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Scientists engineer unsinkable metal tubes

Researchers at the University of Rochester create a new process to turn ordinary metal tubes unsinkable by etching micro- and nano-pits on their surface, making them superhydrophobic. The tubes stay afloat in water, even when damaged or submerged for extended periods.

SourceUniversity of Rochester·JournalAdvanced Functional Materials·DateJan 27, 2026

UH researchers making clean water more accessible

Researchers at the University of Houston have developed a new membrane that allows water to flow eight times faster while maintaining high salt rejection rates. This breakthrough could lead to more efficient and cost-effective desalination systems, lowering costs and increasing access to clean water.

SourceUniversity of Houston·JournalACS Applied Materials & Interfaces·DateFeb 26, 2025

Graphene made permeable for ions

Researchers have created a model system with a defect in graphene that allows certain ions to pass through, including chloride. This breakthrough has significant implications for water filtration membranes, artificial receptors, and chloride channels.

SourceUniversity of Würzburg·JournalNature·TypeExperimental study·DateJan 15, 2025

How to improve water permeability and rejection performance of RGO membrane? RGO-MXene membranes give answer

Researchers have developed RGO-MXene membranes that exhibit high pure water permeance and improved electro-enhanced rejection performance. The membranes' wettability-regulated channels enhance water entry rates and boost rejection rates for charged species under electro-assistance.

SourceHigher Education Press·JournalFrontiers of Environmental Science & Engineering·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 29, 2023

The road to success when it comes to mitigating flood disasters

A new study proposes designing permeable pavements to reduce flood impacts in Australia, with the potential to store up to 50% of rainfall and reduce urban flooding by up to 50%. The proposed system takes into account local soil types and rainfall intensity, and has been tested on 107 towns and cities across Australia.

SourceUniversity of South Australia·JournalSustainability·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateMay 24, 2022

Towards carbon neutrality: New synthesis method yields superior membrane for carbon capture and storage

Researchers from Japan have developed a new method to synthesize a pure Si-CHA membrane showing much higher CO2 separation performance than existing membranes. The key to this achievement is using a porous silica substrate instead of alumina, eliminating problems with pore size reduction and improving efficiency.

SourceShibaura Institute of Technology·JournalMembranes·TypeExperimental study·DateDec 15, 2021

Wax helps plants to survive in the desert

Researchers have discovered that desert plants like the colocynth use a special wax to prevent their leaves from drying out in extreme heat. This wax reduces water permeability, enabling plants to conserve water and survive. In contrast, date palms have a different type of wax that helps them thrive in hot conditions.

SourceUniversity of Würzburg·JournalJournal of Experimental Botany·DateApr 29, 2019

Clay reduces permeability of biomedical polymer

Scientists at Penn State have developed a new method to reduce the permeability of biomedical polymers using silicate clay, achieving a significant improvement in air and water resistance. The clay is mixed with the polymer in a common solvent, resulting in a barrier that effectively blocks many paths for air and water migration.