A new construction biomaterial that uses living microorganisms to extract carbon dioxide from the atmosphere has been developed by a UCL graduate student and colleagues. The biomaterial, developed by a master’s student in the UCL Bio-Integrated Design program, could dramatically reduce the construction industry’s carbon footprint if mass produced and widely adopted. It was unveiled […]
Lithium News
Record-breaker eVTOLs get big boost from world’s leading battery maker
China’s AutoFlight currently holds the record for world’s longest eVTOL flight with the 155.7-mile (250.6-km) mark it set in 2023 in the dramatic Prosperity air taxi designed by former McLaren and Lilium draft king Frank Stephenson. Now its robust battery and range-maximizing technology is poised to get a major boost, as the company has signed […]
Layering stretchable and rigid materials and incorporating machine learning improves accuracy of wearables
Researchers at Yokohama National University have developed a stretchy, high-precision measurement wearable device that combines soft polymer materials and rigid electronic elements. This device can accurately measure inertial data even if it extends up to 2.5 times its length. The combination of this stretchable high-precision device and machine learning achieved multiple types of motion recognition […]
Instead of competing for land, some farmers and solar developers want to work side by side
Matt Riggs’ family has been farming in Urbana since 1874. But, his parents had to work second jobs to cushion themselves from the volatile corn and soybean markets that dominate Illinois’ agricultural sector. In the past few years, Riggs has realized the land his family has worked for 150 years is also ideal for solar […]
World’s first 18650-sized potassium-ion battery aims to fill lithium gap
The vast majority of our portable electronic gadgets, and the new wave of electric transportation, are powered by lithium batteries. Texas-based startup Group1 has developed a more sustainable alternative, and has now launched the world’s first 18650 potassium-ion battery. Group1 was co-founded in 2021 by battery tech veterans, including Leigang Xue who currently serves as […]
Adding thin layer of tin prevents short-circuiting in lithium-ion batteries
Lithium-ion batteries have a lot of advantages. They charge quickly, have a high energy density, and can be repeatedly charged and discharged. They do have one significant shortcoming, however: they’re prone to short-circuiting. This occurs when a connection forms between the two electrodes inside the cell. A short circuit can result in a sudden loss […]
