Plants, algae and certain bacteria utilize photosynthesis to convert sunlight, water, and CO2 into oxygen and energy, which is the material basis for most biological activities on earth. However, their photosynthetic efficiency is low compared to theoretical values. Therefore, boosting this photosynthetic efficiency even a little above normal can translate...

Background Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastics are some of the most widely used, yet one of the largest plastic polluters globally. PET polymer is the primary component of disposable water bottles, and is a main component in the textile manufacturing industry. These products typically end up in waste dumps and landfills, and are seldom recycled. There...

Photosynthetic microbes are promising contributors to the bioeconomy. With light and CO2, they can create biomass, biofuels, green chemicals, food ingredients and more. Typically, CO2 is delivered by sparging; however, CO2 macrobubbles quickly rise to the surface and are lost to the atmosphere. This gas transfer inefficiency not only increases operational...

Background Carbon dioxide removal (CDR) methods from atmospheric air, including direct air capture (DAC), is essential to limit the spread of global warming. However, current DAC approaches based on thermal and pressure swings are very energy intensive. Moisture-driven DAC using strong-base anion exchange resins (AER) reversibly binds CO2 from ambient...

Background Neurospora crassa is a type of filamentous fungus of the ascomycota typically found in bread. Rhizopus oryzae is another type of filamentous fungi of the mucoromycta that is typically found in soil and rotting vegetation. Neither of these fungi are toxic or pathogenic to humans, but have not been extensively studied for research purposes....

Background Adsorption is the main water treatment technology that is commercially used to remove per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from water. These substances are in thousands of everyday products due to their high stability and chemical resistance, but are non-biodegradable and can pose risks to human health. Current adsorption techniques...

Background Ammonia (NH3) is a valuable compound for industrial, agricultural, and water treatment applications. The typical method for large-scale production of ammonia is the Haber-Bosch (HB) process, which uses hydrogen and nitrogen as reagents under high pressure and temperature. However, this process generates over 450 million tons of CO2 annually,...

Background Poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) is a commodity plastic that is used in many types of single-use applications (e.g., to-go containers, food packaging, water bottles). The accumulation of plastic waste in landfills and in the environment is fueling a greater push to advance polymer recycling technology. Chemically recycling plastics to...

Background Currently, the most common method of synthesizing of carbon fiber (CF) is by utilizing polyacrylonitrile (PAN). Although this is a very effective way of obtaining CF, this method requires a lot of energy and is expensive. There is currently a need for methods of synthesizing CF that provide safer, cheaper, and more energy efficient alternatives...

Background Cities are continuing to experience rising temperatures due to a combination of local and global drivers. In summer, this warming results in increased heat-related morbidity and mortality, increased energy consumption and cost, and increased water use. The impacts of extreme heat are particularly severe in cities throughout hot desert regions...