QIBEBT wins first prize of 2023 Qingdao Technology Invention Award

http://qibebt.cas.cn/news/zyxw/202408/t20240815_7273375.html

The prize was provided on August 16 at the Qingdao Science and Technology Innovation Conference.

QIBEBT has focused for many years on the problem of high-performance tire treads which presently rely on imports of solution-polymerized styrene-butadiene rubber.

Wang Qinggang, director of the Catalytic Polymerization and Engineering Research Center of QIBEBT, and his project team have created a new material of iron-based combed styrene-butadiene rubber and invented technologies of green, environmentally friendly, controllable and stable industrial production. The Qingdao Institute of Energy has achieved the first 10,000-ton industrial demonstration of iron-based combed styrene-butadiene rubber in the world, and has completed the manufacturing demonstration and sales of more than 500,000 high-performance tires, achieving the highest level A in the EU new labeling law.

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Launch of a mobile deep-sea aquaculture vessel in Qingdao

http://en.people.cn/n3/2025/0418/c90000-20304151.html

A 150,000-tonne deep-sea intelligent aquaculture vessel was delivered for use in Qingdao. The ship is 244.9 meters long and houses 15 breeding cabins with a total water holding capacity of nearly 100,000 cubic meters.

The ship-borne smart aquaculture system is expected to have an annual output of 3,600 tonnes of high-quality fish. The breeding cabins can be used to cultivate fish species such as large yellow croaker and salmon.

The new aquaculture vessel is an updated version of its 100,000-tonne predecessor delivered in 2022. Its predecessor has now already traveled over 17,000 nautical miles. The vessel pushed the aquaculture area from nearshore to deep sea, using high-quality seawater resources for breeding.

QIBEBT-led consortium achieves bacterial degradation of PET bottles to provide terephtalic acid in 97% yield

http://english.qibebt.cas.cn/ne/rp/202502/t20250218_902019.html

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S030438942500353X?via%3Dihub

https://enviromicro-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1751-7915.13580

A research team from the Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, in collaboration with Nanjing Tech University and Greifswald University, has introduced an innovative solution for the depolymerization of polyethylene terephthalate (PET). This solution utilizes an engineered whole-cell biocatalyst based on the thermophilic bacterium Clostridium thermocellum.

This study builds on prior work, where the research team first demonstrated the concept of whole-cell catalytic PET depolymerization. In that study, the genetically engineered C. thermocellum expressed leaf compost cutinase (LCC) via a plasmid for high-temperature PET depolymerization.

In this study, the researchers integrated LCC directly into the chromosome of C. thermocellum, ensuring stable enzyme expression. They further enhanced the system by introducing LCC variants and co-expressing hydrophobic modules.

By optimizing reaction conditions and controlling pH, the researchers achieved a significant improvement in PET depolymerization efficiency with minimal accumulation of the intermediate product mono(2-hydroxyethyl) terephthalate (MHET).

When tested with pretreated PET bottle particles, about 97% of the added PET was converted into terephthalic acid (TPA), a key monomer used in producing new plastics or high-value chemicals. This high level of performance positions the system as a promising green solution for PET recycling.

Additionally, C. thermocellum is naturally capable of degrading cellulose, making it a potential candidate for directly processing mixed textile waste that contains cotton fibers and PET.

An exosceleton for mounting climbing tested at Taishan mountain, Qingdao

http://j.people.com.cn/n3/2025/0207/c517455-20273369.html

https://www.recordchina.co.jp/b948125-s6-c20-d0189.html

During the Chinese New Year holiday, a mountain climbing support robot jointly developed by Taishan Wenlun Group and Shenzhen Kenqi Technology Co. was test-introduced in the Taishan Scenic Area. Guangming reported.

According to Taishan Wenlun Group, the mountain climbing support robot can be used in a wide range of areas in daily life and work, such as mountain climbing, fitness, running, walking, and climbing up and down stairs. It weighs just 1.8 kilograms and is ergonomically designed with power, electronics and artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms. It can sense every movement of the lower limbs and provide support at the right time.

According to the group, it can operate continuously for more than five hours. The product is currently in the trial operation phase, and the company plans to launch 200 units on the market in early March.

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