Important Innovations

New UK Research - Waste Plastic Put to Good Use & Cheaper Than Recycling Source:  Stock Photo Plastics Pollution Scientists at Swansea University in the UK say they've successfully converted discarded plastic into hydrogen fuel. The fuel can be used to power hydrogen powered cars and trains. Billions of Tons of Plastics Dumped Every Year Billions of tons of plastics are used every year and land in the dump and the oceans.  Only a fraction of the plastic is recycled.  The Swansea University researchers are trying to find a use for what's not being recycled. Brilliantly Simple Idea and Process - Basis of Great Innovation Here's the process.  The scientists add light absorbing material to the plastic, before placing it in an alkaline solution and exposing it to light. Their process creates hydrogen. The UK scientists are quick to add that rolling out this breakthrough at an industrial level could take years.  But wouldn't that be worth it!

Biodegradable, Hybrid Biobatteries Take-off Researchers at the State University of New York at Binghamton have developed a breakthrough biobattery, that's been eluding the engineering and scientific communities for decades.  It's paper-based, eco-friendly and hybrid.  On top of that, it's inexpensive and performs well. The problems this SUNY team have overcome are making the battery easy to produce, really biodegradable and powerful enough. Eco-Friendly Alternative The hybrid paper battery is easy to produce, flexible and biodegradable.  It has much higher power-to-cost ratio than previously reported paper-based microbial batteries.  This one uses a hybrid of paper and engineered polymers.  The polymers are the key to making it biodegradable. Powered to Start Ending Electronic Waste There's been a dramatic increase in electronics waste and the new biobattery is a start to reduce that.  Also, SUNY Asst. Professor Sean Choi says the battery's powe...