SUMMARYIM20251EN by Innovatieve Materialen

SUMMARY VOLUME 1 2025

CO₂ AS A RESOURCE OF THE FUTURE

NEW FILTER EXTRACTS ALUMINUM FROM PRODUCTION WASTE

REUSABLE ZIGZAG FORMWORK FOR GREENER CONSTRUCTION

SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING FROM WETLAND CROPS SOLARGATE

Innovative Materials Summary volume 1 2025

This is a summary of the most recent edition of Innovative Materials. Would you like to read the entire articles? You will find more information about subscriptions HERE.

Innovative Materials is an interactive, digital magazine about new and/or innovative applied materials in civil engineering sector, construction, architecture and design.

‘New model accelerates battery development’

Researchers at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) have developed an innovative simulation tool, the EZBattery Model, designed to rapidly and accurately predict the performance of redox flow batteries and their variants.

Copper nanoflowers use sunlight to convert CO₂ into hydrocarbons

Researchers from the University of Cambridge and the University of California, Berkeley, have developed an efficient method for producing hydrocarbons using solar energy. The system integrates a light-absorbing perovskite sheet with a copper ´nanoflower´ catalyst to convert carbon dioxide into valuable molecules.

Modular wooden high-rise for resource-efficient construction

The MOHOHO project, led by Graz University of Technology (TU Graz) in collaboration with industry partners, has developed a modular wooden high-rise system designed for greater adaptability. This flexibility can significantly extend a building’s service life. A patent application has been filed for the system.

Storing carbon in buildings could help address climate change

Building materials such as concrete and plastic could store billions of tons of carbon dioxide, according to research from the University of California, Davis (UC Davis) and Stanford University.

The key is to convert carbon dioxide - whether from industrial sources or the atmosphere - into a stable form and store it so that it cannot contribute to climate change.

Polymer editing can upcycle waste into higher-performance plastics

hemists at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) have developed a method to transform waste plastic into macromolecules that are more valuable than the original material. This breakthrough was achieved by chemically rearranging the structure of old polymers using two simultaneous processes, both involving metathesis reactions.

New process creates ordered semiconductor material at room temperature

Scientists at the University of Twente have developed a way to create highly ordered semiconductor material at room temperature. This UT research was published today in the scientific journal Nature Synthesis. This breakthrough could make optoelectronics more efficient by controlling the crystal structure and reducing the number of defects at the nanoscale.

‘New

extraction technique could make Saudi Arabia a major lithium producer’

Scientists from King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) have developed an innovative extraction technique that could significantly boost Saudi Arabia’s lithium production. The method enables the extraction of lithium from brine in oil fields and seawater, both of which contain lithium in very low concentrations, making it challenging to obtain usable quantities.

Biodegradable fungal battery

Scientists from the Swiss materials research institute Empa have developed a 3D-printed, biodegradable battery that doesn’t need recharging - it only needs to be fed. This living battery is based on fungi and could provide power to sensors used in agriculture or for research in remote areas. Remarkably, at the end of its operational life, the system digests itself from the inside.

From CO 2 to acetaldehyde: towards greener industrial chemistry

A team of scientists from EPFL, the University of Copenhagen, and the University of Shanghai has developed a copper-based catalyst capable of efficiently converting carbon dioxide into acetaldehyde. Acetaldehyde is a key chemical used in the production of a wide range of products.

3D Printing in a space factory

Researchers from the James Watt School of Engineering at the University of Glasgow have made a modest but significant step toward realizing space factories - facilities capable of 3D printing parts and components on demand in space, such as for future space settlements. Dr. Gilles Bailet, a leading researcher in the project, has been granted a patent for a novel 3D printing method designed specifically for use in zero gravity.

Scrap metals recycled into high-performance alloys using solid phase production

Scrap metals can be directly converted into high-performance alloys without conventional smelting processes, according to a new study by researchers at the Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL).

The research demonstrates that aluminium scrap from industrial waste streams can be upgraded to match the properties of primary aluminium.

Strong as steel, light as Styrofoam

Researchers at the University of Toronto have used machine learning to design nano-architected materials that possess the strength of carbon steel while remaining as lightweight as Styrofoam. They successfully created nanomaterials that combine seemingly contradictory properties, such as exceptional strength, low weight, and adaptability. According to the University of Toronto, this research could have applications across various industrial sectors, from automotive to aerospace.

3D-printed

marble powder and geopolymer enhance

indoor climate

Researchers from ETH Zurich have developed a sustainable wall and ceiling cladding that temporarily stores moisture, improving indoor air quality and comfort. These cladding components are made from mineral waste and produced using 3D printing.

‘Perfectly water-repellent’

Scientists from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and the Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati (IITG) have developed a surface material that almost completely repels water droplets. Using a novel process, they modified metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) by grafting hydrocarbon chains onto them.

3D printed formwork using mud

Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have developed a method for creating 3D-printed concrete formwork using minimally processed local soil or mud. This innovative technique has the potential to replace conventional wooden formwork in concrete construction, enabling faster, more efficient building processes while reducing costs and carbon emissions.

New method for sustainable lithium extraction

Researchers at Penn State University have developed a more efficient method for extracting lithium directly from the mineral spodumene using an electric current and hydrogen peroxide. Lithium, a key component of batteries used in electric vehicles and portable electronic devices, is traditionally extracted through methods that are costly and environmentally damaging.

