Superman can start worrying – we've got the formula for (almost) kryptonite!
Theoretical chemists from the Institute of Physical Chemistry of the Polish Academy of Sciences have found how to synthesize the first binary compound of krypton and oxygen: a krypton oxide. It turns out that this exotic substance can be produced under extremely high pressure, and its production is quite within the capabilities of today's laboratories.
Autonomous robots
Rescue and exploration robots (RERs) aid rescue crews in the face of disasters. Current RERs, including those manufactured by PIAP, are teleoperated, what significantly limits their operating range and requires constant human supervision. The conducted market analysis shows that in the near future the demand for autonomous devices will dominate. The goal of the project is to produce a set of technologies and an adequate architecture necessary for the production of autonomous RERs, or in general service and field robots.
Is lignin the crude oil of the future? Maybe so, thanks to the Sun and photocatalysts!
We associate refineries with crude oil and a dense tangle of technical fittings. They may, however, change in the future – if crude oil is replaced by lignin, a product currently treated as industrial waste. The research route leading towards this goal is being paved by new photocatalysts, developed by the Institute of Physical Chemistry of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Warsaw. They allow lignin-based model compounds to be transformed into useful chemical substances, in addition, the reactions take place under conditions that occur in nature.