The ETH spin-off Synhelion has recently inaugurated the world's first industrial plant for the production of solar fuels in Germany. The heart of the plant contains a piece of Empa technology: Together with Synhelion, Empa researchers have developed a material for the high-temperature thermal energy storage system that allows the plant to remain in operation 24/7.
The Horizon 2020 SOLiDIFY consortium, comprised of 14 European partners, has developed a high-performance lithium-metal solid-state battery. The manufacturing process, which is both cost-effective and adaptable to existing production lines, paves the way for commercially viable solid-state lithium-metal batteries for electromobility.
Multi-storey timber buildings are extremely popular. To prevent them from being damaged by strong winds or earthquakes, sufficient bracing must be provided in the supporting structure. Computer calculations provide the basis for this. To check these in practice and improve the computer models, Empa researchers use a two-ton “shaker”.
Researchers from Empa, the University of Bristol and the Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research (TNO) have investigated the emissions of the potent greenhouse gas HFC-23 from the production of Teflon and coolants. Their study shows: Abatement measures work – but are not being implemented everywhere.
Thanks to sensor technology and mathematical modeling, smart dummies provide new insights into how workplaces can be brought to a comfortable temperature in an energy-efficient way and how to prevent patients from getting cold feet in the operating theater.
Under the leadership of Empa scientist Mashael Yazdanie, an international research team is investigating ways to better plan for climate-resilient energy systems in the Global South.
Sustainability and quality of life – a contradiction? Not necessarily, shows a new study by Empa researchers. According to their calculations, an ecologically and socially just life is possible for over ten billion people. It will, however, require a paradigm shift.
The best way to treat kidney stones depends on how what they are composed of and how they are shaped. Empa researchers are now working on a painless diagnostic procedure using dark-field X-ray imaging. This innovative technology makes it possible to determine the structure and composition of the stones for each patient.
Why do just one experiment at a time when you can do ten? Empa researchers have developed an automated system, which allows them to research catalysts, electrodes, and reaction conditions for CO₂ electrolysis up to ten times faster. The system is complemented by an open-source software for data analysis.
Medical products such as ointments or syringes reach their limits when it comes to delivering medication locally – and above all in a controlled manner over a longer period of time. Empa researchers are therefore developing polymer fibers that can deliver active ingredients precisely over the long term. These "liquid core fibers" contain drugs inside and can be processed into medical textiles.
To meet the complex requirements of future building and energy systems, Empa researcher Matthias Sulzer and Berkeley Lab researcher Michael Wetter are proposing a paradigm shift in planning of such systems: They call for a more automated and model-based planning process, as has long been common practice in the computer chip and automotive industries.
A new study by an international team of researchers, published today in Nature Climate Change, has revealed significant progress in the drive to reduce atmospheric levels of chemicals that destroy the Earth’s protective ozone layer, confirming the success of historic regulations limiting their production and use. Empa scientists contributed to this study with measurements from the high-alpine research station at Jungfraujoch.
Little is yet known about the health effects of nanoparticles on pregnancy. An interdisciplinary team led by Empa researchers is currently analyzing the risks for babies in the womb. Using a lab model, the researchers were able to determine that certain nanoparticles impair the release of chemical messengers in the placenta and thus the formation of blood vessels. They published their findings in the journal Advanced Science.
Capturing three times more light: Empa and ETH researchers are developing an image sensor made of perovskite that could deliver true-color photos even in poor lighting conditions. Unlike conventional image sensors, where the pixels for red, green and blue lie next to each other in a grid, perovskite pixels can be stacked thus greatly increasing the amount of light each individual pixel can capture.
All-perovskite tandem solar cells could soon pick up where silicon solar cells reach their limits. These highly efficient, lightweight and flexible cells have already proven themselves in the laboratory – now, Empa researchers are working on scaling them up and making them ready for the real world.
Rain jackets, swimming trunks or upholstery fabrics: Textiles with water-repellent properties require chemical impregnation. Although fluorine-containing PFAS chemicals are effective, they are also harmful to human health and accumulate in the environment.
Ultra-light, thermally insulating and biodegradable: Cellulose-based aerogels are versatile. Empa researchers have succeeded in 3D printing the natural material into complex shapes that could one day serve as precision insulation in microelectronics or as personalized medical implants.
Skin injuries caused by prolonged pressure often occur in people who are unable to change their position independently – such as sick newborns in hospitals or elderly people. Thanks to successful partnerships with industry and research, Empa scientists are now launching two smart solutions for pressure sores.
Is it possible to convert CO2 back to fuels or other useful chemicals? Absolutely – but not in a very targeted way just yet. Empa researcher Alessandro Senocrate is looking at defects in materials that will help us achieve this goal.
Empa researchers have extracted nanocellulose from a waste product of beer brewing and processed it into an aerogel. The high-quality biodegradable material could be used in food packaging.
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