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Cosmic Buckyballs Could Be Mysterious Infrared Light Source

Scientists may have just traced the source of some of the mysterious infrared emission detected from stars and clouds of interstellar dust and gas. This Unknown Infrared Emission Band (UIE) has baffled scientists for decades; According to a new theoretical work, at least some of these bands could be produced by highly ionized buckminsterfullerene, better known as buckyballs. “I am very honored to have played a part in the extremely complex quantum chemical investigations carried out by Dr Sadjadi that have produced these very exciting results,” said astrophysicist Quentin Parker of the Space Research Laboratory of the University of Hong Kong. “First they looked at the theoretical evidence that Fullerenes – Carbon 60 – can withstand very high ionization rates, and now this work shows the infrared emission signature of the species is a perfect match for some of the most prominent Unknown Infrared Emission features known. This will help re-strengthen this area of ​​research.” Buckminste

Former mastermind behind carbon pricing, Greg Combet, supports proposed fixes for Australia's energy crisis

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The former federal minister who oversaw the introduction of carbon prices in Australia has backed calls for policies such as insurance to help fix the crisis plaguing the country’s largest power grid. Key points: Former climate change minister Greg Combet has backed plans for capacity markets to help repair networks The proposal was pursued in the midst of skyrocketing prices and warnings of blackouts in the national electricity market Mr Combet said the policy was needed to help Australia transition to 100 per cent renewable energy Greg Combet, a former union leader who served as climate change minister in the Gillard government, said ideology needed to be removed from debates about how to solve problems affecting national electricity markets. Mr Combet said businesses and households – especially the vulnerable – were suffering amid skyrocketing prices and rolling blackout warnings as the system struggled to cope with demand. While he blamed the “chaos” at the feet of the previous Coa

Electron highway for hydrogen and carbon dioxide storage discovered

FRANKFURT/MARBURG/BASEL. In 2013, a team of microbiologists led by Professor Volker Müller of Goethe University Frankfurt discovered an unusual enzyme in heat-loving (thermophilic) bacteria: hydrogen-dependent CO. 2 HDCR reductase. It produces formic acid (formic) from hydrogen gas (H 2 ) and carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), and in the process, hydrogen transfers electrons to carbon dioxide. This makes HDCR the first known enzyme to directly utilize hydrogen. On the other hand, all the enzymes known to date that produce formic acid took a detour: they obtained electrons from soluble cellular electron transfer agents, which for their part accepted electrons from hydrogen with the help of other enzymes. The bacterium Thermoanaerobacter kivui thrives away from oxygen, for example in the deep ocean, and uses CO 2 and hydrogen to produce cellular energy. HDCR from Thermoanaerobacter kivui consists of four protein modules: one that cleaves hydrogen, one that produces formic acid and two small

Researchers Improve Electrical and Thermal Properties of Carbon Nanotubes

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The preparation of carbon nanotubes via flame synthesis involves a modified combustion system with a carbon source, heat source and suitable catalytic material. To this end, constructing carbon nanotubes on copper (Cu) substrates via flame synthesis is a novel approach to achieve Cu-based carbon nanotube composites. Study: Synthesis of copper-carbon nanotube composites via methane diffusion flame. Image Credit: Evannovostro/Shutterstock.com In an article recently published in the journal Today’s Material: Proceedings , researchers made Cu-based carbon nanotube composites through flame synthesis to improve the electrical and thermal properties of Cu materials. Cleaning and etching of Cu substrates with concentrated sulfuric acid is the first step towards Cu-based carbon nanotubes. The cleaned and carved Cu substrates were subjected to two different laminar flames using methane. The standard diffusion flame configuration (NDF) shows a blue flame, shielding a carbon-rich yellow flame

Controversial Coalition appointment resigns from board overseeing carbon credit scheme labeled 'mistake'

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The sudden and major reshuffle of the committee that oversees Australia’s emission reductions has led to the departure of three members, including the chair of the committee, paving the way for Labor to re-form the pivotal committee. Key points: Three Coalition appointments to ERAC have been withdrawn The ABC has confirmed two of the three asked to resign ERAC determines which activities are considered a legitimate way to generate carbon credits A government spokesman has confirmed three members of the Clean Energy Regulatory (ERAC) Emissions Reduction Assurance Committee (ERAC) – all controversially appointed by the Coalition – have resigned. The revelations follow a series of ABC reports exposing allegations that valuable carbon credits were being given to businesses for emission reductions that never happened, as well as former committee chairman Andrew Macintosh blowing the whistle on what he called a “mistake”. Economist Brian Fisher, former mining lobbyist David Byers, and cement

Solar-powered chemistry uses carbon dioxide and water to make raw materials for fuels, chemicals

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Diagram of a semiconductor nanowire made of indium, gallium, and nitrogen—decorated with gold and chromium oxide nanoparticles. When light hits the nanowire, it liberates electrons and positively charged “holes” that the electrons leave behind. In the nanowires themselves, the holes oxidize water to protons (hydrogen) and oxygen. Meanwhile, some of the electrons are drawn into the metal nanoparticles, where they break down the carbon dioxide. The molecules recombine into carbon monoxide, hydrogen and methane molecules to form syngas. Credit: Roksana Rashid, McGill University. Solar-powered synthesis gas can recycle carbon dioxide into useful fuels and chemicals, an international research team has shown. “If we can produce syngas from carbon dioxide using only solar energy, we can use this as a precursor for methanol and other chemicals and fuels. This will significantly reduce the overall CO. 2 emissions,” said Zetian Mi, professo