Main

May 13, 2011

Dandelions Possible Route to Rubber




Ohio BioProducts Innovation Center (OBIC) logoThe rubber industry is looking for alternatives to petroleum based rubber as pricing for petroleum is going up fast.

Researchers at Ohio State University, The University of Akron, Oregon State University, Cooper and Bridgestone are looking to see if the Russian dandelion is a route to rubber. 

"... "Russian dandelion ... is being domesticated ... and produces high-quality natural rubber in its fleshy taproot. ... performance mirrors the natural rubber produced from ... Brazilian rubber tree ... "

 

 

Via: Ohio BioProducts Innovation Center (OBIC) LINK


October 10, 2009

Ohio State Students Welcome Guests to Solar House I




Giving introductions to Solar House I designed by Ohio State students.  ...

Entry to Solar House I

 

April 17, 2008

Egg Shells Help Make Hydrogen Fuel




Ohio State University LogoOhio State University engineers have developed a process that can use egg shells to (used of course) into Hydrogen Fuel.

How?  Read on for more ...

" ... patented process uses eggshells to soak up carbon dioxide from a reaction that produces hydrogen fuel. ... also includes a unique method for peeling the collagen-containing membrane from the inside of the shells, so that the collagen can be used commercially."L.S. Fan - OSU Professor of Chemical  and  Biomolecular Engineering




" ... L.S. Fan ... and Mahesh Iyer, hit upon the idea when they were trying to improve a method of hydrogen production...[where] ...  fossil fuels such as coal are gasified to produce carbon monoxide gas, which then combines with water to produce carbon dioxide and hydrogen."

"The key to making pure hydrogen is separating out the carbon dioxide,"

"Calcium carbonate –- a key ingredient in the eggshells -- captures 78 percent of carbon dioxide by weight,  ... That makes it the most effective carbon dioxide absorber ever tested."

"Eggshell alone may not be adequate to produce hydrogen for the whole country, but at least we can use eggshell in a better way compared to dumping it as organic waste in landfills, where companies have to pay up to $40 dollars per ton disposal cost," he said.

"And in the long term, we're demonstrating that carbon-based fuel sources, like coal or biomass, can be efficiently converted to hydrogen and liquid fuel. The goal is an energy conversion system that uses a dependable fossil energy source, but at the same time has very little environmental impact."

Via:  Ohio State University  
Link

Continue reading "Egg Shells Help Make Hydrogen Fuel" »