Oct
31
Better Way to Split Water Developed
October 31, 2011 | 2 Comments
Many research teams have been searching for more efficient catalysts to speed the splitting of water into hydrogen and oxygen. The reaction is key to the production of hydrogen as a fuel for use in cars; to generate electricity in fuel cells, the operation of some rechargeable batteries, including zinc-air batteries; and for the industrial […]
Oct
28
Biomass Direct Process to Hydrocarbon Oil Found
October 28, 2011 | 6 Comments
A University of Maine engineer and his research team have discovered a revolutionary new chemical process can transform forest residues, along with other materials such as municipal solid waste, grasses, and construction wastes into hydrocarbon fuel oil products. Shortening up the process from biomass to hydrocarbons has long been an idea of intense interest, and […]
Oct
27
Seeing Molecules in Reactions
October 27, 2011 | 1 Comment
The 1999 Nobel prize in chemistry was awarded to Ahmed Zewail for his studies of chemical reactions using ultrashort laser pulses. Zewail was able to watch the motion of atoms and thus visualize transition states on the molecular level. Watching the dynamics of single electrons was still considered a dream at that time. Now a […]
Oct
26
Better Wood Research Underway
October 26, 2011 | 1 Comment
Hardwood tree specialists know something that the fuel tree innovators are about to catch on to. Tension wood that forms naturally in hardwood trees in response to bending stress is known to possess unique features that render it desirable as a bioenergy feedstock. So taking the hint, researchers at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s BioEnergy […]
Oct
25
The Sugarcane Empire Strikes Back
October 25, 2011 | 2 Comments
Sergio Pacca and Jose R. Moreira at the University of Sao Paulo in Brazil have their idea of the best numbers for biofuel out and the numbers are very surprising. Almost no one is expecting the team’s figures and the recoil might get fierce. It’s a massive reduction in the amount of land needed to […]
Feedburner
Reddit
Stumbleupon
