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Plucking power from poultry with feather fuel cells
CategoriesSustainable News

Plucking power from poultry with feather fuel cells

By Zarkon Group,

Spotted: Fuel cells come in many different forms, but at the heart of all of them is a semi-permeable membrane. These are made out of “forever chemicals”, which are both environmentally hazardous and toxic to humans. Now, researchers from NTU Singapore and ETH Zürich believe they have found a way to replace these harmful chemicals in fuel cells with chicken feathers. 

The waste feathers, which would have been discarded anyway, are made out of a protein called keratin. Once extracted, this keratin can be heated to create ultra-fine fibres called amyloid fibrils. The researchers found that these fibrils, in turn, could be used to create a membrane that was capable of conducting protons – a crucial aspect of fuel cell membranes.  

Fuel cells can be great providers of clean energy, with hydrogen fuel cells producing only water and electricity when used, rather than generating greenhouse gases like conventional fuels. As well as eliminating the need for harmful substances in the fuel cell, the technology also makes use of a significant waste source and prevents the feathers from being burnt, which produces further CO2. As one of lead researchers, Professor Raffaele Mezzenga, said: “Our latest development closes a cycle: we are taking a substance that releases carbon dioxide and toxic gases when burned and using it in a different setting“.  

In testing, a fuel cell setup using the membrane was capable of powering an LED lamp and spinning a small fan. The team’s next step will be to test the durability of the membrane and make necessary improvements. The researchers have already filed for the associated patent and are looking to partner with investors, with the goal of eventually making the technology commercially available. 

Springwise has spotted other ways innovators are unleashing the potential of clean hydrogen fuel, including in a plane powered by liquid hydrogen as well as a new compact hydrogen fuel cell. 

Written By: Archie Cox

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Detecting cancer cells with an AI-powered web platform
CategoriesSustainable News

Detecting cancer cells with an AI-powered web platform

By Zarkon Group,

Spotted: Urbanisation may prove highly beneficial for increasing employment and educational opportunities, but scientists are increasingly noting the negative impact of urban environments on our health, including rising instances of cancers. And according to researchers, the burden of cancer is set to rise faster in developing countries in the coming years, including in Nigeria. 

At the same time, the country’s health system is woefully understaffed, with a ratio of less than 100 clinical oncologists for every 100,000 cancer patients. A team of data scientists and healthcare students saw an opportunity for artificial intelligence (AI) to help reduce that gap. Working together, they built TensorScan, a web-based tool for real-time detection of malignant cells in histology micrographs.  

With the power of AI at hand to help review cancer scans, oncologists can order more tests for more patients, thereby contributing to a reduction in waiting and diagnosis times. As patients begin to move through the healthcare system more quickly, the potential for earlier identification of malignant cells grows, further increasing the rate of positive care outcomes.  

TensorScan also provides additional services for scientists and patients. The developers built a native token called $CARE with blockchain technology to ensure the security of research data and the privacy of patients. Doctors upload scan results and receive payment in $CARE tokens. Researchers use the tokens to buy data, and patients are able to connect with others in support groups and receive payments for their time. The payments to patients can be particularly helpful in countries with less developed or accessible national health systems. 

The team envisions up to 70 breast cancer screening centres spread throughout Nigeria. After participating in the FuelAfrica 2.0 hackathon held in early 2023 and earning second runner-up, the team plans to continue developing the strength of the algorithm and rolling out the technology as quickly as possible.  

AI’s ability to handle volumes of data and tasks far greater than a human’s capacity makes the technology of particular interest to many nations struggling to provide equitable, high-quality healthcare to their populations. Springwise’s archive contains additional examples of AI improving healthcare by prioritising patient cases according to the probability of illness and examining scans for areas of secondary concern.

Written By: Keely Khoury

Reference

High-performance and compact hydrogen fuel cells
CategoriesSustainable News

High-performance and compact hydrogen fuel cells

By Zarkon Group,

Spotted: Our reliance on unclean energy sources has catapulted our planet out of stability and into an era of change. Across the globe, fossil fuel usage accounts for 65 per cent of the carbon emissions. But, as the French startup INOCEL aims to prove with its new high-performance hydrogen fuel cell, we can transition our fossil-fuel dependence onto cleaner energy sources.

INOCEL’s very high-power PEMFC, or proton-exchange membrane fuel cell, betters the competition in a few ways. First and foremost, it is three times more powerful than others its size on the market. On top of that, the company claims the product has an energy efficiency level of 60 per cent and a durability performance that makes operating costs more attractive. Finally, its battery size and volume are smaller than other PEMFC fuel cells.

By focusing its applications on fuelling marine, ground transportation, high-performance cars, and stationary applications, INOCEL’s technology will hopefully enable the startup to have a visible impact on a scalable level.

The company will make its unrivalled hydrogen fuel cell available in a 300-kW format in 2024.

Springwise has previously spotted other innovations aimed at making hydrogen power a more accessible energy source, including a startup that’s developed a way to increase the storage capacity of hydrogen, and a system that produces hydrogen on-site to avoid transportation and storage challenges.

Written By: Georgia King

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Super-efficient solar cells are digitally printed to fit any device
CategoriesSustainable News

Super-efficient solar cells are digitally printed to fit any device

By Zarkon Group,

Spotted: Cleantech company Perovskia Solar combines inkjet printing with customised design to build solar cells that fit almost any product. Designed for seamless integration into existing devices, the Perovskia solar cells work exceptionally well even in low lighting conditions.

Perovskia is a calcium titanite mineral that, when applied in a thin film as a semiconductor, is an incredibly efficient method for converting solar energy to power. Using green nanoparticle inks, the Perovskia solar cells are digitally printed in a variety of sizes and shapes to fit almost all smart devices, including wearables, sensors, and IoT devices.

With the speed of its manufacturing and flexibility in design and application of the cells, Perovskia’s photovoltaics could make solar power more accessible to a range of organisations. As well as being more cost-effective than current photovoltaics, the company’s production process is much healthier for the environment, producing far fewer emissions.

Another service the company provides is bespoke design to help businesses create solar cells that fit their projects, technically and visually. Continued development of the technology focuses on commercial availability and improvements in efficiencies at all stages of production and use.  

Solar-powered devices spotted by Springwise include solar-powered, wind-blown sensors, a solar-powered lamp that mimics sunrise and sunset, and solar-powered work pods.

Written by: Keely Khoury

18th May 2022

Email: info@perovskia.solar

Website: perovskia.solar

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