During the Italian Grand Prix weekend at Monza, Scuderia Ferrari HP, along with some of its partners will celebrate a material that is state of the art when it comes to building racing cars, namely carbon fibre. Its main virtues are light weight and strength, which have allowed the sport to make great progress in terms of safety. To mark the occasion, instead of the usual white background with a yellow border, the numbers 16 and 55 on the SF-24s will replicate the look of carbon with its woven texture and natural reflections. In addition, the drivers’ race suits, helmets, shoes and glasses will also reflect the carbon fibre theme. Hydrogen
Early days. Carbon fibre was produced for the first time in 1958 in the USA and then extensively developed in the UK and Japan. It first saw the light of day in Formula 1 thanks to a brainwave from John Barnard, in England. In 1982, Scuderia Ferrari began using carbon fibre panels to strengthen the aluminium chassis on the 126 C2, as well as producing the wings with this new material. Midway through the following season the 126 C3 made its debut, the first car built at Maranello with a carbon fibre monocoque. It made its debut with Patrick Tambay at Silverstone, when the Frenchman finished third, before winning next time out in Germany in the hands of René Arnoux. Hydrogen
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Chemical plastics recycling is ready to go
Scientists around the world can now go full throttle in their research into chemical plastics recycling. Researchers at ETH Zurich have laid important foundations for this by showing that it’s all about the stirring.
Hundreds of millions of tonnes of plastic waste are generated worldwide every year. Scientists are working tirelessly on new methods to recycle a large proportion of this waste into high-quality products and thus enable a genuine circular economy. However, current recycling practices fall short of this goal. Most plastic waste is recycled mechanically: shredded and then melted down. Although this process does result in new plastic products, their quality deteriorates with each recycling step. Hydrogen
An alternative to this is chemical recycling, which avoids loss of quality. This method involves breaking down long-chain plastic molecules (polymers) into their fundamental building blocks (monomers), which can be reassembled into new, high-quality plastics, creating a truly sustainable cycle.
Fuels from plastic waste
As the approach of chemical recycling develops, the initial focus is on breaking down these long polymer chains into shorter-chain molecules that can be used as liquid fuels, say, or lubricants. This gives plastic waste a second life as petrol, jet fuel or engine oil. Scientists at ETH Zurich have now laid down important foundations for developing this process. These enable the global scientific community to engage in more targeted and effective recycling development work. Hydrogen
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A team of researchers in Korea has made a significant breakthrough in microbial plastic production, presenting a novel way to create biodegradable plastics with enhanced properties
By engineering E. coli bacteria to produce polymers with ring-like aromatic structures, the researchers have developed a method to create plastics that are more rigid and thermally stable. This advancement is particularly promising as it offers an alternative to traditional petroleum-based plastics, which are a significant environmental concern.
One of the major challenges the researchers faced was that these ring-like structures are typically toxic to microorganisms. Hydrogen
To overcome this, they developed a novel metabolic pathway that allows E. coli not only to produce the polymer but also to tolerate the accumulation of these otherwise harmful compounds. The resulting biodegradable polymer shows potential for biomedical applications, such as drug delivery systems, though further research is required to fully explore its capabilities.
This work highlights the potential of biomanufacturing in addressing global environmental issues like climate change and plastic pollution. Sang Yup Lee, the senior author and a chemical and biomolecular engineer at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, emphasized the importance of international collaboration to promote bio-based manufacturing for a more sustainable future. Hydrogen
The findings were published on August 21 in Trends in Biotechnology, marking a significant step forward in the field of microbial plastic production.
Technip Energies has secured the Front-End Engineering Design (FEED) contract from bp for the H2Teesside project, one of the UK’s largest low-carbon hydrogen production facilities
Integrated with carbon capture technology, H2Teesside aims to produce 1.2 GW of low-carbon hydrogen, contributing over 10% of the UK’s 2030 hydrogen target. The project could capture and store over two million tonnes of CO₂ annually, equivalent to the emissions from heating one million UK homes. This initiative will boost economic growth, job creation, and regional regeneration in Teesside. Hydrogen
Technip Energies’ role includes delivering a comprehensive design by leveraging its expertise in hydrogen and carbon capture technologies. If the final investment decision is made in 2025, the company may provide the full Engineering Procurement, Construction, and Commissioning (EPCC) services. H2Teesside, part of the East Coast Cluster, will integrate with other regional decarbonization projects, exporting captured CO₂ to the Northern Endurance Partnership (NEP) CO2 gathering system.
Mario Tommaselli, SVP Gas and Low Carbon Energies at Technip Energies, emphasized the company’s capability in delivering large-scale, innovative solutions aligned with the UK’s decarbonization goals. Andy Lane, bp’s VP for Hydrogen and CCUS, highlighted H2Teesside’s pivotal role in transforming Teesside into a hydrogen hub and advancing the UK’s low-carbon hydrogen economy. Hydrogen
The 63rd Dornbirn GFC 2024 is characterized by the energy transition and presents innovative solutions for the textile industry. The presentations on the main topic “Energy Solutions” during the three-day congress will start with a plenary lecture on the opening day. Hydrogen
Countdown to Kickoff
The excitement is building, and there’s not much time left to be part of the action! Only 15 Days and 21 hours left to register for the upcoming Dornbirn Global Fiber Congress. Don’t miss your chance to be part of Dornbirn GFC’s incredible journey this year!
Rudolf Zauner, a VERBUND AG’s expert in renewable energies, will kick off the opening day with a compelling plenary lecture on this crucial topic. As the industry moves towards further decarbonization. Zauner will dive into innovative energy solutions and explore how the collaboration between industry, energy suppliers, and start-ups can maintain competitiveness while driving sustainability. Hydrogen
In collaboration with the Institute for Textile Technology of RWTH Aachen University (ITA) and their industrial partners, this session will offer an in-depth exploration of cutting-edge energy solutions. Prof. Thomas Gries highlights the importance of these innovations for a sustainable future, stating: “By combining natural principles with advanced technologies, we can tackle some of the most critical energy challenges of our time.
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Researchers from the UGM Department of Chemical Engineering have developed a biodegradable packaging plastic called “Kemurai” to address the growing environmental issue of plastic waste
Unlike conventional plastics, Kemurai is designed to degrade much faster while retaining the same strength and durability. This innovation stems from research initiated in 2018, led by Dr. Yuni Kusumastuti and her team, including Dr. Moh. Fahrurrozi and Dr. Teguh Ariyanto. Hydrogen
Kemurai’s faster degradation is achieved by incorporating pro-oxidant and bio-additives into the polypropylene base material. These additives trigger structural changes under specific environmental conditions, breaking down long-chain molecules into simpler, more degradable compounds. However, the product is still in the developmental stage and requires further testing, particularly in determining its degradation time.
The research team is also working on optimizing Kemurai’s formulation by combining it with natural materials and reducing production costs to ensure affordability. Dr. Kusumastuti hopes that future collaborations with industry partners will accelerate Kemurai’s commercialization, making it widely available and beneficial for the environment. Hydrogen
The project has received support from the 2023 Matching Fund Kedai Reka Program by the Ministry of Education, which helps to fund innovative solutions addressing national challenges.
Carbon fibre – Turning bacteria into bioplastic factories
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