Today's Tech News: Notable or Not?

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1120147 "lithium-based electrolyte mixed with fluorinated diluent, preventing breakdown under high electrical pressure... operates safely at 4V without rapid self-discharge... 77.4 Wh/kg storage capacity close to batteries/ maintaining fast-charging capacitor benefits, retains >90% capacity after 10K cycles... sustainable blueprint for powering heavy-duty electric transit and smart power grids, where both rapid power delivery and long-lasting energy are required"

https://techxplore.com/news/2025-11-green-alternative-emitting-materials-displays.html "preparation only uses green solvents water/ acetone... fluoresces under UV due to excited state proton transfer... phenolic groups within lignin absorb UV and become energized, releasing as visible light (fluorescence) as lignin relaxes back to normal state... photoluminescent properties easily adjusted... screens (TVs, smartphones), lighting, sensors, security inks, biomedical imaging... upcycles lignin, a major waste product of the paper industry, into a high-value technology material"

https://scitechdaily.com/biotech-breakthrough-trees-engineered-to-replace-fossil-fuels/ "replaces need for petroleum-based chemicals, economically viable... thermophilic bacteria degrades cellulose in these trees... cheaper, more eco-friendly... microorganisms continually produce enzymes... high temperatures these thermophilic bacteria grow at avoids the need to otherwise create sterile conditions to avoid contamination... makes large amounts of acetone, ethanol, hydrogen gas from poplar trees, all in one step in a conventional industrial process, so more likely to be adopted" Related: The first genetic editing in spiders with CRISPR‐Cas yields colorful silk https://phys.org/news/2025-05-genetic-spiders-crisprcas-yields-silk.html#google_vignette

https://phys.org/news/2024-03-3d-wood-natural-components.html "cheap, eco-friendly, additive-free, water-based lignin and cellulose direct ink writing... adjusting lignin, cellulose nanofiber, and nanocrystal ratio, maintaining natural lignin-cellulose balance... close similarities to natural wood in texture, scent and strength... mechanical tests were performed to evaluate compressive and bending strengths, revealing promising results that surpassed those of natural balsa wood" Related: New environmentally friendly wood fiber boards https://www.nibio.no/en/news/new-environmentally-friendly-wood-fiber-boards Using nano-iron technology results in stronger wood for sustainable materials https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1081775 InventWood is about to mass-produce wood that’s stronger than steel https://techcrunch.com/2025/05/12/inventwood-is-about-to-mass-produce-wood-thats-stronger-than-steel/ Building a high rise out of wood? Cross-laminated timber could make it possib...

https://techxplore.com/news/2024-02-reveals-eco-friendly-generate-power.html "low cost... low-grade heat (<200 C) recovered from lignin-derived membranes... waste heat to electricity utilizing movement of charged atoms (ions) within material... in industrial processes, 66% of waste heat falls into this category, highlighting the potential of this breakthrough for developing sustainable heat-to-electricity applications... membrane is lightweight, easy to synthesize, and biocompatible, making it suitable for thermal energy harvesting, temperature sensing, and biomedical sensors" Related: Valorization of depolymerized lignin using microorganisms https://phys.org/news/2024-03-valorization-depolymerized-lignin-microorganisms.html Researchers develop a thermoelectric material with optimal cost, efficiency and flexibility https://phys.org/news/2024-03-thermoelectric-material-optimal-efficiency-flexibility.html Ion thermoelectric conversion devices for near room temperature https:...

https://phys.org/news/2023-11-green-pharmaceutical-production-wood.html "lignin broken down into a precursor substance to synthesize 4 substance classes each with multiple derivatives... only lignin plus other non-harmful and biodegradable solvents and reagents used to create substances capable of influencing growth of different types of bacteria or even cancer cells... allows us to produce molecules that are otherwise very difficult to access" Related: Scientists engineer bacteria to make two valuable products from plant fiber https://phys.org/news/2023-12-scientists-bacteria-valuable-products-fiber.html Nature’s Glue from Sawdust Gets to the Root of Sustainable Chemicals Challenge https://www.azocleantech.com/news.aspx?newsID=35357

https://phys.org/news/2023-09-lignin-catalyst-alternative-bisphenol-bpa.html "compounds called bisguaiacols, all of which are based on the use of lignin, a key component of wood. The bisguaiacols are created by inciting reactions between an alkene and a bio-based arene (such as guaiacol)—all set off by H-USY, a recyclable zeolite catalyst. The researchers confirmed that their compounds could be used to make cleaner and healthier plastics. Initial testing also failed to find toxicity in humans" Related: Recycling used wood can make a big contribution to net zero, but needs much better coordination https://phys.org/news/2023-10-recycling-wood-big-contribution-net.html Transforming wood waste for sustainable manufacturing https://phys.org/news/2024-03-wood-sustainable.html Using wood waste products to produce ink for 3D printing of wood objects https://techxplore.com/news/2024-03-wood-products-ink-3d.html New chemical process helps derive plastic building blocks from wood that m...