Mining the Atmosphere CO₂ as a resource for the future

Mining the Atmosphere, a research initiative by Empa, seeks to capture excess CO₂ from the atmosphere and store it in building materials like concrete. Researchers at the Swiss materials science institute have, for the first time, outlined the potential of this approach.

3D-printed mini antennas

A team from the University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley) has developed a new 3D printing technology that could greatly expand the possibilities for producing lightweight antennas for new applications. These include antennas for use in the latest 5G/6G networks and advanced, lightweight devices for space applications, for example.

New filter extracts aluminium from production waste

Aluminium is a lightweight, versatile material that is still growing in popularity. Global demand for aluminium is projected to increase by 40 percent by the end of this decade, along with its environmental impact. To address this challenge, scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have developed a new nanofiltration process designed to make aluminium production more efficient while reducing waste.

Zigzags for greener construction

Sustainable packaging from peatland plants

Paludicultures such as peat moss, reed and reed canary grass are already used as construction materials, animal feed and foodstuff. Due to their low lignin content, however, peatland plants could also be an attractive alternative to wood as a raw material source for sustainable paper packaging. Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging IVV have already demonstrated in feasibility tests that peatland plants have great potential for the manufacture of folding boxes, trays and similar items.

SolarGate

Researchers from the universities of Stuttgart and Freiburg have developed a new energy-autonomous facade system that passively adapts to changing weather conditions. Traditionally, weather-sensitive facades have relied on complex mechanical or electronic systems. However, the Stuttgart-Freiburg research team focused on creating a system that utilizes the intrinsic properties of materials, much like a pine cone, which naturally expands and contracts its scales in response to external stimuli.

The potential of BOF slag as building material

The growing demand for sustainable construction materials has driven innovative research initiatives worldwide. One such groundbreaking project, carried out within the M2i program, focused on unlocking opportunities for repurposing Basic Oxygen Furnace (BOF) slag as a cement-like binder, simultaneously addressing the leaching behavior of this industrial byproduct.

Eco-friendly ‘e-textiles’

A research team led by the University of Southampton and UWE Bristol has demonstrated that wearable electronic textiles (e-textiles) can be both sustainable and biodegradable.The study, which also involved researchers from the Universities of Exeter, Cambridge, Leeds, and Bath, introduces and evaluates a novel sustainable approach to fully inkjet-printed, eco-friendly e-textiles, termed ‘Smart, Wearable, and Eco-Friendly Electronic Textiles’ (SWEET).

Silicone Expo Europe 2024 19 - 20 March 2025, Amsterdam

Fastener fair global 2025 25 - 27 March 2025, Stuttgart

Hannover Messe 31 March - 4 April 2025 Hannover

yCAM 2025 23 - 25 April 2025, Toulouse

CO2-based Fuels and Chemicals Conference 2025 29 - 30 April 2025, Cologne

A@W Belgium 11 - 12 May 2025, Kortrijk

De Nederlandse Metaal Dagen 21 - 23 May 2025, ‘s-Hertogenbosch

8th Conference of the Serbian Society for Ceramic Materials 18-20 June 2025, Belgrado

ESMC2025 7 - 11 July 2025, Lyon

ECerC 2025 4 September 2025, Dresden

AM Expo 16 - 17 September 2025, Luzern

A@W Hamburg 17 - 18 September 2025, Hamburg

PARTEC 23 - 25 September 2025, Nuremberg

Dutch Building Week 2025 29 September - 3 October 2025

Solids Rotterdam 1 - 2 October 2025, Rotterdam,

Metavak 2025 7, 8 en 9 October 2025 Gorinchem

Barcelona Design week 2025, 7 - 17 October 2025 Barcelona

Staalbouwdag 2025 9 October 2025, Leusden

K Messe 2025 8 - 15 October 2025, Düsseldorf

Fakuma 2026 12 - 16 October 2026, Friedrichshafen

Holz 14 - 18 October 2025, Basel

A@W The Netherlands 30 - 31 October 2025, Amsterdam

Vakbeurs Recycling 2025 11 - 13 November 2025, Gorinchem

Precisiebeurs 2025 12 - 13 november 2025, ‘s Hertogenbosch

Wij leveren complete installaties voor ontstoffing, luchtreiniging en pneumatisch transport

Technieken voor o.a.:

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- Reduceren van geuremissies (NER)

- Reduceren van stofemissies (NER)

Componenten die wij o.a. kunnen leveren:

- Natfilters & Droogfilters

- Cyclonen

- Gaswassers

- Topsteen- / Frogreinigers

- Naverbranders

Projecten kunnen turn-key worden uitgevoerd

Wij garanderen de emissie & grenswaarden

Engineering, bouw en onderhoud in eigen beheer

Mesys Industrial Air Systems BV

Molenstraat 27, 6914AC Herwen

+31 (0) 316 248744

www.mesys.nl

Info@mesys.nl

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Natfilter met slibtransporteur

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• actief kennis verspreiden over keramiek en keramische materialen

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• contacten onderhouden met de European Ceramic Society (ECerS).

Meer weten over lidmaatschap, incl. gratis abonnement KGK en gratis lidmaatschap ECerS? kijk op https://nkv.kncv.nl/ of stuur een email naar: info@ceramics.nl>