November Sustainability Meetup - TcSUH

Its always a sense of pride when you learn that your own University is changing science in ways the world has never before seen, and this is exactly what attendees felt at the latest Sustainability Meetup, this past November 6th. Professor of Chemistry Dr. James Meen was the featured speaker, and his topic? Superconductors.

Superconductors are very special materials that can transfer electricity (energy) with no energy lost. In other words, if you need a certain amount of energy to run a computer, the power plant actually needs to produce extra energy knowing that some will be lost on its way to your computer. With this in mind: if you used superconducting materials to build the energy grid, 100% of the energy from the power plant would make it to your plug – meaning more available electricity from the very same source. Additionally, superconductors can be far smaller than conventional lines.

This combination of far greater energy efficiency and drastically reduced size have major implications for not just the energy industry, but also society at large. Engines in planes, boats, and cars, can be smaller, more efficient, and near silent; powerlines can be removed entirely for below ground superconducting wires; and renewable energy can become far more profitable.

Sustainability in the news

New Report Estimates Public Health Impact of Houston Traffic in 2040
A new report by University of Houston researchers accounts for the health impacts of Houston-area traffic and emissions, based on 2040 estimates. Research shows that if nothing is done to improve transportation-related pollution, it could lead to an additional 122 deaths in 2040.

The research also estimates impacts in 2040 if cleaner transportation technologies were adopted by all Houstonians. The full turnover scenario, which is an estimate made considering all cars are made cleaner (35 percent electric vehicles and 65 percent clean combustion vehicles), shows a 90 percent cut in harmful emissions from 2013, all despite a 50 percent projected population growth.

Paper Outlining Fuel Cell Discovery Wins AIChE Best Fundamental Paper Award
The paper, titled "Finite Size Effects in Submonolayer Catalysts Investigated by CO Electrosorption on PtsML/Pd(100)," was published in the Journal of The American Chemical Society in 2017. It was based on research conducted by Stanko Brankovic, professor of electrical and computer engineering, and his student Quiyi Yuan, along with Lars Grabow, associate professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering, and his student Hieu Doan.

The team's project solved a fundamental research question related to the catalysis that occurs in fuel cells. The best catalytic material for use in chemical fuel cells are all based on platinum (Pt) - a rather expensive material. There has been a drive for the last 15 to 20 years to minimize the amount of Pt used and reduce costs.

UH Startup Exostretch Powers to Top Ten Finalist Position with Battery of the Future
Haleh Ardebili's flexible, bendable and stretchable batteries powered through the competition at the NASA iTech Cycle 3 and earned a space among the top ten finalists. NASA iTech is a program that fosters innovative solutions to challenges we face here on Earth but also have potential to solve some of NASA's challenges deep in outer space. The competition solicits inventions, ideas and technologies at various stages of development from small companies, universities and other institutions.

If Houston's Population Projections Are Correct, Where Are We Going to Put Everyone?
According to a recent projection, Greater Houston's population could top 10 million by the year 2040. That's really not that far away, and while projections can be revised, even coming anywhere near that number leads to a daunting question: where will all these Houstonians go?