific application CL, using his initials. We are seeing the first line of sunscreen products made using our technology and the first furniture reach the market within the space of just a few days. This is clear confirmation of the amazing versatility that our biopolymer can offer, bringing its extraordinary advantages and values to all sectors.” 

Source: Bio-on

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