The startup Transaera is using a class of materials, advanced by MIT Professor Mircea Dinca for over a decade, to create a more energy-efficient air conditioner.
MIT engineers have found that Xylem tissue in gymnosperm sapwood can be used for water filtration. Xylem is comprised of conduits that are interconnected by membranes that filter out contaminants present in water. Prototypes tested in India show promise as a low-cost, natural filtration option.
MIT Director Vladimir Bulović discussed present and future applications of nanotechnology at Tec de Monterrey’s 51st Research and Development Conference.