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Energy

Researchers find ways to improve liquid hydrogen tank efficiency

PULLMAN, Wash. – Washington State University researchers have developed a mathematical model and a set of recommendations to improve liquid hydrogen storage tank operations that could someday make hydrogen a more viable alternative for powering vehicles and other industrial processes. The researchers used real-world tank data to identify operational regimes in which hydrogen boils off and is lost, which can be as much as 25% of the hydrogen delivered to storage tanks. The work is published in the journal Cryogenics. “If we want to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and come up with fuel that is clean and produced from renewable energy sources, then liquid hydrogen ...

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Energy

Researchers use electrochemistry to boost nuclear fusion rates​​​​

Using a small bench-top reactor, researchers at the University of British Columbia (UBC) have demonstrated that electrochemically loading a solid metal target with deuterium fuel can boost nuclear fusion rates. Large-scale magnetic confinement fusion—which puts plasmas under extreme temperatures and pressure—is being widely explored as a method for clean energy generation. The experiment published today in Nature takes an entirely different approach—with a more ...

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Energy

MIT study sheds light on graphite’s lifespan in nuclear reactors

CAMBRIDGE, MA -- Graphite is a key structural component in some of the world’s oldest nuclear reactors and many of the next-generation designs being built today. But it also condenses and swells in response to radiation — and the mechanism behind those changes has proven difficult to study. Now, MIT researchers and collaborators have uncovered a link between properties of graphite and how the material behaves in response to radiation. The findings could lead to more accurate, less destructive ways of predicting the lifespan of graphite materials used ...

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Energy

KIER develops high-performance electrodes for seawater electrolysis to produce hydrogen

Dr. Ji-Hyung Han’s research team from the Convergence Research Center of Sector Coupling & Integration at the Korea Institute of Energy Research (President Yi, Chang-Keun, hereinafter “KIER”) has developed a high-performance carbon cloth-based electrode that maintains stable performance even under high current conditions. The newly developed electrode is the first seawater electrolysis electrode using a carbon cloth support that has demonstrated successful continuous operation for over 800 hours under high current conditions, highlighting its potential for commercialization. Water electrolysis is an ...

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Energy

UMass Amherst-led team finds rapidly changing river patterns in High-mountain Asia pose a challenge for region’s energy future

AMHERST, Mass. — An international team of researchers led by the University of Massachusetts Amherst has tracked changes in more than 114,000 rivers in High-mountain Asia over a 15-year period. The paper, published in AGU Advances, reported that nearly 10% of these rivers saw an increase in flow, with an increasing proportion of that water coming from glacial ice melt compared to precipitation. This water serves billions of people from China, India and Southeast Asia to Turkmenistan; is sensitive to climate change; and plays a key role in the sustainable development of this region through ...

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Energy

Tan to conduct investigation of ferroelectric oxides as heterogeneous photocatalysts for ethane dehydrogenation

Tan To Conduct Investigation Of Ferroelectric Oxides As Heterogeneous Photocatalysts For Ethane Dehydrogenation Xiaoyan Tan, Assistant Professor, Chemistry and Biochemistry, College of Science, is set to receive funding for the project: “Investigation of Ferroelectric Oxides as Heterogeneous Photocatalysts for Ethane Dehydrogenation.” Tan will receive $125,000 from American Chemical Society for this research. Funding will begin in Sept. 2025 and will end in late Aug. 2027. ...

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Energy

Regulation of the temperature stability in ordered olivine microwave dielectric ceramics with low-loss for dielectric resonant antenna

With the rapid development of 5G and 6G communication technologies, microwave dielectric ceramics have become essential materials widely used in microwave components such as filters, oscillators, and dielectric antennas. To meet the demands of high-frequency wireless communication, microwave dielectric ceramics should possess a low dielectric constant (εr < 15) to reduce signal transmission delay, a high quality factor (Q×f > 50,000 GHz) to achieve low dielectric loss and enhance frequency selection characteristics, and a near-zero resonant frequency temperature coefficient (τf ≈ 0 ppm/°C) to ensure ...

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Energy

Illinois Tech hosts EV Readiness Community Awards, showcasing nation-leading energy innovation

CHICAGO—August 7, 2025—Illinois Institute of Technology (Illinois Tech) hosted the third annual EV Readiness Community Award Ceremony this week, celebrating 17 local governments across northern Illinois for their leadership in preparing for the transition to electric vehicles (EVs). The ceremony, co-led by ComEd and the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus, brought together mayors, municipal leaders, industry experts, and elected officials to recognize communities that have earned EV Ready designations through actionable local policy, planning, and infrastructure. The event featured remarks from Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, Senator Dick Durbin, ...

