PV energy is 40 times more efficient than the best bio-fuels_"Let the sun shine"- on INNOVATIONS!

In his paper in the magazine bioplastics entitled "From the (agricultural) field to the (car) wheel"
Michael Carus, Managing Director of the nova-Institute Hürth Germany attempts to answer the following 
Millennium class questions: " What will be the future of mobility?" and "Which solution is both land-efficient
and sustainable?"

On the one hand Biofuel (photosynthesis based) candidates are biodiesel,bioethanol, BTL 
(biomass to liquid) and on the other is PV-photovoltaic which they call "e-mobility." 

In this work they compare land efficiency (average energy yield per hectare for different biofuels
with that of a solar driven electric car hence the title of their article 
"from the agricultural field to the car wheel"

Naturally German conditions are used but the author argues that there is little difference 
compared to other regions. He explains this in simple terms

The energy figures for both approaches are listed for easy comparison.

The full article may be found at the following link:

From the field to the wheel_Feb 17, 2012

PS "Is there any urgent need need for shale gas and oil via fracking?" Comments more than welcome.

Nanomanufacturing of biomaterials - Review article from Materials Today, November 2012.

It is always interesting and useful to enlarge one's knowledge in the rapidly expanding field of Materials Science and what could be better than a review paper to keep up-to-date.  Here is a link to nanotechnology, nanomanufacturing  and biomaterials.

Nanomanufacturing of biomaterials - Review article - Materials Today

Bioactive Glasses, Steel Slags, Glasses and Ceramics from waste

The impressive Sage Publication catalogue, currently freely available online, encouraged me to scan widely.

In the previous post, I naturally started to focus my scan on their materials science and engineering offer. (again) Not surprisingly, I stopped-off at the J. of Biomaterials Applications, where I learned of the field of Bioactive Glasses whose chemical compositions reminded me to some extent of earlier work previously encountered in Steelmaking R&D and byproduct valorisation (as early as 1970)

There is nothing like doing a little brainstorming to clear the mind. Since I am "no longer "in the box" so to speak, I found it is easy to think "outside the box" for what it's worth! I made a hazardous suggestion that one could possibly seek synergies between the high value potential of bioactive glasses eg. previous post, and glasses and ceramics obtained from steelmaking slag.

Now as a member of The Institute (IMM3) prudence and loyalty, not to mention privileged member access to The Institute catalogue (more than 20 peer reviewed materials dedicated journals, leads me to take a new look at these fields. I did not have to look far.
From the first on The Institute list "Advances in Applied Ceramics I found a Special Issue on Bio-ceramics for Tissue and Bone Engineering and Drug delivery, Jan 2009. It's editorial was entitled "Glasses and ceramics from waste" My suggestion appears still far reached, cf. quote from the guests editors, P.Colombo, Univ of Padova, Italy, A.R. Boccachini and Bill Lee both of IC London,UK London
"Considerable research effort has been expended in the last 30 years concerning the production of glasses and glass-ceramics from a variety of silicate wastes including coal combustion ash, mud from zinc metal hydrometallurgy, slag from steel production, ash and slag from waste incinerators, red mud from alumina production, electric-arc furnace dust, foundry sands as well as glass cullet and various waste mixtures. Vitrification is typically used to transform hazardous residues into inert slags, with significant advantages in terms of reduction in the volume occupied by the residue, as well as in the immobilisation of harmful pollutants within a chemically-durable inorganic matrix. The vitrified material, which can often contain complex crystalline phases, can then either be land-filled
or be used as the raw material for other products."

Choke or take a breath of fresh air!
Not quite the bioactivity sought in medical circles, I can easily imagine.

Then high endeavour, breaking fundamental and applied barriers to progress is what research is all about, I believe?

Feedback welcomed.

NB. Google Sidewiki recovered post via Google profile.

REFERENCE:
Advances in Applied Ceramics free online and downloading to members of IOM3.

Bioactive Glasses_J of Biomaterials Appications Sage Publications free until 31Oct09

A very rapid glance at the compositions of bioactive glases in this paper, may intregue process metallurgists and steelmakers all familiar with nature and composition of their favourite chemical reactant, slags. Could there be possibly routes to improving value in recycling this abondant by-product?

Feel free (till 31 Oct09) to read the journal.

Please do not hesitate to send all your feedback.

Introduction to Bioactive Glass

Ref. J.of Bioactive Materials.

Reference: Surface Modification of Bioactive Glasses and Preparation of PDLLA/Bioactive Glass Composite Films -- Gao and Chang 24 (2): 119 -- Journal of Biomaterials Applications (view on Google Sidewiki)