The problem in cleansing up the method lies, a minimum of partially, in the truth that lava-hot temperatures are required to kick off the chemical reactions that make cement—I’m speaking over 1,500 °C (2,700 °F).
Queens Carbon developed a brand new course of that cuts down the temperature wanted to beneath 540 °C (1,000 °F). Nonetheless toasty, however simpler to achieve effectively and with electrical energy, the corporate’s CEO, CTO, and cofounder Daniel Kopp mentioned on a press name in regards to the awards. Ideally, that electrical energy can be provided with renewables, which might imply massive emissions financial savings.
Queens Carbon can even pocket $14.5 million, and the funding ought to assist with the development of a pilot plant at present being in-built partnership with a significant cement producer, Kopp mentioned on the press name. The corporate plans to scale as much as a full-size plant in late 2028 or 2029.
Ion Storage Techniques: Subsequent-generation batteries for EVs
The world is all the time clamoring for higher batteries, and Maryland-based Ion Storage Techniques desires to ship with its solid-state lithium-metal know-how.
We named lithium-metal batteries certainly one of our 10 Breakthrough Applied sciences in 2021. The chemistry might ship larger vitality density, that means longer vary in EVs.
Ion Storage Techniques is planning to provide its batteries first for army prospects. With the funding ($20 million price), the corporate could possibly get its tech prepared for larger-scale manufacturing for the broader buyer base of the electric-vehicle market.
I used to be actually to listen to in regards to the emphasis on manufacturing from CTO Greg Hitz on the press name, as scaling up manufacturing has been a significant problem for different corporations making an attempt to construct solid-state batteries. Hitz additionally mentioned that the corporate’s batteries don’t have to be squeezed at excessive stress inside cells or heated up, and they are often extra merely built-in into battery packs.