Briefs: Nanotechnology
Engineers have developed an ultra-sensitive sensor made with graphene that can detect extraordinarily low concentrations of lead ions in water. The device achieves a record limit of detection of lead down to the femtomolar range, which is one million times more sensitive than previous sensing technologies. Read on to learn more.
NASA Spinoff: Test & Measurement
A technology developed for NASA to identify pathogens inside spacecraft turned out to be beneficial for wastewater surveillance on Earth.
Briefs: Green Design & Manufacturing
This technology could be incorporated into water treatment systems at various stages including water treatment, effluent polishing, resource reclamation, resource recycling, gray water treatment, etc.
Briefs: Power
Flow batteries can serve as backup generators for the electric grid. Flow batteries are one of the key pillars of a decarbonization strategy to store energy from renewable energy resources. Their advantage is that they can be built at any scale, from the lab-bench scale, as in this PNNL study, to the size of a city block.
Briefs: Green Design & Manufacturing
Inspired by a small and slow snail, scientists have developed a robot prototype that may one day scoop up microplastics from the surfaces of oceans, seas, and lakes.
Briefs: Manned Systems
Recent experiments by a team from the West Virginia University focused on how a weightless microgravity environment affects 3D printing using titania foam, a material with potential applications ranging from UV blocking to water purification. ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces published their findings.
Technology & Society: Green Design & Manufacturing
Navajo pottery-inspired water filtration system developed by engineers at The University of Texas at Austin can effectively and cheaply disinfect water.
5 Ws: Manufacturing & Prototyping
Who
A fully automated net positive submarine fleet, powered entirely on hydrogen, could help cleanse the oceans of toxic pollution. Developed by London-based startup Oceanways, the submarine was named among the...
Briefs: Green Design & Manufacturing
The aerogels safely remove contaminants from water without releasing any problematic chemical residue.
Briefs: Connectivity
The technology is aimed at protecting physical targets, such as utilities and infrastructure.
Briefs: Energy
Activated carbon made from corn stover filters 98 percent of a pollutant from water.
Briefs: Green Design & Manufacturing
This approach could result in developing chemical sensors that are sensitive at a very low level to a specific chemical in the environment.
Briefs: Materials
The eco-friendly process removes heavy metals, dyes, and other pollutants.
Articles: Electronics & Computers
Water-sensing smartphone screens, a NASA-developed RF switch, and an ultrasound patch.
Briefs: Manufacturing & Prototyping
The solution increases water recovery, prevents mineral scaling, and cuts the volume of brines in half.
Briefs: Packaging & Sterilization
This treatment has the potential to remove from drinking water nearly all viruses that have an “outer fortress.”
Briefs: Green Design & Manufacturing
The desalination method produces clean water while, at the same time, potentially capturing valuable metals such as gold.
Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems
Prototypes show promise as a low-cost, natural filtration option.
Articles: Wearables
Battery recycling, NASA's water treatment, and a wireless wearable transmitter.
5 Ws: Energy
The invention could help solve the problem of providing clean water off the grid or where low-cost, non-powered water purification is needed.
Articles: Green Design & Manufacturing
Head-up displays, health-monitoring sensors from NASA, and a pollen sponge.
Briefs: Materials
This invention achieves sustainable freshwater production in a variety of climates at minimal energy cost.
Briefs: Energy
Membranes that remove salt from water help split sea water into fuel.
Application Briefs: Semiconductors & ICs
Creating next-generation LEDs for novel efforts like COVID-19 decontamination requires LED manufacturers to reevaluate the materials that they’re using.
Facility Focus: Energy
In 2020, the EPA marks 50 years of preparing for, responding to, preventing, and mitigating natural and manmade disasters.
Briefs: Test & Measurement
This device could be used to find threats to ecosystems.
Briefs: Materials
Inspired by a coral polyp, this plastic mini robot moves by magnetism and light.
Briefs: Nanotechnology
This highly porous sponge absorbs more than 30 times its weight in oil and can be reused up to several dozen times.
Briefs: Green Design & Manufacturing
Beads that contain bacteria and a slow-release food supply to sustain them can clean up contaminated groundwater for months on end, maintenance-free.