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Berkeley Lab nanoscale imaging study yields key insights into photo-electrochemical water splitting

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In the quest to realize artificial photosynthesis to convert sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide into fuel—just as plants do—researchers need to not only identify materials to efficiently perform photoelectrochemical water splitting, but also to understand why a certain material may or may not work. —Johanna Eichhorn.

Water 236
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Argonne study compares life cycle emissions of battery-grade lithium carbonate and lithium hydroxide from brines and ores

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An open-access paper on the study is published in the journal Resources, Conservation and Recycling. This study establishes a baseline for current practices and shows us potential areas for improvement. In the study, the researchers used operational data supplied by SQM, one of the world’s leading producers of lithium.

Carbon 397
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Tokyo Tech team demonstrates visible-light photoelectrochemical water-splitting with cobalt-enhanced TiO2

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Scientists at Tokyo Institute of Technology (Tokyo Tech) have demonstrated the first visible-light photoelectrochemical system for water splitting using TiO 2 enhanced with cobalt. The proposed approach is simple and represents a stepping stone in the quest to achieve affordable water splitting to produce hydrogen. —Prof.

Water 312
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Researchers provide insight into OER electrocatalyst

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The next step—the water-gas shift reaction—sees the carbon monoxide and steam reacted via a different catalyst, making carbon dioxide and additional hydrogen. Compared to natural gas reforming, the use of electricity from renewable sources to split water for hydrogen is cleaner and more sustainable. —Zhenxing Feng.

Insight 186
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CSIRO study finds little to no environmental impact from fracing in Queensland

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A comprehensive three-year scientific study into the air, water and soil impacts of hydraulic fracturing (HF) in coal seam gas (CSG) in Queensland, Australia has found little to no impacts on air quality, soils, groundwater and waterways. Source: CSIRO.

Coal 243
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Insight into benzene formation could help development of cleaner combustion engines

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That insight could also help the car industry make cleaner combustion engines. The current study is the first demonstration of the so-called “radical propargyl self-reaction” under astrochemical and combustion conditions. Molecular structures of the benzene molecule along with key structural isomers. Zhao et al.

Cleaner 243
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PNNL study uncovers role of water in forming impurity in bio-oil upgrading; insight into fundamentals of biofuel catalysis

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In working to elucidate the chemistry of hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) for the catalytic upgrading of pyrolytic bio-oil to fuel-grade products, researchers at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) have discovered that water in the conversion process helps form an impurity which, in turn, slows down key chemical reactions.

Water 210