76 FR 69320 - Notice of Applications for Certificates of Public Convenience and Necessity and Foreign Air...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-11-08

... Public Convenience and Necessity and Foreign Air Carrier Permits Filed Under Subpart B (Formerly Subpart... Convenience and Necessity and Foreign Air Carrier Permits were filed under Subpart B (formerly Subpart Q) of... certificate of public convenience and necessity for Route 568 to engage in scheduled foreign air...

Convenient and large-scale synthesis of nitrogen-rich hierarchical porous carbon spheres for supercapacitors and CO2 capture

Science.gov (United States)

Chang, Binbin; Zhang, Shouren; Yin, Hang; Yang, Baocheng

2017-08-01

Herein, considering the great potential of nitrogen-doped hierarchical porous carbons in energy storage and CO2 capture, we designed a convenient and easily large-scale production strategy for preparing nitrogen-doped hierarchical porous carbon sphere (NHPCS) materials. In this synthesis route, spherical resorcinol-formaldehyde (RF) resins were selected as carbon precursor, and then the ZnCl2-impregnated RF resin spheres were carbonized in a NH3 atmosphere at a temperature range of 600-800 °C. During the one-step heat-treatment process, nitrogen atom could be efficiently incorporated into the carbon skeleton, and the interconnected and hierarchical pore structure with different micro/mesopore proportion could be generated and tuned by adjusting the activating agent ZnCl2 dosage and carbonization temperature. The resultant nitrogen-doped hierarchical porous carbon sphere materials exhibited a satisfactory charge storage capacity, and the optimal sample of NHPCS-2-8 with a high mesopore proportion obtained at 800 °C with a ZnCl2/RF mass ratio of 2:1 presented a specific capacitance of 273.8 F g-1 at a current density of 0.5 A g-1. More importantly, the assembled NHPCS-2-8-based symmetric capacitor displayed a high energy density of 17.2 Wh kg-1 at a power density of 178.9 W kg-1 within a voltage window of 0 ∼ 1.8 V in 0.5 M Na2SO4 aqueous electrolyte. In addition, the CO2 capture application of these NHPCS materials was also explored, and the optimal sample of NHPCS-0-8 with a large micropore proportion prepared at 800 °C exhibited an exceptional CO2 uptake capacity at ambient pressures of up to 4.23 mmol g-1 at 0 °C.

Solution-chemical route to generalized synthesis of metal germanate nanowires with room-temperature, light-driven hydrogenation activity of CO2 into renewable hydrocarbon fuels.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Qi; Zhou, Yong; Tu, Wenguang; Yan, Shicheng; Zou, Zhigang

2014-01-06

A facile solution-chemical route was developed for the generalized preparation of a family of highly uniform metal germanate nanowires on a large scale. This route is based on the use of hydrazine monohydrate/H2O as a mixed solvent under solvothermal conditions. Hydrazine has multiple effects on the generation of the nanowires: as an alkali solvent, a coordination agent, and crystal anisotropic growth director. Different-percentage cobalt-doped Cd2Ge2O6 nanowires were also successfully obtained through the addition of Co(OAc)2·4H2O to the initial reaction mixture for future investigation of the magnetic properties of these nanowires. The considerably negative conduction band level of the Cd2Ge2O6 nanowire offers a high driving force for photogenerated electron transfer to CO2 under UV-vis illumination, which facilitates CO2 photocatalytic reduction to a renewable hydrocarbon fuel in the presence of water vapor at room temperature.

Polymer-assisted co-precipitation route for the synthesis of Al 2 O 3

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

It has been observed by field emission scanning electron microscopy analysis that the particle size reduced effectively (below 100 nm) when polymer-assisted co-precipitation route is used instead of the simple co-precipitation technique. A highly dense microstructure of sintered samples has been obtained, driven by ...

Synthesis of Co3O4 nanocubes by hydrothermal route and their ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

2018-02-02

Feb 2, 2018 ... Monodispersed Co3O4 nanocubes were prepared by a simple hydrothermal route with ... X-ray spectrometry, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron ... spectrometry (EDS) of the product were obtained using.

Co-control of local air pollutants and CO2 in the Chinese iron and steel industry.

Science.gov (United States)

Mao, Xianqiang; Zeng, An; Hu, Tao; Zhou, Ji; Xing, Youkai; Liu, Shengqiang

2013-01-01

The present study proposes an integrated multipollutant cocontrol strategy framework in the context of the Chinese iron and steel industry. The unit cost of pollutant reduction (UCPR) was used to examine the cost-effectiveness of each emission reduction measure. The marginal abatement cost (MAC) curves for SO2, NOx, PM2.5, and CO2 were drawn based on the UCPR and the abatement potential. Air pollutant equivalence (APeq) captures the nature of the damage value-weights of various air pollutants and acts as uniformization multiple air pollutants index. Single pollutant abatement routes designed in accordance with the corresponding reduction targets revealed that the cocontrol strategy has promising potential. Moreover, with the same reduction cost limitations as the single pollutant abatement routes, the multipollutant cocontrol routes are able to obtain more desirable pollution reduction and health benefits. Co-control strategy generally shows cost-effective advantage over single-pollutant abatement strategy. The results are robust to changing parameters according to sensitivity analysis. Co-control strategy would be an important step to achieve energy/carbon intensity targets and pollution control targets in China. Though cocontrol strategy has got some traction in policy debates, there are barriers to integrate it into policy making in the near future in China.

Estimating CO2 Emission Reduction of Non-capture CO2 Utilization (NCCU) Technology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Ji Hyun; Lee, Dong Woog; Gyu, Jang Se; Kwak, No-Sang; Lee, In Young; Jang, Kyung Ryoung; Shim, Jae-Goo; Choi, Jong Shin

2015-01-01

Estimating potential of CO 2 emission reduction of non-capture CO 2 utilization (NCCU) technology was evaluated. NCCU is sodium bicarbonate production technology through the carbonation reaction of CO 2 contained in the flue gas. For the estimating the CO 2 emission reduction, process simulation using process simulator (PRO/II) based on a chemical plant which could handle CO 2 of 100 tons per day was performed, Also for the estimation of the indirect CO 2 reduction, the solvay process which is a conventional technology for the production of sodium carbonate/sodium bicarbonate, was studied. The results of the analysis showed that in case of the solvay process, overall CO 2 emission was estimated as 48,862 ton per year based on the energy consumption for the production of NaHCO 3 (7.4 GJ/tNaHCO 3 ). While for the NCCU technology, the direct CO 2 reduction through the CO 2 carbonation was estimated as 36,500 ton per year and the indirect CO 2 reduction through the lower energy consumption was 46,885 ton per year which lead to 83,385 ton per year in total. From these results, it could be concluded that sodium bicarbonate production technology through the carbonation reaction of CO 2 contained in the flue was energy efficient and could be one of the promising technology for the low CO 2 emission technology.

Topotactic synthesis of Co3O4 nanoboxes from Co(OH)2 nanoflakes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tian Li; Huang Kelong; Liu Younian; Liu Suqin

2011-01-01

Hollow nanocubes of spinel Co 3 O 4 with the dimension of 20 nm were successfully prepared via a facile and reproducible solvothermal route. The structure and morphology of Co 3 O 4 nanoboxes were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and high-resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM) techniques. And a possible growth mechanism of Co 3 O 4 nanoboxes were suggested that solid Co 3 O 4 nanocubes nucleate in-situ and grow epitaxially from hexagonal β-Co(OH) 2 precursors with the structural matching relationship of [0 0 1] β-Co(OH) 2 //[1 1 1] Co 3 O 4 , and then solid Co 3 O 4 nanocubes gradually hollow and convert to single-crystal nanoboxes owing to Ostwald ripening. - Graphical abstract: The formation mechanism of Co 3 O 4 nanoboxes can be expressed as epitaxial growth of Co 3 O 4 nanocubes from β-Co(OH) 2 nanoflakes due to a topotactic transformation and hollowing process owing to Ostwald ripening. Highlights: → Co 3 O 4 nanoboxes were prepared by a convenient, economical and controllable hydrothermal route. → Morphology and structure of Co 3 O 4 nanoboxes were characterized by XRD, SEM, and TEM techniques. → Co 3 O 4 nanoboxes grow epitaxially from Co(OH) 2 by topotactic transformation was suggested.

Fumaric acid production in Saccharomyces cerevisiae by simultaneous use of oxidative and reductive routes.

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Guoqiang; Chen, Xiulai; Liu, Liming; Jiang, Linghuo

2013-11-01

In this study, the simultaneous use of reductive and oxidative routes to produce fumaric acid was explored. The strain FMME003 (Saccharomyces cerevisiae CEN.PK2-1CΔTHI2) exhibited capability to accumulate pyruvate and was used for fumaric acid production. The fum1 mutant FMME004 could produce fumaric acid via oxidative route, but the introduction of reductive route derived from Rhizopus oryzae NRRL 1526 led to lower fumaric acid production. Analysis of the key factors associated with fumaric acid production revealed that pyruvate carboxylase had a low degree of control over the carbon flow to malic acid. The fumaric acid titer was improved dramatically when the heterologous gene RoPYC was overexpressed and 32 μg/L of biotin was added. Furthermore, under the optimal carbon/nitrogen ratio, the engineered strain FMME004-6 could produce up to 5.64 ± 0.16 g/L of fumaric acid. These results demonstrated that the proposed fermentative method is efficient for fumaric acid production. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Alternative chemical-based synthesis routes and characterization of nano-scale particles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brocchi, E.A.; Motta, M.S.; Solorzano, I.G.; Jena, P.K.; Moura, F.J.

