Alcohol from the air. Free Technical Library News

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

alcohol from the air

19.10.2016

US physicists have created special "nano-needles" made of graphene and copper that use electrical energy to convert carbon dioxide (CO2) into ethanol molecules - ordinary alcohol.

In recent years, scientists have been actively trying to find a way to turn atmospheric CO2 into biofuels and other useful substances. For example, in July of this year, physicists from Chicago presented an unusual solar cell made of nanomaterials that directly uses light energy to split carbon dioxide molecules and produce carbon monoxide and hydrogen, from which methane, ethanol and other biofuels can be obtained.

Rondinone and his colleagues took this process to its logical conclusion, trying to find new, more efficient ways to split CO2 into carbon monoxide and oxygen without generating other reaction by-products that are useless or even interfere with the production of biofuels from carbon dioxide.
As the main material for this catalyst, the scientists chose copper, whose electrochemical properties are ideal for reducing CO2 to carbon monoxide and other types of molecules.

The problem is that copper nanoparticles and plates convert CO2 not into one substance, but into several tens of molecules at once, whose presence and concentration depend on the voltage that is passed through the catalyst. This makes the industrial use of such CO2 splitters virtually impossible.

Physicists from Oak Ridge solved this problem with the help of another promising nanomaterial - graphene. Crumpled sheets of graphene into a kind of "accordions", scientists seeded their folds with copper nanoparticles, which led to the fact that CO2 molecules split in strictly designated places - at the tops of graphene "nano-needles".

This allowed American researchers the flexibility to control what happens during this splitting, and make CO2 turn almost always into ordinary ethyl alcohol - on average, about 60% of carbon dioxide molecules turn into ethanol.

<< Back: Single Board PC iTOP-4412 19.10.2016

>> Forward: The female brain changes every month 18.10.2016

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

Friends take the pain away 10.05.2016

Endorphins, or endogenous morphines, which are synthesized by brain neurons, help to overcome pain and stress, and also affect the emotional state.

For example, some feeling of elation and happiness that comes to us after exercise arises from the fact that overstressed muscles begin to hurt, and the brain tries to anesthetize them with the help of endorphins, which at the same time give joy. (Although it is worth clarifying that the very feeling of euphoria is born from the complex interaction of different systems of neurotransmitters, and it is definitely not worth writing off everything here on endorphins.)

On the other hand, animal and human studies have shown that endorphin levels are associated with socialization - roughly speaking, their levels are higher the more and the better we communicate with others. This suggests the conclusion that friendship can literally be painkillers.

According to the experiments of Katerina V.-A. Johnson and Robin IM Dunbar of the University of Oxford, this is indeed the case. Psychologists invited 101 people to the laboratory and asked them to perform the following exercise: lean against the wall, half squatting down, so that there was a right angle at the knees. It is quite difficult to be in such a position, so soon the muscles begin to ache due to tension.

Those with the widest social circle endured the longest. Of course, here we can say that some people were probably just physically stronger, but the researchers separately clarify that the ability to maintain the above posture with physical fitness did not coincide in any way.

Along the way, it was found that those who were generally in better physical shape did not have as extensive social ties as those of weaker comrades in the experiment. It is possible that someone who is involved in fitness or sports simply does not have time for extensive communication, or that he receives so many endorphins from exercise that he may well make do with fewer friends.

See full Archive of science and technology news, new electronics

All languages of this page

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