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Energy

Clean energy is here. Getting it to EVs isn’t

Even if enough renewable energy is available, simply switching from gas-powered cars to electric vehicles (EVs) won’t be enough to fight climate change — unless the U.S. also upgrades its transmission grid, a new Northwestern University study finds. If every gas-powered vehicle in the U.S. were replaced by an EV, transmission constraints would prevent the cleanest available electricity from reaching many charging locations. This “grid congestion” would force greater reliance on nearby fossil fuel power plants, undercutting the emissions benefits of electrification. After identifying the issue, the study also recommends a modest set of targeted ...

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Energy

KBH Energy Center to host symposium

The experts, business leaders, and policymakers shaping the future of America’s energy industry will convene at the 11th annual Energy Symposium presented by the Kay Bailey Hutchison Energy Center at The University of Texas at Austin on Friday, Sept. 12. Registration is open to the public. Themed “The Energy Imperative,” this year’s symposium invites guests to meaningful conversations around the opportunities and challenges in the rapidly evolving energy space. Speakers and panelists will consider how the latest advances in energy innovation, security, and investment are being put to the test. “UT Austin is one of the nation’s ...

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Energy

Small electric shocks to ear can boost self-compassion from meditation training

Stimulating the vagus nerve with a device attached to the outer ear can help make compassion meditation training more effective at boosting people’s capacity for self-kindness and mindfulness, finds a new study led by University College London (UCL) researchers. The study, published in Psychological Medicine, adds to evidence of the potential benefits of stimulating this key nerve that connects the brain with major organs in the chest and abdomen. The vagus nerve plays a crucial role in the 'rest-and-digest' (parasympathetic) ...

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Energy

New method to steer electricity in atom-thin metals may revolutionize devices

MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL (08/04/2024) — In a major step toward next-generation electronics, researchers at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities have discovered a way to manipulate the direction of charge flow in ultrathin metallic films at room temperature using light. This discovery opens the door to more energy-efficient optical sensors, detectors, and quantum information devices. The research is published in Science Advances, a peer-reviewed, multidisciplinary, high-impact scientific journal. The team showed that ultra-thin layers of ruthenium dioxide (RuO2), grown on titanium dioxide ...

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Energy

Hydroquinone-buffered covalent organic frameworks for long-term photocatalytic hydrogen peroxide production

Hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) is an essential eco-friendly oxidant, but its conventional anthraquinone-based production is energy-intensive and generates hazardous waste. Photocatalysis offers a sustainable, solar-driven alternative. Organic polymer photocatalysts, notably covalent organic frameworks (COFs), have gained attention due to their tunable structures, earth-abundant elements, and visible-light responsiveness. Although recent advances (e.g., polarity-optimized, fluorinated, or sulfone-containing COFs) have improved H₂O₂ yields and extended stability to 336 hours, long-term durability remains limited. Most systems exhibit reaction times of less than 200 hours ...

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Energy

The complex relationship between fusion fuel and lithium walls

Lithium is considered a key ingredient in the future commercial fusion power plants known as tokamaks, and there are several ways to use this metal to enhance the process. But a key question remained: How much does it impact the amount of fuel trapped in the walls of tokamaks? According to new research from a global collaboration spanning nine institutions, the dominant driver of fuel retention is co-deposition: a process where fuel is trapped alongside lithium. Co-deposition can happen with lithium that is directly added during plasma operations, ...

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Energy

TFLN-based RGB multiplexer for energy-efficient laser beam scanning

As technology advances, photonic systems are gaining ground over traditional electronics, using light to transmit and process information more efficiently. One such optical system is laser beam scanning (LBS), where laser beams are rapidly steered to scan, sense, or display information. This technology is used in applications ranging from barcode scanners at grocery stores to laser projectors in light shows. To process a wider range of signals or enable full-color output, these systems utilize multiplexers that merge the red, green, and blue (RGB) laser beams into a single beam. Traditionally, this was achieved ...

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Energy

Simulating the unthinkable: Models show nuclear winter food production plunge

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — A nuclear winter is a theoretical concept, but if the climate scenario expected to follow a large-scale nuclear war, in which smoke and soot from firestorms block sunlight, came to fruition, global temperatures would sharply drop, extinguishing most agriculture. A nuclear winter could last for more than a decade, potentially leading to widespread famine for those who survive the devastation of the bomb blasts. Now, a team led by researchers at Penn State have modeled precisely how various nuclear winter scenarios could impact global production of corn — the most widely planted grain crop in the world. ...