2004-01-01

Different nano-scale particles have been synthesized by alternative routes: nitrates dehydratation and oxide, or co-formed oxides, reduction by hydrogen. Chemical-based synthesis routes are described and thermodynamics studies and kinetics data are presented to support the feasibility for obtaining single-phase oxides and co-formed two-phase oxides. In addition, the reduction reaction has been applied to successfully produce metal/ceramic nanocomposites. Structural characterization has been carried out by means of X-ray diffraction and, more extensively, transmission electron microscopy operating in conventional diffraction contrast mode (CTEM) and high-resolution mode (HRTEM). Nano-scale size distribution of oxide particles is well demonstrated together with their defect-free structure in the lower range, around 20 nm, size. Structural features related to the synthesized nano-composites are also presented

Uncertainty quantification of CO2 emission reduction for maritime shipping

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yuan, Jun; Ng, Szu Hui; Sou, Weng Sut

2016-01-01

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has recently proposed several operational and technical measures to improve shipping efficiency and reduce the greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions. The abatement potentials estimated for these measures have been further used by many organizations to project future GHG emission reductions and plot Marginal Abatement Cost Curves (MACC). However, the abatement potentials estimated for many of these measures can be highly uncertain as many of these measures are new, with limited sea trial information. Furthermore, the abatements obtained are highly dependent on ocean conditions, trading routes and sailing patterns. When the estimated abatement potentials are used for projections, these ‘input’ uncertainties are often not clearly displayed or accounted for, which can lead to overly optimistic or pessimistic outlooks. In this paper, we propose a methodology to systematically quantify and account for these input uncertainties on the overall abatement potential forecasts. We further propose improvements to MACCs to better reflect the uncertainties in marginal abatement costs and total emissions. This approach provides a fuller and more accurate picture of abatement forecasts and potential reductions achievable, and will be useful to policy makers and decision makers in the shipping industry to better assess the cost effective measures for CO 2 emission reduction. - Highlights: • We propose a systematic method to quantify uncertainty in emission reduction. • Marginal abatement cost curves are improved to better reflect the uncertainties. • Percentage reduction probability is given to determine emission reduction target. • The methodology is applied to a case study on maritime shipping.

Electrochemical reduction of CO2 to CO over Zn in propylene carbonate/tetrabutylammonium perchlorate

Science.gov (United States)

Shen, Feng-xia; Shi, Jin; Chen, Tian-you; Shi, Feng; Li, Qing-yuan; Zhen, Jian-zheng; Li, Yun-fei; Dai, Yong-nian; Yang, Bin; Qu, Tao

2018-02-01

Developing low cost and high efficient electrode for carbon dioxide (CO2) reduction in organic media is essential for practical application. Zn is a cheap metal and has high catalytic effects on CO2 reduction to carbon monoxide (CO) in aqueous solution. However, little attention has been given to investigate the performance of Zn in organic media for CO2 reduction. In present work, we have conducted CO2 reduction in propylene carbonate/tetrabutylammonium perchlorate on Zn due to that propylene carbonate is a widely used industrial absorber, and tetrabutylammonium perchlorate is a commonly used organic supporting electrolyte. In addition, because electrochemical reduction of CO2 to CO naturally produces H2O, we have discussed water effects on CO2 reduction in propylene carbonate/tetrabutylammonium perchlorate+6.8 wt % H2O. Our experiment results reveal that the faradaic efficiency for CO formation reaches to 83%, and the current density remains stable at 6.72 mA/cm2 at voltage -2.3 V for 4 h. Interestingly, Zn presents higher catalytic activity than Ag, and slightly lower than Au. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy results confirm that no poisonous species is formed and absorbed on the cathode, which is an important advantage in practical application.

Tuning of CO2 Reduction Selectivity on Metal Electrocatalysts.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Yuhang; Liu, Junlang; Wang, Yifei; Al-Enizi, Abdullah M; Zheng, Gengfeng

2017-11-01

Climate change, caused by heavy CO 2 emissions, is driving new demands to alleviate the rising concentration of atmospheric CO 2 levels. Enlightened by the photosynthesis of green plants, photo(electro)chemical catalysis of CO 2 reduction, also known as artificial photosynthesis, is emerged as a promising candidate to address these demands and is widely investigated during the past decade. Among various artificial photosynthetic systems, solar-driven electrochemical CO 2 reduction is widely recognized to possess high efficiencies and potentials for practical application. The efficient and selective electroreduction of CO 2 is the key to the overall solar-to-chemical efficiency of artificial photosynthesis. Recent studies show that various metallic materials possess the capability to play as electrocatalysts for CO 2 reduction. In order to achieve high selectivity for CO 2 reduction products, various efforts are made including studies on electrolytes, crystal facets, oxide-derived catalysts, electronic and geometric structures, nanostructures, and mesoscale phenomena. In this Review, these methods for tuning the selectivity of CO 2 electrochemical reduction of metallic catalysts are summarized. The challenges and perspectives in this field are also discussed. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Comparison of structural and luminescence properties of Dy2O3 nanopowders synthesized by co-precipitation and green combustion routes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chandrasekhar, M.; Nagabhushana, H.; Sudheerkumar, K.H.; Dhananjaya, N.; Sharma, S.C.; Kavyashree, D.; Shivakumara, C.; Nagabhushana, B.M.

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Dy 2 O 3 nanopowders were prepared by co-precipitation and eco-friendly green combustion route using plant latex. • Both the products show excellent chromaticity coordinates in the white region, which were quite useful for white LED’s. • Thermoluminescence response of the Dy 2 O 3 product prepared by green synthesis was higher when compared to co-precipitation route. • Structural parameters of Dy 2 O 3 were estimated using Rietveld refinement. • The development of nanosize materials using eco-friendly resources was an attractive non-hazardous chemical route. - Abstract: Dysprosium oxide (Dy 2 O 3 ) nanopowders were prepared by co-precipitation (CP) and eco-friendly green combustion (GC) routes. SEM micrographs prepared by CP route show smooth rods with various lengths and diameters while, GC route show porous, agglomerated particles. The results were further confirmed by TEM. Thermoluminescence (TL) responses of the nanopowder prepared by both the routes were studied using γ-rays. A well resolved glow peak at 353 °C along with less intense peak at 183 °C was observed in GC route while, in CP a single glow peak at 364 °C was observed. The kinetic parameters were estimated using Chen’s glow peak route. Photoluminescence (PL) of Dy 2 O 3 shows peaks at 481, 577, 666 and 756 nm which were attributed to Dy 3+ transitions of 4 F 9/2 ⟶ 6 H 15/2 , 6 H 13/2 , 6 H 11/2 and 6 H 9/2 , respectively. Color co-ordinate values were located in the white region as a result the product may be useful for the fabrication of WLED’S

RoCoMAR: Robots' Controllable Mobility Aided Routing and Relay Architecture for Mobile Sensor Networks

Science.gov (United States)

Van Le, Duc; Oh, Hoon; Yoon, Seokhoon

2013-01-01

In a practical deployment, mobile sensor network (MSN) suffers from a low performance due to high node mobility, time-varying wireless channel properties, and obstacles between communicating nodes. In order to tackle the problem of low network performance and provide a desired end-to-end data transfer quality, in this paper we propose a novel ad hoc routing and relaying architecture, namely RoCoMAR (Robots' Controllable Mobility Aided Routing) that uses robotic nodes' controllable mobility. RoCoMAR repeatedly performs link reinforcement process with the objective of maximizing the network throughput, in which the link with the lowest quality on the path is identified and replaced with high quality links by placing a robotic node as a relay at an optimal position. The robotic node resigns as a relay if the objective is achieved or no more gain can be obtained with a new relay. Once placed as a relay, the robotic node performs adaptive link maintenance by adjusting its position according to the movements of regular nodes. The simulation results show that RoCoMAR outperforms existing ad hoc routing protocols for MSN in terms of network throughput and end-to-end delay. PMID:23881134

RoCoMAR: Robots’ Controllable Mobility Aided Routing and Relay Architecture for Mobile Sensor Networks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Seokhoon Yoon

2013-07-01

Full Text Available In a practical deployment, mobile sensor network (MSN suffers from a low performance due to high node mobility, time-varying wireless channel properties, and obstacles between communicating nodes. In order to tackle the problem of low network performance and provide a desired end-to-end data transfer quality, in this paper we propose a novel ad hoc routing and relaying architecture, namely RoCoMAR (Robots’ Controllable Mobility Aided Routing that uses robotic nodes’ controllable mobility. RoCoMAR repeatedly performs link reinforcement process with the objective of maximizing the network throughput, in which the link with the lowest quality on the path is identified and replaced with high quality links by placing a robotic node as a relay at an optimal position. The robotic node resigns as a relay if the objective is achieved or no more gain can be obtained with a new relay. Once placed as a relay, the robotic node performs adaptive link maintenance by adjusting its position according to the movements of regular nodes. The simulation results show that RoCoMAR outperforms existing ad hoc routing protocols for MSN in terms of network throughput and end-to-end delay.

