Tungsten based artificial sheet. Free Technical Library News

NEWS OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, NOVELTY IN ELECTRONICS
Free technical library / timeline

Artificial tungsten sheet

13.10.2016

A cheap catalyst will help create hydrocarbons from sunlight and air without the help of plants.

One way to combat greenhouse gas carbon dioxide is to turn it into a hydrocarbon, that is, into a fuel. This can be done by a device called an artificial leaf (similar to a regular green leaf that converts CO2 into carbohydrates through photosynthesis). Such a device was made by chemists at the University of Illinois under the leadership of Amin Salekhi-Khojin with financial support from the Department of Energy and the US National Science Foundation.

As in natural photosynthesis, the source of energy is sunlight. This energy is used with the help of a catalyst to reduce carbon, and synthesis gas is obtained: a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide. It can either be burned or sent to the production of hydrocarbons. Until now, the efficiency of such leaves has left much to be desired, besides their catalysts are made of noble metals.

Salekhi-Khojin decided to use tungsten diselenide nanosheets. This substance perfectly restores carbon dioxide, but is quickly poisoned by the products of reduction. Protection was found - it served as an ionic liquid, ethyl-methyl-imidazole tetrafluoroborate, mixed with water in a ratio of 1: 1. A cell with a liquid and a catalyst was attached to the cathode of a silicon solar battery, and a cell with an electrolyte of cobalt oxide in potassium phosphate was attached to the anode. Under the action of sunlight, which is captured by a silicon battery, oxygen and a hydrogen ion are formed at the anode, the latter enters the cathode cell, reduces carbon, and bubbles of hydrogen and carbon monoxide are released in it.

Such an artificial sheet is a thousand times more productive and twenty times cheaper than one made with a noble metal catalyst. However, the competitive price of the fuel obtained by such a sheet is still very far away - obviously, therefore, the researchers plan to offer their method to the Martian colonists, who will not have any alternative source of hydrocarbons.

<< Back: A new planet has been discovered in the solar system 14.10.2016

>> Forward: The warmer it gets in cities, the less carbon dioxide the trees absorb. 12.10.2016

Latest news of science and technology, new electronics:

The existence of an entropy rule for quantum entanglement has been proven 09.05.2024

Quantum mechanics continues to amaze us with its mysterious phenomena and unexpected discoveries. Recently, Bartosz Regula from the RIKEN Center for Quantum Computing and Ludovico Lamy from the University of Amsterdam presented a new discovery that concerns quantum entanglement and its relation to entropy. Quantum entanglement plays an important role in modern quantum information science and technology. However, the complexity of its structure makes understanding and managing it challenging. Regulus and Lamy's discovery shows that quantum entanglement follows an entropy rule similar to that for classical systems. This discovery opens new perspectives in the field of quantum information science and technology, deepening our understanding of quantum entanglement and its connection to thermodynamics. The results of the study indicate the possibility of reversibility of entanglement transformations, which could greatly simplify their use in various quantum technologies. Opening a new rule ... >>

Mini air conditioner Sony Reon Pocket 5 09.05.2024

Summer is a time for relaxation and travel, but often the heat can turn this time into an unbearable torment. Meet a new product from Sony - the Reon Pocket 5 mini-air conditioner, which promises to make summer more comfortable for its users. Sony has introduced a unique device - the Reon Pocket 5 mini-conditioner, which provides body cooling on hot days. With it, users can enjoy coolness anytime, anywhere by simply wearing it around their neck. This mini air conditioner is equipped with automatic adjustment of operating modes, as well as temperature and humidity sensors. Thanks to innovative technologies, Reon Pocket 5 adjusts its operation depending on the user's activity and environmental conditions. Users can easily adjust the temperature using a dedicated mobile app connected via Bluetooth. Additionally, specially designed T-shirts and shorts are available for convenience, to which a mini air conditioner can be attached. The device can oh ... >>

Energy from space for Starship 08.05.2024

Producing solar energy in space is becoming more feasible with the advent of new technologies and the development of space programs. The head of the startup Virtus Solis shared his vision of using SpaceX's Starship to create orbital power plants capable of powering the Earth. Startup Virtus Solis has unveiled an ambitious project to create orbital power plants using SpaceX's Starship. This idea could significantly change the field of solar energy production, making it more accessible and cheaper. The core of the startup's plan is to reduce the cost of launching satellites into space using Starship. This technological breakthrough is expected to make solar energy production in space more competitive with traditional energy sources. Virtual Solis plans to build large photovoltaic panels in orbit, using Starship to deliver the necessary equipment. However, one of the key challenges ... >>

New method for creating powerful batteries 08.05.2024

With the development of technology and the expanding use of electronics, the issue of creating efficient and safe energy sources is becoming increasingly urgent. Researchers at the University of Queensland have unveiled a new approach to creating high-power zinc-based batteries that could change the landscape of the energy industry. One of the main problems with traditional water-based rechargeable batteries was their low voltage, which limited their use in modern devices. But thanks to a new method developed by scientists, this drawback has been successfully overcome. As part of their research, scientists turned to a special organic compound - catechol. It turned out to be an important component that can improve battery stability and increase its efficiency. This approach has led to a significant increase in the voltage of zinc-ion batteries, making them more competitive. According to scientists, such batteries have several advantages. They have b ... >>

Alcohol content of warm beer 07.05.2024

Beer, as one of the most common alcoholic drinks, has its own unique taste, which can change depending on the temperature of consumption. A new study by an international team of scientists has found that beer temperature has a significant impact on the perception of alcoholic taste. The study, led by materials scientist Lei Jiang, found that at different temperatures, ethanol and water molecules form different types of clusters, which affects the perception of alcoholic taste. At low temperatures, more pyramid-like clusters form, which reduces the pungency of the "ethanol" taste and makes the drink taste less alcoholic. On the contrary, as the temperature increases, the clusters become more chain-like, resulting in a more pronounced alcoholic taste. This explains why the taste of some alcoholic drinks, such as baijiu, can change depending on temperature. The data obtained opens up new prospects for beverage manufacturers, ... >>

Random news from the Archive

Current/Power Monitor Chip 30.05.2009

The Texas Instruments INA219 Zero-Drift Power Rail Current/Power Monitor IC monitors the voltage drop across the shunt resistor and detects the shunt supply voltage while calculating the power. The IC is available in a SOT23 package, providing a compact tool for digital current measurement in servers, laptops, power supplies, charging circuits, as well as automotive and telecommunications equipment.

The INA219 provides a maximum accuracy of 1% over a temperature range of -40°C to 85°C, with a maximum offset of 100µV. This accuracy, combined with 12-bit resolution, allows users to operate with minimal shunt drop, thereby minimizing losses, heat dissipation, and PCB space.

The IC operates from a bus voltage of 0 to +26 V. Other features of the INA219 include: a programmable calibration register for direct reading of instrument current in amps and power in watts; programmable sample averaging of up to 128 values for filtering in noisy environments; PC interface timeout to prevent bus blocking; high speed mode for communication up to 3,4 MHz

All functions of the INA219 are programmable. The IC operates from a single +3,0 to +5,5 V supply and is optimized to work with TI's ultra-efficient MSP430 microcontrollers, various hot-swap controllers, regulators, and power management ICs from TI.

See full Archive of science and technology news, new electronics

All languages of this page

Home page | Library | Articles | Website map | Site Reviews