Scientists Create a More Sustainable LED From Fish Scales (smithsonianmag.com) 25
Scientists have discovered that by microwaving fish waste, they can quickly and efficiently create carbon nano-onions (CNOs) -- a unique nanoform of carbon that has applications in energy storage and medicine. This method could be used to make cheaper and more sustainable LEDs in the future. The researchers from Nagoya Institute of Technology in Japan published their findings in Green Chemistry. Smithsonian Magazine reports: CNOs are nanostructures with spherical carbon shells in a concentric layered structure similar to an onion. They have "drawn extensive attention worldwide in terms of energy storage and conversion" because of their "exceptionally high electrical and thermal conductivity, as well as large external surface area," per the paper. They've been used in electronics and for biomedical applications, such as bio-imaging and sensing and drug delivery, write the authors in the study. Though CNOs were first reported in the 1980s, conventional methods of manufacturing them have required high temperatures, a vacuum and a lot of time and energy. Other techniques are expensive and call for complex catalysts or dangerous acidic or basic conditions. This "greatly limits the potential of CNOs," per a statement from Nagoya Institute of Technology.
The newly discovered method requires only one step -- microwave pyrolysis of fish scales extracted from fish waste -- and can be done within ten seconds, per the authors. How exactly the fish scales are converted into CNOs is unclear, though the team thinks it has to do with how collagen in the fish scales can absorb enough microwave radiation to quickly increase in temperature. This leads to pyrolysis, or thermal decomposition, which causes the collagen to break down into gasses. These gasses then support the creation of CNOs. This method is a "straightforward way to convert fish waste into infinitely more useful materials," and the resulting CNOs have a high crystallinity, which gives them "exceptional optical properties," per the statement. They also have high functionalization, which means they're "bonded to other small molecules on their surface," writes Ellen Phiddian for Cosmos. This combination of attributes means the CNOs can glow bright blue.
The newly discovered method requires only one step -- microwave pyrolysis of fish scales extracted from fish waste -- and can be done within ten seconds, per the authors. How exactly the fish scales are converted into CNOs is unclear, though the team thinks it has to do with how collagen in the fish scales can absorb enough microwave radiation to quickly increase in temperature. This leads to pyrolysis, or thermal decomposition, which causes the collagen to break down into gasses. These gasses then support the creation of CNOs. This method is a "straightforward way to convert fish waste into infinitely more useful materials," and the resulting CNOs have a high crystallinity, which gives them "exceptional optical properties," per the statement. They also have high functionalization, which means they're "bonded to other small molecules on their surface," writes Ellen Phiddian for Cosmos. This combination of attributes means the CNOs can glow bright blue.
Re: (Score:2)
The phrasing does make it sound smelly indeed.
Though to nit-pick the phrasing, if they say "fish waste" people may think of fish poop if they don't read it within the context of fish scales, as the title of the linked abstract puts it as "fish scale waste".
Looking up the term I found publications like these: https://www.sciencedirect.com/... [sciencedirect.com]
The many possible applications listed in th
Re: Sounds fishy to me (Score:3)
The problem with carbon nano tubes, is production. Someone develops a cheap method to mass produce and your probably talking billionaire in under a century.
This sounds the opposite, a nano product could be mass produced but likely better to examine the methodology of production to validate that. It also fits into the classic idea of utilize a biological waste product and scale the refinement for a high quality product. Silk basically built an empire based on this kind of manufacturing, so it's often not as
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Because a lot of the fantastical proposition do require high quality carbon nanotubes (high degree of crystalline structure), all while lower quality carbon nanotubes (amorphous) are called carbon nanotubes as well.
I do presume that something similar is true for a lot of proposed applications of nano-onions, where you in fact may need those sexy perfect lab created "onions" for the propositions to even have a chance to work out
hmmm (Score:2)
So you are telling me every time Barb from HR would reheat her fish for lunch, she was actually doing science?
I don't buy it.
So ... (Score:2)
...emptying the oceans of fish to make lamps for 8 billions people is now 'sustainable'?
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I call our product Li'I Lisa's Patented Animal Slurry. It's a high-protein feed for farm animals... insulation for low-income housing... a powerful explosive and a top-notch engine coolant. And best of all, it's made from 100% recycled animals. [frinkiac.com]
Sing it with me (Score:5, Funny)
Fish scales, fish scales, glowy, glowy, fish scales
Fish scales, fish scales, light them up, LEDs
the magic word (Score:2)
This method could be used to make cheaper and more sustainable LEDs in the future.
Assuming the quality is evenly matched and the materials can be had cheaply then this is the future of LEDs. Alternatively, a GMO containing the desired components of fish DNA is going to be invented. If it's ultimately cheaper then it will be done, even if it's worse for the environment.
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Given that humans are overfishing the ocean (Score:2)
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Is it just me? (Score:2)
While this is undoubtedly cool, it does sort of smack of scientists as a bunch of drunk high-schoolers just whacking shit into a microwave, and then pawing through the muck to see if there's anything to justify a giant grant proposal.
I mean, who would speculate that microwaving fish refuse is going to give us something useful? Seems pretty random.
How would you like your hamburger? (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Microwaving fish waste? (Score:2)
Given most slashdot headlines . . . (Score:2)
This headline, however is absolutely rocking it. Totally worth the wait.
Finally (Score:2)
Finally, world hunger has been solved.
Oh no! (Score:2)
Will someone think of the vegans!
Sounds smelly (Score:2)
Microwaving fish waste? Pew! These must be very dedicated scientists.