Grass fuel. Free Technical Library News

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

Grass Fuel

21.10.2016

The photocatalyst will help turn grass into hydrogen.

It would seem that dung, that is, a brick made of chopped straw with manure, can in no way be considered a symbol of scientific and technological progress, because mankind has been heating stoves with it since time immemorial. But in full accordance with the Hegelian dialectic, namely the law of negation of negation, the components of the dung - at first straw, and if things go well, then the waste products of mammals - can turn out to be a source of fuel for ultra-modern hydrogen energy. Indeed, biopolymers are rich in hydrogen, and why not try to take this element from them?

Researchers from Cardiff University, led by Professor Michael Bowker, took the first step in this direction - they conducted experiments on the photodecomposition of cellulose. The light of a table lamp was first directed at a jar containing cellulose and a catalyst - titanium dioxide, known for its photocatalytic activity, with nickel, gold or palladium additives. Light excited titanium dioxide, and the metal directed its energy to detach a hydrogen atom. The results satisfied the researchers, who emphasized that the relatively cheap nickel did the job. At the second stage, lawn grass trimmings were poured into the jar. And this system turned out to be quite efficient: the grass in the light produced hydrogen.

“Few people are studying direct photolysis of organics. Our experiments, which demonstrated that cellulose does not need to be purified beforehand, inspire optimism, because this method of hydrogen production turns out to be very simple,” notes Professor Bowker.

<< Back: Brain implant and prosthesis restore sense of touch to paralyzed man 22.10.2016

>> Forward: Samsung 8 GB LPDDR4 mobile memory modules 21.10.2016

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

New control scheme for complex robotic systems 22.01.2017

Engineers from Zhejiang University (China), led by Dr. Zhijun Fu, proposed a new control system for complex robotic systems - faster, more efficient and cheaper than traditional ones.

Simple robots are easy to control: the goals of their work are primitive, and there are few variables, their spread is small and well understood. Another thing is complex robots, especially when they are combined into systems. For nonlinear systems, it is much more difficult to come up with an effective control system.

"We can't apply existing actor-based methods to direct control of non-linear systems," Dr. Fu put the problem in other words. An actor is a person or a program that needs to be explained in advance what to do, and then he (or she) will not deviate from this scheme.

Instead of an actor, scientists from Zhejiang University proposed to take an observer as the basis of the control system, who analyzes the performance of the system in order to control its operation in an optimal way. If the system parameters change, the observer will be able to rebuild. Technically, this is implemented using a neural network that analyzes input and output signals from each robot in real time.

The neural network has sufficient flexibility and the ability to self-learn, and fast processing of input and output signals, without saving them, avoids overload. As a result, such a control system should be fast, cheap and efficient.

See full Archive of science and technology news, new electronics

All languages of this page

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