Synthesis of high intrinsic loss power aqueous ferrofluids of iron oxide nanoparticles by citric acid-assisted hydrothermal-reduction route

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Behdadfar, Behshid; Kermanpur, Ahmad; Sadeghi-Aliabadi, Hojjat; Morales, Maria del Puerto; Mozaffari, Morteza

2012-01-01

Monodispersed aqueous ferrofluids of iron oxide nanoparticle were synthesized by hydrothermal-reduction route. They were characterized by X-ray diffraction analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning and transmission electron microscopy and dynamic light scattering. The results showed that certain concentrations of citric acid (CA) are required to obtain only magnetic iron oxides with mean particle sizes around 8 nm. CA acts as a modulator and reducing agent in iron oxide formation which controls nanoparticle size. The XRD, magnetic and heating measurements showed that the temperature and time of hydrothermal reaction can affect the magnetic properties of obtained ferrofluids. The synthesized ferrofluids were stable at pH 7. Their mean hydrodynamic size was around 80 nm with polydispersity index (PDI) of 0.158. The calculated intrinsic loss power (ILP) was 9.4 nHm 2 /kg. So this clean and cheap route is an efficient way to synthesize high ILP aqueous ferrofluids applicable in magnetic hyperthermia. - Graphical abstract: Monodispersed aqueous ferrofluids of iron oxide nanoparticles were synthesized by hydrothermal-reduction method with citric acid as reductant which is an efficient way to synthesize aqueous ferrofluids applicable in magnetic hyperthermia. Highlights: ► Aqueous iron oxide ferrofluids were synthesized by hydrothermal-reduction route. ► Citric acid acted as reducing agent and surfactant in the route. ► This is a facile, low energy and environmental friendly route. ► The aqueous iron oxide ferrofluids were monodispersed and stable at pH of 7. ► The calculated intrinsic loss power of the synthesized ferrofluids was very high.

Proposal of interference reduction routing for ad-hoc networks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Katsuhiro Naito

2010-10-01

Full Text Available In this paper, we propose an interference reduction routing protocol for ad-hoc networks. The interference is one of the degradation factors in wireless communications. In the ad-hoc network, some nodes communicate simultaneously. Therefore, these communications cause interference each other, and some packets are corrupted due to interference from another node. In the proposed protocol, each node estimates required transmission power according to hello messages. Therefore, the node can transmit a data packet with minimum required transmission power. Consequently, the interference against neighbor nodes can be reduced. From simulation results, we can find that the proposed protocol can reduce the number of control messages and can improve the throughput performance.

Reduction reactions applied for synthesizing different nano-structured materials

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Albuquerque Brocchi, Eduardo de; Correia de Siqueira, Rogério Navarro [Department of Materials Engineering, PUC-Rio, Rua Marquês de São Vicente, 225, Gávea, 22453-900 Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil); Motta, Marcelo Senna [Basck Ltd. (United Kingdom); Moura, Francisco José, E-mail: moura@puc-rio.br [Department of Materials Engineering, PUC-Rio, Rua Marquês de São Vicente, 225, Gávea, 22453-900 Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil); Solórzano-Naranjo, Ivan Guillermo [Department of Materials Engineering, PUC-Rio, Rua Marquês de São Vicente, 225, Gávea, 22453-900 Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil)

2013-06-15

Different materials have been synthesized by alternative routes: nitrates thermal decomposition to prepare oxide or co-formed oxides and reduction by hydrogen or graphite to obtain mixed oxides, composites or alloys. These chemical-based synthesis routes are described and thermodynamics studies and kinetics data are presented to support its feasibility. In addition, selective reduction reactions have been applied to successfully produce metal/ceramic composites, and alloys. Structural characterization has been carried out by X-ray Diffraction and, more extensively, Transmission Electron Microscopy operating in conventional diffraction contrast (CTEM) and high-resolution mode (HRTEM), indicated the possibility of obtaining oxide and alloy crystals of sizes ranging between 20 and 40 nm. - Highlights: • The viability in obtaining Ni–Co, Cu–Al, Mn–Al co-formed nano oxides was evaluated. • Partial and complete H{sub 2} reduction were used to produce alloy, composite and Spinel. • XRD, TEM and HREM techniques were used to characterize the obtained nanostructures.

CO2 reduction strategies for the Northern Netherlands

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Benders, Rene; Moll, Henk; Noorman, Klaas Jan; Wiersma, Gerwin

2011-01-01

The concern about global warming initiated ambitious CO2 reduction goals in cities and regions in the Netherlands. This article describes a study of such a local initiative for the Northern Netherlands. The research aimed to develop CO2 reduction scenarios for 2035 with national and international

Catholyte-Free Electrocatalytic CO2 Reduction to Formate.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Wonhee; Kim, Young Eun; Youn, Min Hye; Jeong, Soon Kwan; Park, Ki Tae

2018-04-16

Electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) into value-added chemicals is a promising strategy to reduce CO 2 emission and mitigate climate change. One of the most serious problems in electrocatalytic CO 2 reduction (CO 2 R) is the low solubility of CO 2 in an aqueous electrolyte, which significantly limits the cathodic reaction rate. This paper proposes a facile method of catholyte-free electrocatalytic CO 2 reduction to avoid the solubility limitation using commercial tin nanoparticles as a cathode catalyst. Interestingly, as the reaction temperature rises from 303 K to 363 K, the partial current density (PCD) of formate improves more than two times with 52.9 mA cm -2 , despite the decrease in CO 2 solubility. Furthermore, a significantly high formate concentration of 41.5 g L -1 is obtained as a one-path product at 343 K with high PCD (51.7 mA cm -2 ) and high Faradaic efficiency (93.3 %) via continuous operation in a full flow cell at a low cell voltage of 2.2 V. © 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Estimating CO{sub 2} Emission Reduction of Non-capture CO{sub 2} Utilization (NCCU) Technology

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Ji Hyun; Lee, Dong Woog; Gyu, Jang Se; Kwak, No-Sang; Lee, In Young; Jang, Kyung Ryoung; Shim, Jae-Goo [KEPCO Research Institute, Daejon (Korea, Republic of); Choi, Jong Shin [Korea East-West Power Co., LTD(ETP), Ulsan (Korea, Republic of)

2015-10-15

Estimating potential of CO{sub 2} emission reduction of non-capture CO{sub 2} utilization (NCCU) technology was evaluated. NCCU is sodium bicarbonate production technology through the carbonation reaction of CO{sub 2} contained in the flue gas. For the estimating the CO{sub 2} emission reduction, process simulation using process simulator (PRO/II) based on a chemical plant which could handle CO{sub 2} of 100 tons per day was performed, Also for the estimation of the indirect CO{sub 2} reduction, the solvay process which is a conventional technology for the production of sodium carbonate/sodium bicarbonate, was studied. The results of the analysis showed that in case of the solvay process, overall CO{sub 2} emission was estimated as 48,862 ton per year based on the energy consumption for the production of NaHCO{sub 3} (7.4 GJ/tNaHCO{sub 3}). While for the NCCU technology, the direct CO{sub 2} reduction through the CO{sub 2} carbonation was estimated as 36,500 ton per year and the indirect CO{sub 2} reduction through the lower energy consumption was 46,885 ton per year which lead to 83,385 ton per year in total. From these results, it could be concluded that sodium bicarbonate production technology through the carbonation reaction of CO{sub 2} contained in the flue was energy efficient and could be one of the promising technology for the low CO{sub 2} emission technology.

Nitrogen-based catalysts for the electrochemical reduction of CO2 to CO.

Science.gov (United States)

Tornow, Claire E; Thorson, Michael R; Ma, Sichao; Gewirth, Andrew A; Kenis, Paul J A

2012-12-05

The synthesis and application of carbon-supported, nitrogen-based organometallic silver catalysts for the reduction of CO(2) is studied using an electrochemical flow reactor. Their performance toward the selective formation of CO is similar to the performance achieved when using Ag as the catalyst, but comparatively at much lower silver loading. Faradaic efficiencies of the organometallic catalyst are higher than 90%, which are comparable to those of Ag. Furthermore, with the addition of an amine ligand to Ag/C, the partial current density for CO increases significantly, suggesting a possible co-catalyst mechanism. Additional improvements in activity and selectivity may be achieved as greater insight is obtained on the mechanism of CO(2) reduction and on how these complexes assemble on the carbon support.

Synthesis of high purity tungsten nanoparticles from tungsten heavy alloy scrap by selective precipitation and reduction route

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kamal, S.S. Kalyan; Sahoo, P.K.; Vimala, J.; Shanker, B.; Ghosal, P.; Durai, L.

