University Develops Hemp-based Super Capacitors

[Androidpk]

Super-capacitors can store and release electricity like a battery, but can be recharged in seconds instead of hours. At the moment, they are usually made from graphene, a man-made super material that is 100 times stronger than steel by weight, conducts electricity better than copper, and is more flexible than rubber (http://gas2.org/2013/02/28/graphene-supercapacitors-offer-blistering-performance-and-charge-in-a-couple-of-minutes/). Unfortunately, graphene is very costly to produce, making super-capacitors . A team of researchers led by David Mitlin at Clarkson University in New York have found a way to produce super-capacitors from an inexpensive hemp fiber left over from textile and building material construction that could pave the way for a mainstream super-capacitor.

http://gas2.org/2014/08/25/hemp-based-super-capacitors/

[nichelas]

Funny you post this - a few of us are loosely discussing putting together a business model for a cannabis based papermill. The research on hemp paper is pretty impressive; essentially, the logic/methodology for printing on hemp has been in place for over 100 yrs but has been completely ignored, regulated and bashed by the industry. Another example of the incumbent destroying a more efficient, stronger and less wasteful entrant to the market. The fibers mentioned within the article are significantly stronger than wood based fibers utilized in current paper products and theoretically would be a fraction of the cost and also a completely renewable resource. On the business front, from a point of entry perspective, there's going to be a reasonable CAPEX outlay at the onset for equipment and retrofits and an ongoing overly expensive supply issue (currently would have to import the fiber/pulp required). To make the whole thing work it would require an integrated supply chain, and sadly current rules will not allow for a pot farm of the required size to sustain this type of business. This is where we are currently trying to find a workaround...

Needless to say, I think as regulations are continuing to change, there s going to be a pretty significant shift to utilizing cannabis based products - it's an incredible plant with truly impressive industrial applications.

And also on the positive side, afterwards you can go home and just get stoned to the bejeezus-belt that night on the stuff....

[rolfard]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6SXG3WKucg

[Androidpk]

Hemp makes incredible paper. Not only that but it grows so much faster than trees, which usually take upwards of 20 years to make, versus 4 months for hemp. It also requires less water to grow and is incredibly good for the soil. There are numerous other benefits as well and it is ridiculous that hemp farming is all but illegal on the federal level. Obama signed a law early this year allowing for hemp research and some states, like Kentucky, have already started growing pilot program.

You won't get high from smoking hemp though. It doesn't flower like cannabis plants and the THC levels (the psychoactive compound) is pretty much non-existant.

[Ker_Thwap]

Awesome stuff, it's a shame it's used as a political tool by both sides.

Hemp is awesome, legalize marijuana! (you don't want to know the stoner logic involved in this statement)

Hemp looks like Marijuana, it will kill our babies! (you don't want to know the logic involved in working out this statement either.)

[Androidpk]

What's that stoner logic?

[Androidpk]

It doesn't help that complete idiots like this lady have a say in national policy.

"DEA Administrator Michele Leonhart recently stated that the lowest point of her 33 year career was seeing a hemp flag flying at the Colorado state capital."

[nichelas]

It's scary how criminally stupid the people are in charge of this country.

And the product that has industrial potential is a completely different strain than that which one would use for recreation. The funniest thing about researching the history of hemp production and the initial product tests are that they were actually run by the government. Even the damned government agencies that performed the research and initial engineering work came out and said these plants were missing the required chemical that stoners appreciate (sorry - can't remember the damned initials at the moment). Essentially, the plant we would need for industrial applications is an intrusive weed which we are not allowed to grow. And as I understand it, the pilot programs in KY are roughly the size of my office (which is not large) and surrounded by 12' high fence with barbed wire on top.

[Wrathbringer]

It's scary how criminally stupid the people are in charge of this country.

And the product that has industrial potential is a completely different strain than that which one would use for recreation. The funniest thing about researching the history of hemp production and the initial product tests are that they were actually run by the government. Even the damned government agencies that performed the research and initial engineering work came out and said these plants were missing the required chemical that stoners appreciate (sorry - can't remember the damned initials at the moment). Essentially, the plant we would need for industrial applications is an intrusive weed which we are not allowed to grow. And as I understand it, the pilot programs in KY are roughly the size of my office (which is not large) and surrounded by 12' high fence with barbed wire on top.

Your tax dollars at work. Yay government!

[Androidpk]

Is it a small area? I know they just planted 250 lbs of seed earlier this summer.

[Androidpk]

So it looks like there are 5 pilot program running in Kentucky, each focusing on different hemp seeds and usages.

[nichelas]

It might be bigger - I was reading someone's analysis of the program and came away thinking that this "pilot" test was a) Going to cost the government 25x more than it should and b) would not be significant enough to support or argue against anyone's assumption/plan on the utilization of the plant for industrial usage.

