A team of architects and chemists at the University of Cambridge have developed synthetic spider silk, using hydrogel—a material made of 98 percent water—silica, and cellulose. Using barrel-shaped molecules called cucurbiturils, silica and cellulose are bound together, which enables long, thin threads to be pulled from the hydrogel. After approximately 30 seconds, the water in the hydrogel evaporates, resulting in afiber that is strong and stretchy. “Although our fibers are not as strong as the strongest spider silks, they can support stresses in the range of 100 to 150 megapascals, which is similar to other synthetic and natural silks,” said Darshil Shah, research associate at the Center for Natural Material Innovation of the University of Cambridge. This stretchy fiber can be utilized in producing textiles, sensors, and a variety of other materials. Unlike existing methods of producing synthetic spider silk, this new method can be used at room temperature, is non-toxic, and does not require high-energy procedures. Researchers are optimistic that the new method could eventually be applied to production of other kinds of synthetic fibers. [University of Cambridge]
Dandelion, Google’s latest startup company, has announced it will begin selling affordable geothermal heating and cooling systems, at a competitive price, in the northeast region of the U.S. “In the U.S., buildings account for 39 percent of all carbon emissions, mostly from the combustion of fossil fuels for heating and cooling,” said CEO of Dandelion, Kathy Hannun in a blog post on Google’s secret lab X (formerly Google X). Typical home geothermal systems can reduce energy consumption costs, as they use the energy stored in the ground. In such systems, plastic pipes or ground loops are placed in the ground, and are then connected to a pump placed inside the house. In winter, the circulating water in the pipes absorbs heat from the earth, and converts it into warm air through the geothermal heat pump inside the house. In summer, the warm air is pumped out from the house, and dispersed into the ground. Unlike its traditional counterparts, Dandelion’s method is more environmentally friendly, can reduce carbon dioxide emissions, and is less invasive, because it relies on an inventive drilling technology that is faster, and requires only one or two deep holes, a few inches wide, to be dug. Using traditional methods, however, would require extensive drilling, and digging wells more than 1,000 feet underground. [X Company]
Originally abandoned in 1981, the Phipps Bend Nuclear Power Plant in Surgoinsville, Tenn., is now functioning as a solar power plant that will produce one megawatt of carbon dioxide–free electricity. In a partnership between Birdseye Renewable Energy and United Renewable Energy, the solar plant is located on the site of the former nuclear facility, which was never operational and abandoned after the 1979 Three Mile Island nuclear meltdown. The plant is expected to produce enough electricity to fuel 100 households, or 250 people, per year, and should run for 30 or more years. [Electrek]
Hyperloop One revealed Wednesday, that it successfully tested its magnetic transportation system at the Nevada test track in May, as well as unveiled the design for its aluminum and carbon-fiber passenger pods. Though the startup is a long ways away from providing service to actual travelers, the success of this test affirms that the technology being used is sound and that important elements such as brakes, vacuum systems eliminating air resistance, and propulsion all function together as they should—albeit in a 1,600-foot-long test tube. [Wired]
ICYMI: See the nine winners for the 11th Annual R+D Awards, that exemplify the refined inventions at the forefront of architectural technology. [ARCHITECT]
Researchers have succeeded in potentially creating the most efficient solar cell in the world. Led by George Washington University research scientist Matthew Lumb, the team created a prototype using stacked photovoltaic cells that can capture approximately 99 percent of solar spectrum energy. According to a GW Today story, “The new device uses concentrator photovoltaic panels that use lenses to concentrate sunlight onto tiny, micro-scale solar cells.” While expensive to make, these cells convert solar energy it to electricity with 44.5 percent efficiency, while conventional solar panels convert solar energy with 25 percent efficiency.“Our new device is able to unlock the energy stored in the long-wavelength photons, which are lost in conventional solar cells and therefore provides a pathway to realizing the ultimate multi-junction solar cell,” Lumb said in a press release. [GW Today]
According to the German Renewable Energy Federation (BEE), Germany generated 35.1 percent of its electricity from renewable sources in the first half of 2017. BEE says the country has already met its 2020 goal for renewable energy’s share of gross electricity consumption, and its renewable electricity generation has increased from 30.8 percent in the first half of 2015. Onshore wind energy jumped from 34.71 terawatt-hours in the first half of 2016 to 39.75 terawatt-hours in the first half of this year, and offshore wind jumped from 2.15 terawatt-hours to 8.48 terawatt-hours in the same time frame. Solar energy savings have also seen small increases. [Clean Technica]
ICYMI: Gary Cola, president of Flash Bainite Steel, which is used in the automotive industry, is hoping to make the leap to building materials. [ARCHITECT]
