Biodiesel is a promising bridge technology for enhancing sustainability of the transport industry while renewable energy infrastructure scales up. However, the sustainability of biodiesel varies dramatically with feedstock choice. In a new study, researchers conduct a comprehensive life-cycle assessment of biodiesel production from different feedstocks, revealing significant variability in greenhouse gas emissions, air pollution characteristics, and emission mitigation potential between plant-based and waste-derived feedstocks.

Researchers in Korea are developing a new approach to localized brachytherapy that could improve the treatment of keloid scars. The strategy uses injectable, biodegradable hyaluronic acid microgels that act as tiny radiation reservoirs within target tissue. By combining rapid radiolabeling with localized delivery, the platform aims to overcome limitations of conventional radiation treatment while offering greater flexibility and precision. The study highlights a promising step toward targeted, minimally invasive microbrachytherapy. 

Traditional approaches for designing primary coolant pipes in nuclear power plants consider highly unlikely, extreme scenarios. Estimating pipe rupture frequency is a more practical approach. In a new study, researchers investigated the pipe rupture frequency of coolant pipes using a probabilistic framework that accounts for material properties, degradation pathway, and even inspection performance, offering a risk-informed approach to design and evaluation.

Researchers have developed a membrane-based strategy that separates complex light naphtha into valuable chemical streams at the molecular level. By mildly etching a metal–organic framework membrane with tannic acid, the team created complementary membranes that sort hydrocarbons by size and chemical affinity. The membrane cascade separated a 15-component petroleum mixture into three product streams while potentially reducing energy consumption by about 91% compared with conventional distillation.

Can chemical processes be designed based solely on the properties of the molecules involved? Prof. Dr.-Ing. Joachim Groß, Head of the Institute of Thermodynamics and Thermal Process Engineering (ITT) at the University of Stuttgart believes this is possible. He and his team plan to investigate this question as part of an ERC Advanced Grant, which Groß has now been awarded by the European Research Council (ERC).

The integration of luminescent nanomaterials into scalable semiconductor platforms is vital for on-chip photonics. This study demonstrates an approach to fabricate fluorescent nanostructures by hybridising carbon dots (CDs) with semiconductor nanowires (NWs) grown on Si. By coupling the tuneable chemistry of CDs with the tailored optoelectronics of semiconductor NWs, this study establishes a scalable host–guest architecture for engineering nanoscale light sources to promote applications in integrated photonic circuits and sensing.

Researchers, students, and industry professionals working in microelectronics, microsystems, sensors, and related technologies will gather in Montréal on September 29, 2026, for the MDPI Subject Workshop: “Microelectronics, Microsystems, Sensors, and Their Applications.” The one-day workshop will take place at the École de technologie supérieure (ÉTS) in Montréal, organized by MDPI Canada in collaboration with the Regroupement Stratégique en Microsystèmes du Québec (ReSMiQ). The event will provide a forum to exchange knowledge, discuss emerging technologies, and explore new opportunities for collaboration across rapidly developing areas of engineering and applied science.

With funding from the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR), the new project SIBAF (Supraleitender Ionenbeschleuniger als BAsistechnologie für die Fusionsforschung) will establish a unique accelerator-based infrastructure for the rapid qualification of advanced materials for future fusion power plants. As part of the funding program “Basistechnologien für die Fusion – auf dem Weg zu einem Fusionskraftwerk” (Basic technologies for fusion – on the path to a fusion power plant), SIBAF will receive €9.7 million over three years, of which €8.1 million will support activities at the GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung and the international accelerator center FAIR, currently under construction. Alongside GSI, which coordinates the project, Goethe University Frankfurt is the project partner.