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Energy

McGill scientists develop cleaner, cheaper way to make lithium-ion batteries

A team of McGill University researchers, working with colleagues in the United States and South Korea, has developed a new way to make high-performance lithium-ion battery materials that could help phase out expensive and/or difficult-to-source metals like nickel and cobalt. The team’s breakthrough lies in creating a better method of producing “disordered rock-salt” (DRX) cathode particles, an alternative battery material. Until now, manufacturers struggled to control the size and quality of DRX particles, which made them unstable and hard to use in manufacturing settings. The researchers addressed that problem ...

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Energy

From hydrogen bonds to high performance: The future of aqueous batteries

Peking University, July 07, 2025: A research team led by Prof. Pan Feng from the School of Advanced Materials, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School has uncovered key mechanisms that govern how protons are stored and transported in aqueous batteries. The study provides critical insights that could lead to safer, faster-charging, and higher-capacity alternatives to today’s lithium-ion batteries. Published in Matter, a Cell Press journal, the study titled “Proton storage and transfer in aqueous batteries” reveals how hydrogen-bond network engineering enables efficient proton storage and transport. Background Aqueous batteries, ...

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Energy

SwRI completes 8-year-long NEXTCAR energy efficiency project

SAN ANTONIO — July 22, 2025 — Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) has successfully completed its ambitious eight-year-long connected and automated (CAV) vehicle technology project. As part of the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy’s (ARPA-E) NEXTCAR (NEXT-Generation Energy Technologies for Connected and Automated On-Road Vehicles) program, SwRI developed an automated vehicle that combines CAV technology and SAE Level 4 automation to demonstrate up to 30% energy savings compared to traditional hybrid vehicles, without modifications to the powertrain hardware. The completed SwRI ...

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Energy

Respiratory related ER visits decreased 20 percent after coal-processing plant closure

NEW YORK, NY – July 21, 2025 – A new study by NYU Langone Health researchers found that the shutdown of a significant fossil fuel pollution source near Pittsburgh, PA, resulted in immediate improvements in respiratory health. The study is available online starting July 22 in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, a journal of the American Thoracic Society. Assessing data from nearby local and federal air quality monitors, the researchers tracked the air pollution health effects on residents near the Shenango plant before and after its closure in 2016. Results showed that within the first few ...

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Energy

Solvent selection tool boosts thermoelectric devices

Organic thermoelectric devices (OTEs) convert waste heat into useful electric power, but they are not yet efficient enough for practical use. KAUST researchers have now developed a tool that predicts the best solvent to use when processing the devices’ polymer films, significantly improving their power output[1]. “Waste heat is present everywhere: industrial processes, car engines, air conditioners, and even in your cup of coffee, so it would be useful to recover a portion of this energy into electricity,” says ...

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Energy

Surface structure engineering of PtCu clusters enhances the performance of propane dehydrogenation

The modulation of the surface structure of platinum-based single-atom alloys is crucial for improving the catalytic performance in propane dehydrogenation. The optimization of the surface structure of PtCu clusters was attained through regenerative treatment, which significantly improved the propylene yield and catalytic stability, thereby offering a viable strategy for the design of alloy catalysts applicable to various high-temperature dehydrogenation reactions. A research team, directed by Prof. Guangxu Chen at South China University of Technology in Guangdong, China, recently published a study on the utilization of regenerative treatment ...

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Energy

A novel strategy for modulating the crystalline-amorphous composites and electronic structure to enhance hydrogen evolution reaction

Alkaline water splitting has the advantages of low cost, long lifetime and ease of maintenance, and is widely applied commercially. However, the sluggish kinetics of HER inhibits the further development of alkaline water splitting. Though noble catalysts can greatly boost the process of HER, they are hard to meet the requirement of industrial production due to the high price and scarcity. Thus, it is urgent to develop low cost and highly efficient catalysts for alkaline water splitting. A team of material scientists led by Qiang Wang and Shuang Yuan from Northeastern University in Shenyang, China recently ...

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Energy

SwRI experiments may explain mysterious distribution of hydrogen peroxide on Europa

SAN ANTONIO — July 21, 2025 — Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) scientists conducted lab experiments to address a mystery about the origins of frozen hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) on Jupiter’s icy moon Europa. Their results, published in the July 2025 issue of Planetary Science Journal, may help explain puzzling observations made by the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). Scientists studying the telescope data noticed elevated levels of hydrogen peroxide on Europa in unexpected areas. Decades of lab studies suggested higher concentrations ...

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Energy

Deep life’s survival secret: Crustal faulting generates key energy sources, study shows

Chinese researchers have recently challenged the long-held belief that "all life depends on sunlight." In a study published in Science Advances, the researchers identified how microbes in deep subsurface areas can derive energy from chemical reactions driven by crustal faulting, offering critical insights into life deep below Earth's surface. The research was led by Prof. HE Hongping, a member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), and Prof. ZHU Jianxi, both from the Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry of CAS. Long regarded as inhospitable to life ...

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