2016-01-01

In this paper we report synthesis of tungsten nanoparticles of high purity >99.7 wt% from heavy alloy scrap using a novel chemical route of selective precipitation and reduction. The effect of Poly(vinylpyrrolidone) polymer on controlling the particle size is established through FTIR spectra and corroborated with TEM images, wherein the average size decreased form 210 to 45 nm with increasing PVP content from zero to 2 g under different experimental conditions. This process is economical as raw material is a scrap and the efficiency of the reaction is >95%. - Highlights: • Tungsten nanoparticles were synthesized from tungsten heavy alloy scrap. • A novel chemical route of precipitation and reduction with Poly(vinylpyrrolidone) polymer as stabilizer is reported. • The average size decreased form 210 to 45 nm with increasing PVP content from zero to 2 g. • High pure tungsten nanoparticles of >99.7% purity could be synthesized using this route. • Efficiency of the reaction is >95%.

Low-temperature, high yield synthesis, and convenient isolation of the high-electron-density cluster compound Ta6Br14.8H2O for use in biomacromolecular crystallographic phase determination.

Science.gov (United States)

Hay, Daniel N T; Messerle, Louis

2002-09-01

Reduction of TaBr(5) with Ga in the presence of KBr in a sealed borosilicate ampule at 400 degrees, followed by aqueous Soxhlet extraction and addition of stannous bromide and hydrobromic acid to the extract, yielded Ta(6)Br(14).8H(2)O in 80-84% yield. The new procedure provides a convenient, low temperature, high yield route to the synthesis of the title compound from inexpensive precursors.

CuZn Alloy- Based Electrocatalyst for CO2 Reduction

KAUST Repository

Alazmi, Amira

2014-06-01

ABSTRACT CuZn Alloy- Based Electrocatalyst for CO2 Reduction Amira Alazmi Carbon dioxide (CO2) is one of the major greenhouse gases and its emission is a significant threat to global economy and sustainability. Efficient CO2 conversion leads to utilization of CO2 as a carbon feedstock, but activating the most stable carbon-based molecule, CO2, is a challenging task. Electrochemical conversion of CO2 is considered to be the beneficial approach to generate carbon-containing fuels directly from CO2, especially when the electronic energy is derived from renewable energies, such as solar, wind, geo-thermal and tidal. To achieve this goal, the development of an efficient electrocatalyst for CO2 reduction is essential. In this thesis, studies on CuZn alloys with heat treatments at different temperatures have been evaluated as electrocatalysts for CO2 reduction. It was found that the catalytic activity of these electrodes was strongly dependent on the thermal oxidation temperature before their use for electrochemical measurements. The polycrystalline CuZn electrode without thermal treatment shows the Faradaic efficiency for CO formation of only 30% at applied potential ~−1.0 V vs. RHE with current density of ~−2.55 mA cm−2. In contrast, the reduction of oxide-based CuZn alloy electrode exhibits 65% Faradaic efficiency for CO at lower applied potential about −1.0 V vs. RHE with current density of −2.55 mA cm−2. Furthermore, stable activity was achieved over several hours of the reduction reaction at the modified electrodes. Based on electrokinetic studies, this improvement could be attributed to further stabilization of the CO2•− on the oxide-based Cu-Zn alloy surface.

Photochemical reduction of CO{sub 2} to fuels and chemicals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

DuBois, D. [National Renewable Energy Lab., Golden, CO (United States); Eisenberg, R. [Univ. of Rochester, NY (United States); Fujita, E. [Brookhaven National Lab., Upton, NY (United States)

1996-09-01

Photochemical reduction of CO{sub 2} represents a potentially useful approach to developing a sustainable source of carbon-based chemicals, fuels, and materials. In this report the present status of photochemical CO{sub 2} reduction is assessed, areas that need to be better understood for advancement are identified, and approaches to overcoming barriers are suggested. Because of the interdisciplinary nature of this field, assessments of three closely interrelated areas are given including integrated photochemical systems for catalytic CO{sub 2} reduction, thermal catalytic CO{sub 2} reactions, and electrochemical CO{sub 2} reduction. The report concludes with a summary and assessment of potential impacts of this area on chemical and energy technologies.

Northern California CO₂ Reduction Project

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hymes, Edward [C6 Resources LLC, Houston, TX (United States)

2010-06-16

C6 Resources LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Shell Oil Company, worked with the US Department of Energy (DOE) under a Cooperative Agreement to develop the Northern California CO₂ Reduction Project. The objective of the Project is to demonstrate the viability of using Carbon Capture and Sequestration (CCS) to reduce existing greenhouse gas emissions from industrial sources on a large-scale. The Project will capture more than 700,000 metric tonnes of CO₂ per year, which is currently being vented to the atmosphere from the Shell Martinez Refinery in Contra Costa County. The CO₂ will be compressed and dehydrated at the refinery and then transported via pipeline to a sequestration site in a rural area in neighboring Solano County. The CO₂ will be sequestered into a deep saline formation (more than two miles underground) and will be monitored to assure secure, long-term containment. The pipeline will be designed to carry as much as 1,400,000 metric tonnes of CO₂ per year, so additional capacity will be available to accommodate CO₂ captured from other industrial sources. The Project is expected to begin operation in 2015. The Project has two distinct phases. The overall objective of Phase 1 was to develop a fully definitive design basis for the Project. The Cooperative Agreement with the DOE provided cost sharing for Phase 1 and the opportunity to apply for additional DOE cost sharing for Phase 2, comprising the design, construction and operation of the Project. Phase 1 has been completed. DOE co-funding is provided by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009. As prescribed by ARRA, the Project will stimulate the local economy by creating manufacturing, transportation, construction, operations, and management jobs while addressing the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions at an accelerated pace. The Project, which will also assist in meeting the CO₂ reduction requirements set

The influence of risk mitigation measures on the risks, costs and routing of CO2 pipelines

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Knoope, M. M J|info:eu-repo/dai/nl/364248149; Raben, I. M E; Ramírez, A.|info:eu-repo/dai/nl/284852414; Spruijt, M. P N; Faaij, A. P C|info:eu-repo/dai/nl/10685903X

2014-01-01

The aim of this study was to analyze whether, and if so, in what way risks would influence the design, costs and routing of CO2 pipelines. This article assesses locational and societal risks of CO2 pipeline transport and analyses whether rerouting or implementing additional risk mitigation measures

The influence of risk mitigation measures on the risks, costs and routing of CO 2pipelines

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Knoope, M.M.J.; Raben. I.M.E.; Ramírez, A.; Spruijt, M.P.N.; Faaij, A.P.C.

2014-01-01

The aim of this study was to analyze whether, and if so, in what way risks would influence the design,costs and routing of CO2pipelines. This article assesses locational and societal risks of CO2pipelinetransport and analyses whether rerouting or implementing additional risk mitigation measures is

Reinforcing copper matrix composites through molecular-level mixing of functionalized nanodiamond by co-deposition route

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

He Jie; Zhao Naiqin; Shi Chunsheng; Du Xiwen; Li Jiajun; Nash, Philip

2008-01-01

This work reports a chemical method called 'co-deposition route' for fabricating ND (nanodiamond)/Cu composite at a molecular-level mixing. The main procedure of 'co-deposition route' includes four steps. ND particles have been functionalized by HF acid before co-deposition. SEM, HRTEM (high-resolution transmission electron spectroscopy), XRD (X-ray diffraction), EDS (energy-dispersive spectrum analysis) and optical microscope were carried out to characterize the as-prepared composite powders and bulk composites. Results indicated that copper matrix composite with a homogeneous dispersion of functionalized ND particles can be prepared. The modification of ND particles was performed by HF (30 vol%) acid at 70 deg. C, and C-F bond was successfully detected by XPS (X-ray photoelectron spectrum) and IR (Infrared spectroscopy). The properties of relative density, microhardness and electric conductivity of ND/Cu composites have been measured. With the comparison of conventional methods, it showed that the as-prepared ND/Cu composites with good combined performances have a promising future for industry application

Hydrogen evolution under visible light over LaCoO3 prepared by chemical route

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meziani, D.; Reziga, A.; Rekhila, G.; Bellal, B.; Trari, M.

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Visible-light hydrogen evolution is achieved on the hetero-system LaCoO 3 /SnO 2 . • The crystal field splits the Co 3+ : 3d orbital by a value of 2.05 eV. • The capacitance plot shows p-type conduction with flat band potential of 0 V SCE. • The photo-electrochemistry yields a valence and conduction bands of 3d parentage. - Abstract: The semiconducting properties of the perovskite LaCoO 3 , prepared by nitrate route, are investigated for the first time by the photo-electrochemical technique. The oxide shows a direct optical transition at 1.33 eV, due to Co 3+ : 3d orbital splitting in octahedral site and possesses a chemical stability over a fair pH range (4–14). The conductivity follows an exponential type law with a hole mobility (8.3 × 10 −2 cm 2 V −1 s −1 ), thermally activated. The Mott–Schottky plot in KOH medium is characteristic of p type conduction with a flat band potential of 0 V SCE and a holes density of 1.35 × 10 17 cm −3 . The electrochemical impedance spectroscopy reveals the predominance of the bulk and grains boundaries contributions with a constant phase element and a multi-relaxation type nature. As application, the hydrogen evolution upon visible light is demonstrated on the hetero-junction LaCoO 3 /SnO 2 . The best performance occurs at pH ∼ 12.8 with an evolution rate of 0.25 cm 3 min −1 (mg LaCoO 3 ) −1 and a quantum yield of 0.11%. The improved activity is attributed to the wide depletion width of ∼10 nm and the potential of the conduction band of LaCoO 3 (−1.34 V SCE ), more negative than that of SnO 2 , the latter acts as electrons bridge for the interfacial water reduction. The relevance of 3d orbital of the performance of semi conducting photoelectrode is discussed

Convenient Reduction of Carbonyl Compounds to their ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

NICO

Alcohols and their derivatives occupy an important position in organic synthesis. ... review also reveals that the reduction of carbonyl compounds ..... 1 H.B. Ji and Y.B. She, Green Oxidation and Reduction, China Petrochemi- cal Press, Beijing ...

