Research shows usefulness of new class of materials in beating the heat

University of NSW and ANSTO scientists have characterised the structure of new materials, publishing work that could lead to advanced fire-retardant products. A statement from ANSTO describes work understanding “a family of two-dimensional transition metal carbides, carbonites and nitrides” known as MXenes. According to the American Ceramic Society, MXenes were discovered in 2011 by two…

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Lavo and Itochu in hydrogen storage link-up

Hydrogen energy storage manufacturer LAVO and global trading company ITOCHU Corporation have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to explore opportunities to utilise LAVO technology, which could ultimately lead to future investment by Itochu in the Lavo company. Under the MoU, LAVO and ITOCHU will jointly investigate to develop a strategy for a hydrogen supply chain…

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How the west (lost) the chance to process valuable metals

Comment by Peter Roberts The graph tells you all you need to know about Australia’s – and the west’s – failure to secure the crucial processing stages of producing strategic and clean energy materials. Australia’s penchant for sending raw materials overseas unprocessed is well known from our focus on iron ore exports, and is obvious…

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Where’s the meat? Employers and governments should have seen this supply crisis coming, and done something

The low temperatures and low humidity of food-processing facilities increase viral transmission, while the poor air quality increases the prevalence of respiratory disorders, which means workers are more susceptible to illness if infected. The rate of asthmatic symptoms among chicken-processing workers, for example, has been estimated as being four times that of all adults. These risks are heightened by working in close proximity to others on production lines where the work is physically demanding and the pace hectic.

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