India, US signed MoU for setting up LIGO observatory

                On 31 March 2016, India and the United States signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on setting up Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO) in India. The MoU was signed between India’s Department of Atomic Energy and the US National Science Foundation (NSF). It was signed in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the Nuclear Security Summit in Washington. The deal was signed a month after the Union Cabiner approved the construction of LIGO interferometer. The Cabinet on 17 February 2016 had approved 1200 crore rupees for the LIGO project. The Prime Minister described the LIGO project as a great example of India-US scientific collaboration and said the success of this project could well inspire an entire young generation of Indian scientists. Besides, after the signing event, the Prime Minister met Indian scientists working at the US based KIGO in Washington and invited them to visit India and ignite the younger generation to take up the study of science.

Cactus inspired skin to boost electric cars

                Inspired by the humble cactus, scientists have developed a type of membrane that has the potential to significantly boost the performance of fuel cells and transform the electric vehicle industry. In hot conditions the membrane, which features a water repellent skin, can improve the efficiency of fuel cells by a factor of four, scientists said.

                According to Aaron Thornton from Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSI-RO) in Australia, the skin works in a similar way to a cactus plant, which thrives by retaining water in harsh and arid environments.

                Professor Young Moo Lee from Hanyang University, who led the research, said this could have major implications for many industries, including the development of electric vehicles. “One of the main barriers to the uptake of fuel cell e-vehicles is water management and heat management in fuel cell systems. This research addresses this hurdle,” said Lee.

Biodegradable clothing made from tea byproduct

                Scientists have developed a now leather like, biodegradable material using tea byproducts to make clothing, shoes or handbags, an advance that could help cut down the waste generated by the fashion industry. Researchers at Iowa  State University developed a gel-like film consisting of cellulose fibers – a byproduct of kombucha tea – that feeds off a mixture of vinegar and sugar.

                The film is grown by using a Symbolic Colony Of Bacteria and Yeast (SCOBY). According to Young-A Lee, an associate professor at Iowa State University, the properties of this SCOBY film are similar to leather once it is harvested and dried, and can be used to make clothing, shoes or handbags.

                The material has been tested for other applications, such as cosmetics, foods and biomedical tissue for wound dressing, but it is relatively new to the apparel industry. The fact that the fiber is 100% biodegradable is a significant benefit for the fashion industry, which by its very nature generates a lot of waste, Lee said.

Scientists Achieve Highest Efficiency Using Flexible Cells

               

‘Zero-energy’ buildings – which generate as much power as they consume – are now closer to reality, as scientists have achieved the highest efficiency ever using flexible, non-toxic solar cells that are cheaper to make. Until now, the promise of such buildings have been held back by two hundreds: the cost of the thin-film solar cells (used in facades, roofs and windows), and the fact that they are made from scarce, and highly toxic, materials.

                Researchers at the University of New South Wales in Australia achieved the highest efficiency rating for a full sized thin film technology, known as CZTS. The US National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has confirmed this world-leading 7.6% efficiency in a one square centimeter area CZTS cell.

                Unlike its thin film competitors, CZTS cells are made from abundant materials, such as copper, zinc, tin and sulphur. CZTS has none of the toxicity problems of its two thin-film rivals, known as CdTe (Cadmium-telluride) and CIGS (copper-indium-gallium-selenide). Cadmium and selenium are toxic at even tiny doses, while tellurium and indium are extremely rare.

                “In addition to its elements being more commonplace and environmentally benign, we’re interested in these higher bandgap CZTS cells for two reasons,” said Martin Green, professor at UNSW. “They can be deposited directly onto materials as thin layers 50 times thinner than a human hair, so there’s no need to manufacture silicon ‘wafer’ cells and interconnect them separately,” he said. “They also respond better than silicon to blue wavelength of light, and can be stacked as a thin film on top of silicon cells to ultimately improve the overall performance.”