Electrochemical CO2 and CO reduction on metal-functionalized porphyrin-like graphene

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tripkovic, Vladimir; Vanin, Marco; Karamad, Mohammedreza

2013-01-01

Porphyrin-like metal-functionalized graphene structures have been investigated as possible catalysts for CO2 and CO reduction to methane or methanol. The late transition metals (Cu, Ag, Au, Ni, Pd, Pt, Co, Rh, Ir, Fe, Ru, Os) and some p (B, Al, Ga) and s (Mg) metals comprised the center of the po......Porphyrin-like metal-functionalized graphene structures have been investigated as possible catalysts for CO2 and CO reduction to methane or methanol. The late transition metals (Cu, Ag, Au, Ni, Pd, Pt, Co, Rh, Ir, Fe, Ru, Os) and some p (B, Al, Ga) and s (Mg) metals comprised the center...... instead of CO2. Volcano plots were constructed on the basis of scaling relations of reaction intermediates, and from these plots the reaction steps with the highest overpotentials were deduced. The Rh-porphyrin-like functionalized graphene was identified as the most active catalyst for producing methanol...... from CO, featuring an overpotential of 0.22 V. Additionally, we have also examined the hydrogen evolution and oxidation reaction, and in their case, too, Rh-porphyrin turned out to be the best catalyst with an overpotential of 0.15 V. © 2013 American Chemical Society....

Reinforcing copper matrix composites through molecular-level mixing of functionalized nanodiamond by co-deposition route

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

He Jie [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 30072 (China); Zhao Naiqin [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 30072 (China); Tianjin Key Laboratory of Composite and Functional Materials (China)], E-mail: nqzhao@tju.edu.cn; Shi Chunsheng; Du Xiwen; Li Jiajun [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 30072 (China); Nash, Philip [Department of Mechanical, Materials and Aerospace Engineering, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, IL 60616 (United States)

2008-08-25

This work reports a chemical method called 'co-deposition route' for fabricating ND (nanodiamond)/Cu composite at a molecular-level mixing. The main procedure of 'co-deposition route' includes four steps. ND particles have been functionalized by HF acid before co-deposition. SEM, HRTEM (high-resolution transmission electron spectroscopy), XRD (X-ray diffraction), EDS (energy-dispersive spectrum analysis) and optical microscope were carried out to characterize the as-prepared composite powders and bulk composites. Results indicated that copper matrix composite with a homogeneous dispersion of functionalized ND particles can be prepared. The modification of ND particles was performed by HF (30 vol%) acid at 70 deg. C, and C-F bond was successfully detected by XPS (X-ray photoelectron spectrum) and IR (Infrared spectroscopy). The properties of relative density, microhardness and electric conductivity of ND/Cu composites have been measured. With the comparison of conventional methods, it showed that the as-prepared ND/Cu composites with good combined performances have a promising future for industry application.

A facile route to synthesis of CoPt magnetic nanoparticles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, Yang; Yang, Yanting; Zhang, Yongjun; Wang, Yaxin; Zhang, Xiaolong; Jiang, Yuhong; Wei, Maobin; Liu, Yanqing; Liu, Xiaoyan; Yang, Jinghai

2013-01-01

Graphical abstract: CoPt NPs are successfully synthesized by sol–gel method. Different distinct particle sizes with narrow particle size distribution of CoPt nanoparticles are obtained. The maximum coercivity of 254,720.3 A/m is obtained for 800 °C heat-treated sample. Display Omitted Highlights: ► L1 0 -CoPt NPs with FCT structure are successfully synthesized by sol–gel method. ► The maximum value of 254,720.3 A/m is obtained for the samples heated at 800 °C. ► The synthetic route proposed in this study is less toxic and easy-to-handle. -- Abstract: The face-centered tetragonal (FCT) ordered L1 0 CoPt nanoparticles (NPs) are prepared by the sol–gel method. Their structure and magnetic properties are characterized by the X-ray diffraction (XRD), the transmission electron microscope (TEM) and the vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). The results indicate that the CoPt NPs heated at 400 °C are the disordered face-centered cubic (FCC) structure, whereas the samples annealed at the temperature above 600 °C exhibit an ordered FCT structure. TEM images show the increase of the particle size as the annealing temperature increases. SAED images show the appearance of the L1 0 phase at 800 °C, and the maximum coercivity is 254,720.3 A/m.

Enhanced selective photocatalytic CO{sub 2} reduction into CO over Ag/CdS nanocomposites under visible light

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhu, Zezhou; Qin, Jiani; Jiang, Min; Ding, Zhengxin; Hou, Yidong, E-mail: ydhou@fzu.edu.cn

2017-01-01

Highlights: • Ag/CdS nanocomposites were prepared by a facile photodeposition method. • Ag/CdS was more effective as a photocatalyst for CO{sub 2} reduction than CdS. • Ag as cocatalyst served as electron trap as well as active site for CO{sub 2} reduction reaction. - Abstract: Photocatalytic reduction of carbon dioxide can convert chemically inert carbon dioxide into useful chemical fuel in a mild manner. Herein, Ag-CdS nanocomposites were prepared by photodeposition method and examined for photocatalytic CO{sub 2} reduction under visible light. Meanwhile, the nanocomposites were characterized by XRD, SEM, TEM, XPS, DRS and PL in detail. The results show that, the deposition of Ag improves the photocatalytic performance of CdS, especially in the selectivity of CO{sub 2}-to-CO. The highest photocatalytic activity is achieved over 1.0 wt.% Ag/CdS, with an increase by 3 times in comparison to CdS. In this reaction system, Ag can serve as electron trap as well as active site for CO{sub 2} reduction, which is probably responsible for the enhanced activity and selectivity of CO{sub 2} to CO over Ag/CdS. The possible mechanism of CO{sub 2} photoreduction over Ag/CdS was proposed in view of the abovementioned analysis.

Structural and optical properties of Co-doped ZnO nanocrystallites prepared by a one-step solution route

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Ping; Wang Sha; Li Jibiao; Wei Yu

2012-01-01

Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanocrystallites with different Co-doping levels were successfully synthesized by a simple one-step solution route at low temperature (95 deg. C) in this study. The structure and morphology of the samples thus obtained were characterized by XRD, EDS, XPS and FESEM. Results show that cobalt ions, in the oxidation state of Co 2+ , replace Zn 2+ ions in the ZnO lattice without changing its wurtzite structure. The dopant content varies from 0.59% to 5.39%, based on Co-doping levels. The pure ZnO particles exhibit well-defined 3D flower-like morphology with an average size of 550 nm, while the particles obtained after Co-doping are mostly cauliflower-like nanoclusters with an average size of 120 nm. Both the flower-like pure ZnO and the cauliflower-like Co:ZnO nanoclusters are composed of densely arrayed nanorods. The optical properties of the ZnO nanocrystallites following Co-doping were also investigated by UV-Visible absorption and Photoluminescence spectra. Our results indicate that Co-doping can change the energy-band structure and effectively adjust the luminescence properties of ZnO nanocrystallites. - Highlights: → Co-doped ZnO nanocrystallites were synthesized via a simple one-step solution route. → Co 2+ ions incorporated into the ZnO lattice without changing its wurtzite structure. → Co-doping changed the energy band structure of ZnO. → Co-doping effectively adjusted the luminescence properties of ZnO nanocrystallites.

Structural and optical properties of Co-doped ZnO nanocrystallites prepared by a one-step solution route

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li Ping, E-mail: lipingchina@yahoo.com.cn [Provincial Key Laboratory of Inorganic Nanomaterials, School of Chemistry and Materials Science, Hebei Normal University, 113 Yuhua Road, Shijiazhuang 050016, Hebei (China); Wang Sha; Li Jibiao; Wei Yu [Provincial Key Laboratory of Inorganic Nanomaterials, School of Chemistry and Materials Science, Hebei Normal University, 113 Yuhua Road, Shijiazhuang 050016, Hebei (China)

2012-01-15

Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanocrystallites with different Co-doping levels were successfully synthesized by a simple one-step solution route at low temperature (95 deg. C) in this study. The structure and morphology of the samples thus obtained were characterized by XRD, EDS, XPS and FESEM. Results show that cobalt ions, in the oxidation state of Co{sup 2+}, replace Zn{sup 2+} ions in the ZnO lattice without changing its wurtzite structure. The dopant content varies from 0.59% to 5.39%, based on Co-doping levels. The pure ZnO particles exhibit well-defined 3D flower-like morphology with an average size of 550 nm, while the particles obtained after Co-doping are mostly cauliflower-like nanoclusters with an average size of 120 nm. Both the flower-like pure ZnO and the cauliflower-like Co:ZnO nanoclusters are composed of densely arrayed nanorods. The optical properties of the ZnO nanocrystallites following Co-doping were also investigated by UV-Visible absorption and Photoluminescence spectra. Our results indicate that Co-doping can change the energy-band structure and effectively adjust the luminescence properties of ZnO nanocrystallites. - Highlights: > Co-doped ZnO nanocrystallites were synthesized via a simple one-step solution route. > Co{sup 2+} ions incorporated into the ZnO lattice without changing its wurtzite structure. > Co-doping changed the energy band structure of ZnO. > Co-doping effectively adjusted the luminescence properties of ZnO nanocrystallites.

