Imagine a world where the very pollutants that heat our planet are transformed into the basic building blocks of a cleaner future. It sounds like the plot of a science fiction novel, but thanks to a team of innovative researchers, this vision is quickly becoming a reality. The climate crisis has long demanded innovation, and today we stand on the threshold of a shift that could fundamentally change the way we conserve energy and reduce industrial emissions. For years, the energy sector has been caught between the demand for high-performance battery materials and the urgent need for decarbonization. Graphite—a critical component of lithium-ion batteries—and hydrogen—a darling of the clean energy transition—have traditionally been produced using methods that are either expensive, energy-intensive, or environmentally damaging. But now a brilliant breakthrough from the University of Pittsburgh (Pitt) offers a cooler, cleaner, and more efficient path forward. They don’t just recycle waste...
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