Mercedes-Benz Seeks Sustainable EV Battery Made From Rice Hulls
The humble rice hull could provide EV battery makers with a more sustainable, bio-based graphite supply chain that outperforms conventional graphite, too.
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Photosynthesis Differs in Rice Varieties — Natural Diversity Could Boost Yields
Rice is a direct source of calories for more people than any other and serves as the main staple for some 560 million chronically hungry people in Asia. With over 120,000 varieties of cultivated rice (Oryza sativa) across the globe, there is a wealth of natural diversity to be mined by plant scientists to increase yields. A team from the University of Illinois and the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) examined how 14 diverse varieties photosynthesize—the process by which all crops convert sunlight energy into sugars that ultimately become our food.
Climate Change Could Cause Significant Food Supply & Economic Problems Due To “Chokepoints,” Report Warns
Roughly 25% of all of the food currently eaten in the world is traded on international markets. This situation is especially true of staple foods such as wheat, maize, rice, and soybeans.
Climate Change To Reduce Global Yields Of Staple Crops 23% By 2050s
Global production of the 4 most important staple crops in the world — maize/corn, wheat, rice, and soybeans — will be reduced by around 23% by the 2050s as a result of worsening anthropogenic climate change, according to new research published in the journal Economics of Disasters and Climate Change.
Boron For Better Batteries
Tina about one year ago wrote about Rice University research exploring the benefits from the use of boron in batteries. Rice has an update for us, reposted below (with minor changes). Frustration led to revelation when Rice University scientists determined how graphene might be made useful for high-capacity batteries. Calculations by … [continued]
Nanoantenna Surprise Discovery Could Make Solar Cells More Efficient
Basic scientific curiosity paid off in unexpected ways when Rice University researchers investigating the fundamental physics of nanomaterials discovered a new technology that could dramatically improve solar energy panels.
Hybrid Nanocables Could Boost Lithium-Ion Battery Performance
A team of researchers at Rice University have discovered a way to improve the efficiency of lithium-ion batteries: use carbon-nanotube/metal-oxide arrays as electrode material. Rice’s nanotubes are grown to look and act like coaxial conducting lines used in cables.
Japanese Company Making CD/DVD Cases With Rice-Based Plastic
In a first for the CD industry, Victor Creative Media Co Ltd. has begun taking orders for CD/DVD cases made with rice-based plastic. While rice accounts for less than 10% of the material, the composite plastic uses significantly less fossil fuel than traditional plastic. Victor’s product has previously been used … [continued]
