The Elements of Innovation Discovered

tech bytes


Sorted by date  Results 26 - 50 of 628

Page Up

  • Photo of Graphene Manufacturing Group’s headquarters.

    GMG exceeds graphene production targets

    A.J. Roan, Metal Tech News|Updated Oct 2, 2024

    Plant optimizations boost both graphene output and quality for advanced applications. As the demand for advanced materials accelerates, Graphene Manufacturing Group Ltd. (GMG) has exceeded expectations at its newly commissioned modular graphene production plant in Richlands, Australia, with the company reporting improved production rates and graphene quality since the plant began operating in December. Based in Australia, GMG has been at the forefront of clean-technology innov...

  • Detail of the Nth Cycle Oyster pre-processing filtration system.

    Nth Cycle recycles premium nickel, cobalt

    K. Warner, Metal Tech News|Updated Oct 2, 2024

    First domestic source of cobalt and nickel to be produced in new Ohio facility. This week, Nth Cycle became the first company in the United States to produce recycled nickel and cobalt. Using its patented Oyster system to produce these battery metals at its 21,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Ohio, this system is able to upgrade black mass and nickel scrap into mixed hydroxide precipitate (MHP), a key intermediate product that can be refined into nickel and cobalt...

  • The Solhyd team standing around a solar hydrogen prototype cell.

    Solhyd produces hydrogen from thin air

    K. Warner, Metal Tech News|Updated Oct 2, 2024

    Develops panels that borrow solar electricity to generate hydrogen from moisture in the air. The first "hydrogen solar panel" ever created merges the two most powerful, clean and renewable sources and is ready for real-world trials. A team of bioscience engineers from the University of Leuven in Belgium – Johan Martens Tom Bosserez, Jan Rongé and Christos Trompoukis – has been working for over a decade on Solhyd, an idealistic plan to develop a panel that can create hydr...

  • A canister filled with gaseous blue pigment powder.

    North Carolina's $1.4B sodium-ion plant

    K. Warner, Metal Tech News|Updated Oct 2, 2024

    Natron plans to 40X its capacity with a 14 GW sodium-ion battery factory in Southeast U.S. Natron plans to invest nearly $1.4 billion in building a sodium-ion battery factory in North Carolina. The plant is expected to produce 14 gigawatts of sodium-ion batteries per year at full capacity, increasing Natron's production by more than 40 times its current capacity. The factory is part of Natron's strategy to leverage the growing demand for sodium-ion battery storage, according...

  • Truck with HYDROGEN written across the tank.

    DOE invests $62 million in U.S. hydrogen

    K. Warner, Metal Tech News|Updated Oct 2, 2024

    Funds go to 20 projects across 15 states for clean hydrogen infrastructure. The U.S. Department of Energy awarded nearly $62 million to fund 20 projects across 15 states to accelerate research, development, and deployment of next-generation clean hydrogen technologies. These selected projects aim to advance critical elements of hydrogen fueling infrastructure, hydrogen-powered container-handling equipment for use at ports, and to improve processes essential to the efficient...

  • Illustration of a gold-colored microbe in a jar.

    Microbes mine metals from batteries

    K. Warner, Metal Tech News|Updated Oct 2, 2024

    Bacteria can extract lithium, cobalt, manganese, and other minerals from batteries and e-waste. Some bacteria have been proven to synthesize metal nanoparticles from their surroundings, apparently as a detox method to protect themselves from poisoning – and a team at the University of Edinburgh aims to use them to extract lithium, cobalt, manganese, and other minerals from old batteries and e-waste. Named The Horsfall Group, the researchers have proposed a method using s...

  • Two pellets of high-assay low-enriched uranium stacked neatly.

    DOE awards $17M for HALEU fuel safety

    A.J. Roan, Metal Tech News|Updated Oct 2, 2024

    Funding supports 16 projects to advance safety and licensing of HALEU for nuclear reactors. Capitalizing on the now unlocked $2.7 billion to secure a domestic nuclear fuel supply, DOE has awarded $17 million to 16 projects aimed at criticality benchmarking for high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU). These projects, essential for advancing next-generation nuclear reactors, will provide the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) with the data needed to accelerate HALEU licens...

  • Researcher testing lithium-ion batteries for next-gen battery tech.

    DOE invests $125M in battery breakthroughs

    A.J. Roan, Metal Tech News|Updated Oct 2, 2024

    Leading U.S. labs to explore breakthroughs in sustainable battery technologies. In a move to bolster U.S. energy security and advance clean energy technologies, the U.S. Department of Energy has awarded $125 million to two Energy Innovation Hub teams to drive next-generation battery and energy storage research. As the demand for cleaner energy and more efficient storage solutions grows, addressing the limitations of current technologies has become increasingly urgent, pushing...

