The new Innovative Materials 2024 volume 4 has just been released
‘Tomorrow’s super battery for electric cars is made of stone’
According to Danish scientists, solid-state batteries made from rock silicates could be a more environmentally friendly, efficient, and safer alternative to current lithium-ion batteries within 10 years. Researchers from the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) have recently patented a new superionic material based on potassium silicate, a mineral that can be extracted from stone rocks.
New process for 3D printing macro-sized, fused, high res silica parts
The Austrian company UpNano GmbH has developed a new production process for 3D-printed objects made of fused quartz. This technology allows for the creation of highly accurate parts in the millimeter and centimeter range. The process is based on innovations from the German company Glassomer GmbH and is optimized for 3D printing using two-photon polymerization (2PP). This is achieved with UpNano’s NanoOne high-resolution printing system, which can create detailed glass structures across a wide range of scales.
Dutch river Maas gets 3D printed ceramic reefs stimulating nature
The Dutch infrastructure agency Rijkswaterstaat1 aims to combine effective water management with the enhancement of ecological water quality and riverine nature. A key part of this initiative is addressing the excessive erosion of riverbanks. To this end, ‘tidal reefs’ are being used along the Maas River near Oeffelt. These reefs are 3D-printed structures made of ceramic clay.
Mining rare earth metals from electronic waste
TH researchers are developing a nature-inspired process that efficiently recovers europium from old fluorescent lamps. This approach could lead to the long-awaited recycling of rare earth metals.
Bio-concrete with cyanobacteria
Fraunhofer researchers have developed a method of creating biogenic construction materials based on cyanobacteria. The bacteria multiply in a nutrient solution, driven by photosynthesis. When aggregates and fillers such as sand, basalt, or renewable raw materials are added, rock-like solid structures are produced. Unlike traditional concrete production, this process does not emit any carbon dioxide, which is harmful to the environment. Instead, the carbon dioxide is bound inside the material itself.