Robbery characteristics and employee injuries in convenience stores.

Science.gov (United States)

Faulkner, K A; Landsittel, D P; Hendricks, S A

2001-12-01

Each year approximately 30,000 convenience store employees are at risk for injuries related to robberies and many are fatal. A prospective cohort study of 460 convenience store robberies from 1 February 1995 to 30 September 1996 was conducted to uncover possible associations between injury and pertinent robbery circumstances and work environments. Data collection sources included police reports, employee interviews, store evaluations, and relevant Census data. Rate ratios and correlation statistics were calculated to identify associations with injury and relationships between variables. Injury risk was strongly associated with the following characteristics: employee resistance, robberies without firearms or money taken, daytime and merchandise robberies, stores with limited escape routes and no cash policy or drop safe, older clerks, and surrounding areas with lower valued buildings, less expensive rent, more vacant structures, and younger residents. Numerous intercorrelations between these characteristics were identified. Training opportunities, store procedures, and environmental designs are important factors to consider in reducing robbery-related injuries. Published 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc

Shape-Dependent Electrocatalytic Reduction of CO2 to CO on Triangular Silver Nanoplates.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Subiao; Tao, Hongbiao; Zeng, Li; Liu, Qi; Xu, Zhenghe; Liu, Qingxia; Luo, Jing-Li

2017-02-15

Electrochemical reduction of CO 2 (CO 2 RR) provides great potential for intermittent renewable energy storage. This study demonstrates a predominant shape-dependent electrocatalytic reduction of CO 2 to CO on triangular silver nanoplates (Tri-Ag-NPs) in 0.1 M KHCO 3 . Compared with similarly sized Ag nanoparticles (SS-Ag-NPs) and bulk Ag, Tri-Ag-NPs exhibited an enhanced current density and significantly improved Faradaic efficiency (96.8%) and energy efficiency (61.7%), together with a considerable durability (7 days). Additionally, CO starts to be observed at an ultralow overpotential of 96 mV, further confirming the superiority of Tri-Ag-NPs as a catalyst for CO 2 RR toward CO formation. Density functional theory calculations reveal that the significantly enhanced electrocatalytic activity and selectivity at lowered overpotential originate from the shape-controlled structure. This not only provides the optimum edge-to-corner ratio but also dominates at the facet of Ag(100) where it requires lower energy to initiate the rate-determining step. This study demonstrates a promising approach to tune electrocatalytic activity and selectivity of metal catalysts for CO 2 RR by creating optimal facet and edge site through shape-control synthesis.

Preparation and characterization of Co-doped ZnO nanomaterials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang Huaming; Nie Sha

2009-01-01

Freeze-drying is a convenient cryochemical powder processing method. In this paper, Co-doped ZnO nanomaterials (CZN) with Co content from 2 mol% to 10 mol% have been successfully synthesized via a novel freeze-drying route. X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electronic microscopy (TEM) and high-resolution TEM (HRTEM) were used to characterize the structure and morphology of the as-synthesized samples. All samples have a similar hexagonal wurtzite phase without metal cobalt, cobalt oxides or composites in the samples with Co concentration below 6 mol%. TEM image shows that CZN (4 mol% Co) is nanometer scale with average crystal size of 40 nm. Samples have a spherical morphology with moderate aggregation. The band gap energy of CZN from ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) spectroscopy decreases with increasing the Co doping concentration

A memory structure adapted simulated annealing algorithm for a green vehicle routing problem.

Science.gov (United States)

Küçükoğlu, İlker; Ene, Seval; Aksoy, Aslı; Öztürk, Nursel

2015-03-01

Currently, reduction of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and fuel consumption has become a critical environmental problem and has attracted the attention of both academia and the industrial sector. Government regulations and customer demands are making environmental responsibility an increasingly important factor in overall supply chain operations. Within these operations, transportation has the most hazardous effects on the environment, i.e., CO2 emissions, fuel consumption, noise and toxic effects on the ecosystem. This study aims to construct vehicle routes with time windows that minimize the total fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. The green vehicle routing problem with time windows (G-VRPTW) is formulated using a mixed integer linear programming model. A memory structure adapted simulated annealing (MSA-SA) meta-heuristic algorithm is constructed due to the high complexity of the proposed problem and long solution times for practical applications. The proposed models are integrated with a fuel consumption and CO2 emissions calculation algorithm that considers the vehicle technical specifications, vehicle load, and transportation distance in a green supply chain environment. The proposed models are validated using well-known instances with different numbers of customers. The computational results indicate that the MSA-SA heuristic is capable of obtaining good G-VRPTW solutions within a reasonable amount of time by providing reductions in fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.

Reduction of CO2 by nickel (II) macrocycle catalyst at HMDE

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Unknown

CO is the major product in the gaseous phase and. HCOOH the sole product formed in the solution phase. Keywords. Nickel (II) azamacrocycle; electrocatalytic reduction of CO2; electrochemical reduction. 1. Introduction. Electrochemical processes for the conversion of carbon dioxide (CO2) to organic substances have ...

Advances in Photocatalytic CO2 Reduction with Water: A Review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Samsun Nahar

2017-06-01

Full Text Available In recent years, the increasing level of CO2 in the atmosphere has not only contributed to global warming but has also triggered considerable interest in photocatalytic reduction of CO2. The reduction of CO2 with H2O using sunlight is an innovative way to solve the current growing environmental challenges. This paper reviews the basic principles of photocatalysis and photocatalytic CO2 reduction, discusses the measures of the photocatalytic efficiency and summarizes current advances in the exploration of this technology using different types of semiconductor photocatalysts, such as TiO2 and modified TiO2, layered-perovskite Ag/ALa4Ti4O15 (A = Ca, Ba, Sr, ferroelectric LiNbO3, and plasmonic photocatalysts. Visible light harvesting, novel plasmonic photocatalysts offer potential solutions for some of the main drawbacks in this reduction process. Effective plasmonic photocatalysts that have shown reduction activities towards CO2 with H2O are highlighted here. Although this technology is still at an embryonic stage, further studies with standard theoretical and comprehensive format are suggested to develop photocatalysts with high production rates and selectivity. Based on the collected results, the immense prospects and opportunities that exist in this technique are also reviewed here.

A human development framework for CO2 reductions.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luís Costa

Full Text Available Although developing countries are called to participate in CO(2 emission reduction efforts to avoid dangerous climate change, the implications of proposed reduction schemes in human development standards of developing countries remain a matter of debate. We show the existence of a positive and time-dependent correlation between the Human Development Index (HDI and per capita CO(2 emissions from fossil fuel combustion. Employing this empirical relation, extrapolating the HDI, and using three population scenarios, the cumulative CO(2 emissions necessary for developing countries to achieve particular HDI thresholds are assessed following a Development As Usual approach (DAU. If current demographic and development trends are maintained, we estimate that by 2050 around 85% of the world's population will live in countries with high HDI (above 0.8. In particular, 300 Gt of cumulative CO(2 emissions between 2000 and 2050 are estimated to be necessary for the development of 104 developing countries in the year 2000. This value represents between 20 % to 30 % of previously calculated CO(2 budgets limiting global warming to 2 °C. These constraints and results are incorporated into a CO(2 reduction framework involving four domains of climate action for individual countries. The framework reserves a fair emission path for developing countries to proceed with their development by indexing country-dependent reduction rates proportional to the HDI in order to preserve the 2 °C target after a particular development threshold is reached. For example, in each time step of five years, countries with an HDI of 0.85 would need to reduce their per capita emissions by approx. 17% and countries with an HDI of 0.9 by 33 %. Under this approach, global cumulative emissions by 2050 are estimated to range from 850 up to 1100 Gt of CO(2. These values are within the uncertainty range of emissions to limit global temperatures to 2 °C.

A human development framework for CO2 reductions.

