Tech Briefs Magazine - November 2021 - 39

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SUSTAINABLE TECHNOLOGIES/FUTURE ENERGY
CATEGORY WINNER
HONORABLE MENTIONS
HO
OH
Egg White
HO
OH
+
OO
OH
+
Egg Yolk
HO
OH
OH
O
O
OH
HO
O
n
O
Dip
Coating
OCH3
OH
OCH3
Thermionic Transistor
John Read and Daniel
Sweeney, Space
Charge, San Diego, CA
Direct thermal-to-elec80
ºC
80 ºC
MULTIFUNCTIONAL
BIONANOCOMPOSITE FRUIT COATINGS
Sylvia Jung, Nancy Cui, Neethu Pottackal, Pulickel M. Ajayan,
and Muhammad M. Rahman
Rice University
Houston, TX
H
unger and chronic under-nourishment impact over 800 million
people in the world while a third of the food produced worldwide
is wasted. This is especially evident with fresh produce,
in which nearly 40 to 50% of crops grown are wasted. Reducing
this waste has tremendous potential since even a 15% decrease
could mean feeding 25 million more people.
Among commercial technologies, the most common method for
preserving perishable produce is waxing - applying an artificial
coating with fatty acid-based preservatives. But its lack of washability
and the presence of potentially toxic compounds pose risks of
adverse effects on human health and the environment.
The solution described here is a multifunctional, protein-based,
conformal nanocomposite coating from readily available inexpensive
or waste biomaterials. The coating offers a combination
of properties that satisfies multiple preservation requirements such
as material flexibility, edibility, washability, effectiveness, bio -
degradability, and appearance.
The coating is primarily comprised of poly(albumen) protein
derived from egg white and cellulose nanocrystal from wood pulp,
along with various other biocompatible modifiers. Its synthesis
starts with a combination of egg white protein, egg yolk, and glycerol
that form a strong, edible film. Adding curcumin improves the
antimicrobial and antioxidant properties that reduce microbial
growth and allow the optimal exchange of gases in the microenvironment,
decreasing oxygen and in creasing carbon dioxide to
maintain freshness. Cellulose nanocrystals further reduce the water
and gas permeance.
Preservation studies revealed that after 8-11 days post-purchase,
all the uncoated fruits showed enzymatic browning and decaying
while the coated samples retained the appearance and firmness for
over a week. In-vitro studies confirmed the edibility of the coating. In
contrast to wax coatings, the coating is easily washable and provides
a glossy visual appearance. Its ease of processing leads to its
high potential for low-cost mass production.
The invention could capture the potential of the edible packaging
market, estimated to reach $679 million by 2025. It has the potential
to mitigate the 17 to 65% premium cost for organic produce and
provide an affordable alternative for health-conscious consumers.
For more information, visit
https://contest.techbriefs.com/2021/entries/10878
Tech Briefs, November 2021
Cov
www.techbriefs.com
ToC
tric energy conversion
has the potential to re -
place internal combustion
engines and turbines
in nearly all electrical applications. The Thermionic
Transistor uses electromagnetic force to create electrodynamic
devices that can take almost any form factor, in nearly any
environment.
https://contest.techbriefs.com/2021/entries/10983
Aerodynamic Optimization
of Wind Turbines
John Maris, Marinvent
Corp., Quebec, Canada
The Enhanced Airfoil
Performance Monitor di -
rectly monitors the local
airfoil stress on each blade of a wind turbine and transmits conditions
wirelessly and in real time to the turbine control station.
It detects the smallest airflow perturbations and triggers alarms
when thresholds are exceeded.
https://contest.techbriefs.com/2021/entries/10897
Recycling of LithiumIon
Electrodes
Donna Baek, Tedd
Lister, and Luis Diaz
Aldana, Idaho
National Labo -
ratory, Idaho Falls,
ID
This process leaches
cobalt and other
valuable constituents from lithium-ion battery electrodes at room
temperature with short reaction times. It uses inexpensive materials,
can easily be scaled, and uses fewer input chemicals.
https://contest.techbriefs.com/2021/entries/10901
Creating a Better
Tomorrow by
Repurposing Coal
PD Madden, Eco
Energy International,
Tustin, CA
This technology con -
verts carbon-based ma -
terial directly into pure
hydrogen. The equipment is modular, allowing it to be located
near end users. The process reduces greenhouse gases normally
emitted from landfills and the burning of coal without harming
the environment.
https://contest.techbriefs.com/2021/entries/11327
39
https://contest.techbriefs.com/2021/entries/10983 https://contest.techbriefs.com/2021/entries/10897 https://contest.techbriefs.com/2021/entries/10901 https://contest.techbriefs.com/2021/entries/10878 https://contest.techbriefs.com/2021/entries/11327 http://www.techbriefs.com http://info.hotims.com/79419-902
Tech Briefs Magazine - November 2021

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