With electric and hydrogen powered vehicles not yet making a substantial impact, airlines, ship owners and logistics firms have lately been pulling back from commitments to net zero emissions. The big energy companies are also rethinking their sustainable fuels strategies. But with the cost of installing solar energy dropping and with new science emerging, could…
The notion of metal-organic frameworks conjures up visions of cybernetic organisms self-described as “living tissue over a metal endoskeleton” from a certain well known science fiction franchise. But there’s nothing fictitious about this astounding field of materials science. For Professor Ed Lester from the University of Nottingham, the carbon transition has delivered renewed interest in…
Feeling sheepish about that old woolly jumper that went in the bin? Ready to throw in the towel when it comes to disposing of used bathroom wash cloths? A New Zealand company is hoping for an exciting “rags-to-riches” story as they raise capital for a new textile recycling pilot plant. With the textile industry being…
With more than half the world population living with water scarcity and many water sources impacted by industry, agriculture and civic waste, the regeneration of water supplies has become an increasingly urgent need globally. So as part of the drive towards meeting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, Uplink presents the Tackling Water Pollution Challenge….
This year marks the twentieth anniversary of the incredible discovery of graphene. The elusive nano-material demonstrates astounding properties with applications including electronics, clothing, paints, healthcare and water purification. In particular graphene is actively being explored as a foundation for targeted therapeutics and implantable devices and sensors. Collaborations between industry and research groups have been forging…
Chemical engineers agree that methane is one of the most potent greenhouse gases. Atmospheric methane is estimated to have over 80 times the impact of CO2 over a 20 year period, despite a lower longevity in the atmosphere. From the biogenic methane of farm animals and plant waste through to losses from landfill decay, humans…
A spinoff company from the Australian National University plans to shake up the garment industry with recycling of polyester, a commonly used fabric derived from petrochemicals. Now with fresh funding of AUD $100 million, the company is building up a family of biological catalysts with applications across a wide range of industries. Samsara Eco sprung…
“Where there’s muck, there’s brass”. So the saying goes. But in the case of University of Canterbury technology startup Zincovery it was more a case of, wherever there’s horrid industrial waste there’s zinc. So when chemistry student Jonathan Ring and his Masters supervisor Dr Aaron Marshall discovered just how much of that waste was going…