  • Nissan's solid-state Electric GT-R

    K. Warner, Metal Tech News|Updated Sep 3, 2024

    The automaker’s first with solid-state batteries. Solid-state batteries are available now, but scaling the technology up to electric vehicle production rates is still several years out. With the potential of nearly twice the energy density of lithium-ion, solid-state batteries can boost power and range while also lowering charge times. The world got its first look at the electric GT-R after Nissan unveiled the Hyper Force EV concept last October. An electric version of N... Full story

  • Rendering of an EV driving through wind turbines toward a city.

    VW & QuantumScape scaling up solid-state

    K. Warner, Metal Tech News|Updated Aug 30, 2024

    Volkswagen's PowerCo and QuantumScape face challenges in the quest to mass-produce solid-state batteries. Solid-state battery technology is poised to revolutionize the green energy storage landscape, particularly in the electric vehicle market. In a move to advance this innovation, Volkswagen Group's battery company PowerCo and QuantumScape have entered into a groundbreaking agreement to commercialize QuantumScape's next-generation solid-state lithium-metal battery technology.... Full story

  • Blue gloved hands holding flexible, transparent circuit powering LEDs.

    Liquid metal magic revolutionizes circuits

    A.J. Roan, Metal Tech News|Updated Aug 27, 2024

    Breakthrough technique at NC State creates flexible, nanoscale, transparent circuits using printed metal oxides. Imagine printing transparent circuits at room temperature – no heat, no fancy equipment – just a trail of liquid metal creating a conductive masterpiece. In a breakthrough that feels too simple to be true, scientists have cracked the code on how to print metal oxide films that are both transparent and incredibly durable, opening the door to flexible, high-performanc... Full story

  • Artist’s rendering of the Gateway space station orbiting the Moon.

    Made on the Moon (and beyond)

    K. Warner, Metal Tech News|Updated Aug 27, 2024

    Space mining could provide rare earths, iron, hydrogen, and other in-situ resources for lunar and Martian outposts. The most expensive aspect of space exploration comes in the form of moving payloads. Every ounce on a rocket requires a fuel increase, resupply missions are expensive, and as astronaut crews – human or robotic – become more independent of Earth, long-term missions become increasingly feasible. Future astronauts will need to collect and process ext... Full story

  • The Canadian flag flying against a the blue sky.

    Canadian critical minerals investment

    K. Warner, Metal Tech News|Updated Aug 22, 2024

    Funds will take advantage of prolific rare earths and encourage domestic processing. Mineral exploration continues to play an integral role in shaping the economy of Saskatchewan, a province that hosts 27 out of 34 minerals deemed critical by the Canadian government, from potash to uranium. The Canadian Prairie province is now positioning itself as a key producer of rare earth elements (REE). In that vein, Canada Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Jonathan Wilkinson rece... Full story

  • Computer graphic of a mining haul truck being towed by an electric trolley.

    Antofagasta, ABB forge net-zero alliance

    Shane Lasley, Mining News|Updated Aug 22, 2024

    Chilean copper miner leverages ABB's global automation and electrification expertise to power its net-zero goals. Toward an overarching goal to "develop mining for a better future," Antofagasta Minerals is collaborating with ABB to implement net-zero emissions haulage solutions at its copper mines in Chile. Antofagasta's four mines produced 715,000 metric tons (146.3 million pounds) of copper last year, making it the fifth largest producer of this metal critical to energy... Full story

  • Bright green SENNEBOGAN scrap handler at SYNETIQ recycling yard.

    Cyclic expands to Europe with SYNETIQ deal

    A.J. Roan, Metal Tech News|Updated Aug 20, 2024

    Brings its recycling technology to U.K.'s leading integrated vehicle salvage and recycling firm. As part of its strategy to advance sustainable recycling practices, Cyclic Materials has signed a collaboration agreement with SYNETIQ, the U.K.'s leading vehicle salvage and recycling company, to recover rare earth elements from electric and hybrid vehicle motors. "This relationship marks Cyclic Materials first overseas feedstock contract, a significant milestone as we continue... Full story

  • ESA astronaut Matthias Maurer doing ISS concrete tests in space.

    NASA astronauts examine Moon-made cement

    A.J. Roan, Metal Tech News|Updated Aug 20, 2024

    ISS researchers mix together simulated lunar soil, cement, and water to determine microgravity effects. As NASA eyes the Moon for future habitation, an astronaut aboard the International Space Station is already busy mixing the cement, unraveling the mysteries of its hardening process in microgravity. This critical step could determine how we build resilient structures on the Moon and Mars, inching us closer to a permanent human outpost beyond Earth. Building a permanent... Full story

  • Rendering of Toyota's hydrogen combustion engine prototype.

