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Small-scale changes make big differences. Understanding the smallest parts of life, can gain you a prestigious prize and a PhD. That’s what detail designer Carlo Belloni knows all too well.
The person behind the science, and the science behind the person.
“I must have been one of the only two children who liked Disney’s Fantasia,” Carlo says jokingly. The spark that started the alchemical fire. Once Belloni learned that the unknown did not only lurk in the dark void of space but also in the open world of atoms, he was sold. Studying nano physics was as good of a bet. But it didn’t take long before Carlo’s curiosity slowly made him think more about the bigger picture, leeching into the different disciplines. And before he even knew it, he found a place in the phosphate theme at Wetsus – the perfect place to blend sciences even more.
Now, with a bit of a different challenge: how do you fish out less than microscopic phosphate molecules diluted in a large amount of different compounds and large surface water areas? Non-coincidentally the answer is in the details. Carlo tried to do so by modifying tiny crystals of iron and oxygen particles – or simply put – rust.
Excess of phosphate causes algal blooms and consequently chokes out the surface water ecosystems. Solutions now already involve rust particles sprinkled in to absorb the unwanted nutrient. “There are many kinds of iron oxides, but the ones mostly used have in common that they can hold a lot of phosphates. This sounds good at first until you realize that affinity is a more important property, when targeting ultra-low concentrations.”
Essentially, Carlo and his supervisors were to be the inventors of a specific sponge. “Normally, people use iron oxides with a large surface area to absorb as much phosphate as possible. That means that with crystal is lined with bumps and ridges. Instead, we tried to alter the structure differently – by introducing impurities. Like how introducing carbon into iron makes stronger steel, we added different metal atoms to manipulate surface properties in the iron oxides.” In such a way, the rust becomes more of a “magnet” than a sponge. And the best thing is, you can recycle it too, and this is what makes the process economically viable.
The scientist had to zoom in to understand why and how to improve the absorber. “There is a rarely used but valuable technique called Mössbauer spectroscopy that allows you to look at the atomic core of crystals. It can tell exactly how an iron atom (or better, its nucleus) interacts with its neighbor atoms.” A valuable piece of fundamental understanding.
Carlo: “Changes at that level, even minor, can have big consequences.” So, precision tweaking is key. “When you look at gold at a human level, it is shiny and yellow. But if you see it at the nanoscale, it suddenly colors red. For our iron, it’s the same – changing from yellow to black and from magnetic to non-magnetic as you make little changes. Small contributions have big impacts.”
The understanding and move towards application made Belloni a true inventor as he filled a patent. Subsequently, a prize too. The prestigious Marcel Mulder award at the European Water Technology Week.
But if you ask Carlo what he’s most proud of, it’s not just the science. “I have not only learned to be a scientist, but the personal development courses have helped me too. I like learning from others, and the courses we had on communication have helped me a lot. I am proud of the connectedness here. And I value everyone’s point of view. The freedom to share and make mistakes here is also something I appreciate. As well as using fundamental knowledge to push applications.”
And because there is always room for scientific improvement, Carlo’s project will continue. And the scientist himself will help guiding the new PhD student. But once again, Belloni is already searching for his next challenge in the meantime, seeking another field to conquer.
(Carlo will defend his thesis on June 12)
Abstract
The realisation of a circular economy has thus far unfolded under the assumption that it would fit within existing economic arrangements. In practice, we witness many circular initiatives struggling to give shape to their ambitions, let alone develop to maturity. These past months, various material recycling organisations terminated their activities, seeing virgin alternatives from other parts of the world flooding the market at prices against they cannot compete. If the transition towards a circular economy (i.e. an economy of value preservation) is to be taken seriously, a new perspective on value in our economic system seems unavoidable, as the rewriting of the rules of the economic game. At this moment, current perceptions of value stand in the way of this transition both at micro as well as macro levels. Several contours for a collective exploration of new directions of value and economic configuration that foster circular transition will be addressed.
Abstract
In his key note he will conclude after a life of innovations that it is impossible that humanity will stay within the save planetary boundaries with innovation only. We should be more critical about the behaviour of the rich population in the world and more critical about new innovations that prove to be dangerous, like the PFAS crisis shows at this moment. In his keynote he will investigate how to look at the world that can stay within the save planetary boundaries, how should we change ourselves? It is clear if we only talk about the words of science and systems we miss the essential words of how we should cooperate and change ourselves. And his search for coherent save innovations. Which innovations will be save and will lead to a fair and sustainable world? And will lead to a world we want to live in.
Abstract
There is a growing number of new sustainable, inclusive, cohesive, participatory, just and humane economic models. A possible next step in the discourse about them is the comparative analysis in order to find out key commonalities, potential synergies, and “requirements” for a future-fit economic model. The author and initiator of the Economy for the Common Good provides an overview of these „new sustainable economic models“ and compares them according to underlying values, principles, and practical ways of implementation. The keynote addresses the cooperative spirit of the conference and prepares the ground for its public highlight on the eve of June 3rd, the round table with representatives of diverse future-fit economic models.
Abstract
The scientific debate on whether economies should always continue to grow increasingly becomes a political and societal debate. On the one hand further growth for the most affluent countries seems neither possible nor valuable, but on the other hand there is still lack of understanding and knowledge what a non-growing economy should look like and could best be governed. In this lecture we discuss various policy measures that can be realistically implemented, take into account government finances and aim at a higher quality of life despite a non-growing economy.
Abstract
Democracy is under pressure, and less and less able to stir the economy into a sustainable direction. Therefore, to stabilize democracy and to make possible the socio-ecological transformation of the economy, democratic principles need to be implemented directly in the economy. This is not only a matter of morality, but also has practical advantages. Democratizing the economy can increase legitimacy and take advantage of the “knowledge of the many” to accelerate the transformation. Democratic practices, especially deliberation, allow bringing together different forms of knowledge, which is crucial for the local implementation of principles of social and ecological sustainability. This talk explores what this idea means in more concrete terms, from democratic participation in the workplace to the democratization of time.
Abstract
Over the past decades, markets have conventionally been seen as the best instrument to stimulate economic growth and enhance prosperity and well-being. The automatic link between markets and economic growth is increasingly questioned, however, as well as the automatic link between economic growth and enhancement of well-being. This has led to attempts to capture well-being development more directly than through GDP per capita figures and has produced a more variegated picture of well-being growth. Also, this has led to a shift of focus to other coordination systems than the market, as primarily the state but increasingly also the association. Analyses of the historical record suggest that especially the latter could be a vital component in future well-being.