Science.gov (United States)

Costa, Luís; Rybski, Diego; Kropp, Jürgen P

2011-01-01

Although developing countries are called to participate in CO(2) emission reduction efforts to avoid dangerous climate change, the implications of proposed reduction schemes in human development standards of developing countries remain a matter of debate. We show the existence of a positive and time-dependent correlation between the Human Development Index (HDI) and per capita CO(2) emissions from fossil fuel combustion. Employing this empirical relation, extrapolating the HDI, and using three population scenarios, the cumulative CO(2) emissions necessary for developing countries to achieve particular HDI thresholds are assessed following a Development As Usual approach (DAU). If current demographic and development trends are maintained, we estimate that by 2050 around 85% of the world's population will live in countries with high HDI (above 0.8). In particular, 300 Gt of cumulative CO(2) emissions between 2000 and 2050 are estimated to be necessary for the development of 104 developing countries in the year 2000. This value represents between 20 % to 30 % of previously calculated CO(2) budgets limiting global warming to 2 °C. These constraints and results are incorporated into a CO(2) reduction framework involving four domains of climate action for individual countries. The framework reserves a fair emission path for developing countries to proceed with their development by indexing country-dependent reduction rates proportional to the HDI in order to preserve the 2 °C target after a particular development threshold is reached. For example, in each time step of five years, countries with an HDI of 0.85 would need to reduce their per capita emissions by approx. 17% and countries with an HDI of 0.9 by 33 %. Under this approach, global cumulative emissions by 2050 are estimated to range from 850 up to 1100 Gt of CO(2). These values are within the uncertainty range of emissions to limit global temperatures to 2 °C. © 2011 Costa et al.

A rapid room temperature chemical route for the synthesis of graphene: metal-mediated reduction of graphene oxide.

Science.gov (United States)

Dey, Ramendra Sundar; Hajra, Saumen; Sahu, Ranjan K; Raj, C Retna; Panigrahi, M K

2012-02-07

A rapid and facile route for the synthesis of reduced graphene oxide sheets (rGOs) at room temperature by the chemical reduction of graphene oxide using Zn/acid in aqueous solution is demonstrated. This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2012

Unusual Co moment reduction in the NiCoO/Co exchange bias system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brueck, S. [Max-Planck-Institut fuer Metallforschung, Heisenbergstrasse 3, D-70569 Stuttgart (Germany)]. E-mail: brueck@mf.mpg.de; Goering, E. [Max-Planck-Institut fuer Metallforschung, Heisenbergstrasse 3, D-70569 Stuttgart (Germany); Tang, Y.J. [Center for Magnetic Recording Research, University of California at San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr., La Jolla, CA 92093-0401 (United States); Schuetz, G. [Max-Planck-Institut fuer Metallforschung, Heisenbergstrasse 3, D-70569 Stuttgart (Germany); Berkowitz, A.E. [Center for Magnetic Recording Research, University of California at San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr., La Jolla, CA 92093-0401 (United States); Department of Physics, University of California at San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr., La Jolla, CA 92093-0401 (United States)

2007-03-15

To answer the question on how the explicit mechanism of coupling in the antiferromagnetic alloy NiCoO is established when in close contact to a ferromagnetic Co layer, X-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) measurements have been performed. Precise XMCD spectra at the L{sub 2,3}-edge of Ni as well as Co have been obtained at room temperature and at 80K by measuring total electron yield X-ray absorption spectra. The Ni XMCD clearly shows the existence of free, rotatable magnetic Ni moments in the antiferromagnet. As for the Co, XMCD at room temperature shows an average magnetic moment comparable to bulk values. Cooling the sample to 80K decreases the average Co moment by 10%. This decrease is explained by a reduction of ferromagnetic cobalt moments related to antiferromagnetic coupling or pinning close to the interface.

More than Just Convenient: The Scientific Merits of Homogeneous Convenience Samples

Science.gov (United States)

Jager, Justin; Putnick, Diane L.; Bornstein, Marc H.

2017-01-01

Despite their disadvantaged generalizability relative to probability samples, non-probability convenience samples are the standard within developmental science, and likely will remain so because probability samples are cost-prohibitive and most available probability samples are ill-suited to examine developmental questions. In lieu of focusing on how to eliminate or sharply reduce reliance on convenience samples within developmental science, here we propose how to augment their advantages when it comes to understanding population effects as well as subpopulation differences. Although all convenience samples have less clear generalizability than probability samples, we argue that homogeneous convenience samples have clearer generalizability relative to conventional convenience samples. Therefore, when researchers are limited to convenience samples, they should consider homogeneous convenience samples as a positive alternative to conventional or heterogeneous) convenience samples. We discuss future directions as well as potential obstacles to expanding the use of homogeneous convenience samples in developmental science. PMID:28475254

Seed-mediated co-reduction in a large lattice mismatch system: synthesis of Pd-Cu nanostructures.

Science.gov (United States)

Kunz, Meredith R; McClain, Sophia M; Chen, Dennis P; Koczkur, Kallum M; Weiner, Rebecca G; Skrabalak, Sara E

2017-06-08

Metal nanoparticles (NPs) are of interest for applications in catalysis, electronics, chemical sensing, and more. Their utility is dictated by their composition and physical parameters such as particle size, particle shape, and overall architecture (e.g., hollow vs. solid). Interestingly, the addition of a second metal to create bimetallic NPs adds multifunctionality, with new emergent properties common. However, synthesizing structurally defined bimetallic NPs remains a great challenge. One synthetic pathway to architecturally controlled bimetallic NPs is seed-mediated co-reduction (SMCR) in which two metal precursors are simultaneously co-reduced to deposit metal onto shape-controlled metal seeds, which direct the overgrowth. Previously demonstrated in a Au-Pd system, here SMCR is applied to a system with a larger lattice mismatch between the depositing metals: Pd and Cu (7% mismatch for Pd-Cu vs. 4% for Au-Pd). Through manipulation of precursor reduction kinetics, the morphology and bimetallic distribution of the resultant NPs can be tuned to achieve eight-branched Pd-Cu heterostructures with Cu localized at the tips of the Pd nanocubes as well as branched Pd-Cu alloyed nanostructures and polyhedra. Significantly, the symmetry of the seeds can be transferred to the final nanostructures. This study expands our understanding of SMCR as a route to structurally defined bimetallic nanostructures and the synthesis of multicomponent nanomaterials more generally.

Effect of copper oxide electrocatalyst on CO2 reduction using Co3O4 as anode

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

V.S.K. Yadav

2016-09-01

Full Text Available The reduction of carbon dioxide (CO2 to products electrochemically (RCPE in 0.5 M NaHCO3 and Na2CO3 liquid phase electrolyte solutions was investigated. Cobalt oxide (Co3O4 as anode and cuprous oxide (Cu2O as the cathode were considered, respectively. The impacts of applied potential with time of reaction during reduction of CO2 to products were studied. The anode and cathode were prepared by depositing electrocatalysts on the graphite plate. Ultra-fast liquid chromatography (UFLC was used to analyze the products obtained from the reduction of CO2. The feasible way of reduction by applying voltages with current densities was clearly correlated. The results illustrate the capability of electrocatalyst successfully to remove atmospheric CO2 in the form of valuable chemicals. Maximum Faradaic efficiency of ethanol was 98.1% at 2 V and for formic acid (36.6% at 1.5 V was observed in NaHCO3. On the other hand, in Na2CO3 electrolyte solution maximum efficiency for ethanol was 55.21% at 1.5 V and 25.1% for formic acid at 2 V. In both electrolytes other end products like methanol, propanol, formaldehyde and acetic acid were formed at various applied voltage and output current densities.

Hydrogen-deuterium exchange of the anionic group 6B transition-metal hydrides. Convenient, in-situ-deuterium transfer reagents

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gaus, P.L.; Kao, S.C.; Darensbourg, M.Y.; Arndt, L.W.

1984-01-01

The facile exchange of hydrogen for detuerium in the anionic group 6B carbonyl hydrides HM(CO) 4 L - (M = Cr, W; L = CO P(OMe) 3 ) has been studied in THF 4 (tetrahydrofuran) with CH 3 OD, D 2 O, and CH 3 CO 2 D. This has provided a synthesis of the deuterides, DM(CO) 4 L - , as well as a convenient in situ source of deuteride reducing reagents for organic halides. A number of such reductions are described, using 2 H NMR to demonstrate both selectivity and stereospecificity for certain systems. The carbonyl region of the infrared spectra of the hydrides is not affected by deuteration of the hydrides, suggesting that the M-H or M-D vibrational modes are not coupled significantly to CO vibrations in these hydrides. The mechanism of the H/D exchange and of a related H 2 elimination reaction is discussed

Cocatalysts in Semiconductor-based Photocatalytic CO2 Reduction: Achievements, Challenges, and Opportunities.

Science.gov (United States)

Ran, Jingrun; Jaroniec, Mietek; Qiao, Shi-Zhang

2018-02-01

Ever-increasing fossil-fuel combustion along with massive CO 2 emissions has aroused a global energy crisis and climate change. Photocatalytic CO 2 reduction represents a promising strategy for clean, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly conversion of CO 2 into hydrocarbon fuels by utilizing solar energy. This strategy combines the reductive half-reaction of CO 2 conversion with an oxidative half reaction, e.g., H 2 O oxidation, to create a carbon-neutral cycle, presenting a viable solution to global energy and environmental problems. There are three pivotal processes in photocatalytic CO 2 conversion: (i) solar-light absorption, (ii) charge separation/migration, and (iii) catalytic CO 2 reduction and H 2 O oxidation. While significant progress is made in optimizing the first two processes, much less research is conducted toward enhancing the efficiency of the third step, which requires the presence of cocatalysts. In general, cocatalysts play four important roles: (i) boosting charge separation/transfer, (ii) improving the activity and selectivity of CO 2 reduction, (iii) enhancing the stability of photocatalysts, and (iv) suppressing side or back reactions. Herein, for the first time, all the developed CO 2 -reduction cocatalysts for semiconductor-based photocatalytic CO 2 conversion are summarized, and their functions and mechanisms are discussed. Finally, perspectives in this emerging area are provided. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Least cost planning for CO2-reduction strategies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seifritz, W.