250 lbs of seed really isn't that much once you get by the fact that it is cannabis... Old rule of thumb used to be 50lbs per acre of land - which means they'll have roughly 5 football fields (excluding endzones) for growing area. All depends of course as to how they planted, row widths, etc... Overall, the test might validate whether the plants themselves can be used as we all theorize (which has already been proven) but it likely will not validate the yield/harvest assumptions one would need to substantiate the investment in the process.

[Androidpk]

I'll dig for some more in-depth information later tonight. You're right that the pilot programs probably aren't large enough to gauge yield/harvest information but that isn't really something needed at this point since we have access to details from hemp farms from around the world. One of the pilot programs is to simply see how well European hemp seed strains grow in Kentucky soil. Another is to test the phytoremediation properties of hemp on contaminated brownfield sites. Regardless though, don't underestimate the size of the program as this is a huge step towards complete legalization for industrial hemp farming.

[Velfi]

It's a well documented fact that hemp is a gateway product. Next thing you know, people will be farming in their yards and growing more hippie shit like flax and arugula and kale.

[Latrinsorm]

Hemp makes incredible paper. Not only that but it grows so much faster than trees, which usually take upwards of 20 years to make, versus 4 months for hemp. It also requires less water to grow and is incredibly good for the soil. There are numerous other benefits as well and it is ridiculous that hemp farming is all but illegal on the federal level. Obama signed a law early this year allowing for hemp research and some states, like Kentucky, have already started growing pilot program.

You won't get high from smoking hemp though. It doesn't flower like cannabis plants and the THC levels (the psychoactive compound) is pretty much non-existant.Is it really that ridiculous, though? Punch in "legalize hemp" into GIS and you get marijuana leaves everywhere, plus a non trivial number of marijuana legalization images. Certainly there's no relevant connection between hemp and marijuana, but I think it's a little credulous to pretend there's no connection between hemp legalization movements and marijuana legalization movements, and I think you (and those like you) do yourselves a grave disservice by further pretending that it's (only) stupidity in government that elides them.

If you have a good message and nobody listens to you they might be lousy listeners, but you might be a lousy speaker.

[Velfi]

If you have a good message and nobody listens to you they might be lousy listeners, but you might be a lousy speaker.

You got jokes.

[Androidpk]

It's a well documented fact that hemp is a gateway product. Next thing you know, people will be farming in their yards and growing more hippie shit like flax and arugula and kale.



I smoke two kales in the morning
I smoke two kales at night
I smoke two kales in the afternoon
It makes me feel all right

[Latrinsorm]

And I gotta say, making wise acre remarks about smoking the stuff isn't helping your case either.

[Androidpk]

I never denied a connection between the two movements. I'm all for common sense and personal liberties. Why do you hate freedom and capitalism?

[Velfi]

And I gotta say, making wise acre remarks about smoking the stuff isn't helping your case either.

http://i.imgur.com/HPB63dY.jpg

[Androidpk]

I have no idea what that is but I want one.

[Latrinsorm]

I never denied a connection between the two movements.Well then how the heck do you find it ridiculous that authorities make that connection?
I'm all for common sense and personal liberties. Why do you hate freedom and capitalism?In order:
1. Common sense is a shorter way of saying "if you disagree with me you are wrong, and the onus is on you to prove otherwise", which is a longer way of saying "garbage". I'll stick with being all for science.

2. Some personal liberties are good. That does not imply that anything couchable as a personal liberty is good, and this one so happens not to be.

3. Please see above.

4. Because capitalism doesn't work (please note how this is more empiricism). A mixed economy is the only way to go, and if you're on board for the trust busting and clean water you don't get to say "BUT CAPITALISM!" when the government restricts something you happen to like. That's not capitalism, that's Andyism.

[Androidpk]

And thus the term Andyjisms is born.

[JackWhisper]

Arite Velfi. Damn the convo. What the hell toy is that and where can I get one?

[Ker_Thwap]

What's that stoner logic?

I think we all know what stoner logic is.

When we were pulling in the driveway, I saw that my mom's car wasn't there, I yell 'fuck yeah, moms not home.' She was driving me. that high

[Androidpk]

I think we all know what stoner logic is.

When we were pulling in the driveway, I saw that my mom's car wasn't there, I yell 'fuck yeah, moms not home.' She was driving me. that high

:lol:

:)

:/

:(

[Laviticas]

I can tell you as a printing press operator that something needs to be done. This recycled shit we are using these days has so much calcium in it, we spend more time cleaning blankets than ever before. The shit is dirty as hell and has a negative effect on print quality. I'm hopeful the move to hemp paper comes sooner thAn later.

[Androidpk]

I can tell you as a printing press operator that something needs to be done. This recycled shit we are using these days has so much calcium in it, we spend more time cleaning blankets than ever before. The shit is dirty as hell and has a negative effect on print quality. I'm hopeful the move to hemp paper comes sooner thAn later.

:thinking:

[Laviticas]

Here is a pic of what I'm talking about. That's only after 10k sheets.6900