    Toyota unveils hydrogen-fueled prototype

    K. Warner, Metal Tech News|Updated Aug 20, 2024

    Tested on the racetrack, this clean-burning fuel offers an alternative to EVs for zero-carbon emissions transportation. With the automotive industry headed toward greener transportation, electric vehicles have been the face of the shift. Meanwhile, another promising clean technology is quietly coming to the fore – hydrogen. A future in which hydrogen vehicles share the road seems increasingly possible as numerous established automakers such as BMW, Toyota, Hyundai, Honda, a... Full story

  • Mining equipment and technology executives shaking hands.

    ABB, Komatsu partner to electrify mining

    Shane Lasley, Metal Tech News|Updated Aug 16, 2024

    Global electrification and equipment companies join forces to develop zero-emission solutions for mining. To accelerate the development of technologies that will help global mining companies achieve their climate goals, ABB and Komatsu are collaborating on the development of technologies to reduce and eventually eliminate the need for diesel to fuel the heavy machinery that does the digging and hauling at mines around the world. Under a strategic agreement, ABB and Komatsu... Full story

  • A display of GMG’s coin cell graphene-aluminum batteries.

    GMG advances graphene-aluminum battery

    A.J. Roan, Metal Tech News|Updated Aug 16, 2024

    Refines process toward commercial development with planned advancements and pilot plant. Marking a significant step forward in energy storage technology, Graphene Manufacturing Group Ltd. revealed the latest progress in developing graphene-aluminum-ion batteries, highlighting the company's success in optimizing performance and pushing the boundaries of current battery capabilities. Based out of Australia, GMG has been pioneering advancements in graphene-aluminum battery...

  • Co-authors of the study on a Kagome metal that generates plasmon polaritons.

    Unique photonic phenomenon in Kagome metal

    K. Warner, Metal Tech News|Updated Aug 16, 2024

    Florida State University scientists study quantum properties of cesium-vanadium-antimonide. In quantum physics, the name Kagome, an ancient design seen in traditional Japanese basket-weaving, has been borrowed by scientists to describe a class of ferromagnetic quantum materials with an atomic structure closely resembling this distinctive lattice pattern. A new Florida State University (FSU) study published in Nature Communications focuses on how a particular Kagome metal...

  • Artistic rendering of Mercury with diamond mountains.

    Mercury may be like a diamond in the sky

    K. Warner, Metal Tech News|Updated Aug 16, 2024

    Based on new simulations, a team of geoscientists suspects Mercury may have a 10-mile-thick layer of diamonds buried beneath its graphite grey surface. While we can't yet go digging to prove it, a new study reveals the likely presence of a layer of diamond nearly ten miles thick at the boundary between Mercury's core and mantle. When viewed by spacecraft from 2011 to 2015, Mercury appeared exceptionally grey due to the high concentrations of graphite, which is pure carbon, on...

  • Planetary nebula NGC 7294 looks like a giant glowing eye in the cosmos.

    Scientists add minerals to Darwin's theory

    A.J. Roan, Metal Tech News|Updated Aug 16, 2024

    Carnegie Science researchers postulate complexity of matter, living or non-living, evolves over time. In a revelation that challenges our understanding of the universe, researchers from Carnegie Science have discovered that minerals may evolve much the same way living organisms do, suggesting that the principles of evolution extend beyond biology, potentially reshaping our perspective on the natural world. This groundbreaking study, published in the journal PNAS Nexus, offers...

  • Iron-age men around a firebrick oven.

    Learning from history: high heat batteries

    K. Warner, Metal Tech News|Updated Aug 16, 2024

    Bronze Age firebricks may present an inexpensive solution to energy storage for modern industrial processes. Scientists and early man have something in common when it comes to energy storage: the heat-absorbing bricks used to line primitive kilns and iron-making furnaces thousands of years ago may help store intermittent power from renewables to switch over to green energy sooner – and for a trillion dollars less – according to recent Stanford-led research published in PNA...

  • AI rendering of a vehicle on fire.

    Hyundai, Kia share EV battery maker lists

    K. Warner, Metal Tech News|Updated Aug 13, 2024

    Safety concerns after recent battery fires encourage transparency from automakers. Following several recent publicized incidents of electric vehicles catching fire in South Korea, Hyundai Motors will be the first to reveal a list of the battery makers used in its 13 EV models, with Kia to follow suit. At the top of these headline-grabbing stories was a parked Mercedes-Benz EV that caught fire below a residential building in Incheon, South Korea. The fire caused a prolonged... Full story

  • Rendering of 3D printed yellow filter cubes on water.

    Filtering toxins with 3D printed indium

    K. Warner, Metal Tech News|Updated Aug 13, 2024

    Researchers develop scalable, reusable filter that removes 75% of forever chemicals from water. A team from the University of Bath in the United Kingdom has developed 3D-printed indium oxide lattice filters that remove up to 75% of one of the most common persistent chemical contaminants on the planet from water – PFAS. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of manmade chemicals developed in the 1940s to make products that resist water, oil and grease, heat a... Full story

Page Down