Summary Improved personal thermal comfort in hot urban environments, with potential to reduce air-conditioning demand and heat-related health risks, is offered by a breathable textile that selectively radiates heat through the atmospheric transmission window while reflecting solar and surrounding infrared radiation. The Unmet Need Conventional clothing can absorb solar… Read More
SUMMARY Starch and chitosan are abundant, natural, complex polysaccharides. In plants, starch is the carbohydrate energy reserve. Chitosan is the de-acetylated form of chitin, a structural polysaccharide found in the exoskeleton of arthropods. The invention is a new composite material that consists of starch granular, chitosan fiber,… Read More
SUMMARY Use of Li in electric vehicle batteries, portable electronic devices, and stationary energy storage applications has expanded significantly in recent years, and this growth is expected to continue to increase. The primary commercial technology used to recover Li is its extraction from concentrated brine water (83%… Read More
SUMMARY Cellulose nanofibers are a class of nanocellulose that are favored in materials applications because of their desirable chemical, mechanical, and environmental properties. However, the isolation of these materials from biomass remains a challenge because of toxic chemicals and high-energy specialized machines required. The inventors have developed a new process… Read More