The article begins by highlighting the pressing issue of petroleum-derived plastic pollution and the detrimental effects of microplastics on our food and water supplies. In response to this problem, researchers have been developing biodegradable versions of traditional plastics, or “bioplastics.” However, current bioplastics face challenges as they are not as strong as petrochemical-based plastics and only degrade through a high-temperature composting system.

Enter researchers at Washington University in St. Louis, who have solved both problems with inspiration from the humble leaf. The team decided to introduce cellulose nanofibers to the design of bioplastics, creating a multilayer structure where cellulose is in the middle and the bioplastics are on two sides. This unique biomimicking design allows for broader bioplastic utilization, addressing the limitations of current versions.

The researchers emerged from working with two high-production bioplastics today: polyhydroxybutrate (PHB) and polylactic acid (PLA). They used a variation of their leaf-inspired cellulose nanofiber structure to improve the strength and biodegradability of these plastics. The optimized bioplastic, called Layered, Ecological, Advanced and multi-Functional Film (LEAFF), turned PLA into a packaging material that is biodegradable at room temperature.

The researchers’ innovation was in adding the cellulosic structure that replicates cellulose fibrils embedded within the bioplastics. This unique design allows for critical properties such as low air or water permeability, helping keep food stable, and a surface that is printable. Additionally, the LEAFF’s underlying cellulose structure gives it a higher tensile strength than even petrochemical plastics like polyethylene and polypropylene.

The researchers hope this technology can scale up soon and seek commercial and philanthropic partners to help bring these improved processes to industry. They believe the United States is uniquely positioned to dominate the bioplastics market and establish a “circular economy” wherein waste products are reused, fed back into systems instead of left to pollute the air and water or sit in landfills.

The article concludes by highlighting the potential for the U.S. to create jobs and new markets through the development and implementation of this sustainable technology. The researchers also emphasize the importance of circular reuse in turning waste into useful materials.

The development of new technologies is often driven by the need for more efficient and cost-effective solutions. A recent breakthrough from RMIT University in Australia has produced a new type of 3D-printed titanium alloy that boasts improved strength and performance while reducing costs by an impressive 29%. This innovative material has the potential to transform industries such as aerospace and medicine, where reliability and durability are paramount.

The team at RMIT’s Centre for Additive Manufacturing (RCAM) used readily available and cheaper alternative materials to replace the increasingly expensive vanadium in their alloy. By adopting this new approach, they have created a more affordable and sustainable solution that also demonstrates superior mechanical properties compared to standard 3D-printed titanium alloys.

“We’re still relying on legacy alloys like Ti-6Al-4V that doesn’t allow full capitalization of this potential,” said Ryan Brooke, the study lead author. “New types of titanium and other alloys will allow us to really push the boundaries of what’s possible with 3D printing.”

Brooke emphasized the importance of innovation in additive manufacturing, highlighting the need for a new framework that allows designers to capitalize on emerging technology. The team’s research has outlined a time- and cost-saving method for selecting elements for alloying, which can help take advantage of the benefits offered by 3D-printing.

Their study has also provided a clearer understanding of how to predict the printed grain structure of metallic alloys in additive manufacturing, a crucial aspect that can impact the overall quality and performance of the final product. By developing a more cost-effective formula that avoids column-shaped microstructures, the team has effectively solved two key challenges preventing widespread adoption of 3D printing.

The implications of this breakthrough are vast, with potential applications in industries such as aerospace, automotive, and medical devices. According to Brooke, “We have been able to not only produce titanium alloys with a uniform grain structure, but with reduced costs, while also making it stronger and more ductile.”

Professor Mark Easton, corresponding author of the study, emphasized the importance of collaboration in further developing this technology. He stated that RCAM is focused on creating new partnerships to bring the next stages of development to fruition.

The production of samples was carried out at RMIT’s Advanced Manufacturing Precinct, a cutting-edge facility equipped with state-of-the-art equipment and expertise.

This innovative breakthrough has significant potential to transform industries and improve lives through more efficient and cost-effective solutions. The development of this new 3D-printed titanium alloy is an exciting step forward in the pursuit of innovation and sustainability.

In a groundbreaking breakthrough, researchers from New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) have successfully employed artificial intelligence to identify five powerful new materials that could potentially replace traditional lithium-ion batteries. These innovative discoveries were made possible through the application of generative AI techniques to rapidly explore thousands of material combinations.

Unlike conventional lithium-ion batteries, which rely on lithium ions carrying a single positive charge, multivalent-ion batteries use elements such as magnesium, calcium, aluminum, and zinc whose ions carry two or even three positive charges. This unique property allows multivalent-ion batteries to potentially store significantly more energy, making them highly attractive for future energy storage solutions.

However, the greater size and electrical charge of multivalent ions make it challenging to accommodate them efficiently in battery materials – a hurdle that the NJIT team’s new AI-driven research directly addresses. “One of the biggest hurdles wasn’t a lack of promising battery chemistries – it was the sheer impossibility of testing millions of material combinations,” said Professor Dibakar Datta, leading researcher on the project.

To overcome this obstacle, the NJIT team developed a novel dual-AI approach: a Crystal Diffusion Variational Autoencoder (CDVAE) and a finely tuned Large Language Model (LLM). These AI tools rapidly explored thousands of new crystal structures, something previously impossible using traditional laboratory experiments.

The CDVAE model was trained on vast datasets of known crystal structures, enabling it to propose completely novel materials with diverse structural possibilities. Meanwhile, the LLM was tuned to zero in on materials closest to thermodynamic stability, crucial for practical synthesis. “Our AI tools dramatically accelerated the discovery process, which uncovered five entirely new porous transition metal oxide structures that show remarkable promise,” said Datta.

The team validated their AI-generated structures using quantum mechanical simulations and stability tests, confirming that the materials could indeed be synthesized experimentally and hold great potential for real-world applications. Datta emphasized the broader implications of their AI-driven approach: “This is more than just discovering new battery materials – it’s about establishing a rapid, scalable method to explore any advanced materials, from electronics to clean energy solutions, without extensive trial and error.”

With these encouraging results, Datta and his colleagues plan to collaborate with experimental labs to synthesize and test their AI-designed materials, pushing the boundaries further towards commercially viable multivalent-ion batteries. This exciting breakthrough has the potential to revolutionize the field of energy storage, paving the way for a more sustainable future.