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MIT researchers develop optimized sulfidation separation process for rare earth and other key metals

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New processing methods developed by MIT researchers could help ease looming shortages of the essential metals that power everything from phones to automotive batteries by making it easier to separate these rare metals from mining ores and recycled materials. —Antoine Allanore.

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MIT researchers propose mechanism for overcoming bottleneck in electroreduction of CO2

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Researchers at MIT have identified , quantified, and modeled a major reason for the poor performance of electroreduction processes to convert CO 2 to fuel or other useful chemicals. For the latter, two main contributions are distinguished: gas depletion due to CO 2 consumption and ion generation in areas close to the electrocatalyst surface.

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MIT researchers develop oxygen permeable membrane that converts CO2 to CO

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MIT researchers have developed a new system that could potentially be used for converting power plant emissions of carbon dioxide into carbon monoxide, and thence into useful fuels for cars, trucks, and planes, as well as into chemical feedstocks for a wide variety of products. That stream would produce a second output from the plant: syngas.

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MIT team testing new SiC nuclear fuel-rod cladding that could lead to safer power plants

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A team of researchers at MIT is developing and testing a new silicon carbide (SiC) cladding material for nuclear fuel rods that could reduce the risk of hydrogen production by roughly a thousandfold compared to the common zircaloy cladding. SiC is “ very promising, but not at the moment ready for adoption ” by the nuclear industry, he adds.

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MIT Energy Initiative launches 3-year study on future of transportation; technology, fuel, infrastructure, policy, and consumer preference

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As part of MIT’s five-year Plan for Action on Climate Change, the MIT Energy Initiative (MITEI) has launched a major study—“Mobility of the Future”—to explore how consumers and markets will respond to potentially disruptive technologies, business models, and government policies.

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MIT study finds air quality co-benefits of US carbon policies can significantly offset costs, depending upon the policy

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The human health benefits associated with improvements in air quality related to the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions improvements can offset 26–1,050% of the cost of US carbon policies, depending upon the type of policy, according to a new study by a team from MIT. precursors through 2030.

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Separate MIT, IEA reports both outline major expansion in role of natural gas; caution on climate benefits

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World primary energy demand by fuel in the IEA high gas scenario. Separately, the International Energy Agency (IEA) released its own report exploring the potential for a “golden age” of gas. Both reports also emphasized that although natural gas is the lowest carbon fossil fuel, it is still a fossil fuel. Source: IEA.

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