Nanotechnology Now

Our NanoNews Digest Sponsors
Heifer International



Home > News > Two for one - cleaning water and generating energy

August 18th, 2011

Two for one - cleaning water and generating energy

Abstract:
A fuel cell system that can generate electricity from organic compounds and clean up wastewater at the same time has been developed by scientists in China.

Yanbiao Liu from Shanghai Jiao Tong University and colleagues made a photocatalytic fuel cell comprising a TiO2-nanotube-array (TNA) anode and a platinum-based cathode. The cell uses light energy to degrade organic compounds in wastewater, generating electrons that pass through to the cathode, which converts the chemical energy into electrical energy.

'Organic compounds in wastewater are important sources of energy,' says Liu. Organic matter that amounts to a third of the global energy demand is lost in wastewater each year. 'Seeking sustainable approaches to recover energy from this waste and degrading it to a non-hazardous product is desirable.'

Source:
rsc.org

Bookmark:
Delicious Digg Newsvine Google Yahoo Reddit Magnoliacom Furl Facebook

Related News Press

News and information

Quantum computer improves AI predictions April 17th, 2026

Flexible sensor gains sensitivity under pressure April 17th, 2026

A reusable chip for particulate matter sensing April 17th, 2026

Detecting vibrational quantum beating in the predissociation dynamics of SF6 using time-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy April 17th, 2026

Discoveries

Quantum computer improves AI predictions April 17th, 2026

Flexible sensor gains sensitivity under pressure April 17th, 2026

A reusable chip for particulate matter sensing April 17th, 2026

Detecting vibrational quantum beating in the predissociation dynamics of SF6 using time-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy April 17th, 2026

Announcements

A fundamentally new therapeutic approach to cystic fibrosis: Nanobody repairs cellular defect April 17th, 2026

Qjump: Shallow-circuit quantum sampling guides combinatorial optimization On up to 104 superconducting qubits, Qjump assists in searching the ground states of hard Ising problems and might outperform simulated annealing on near-term quantum hardware April 17th, 2026

Rice study resolves decades-old mystery in organic light-emitting crystals: Findings reveal how molecular defects can enhance light conversion efficiency: April 17th, 2026

UC Irvine physicists discover method to reverse ‘quantum scrambling’ : The work addresses the problem of information loss in quantum computing system April 17th, 2026

Energy

Hanbat National University researchers present new technique to boost solid oxide fuel cell performance: Researchers demonstrate cobalt exsolution in solid oxide fuel cell cathodes in oxidizing atmospheres, presenting a new direction for fuel cell research October 3rd, 2025

Sensors innovations for smart lithium-based batteries: advancements, opportunities, and potential challenges August 8th, 2025

Simple algorithm paired with standard imaging tool could predict failure in lithium metal batteries August 8th, 2025

Portable Raman analyzer detects hydrogen leaks from a distance: Device senses tiny concentration changes of hydrogen in ambient air, offering a dependable way to detect and locate leaks in pipelines and industrial systems April 25th, 2025

Water

Two-dimensional bimetallic selenium-containing metal-organic frameworks and their calcinated derivatives as electrocatalysts for overall water splitting March 8th, 2024

Computational system streamlines the design of fluidic devices: This computational tool can generate an optimal design for a complex fluidic device such as a combustion engine or a hydraulic pump December 9th, 2022

Taking salt out of the water equation October 7th, 2022

Scientists capture a ‘quantum tug’ between neighboring water molecules: Ultrafast electrons shed light on the web of hydrogen bonds that gives water its strange properties, vital for many chemical and biological processes July 8th, 2022

Fuel Cells

Hanbat National University researchers present new technique to boost solid oxide fuel cell performance: Researchers demonstrate cobalt exsolution in solid oxide fuel cell cathodes in oxidizing atmospheres, presenting a new direction for fuel cell research October 3rd, 2025

Deciphering local microstrain-induced optimization of asymmetric Fe single atomic sites for efficient oxygen reduction August 8th, 2025

Current and Future Developments in Nanomaterials and Carbon Nanotubes: Applications of Nanomaterials in Energy Storage and Electronics October 28th, 2022

The “dense” potential of nanostructured superconductors: Scientists use unconventional spark plasma sintering method to prepare highly dense superconducting bulk magnesium diboride with a high current density October 7th, 2022

NanoNews-Digest
The latest news from around the world, FREE




  Premium Products
NanoNews-Custom
Only the news you want to read!
 Learn More
NanoStrategies
Full-service, expert consulting
 Learn More











ASP
Nanotechnology Now Featured Books




NNN

The Hunger Project