Based on similar technology to night-vision goggles, Australian researchers have developed a device that can generate electricity from thermal radiation

20-May-2022

The sun’s enormous energy may soon be harnessed in the dark of night following a significant advance in thermal capture technology. Solar radiation heats the earth’s crust significantly during daylight hours, but that energy is lost into the coldness of space when the sun goes down. Now, ...

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Made from cheap chemicals, this polymer packs a punch

17-Mar-2022

An imaginative approach to polymer surface coating has produced a sustainable way to remove mercury from water – while providing a wide range of protection including for preventing metal corrosion and solvent damage of plastic PVC pipes. The smart coating, made from low-cost chemicals from oil ...

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Extend the driving range between charges: All-in-one molecule overtakes obstacles, paves way for long-life lithium-oxygen batteries

15-Feb-2022

Motorists going slow on the uptake of electric vehicles cite anxiety about the distance they can travel between charges as a key concern. Clean energy researchers at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) have designed a molecule to boost the performance of lithium-oxygen batteries to give ...

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Discovery could have far-reaching implications for sustainable green fuel generation in the future

21-Sep-2021

Curtin University research has identified a new, cheaper and more efficient electrocatalyst to make green hydrogen from water that could one day open new avenues for large-scale clean energy production. Typically, scientists have been using precious metal catalysts, such as platinum, to ...

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“In less than a decade, this technology could lead to vehicles including electric buses and trucks that can travel from Melbourne to Sydney without recharging"

15-Sep-2021

Simply by adding sugar, researchers from the Monash Energy Institute have created a longer-lasting, lighter, more sustainable rival to the lithium-ion batteries that are essential for aviation, electric vehicles and submarines. The Monash team, assisted by CSIRO, report in Nature Communications ...

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Simple mechanical tube key to measuring mass and size of nano-particles simultaneously

31-Aug-2021

The functionality of nanoparticles in a host of applications, including drug delivery and nano-optics, is often dictated by their mass and size. Measuring these properties simultaneously for the same nanoparticle has also been challenging. Now scientists from the University of Melbourne and ...

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An economical alloy-based aerogel as electrocatalyst for carbon fixation

03-May-2021

Many industrial processes emit carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Unfortunately, however, current electrochemical separation methods are expensive and consume large amounts of power. They also require expensive and rare metals as catalysts. A study in the journal Angewandte Chemie describes a ...

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Formation of bubbles on electrodes, usually thought to be a hindrance, can be beneficial

14-Dec-2020

New Curtin University-led research has shown the formation of bubbles on electrodes, usually thought to be a hindrance, can be beneficial, with deliberately added bubbles, or oil droplets, able to accelerate processes such as the removal of pollutants such as hydrocarbons from contaminated water ...

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Light-activated sensor delivers precision results at room temperature: For medical applications and hydrogen economy

07-Dec-2020

Inspired by the surface of butterfly wings, researchers have developed a light-activated hydrogen sensor that produces ultra-precise results at room temperature. The technology can detect hydrogen leaks well before they pose safety risks and can measure tiny amounts of the gas on people's breath, ...

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New ultra-efficient catalyst can recycle old cooking oil into biodiesel and turn food scraps into high-value complex molecules

28-Oct-2020

Researchers have developed a powerful, low-cost method for recycling used cooking oil and agricultural waste into biodiesel, and turning food scraps and plastic rubbish into high-value products. The method harnesses a new type of ultra-efficient catalyst that can make low-carbon biodiesel and ...

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