Invention Description Subsurface drainage is an agricultural water management practice widely implemented in low-relief landscapes to regulate soil moisture, particularly in the root zone, and enable earlier planting. The benefits for agricultural production are countered by potential negative impacts on the environment and water quality, highlighting...

Various technologies have been developed to reduce CO2 emissions and achieve net-zero energy sectors. One common method is carbon capture and storage, which traps CO22 using special materials. However, they are facing challenges in handling the captured CO2 for long-term storage and potential secondary emissions. Converting CO2 into useful products...

Invention Description Heavy metals are non-biodegradable and can contaminate in ecosystems and the food chain, making them one of the most pressing environmental issues of our time. Certain industrial practices have resulted in an increase in the amount of heavy metals discharged into wastewater which can then leach into or contaminate other water...

Invention Description Crystalline silicon (c-Si) photovoltaic (PV) panels contain a mix of bulk materials (such as glass, silicon, and aluminum), toxic substances (like lead, tin, and copper), and precious metals. Due to solar panel designs not being standardized, their compositions vary. Panels with lead-based solder, for example, contain more lead...

Invention Description Capturing CO2 from stationary sources, such as power plants and industrial facilities, is essential in addressing climate change. These sources are major emitters of greenhouse gasses, and without mitigation efforts, they significantly contribute to global warming. Carbon capture technologies can reduce the carbon footprint of...

Invention Description Solar cell fabrication requires the use of transparent conductive oxides on the front face (sun facing side) and rear contact to provide a current path for operation. Typically, only one layer of Indium Tin Oxide is sputtered from an alloy composition target, Researchers at Arizona State University have developed a technology...

Invention Description Rising atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO₂) levels and the limitations of conventional capture methods such as high energy consumption, thermal instability, and costly regeneration have created a need for low-energy, durable, and efficient sorbents. Moisture-swing CO₂ capture offers a promising alternative, enabling CO₂ absorption...

Invention Description Freshwater scarcity is a critical global challenge. Desalination and water purification, particularly through solar steam generation, offer promising solutions by converting seawater and polluted water into freshwater using solar energy. Aerogels doped with reduced graphene oxide (rGO) enhance this process by improving water transport...

Background Ground-based snow monitoring stations have long supported water management, forecasting, and planning. Recent advancements in remote sensing technology have improved the ability to monitor snow cover at broader scales. Satellite imagery, such as that from the Moderate Resolutiion Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), have been used to track...

Background Cadmium telluride (CdTe) photovoltaic technology is considered one of the most successful commercial thin film solar cell technologies, boasting a power conversion efficiency of approximately 23%. Despite this achievement, the current power conversion efficiency for CdTe modules is still far from the theoretical power conversion efficiency...