1990-01-01

A first recommendation for the determination of the minimum costs for a carbon-dioxide reduction strategy is presented. For this, the tabulation of so-called, 'CO 2 -ranking-lists', containing the relationship between the costs of a distinct measure to avoid the emission of certain amount of CO 2 (in dollar/t CO 2 ) versus its potential (in t CO 2 /yr), is indispensable. Some basic aspects of this approach are discussed and a first guess of the costs of some measures to avoid CO 2 -emissions into the atmosphere is presented. (orig.) [de

Enhanced electrocatalytic CO2 reduction via field-induced reagent concentration

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Min; Pang, Yuanjie; Zhang, Bo; de Luna, Phil; Voznyy, Oleksandr; Xu, Jixian; Zheng, Xueli; Dinh, Cao Thang; Fan, Fengjia; Cao, Changhong; de Arquer, F. Pelayo García; Safaei, Tina Saberi; Mepham, Adam; Klinkova, Anna; Kumacheva, Eugenia; Filleter, Tobin; Sinton, David; Kelley, Shana O.; Sargent, Edward H.

2016-09-01

Electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide (CO2) to carbon monoxide (CO) is the first step in the synthesis of more complex carbon-based fuels and feedstocks using renewable electricity. Unfortunately, the reaction suffers from slow kinetics owing to the low local concentration of CO2 surrounding typical CO2 reduction reaction catalysts. Alkali metal cations are known to overcome this limitation through non-covalent interactions with adsorbed reagent species, but the effect is restricted by the solubility of relevant salts. Large applied electrode potentials can also enhance CO2 adsorption, but this comes at the cost of increased hydrogen (H2) evolution. Here we report that nanostructured electrodes produce, at low applied overpotentials, local high electric fields that concentrate electrolyte cations, which in turn leads to a high local concentration of CO2 close to the active CO2 reduction reaction surface. Simulations reveal tenfold higher electric fields associated with metallic nanometre-sized tips compared to quasi-planar electrode regions, and measurements using gold nanoneedles confirm a field-induced reagent concentration that enables the CO2 reduction reaction to proceed with a geometric current density for CO of 22 milliamperes per square centimetre at -0.35 volts (overpotential of 0.24 volts). This performance surpasses by an order of magnitude the performance of the best gold nanorods, nanoparticles and oxide-derived noble metal catalysts. Similarly designed palladium nanoneedle electrocatalysts produce formate with a Faradaic efficiency of more than 90 per cent and an unprecedented geometric current density for formate of 10 milliamperes per square centimetre at -0.2 volts, demonstrating the wider applicability of the field-induced reagent concentration concept.

CO2 substitution potential and CO2 reduction costs of an energetic exploitation of solid biomasses in Germany

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Becher, S.

1995-01-01

For the reduction of the anthropogenic greenhouse effect, the CO 2 , emissions are clearly to be reduced in future, according to the resolution made by the Federal Republic. Against the background of this objective, possible contributions of the biogenous solid fuels for the reduction of the CO 2 release of fossil origin are presented and discussed. For that, first the existing potentials of biomass in Germany and their present use are shown. Based on this, the CO 2 emissions by the present use already avoided, as well as the existing unexploited potentials of the CO 2 reduction potentials still to be exploited are determined. In accordance with an 'integral' starting point, thereby all pre- and post-positioned processes are considered. Finally, the specific CO 2 reduction costs are analysed and compared with other options. (orig.) [de

Polyoxometalate-Promoted Electrocatalytic CO2 Reduction at Nanostructured Silver in Dimethylformamide.

Science.gov (United States)

Guo, Si-Xuan; Li, Fengwang; Chen, Lu; MacFarlane, Douglas R; Zhang, Jie

2018-04-18

Electrochemical reduction of CO 2 is a promising method to convert CO 2 into fuels or useful chemicals, such as carbon monoxide (CO), hydrocarbons, and alcohols. In this study, nanostructured Ag was obtained by electrodeposition of Ag in the presence of a Keggin type polyoxometalate, [PMo 12 O 40 ] 3- (PMo). Metallic Ag is formed upon reduction of Ag + . Adsorption of PMo on the surface of the newly formed Ag lowers its surface energy thus stabilizes the nanostructure. The electrocatalytic performance of this Ag-PMo nanocomposite for CO 2 reduction was evaluated in a CO 2 saturated dimethylformamide medium containing 0.1 M [ n-Bu 4 N]PF 6 and 0.5% (v/v) added H 2 O. The results show that this Ag-PMo nanocomposite can catalyze the reduction of CO 2 to CO with an onset potential of -1.70 V versus Fc 0/+ , which is only 0.29 V more negative than the estimated reversible potential (-1.41 V) for this process and 0.70 V more positive than that on bulk Ag metal. High faradaic efficiencies of about 90% were obtained over a wide range of applied potentials. A Tafel slope of 60 mV dec -1 suggests that rapid formation of *CO 2 •- is followed by the rate-determining protonation step. This is consistent with the voltammetric data which suggest that the reduced PMo interacts strongly with CO 2 (and presumably CO 2 •- ) and hence promotes the formation of CO 2 •- .

II. MORE THAN JUST CONVENIENT: THE SCIENTIFIC MERITS OF HOMOGENEOUS CONVENIENCE SAMPLES.

Science.gov (United States)

Jager, Justin; Putnick, Diane L; Bornstein, Marc H

2017-06-01

Despite their disadvantaged generalizability relative to probability samples, nonprobability convenience samples are the standard within developmental science, and likely will remain so because probability samples are cost-prohibitive and most available probability samples are ill-suited to examine developmental questions. In lieu of focusing on how to eliminate or sharply reduce reliance on convenience samples within developmental science, here we propose how to augment their advantages when it comes to understanding population effects as well as subpopulation differences. Although all convenience samples have less clear generalizability than probability samples, we argue that homogeneous convenience samples have clearer generalizability relative to conventional convenience samples. Therefore, when researchers are limited to convenience samples, they should consider homogeneous convenience samples as a positive alternative to conventional (or heterogeneous) convenience samples. We discuss future directions as well as potential obstacles to expanding the use of homogeneous convenience samples in developmental science. © 2017 The Society for Research in Child Development, Inc.

Carbon dioxide sequestration by mineral carbonation. Feasibility of enhanced natural weathering as a CO2 emission reduction technology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huijgen, W.J.J.

2007-01-01

A possible technology that can contribute to the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions is CO2 sequestration by mineral carbonation. The basic concept behind mineral CO2 sequestration is the mimicking of natural weathering processes in which calcium or magnesium containing minerals react with gaseous CO2 and form solid calcium or magnesium carbonates. Potential advantages of mineral CO2 sequestration compared to, e.g., geological CO2 storage include (1) the permanent and inherently safe sequestration of CO2, due to the thermodynamic stability of the carbonate product formed and (2) the vast potential sequestration capacity, because of the widespread and abundant occurrence of suitable feedstock. In addition, carbonation is an exothermic process, which potentially limits the overall energy consumption and costs of CO2 emission reduction. However, weathering processes are slow, with timescales at natural conditions of thousands to millions of years. For industrial implementation, a reduction of the reaction time to the order of minutes has to be achieved by developing alternative process routes. The aim of this thesis is an investigation of the technical, energetic, and economic feasibility of CO2 sequestration by mineral carbonation. In Chapter 1 the literature published on CO2 sequestration by mineral carbonation is reviewed. Among the potentially suitable mineral feedstock for mineral CO2 sequestration, Ca-silicates, more particularly wollastonite (CaSiO3), a mineral ore, and steel slag, an industrial alkaline solid residue, are selected for further research. Alkaline Ca-rich residues seem particularly promising, since these materials are inexpensive and available near large industrial point sources of CO2. In addition, residues tend to react relatively rapidly with CO2 due to their (geo)chemical instability. Various process routes have been proposed for mineral carbonation, which often include a pre-treatment of the solid feedstock (e.g., size reduction and

Thermogravimetric, Calorimetric, and Structural Studies of the Co3 O4 /CoO Oxidation/Reduction Reaction

Science.gov (United States)

Unruh, Karl; Cichocki, Ronald; Kelly, Brian; Poirier, Gerald

2015-03-01

To better assess the potential of cobalt oxide for thermal energy storage (TES), the Co3O4/CoO oxidation/reduction reaction has been studied by thermogravimetric (TGA), calorimetric (DSC), and x-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements in N2 and atmospheric air environments. TGA measurements showed an abrupt mass loss of about 6.6% in both N2 and air, consistent with the stoichiometric reduction of Co3O4 to CoO and structural measurements. The onset temperature of the reduction of Co3O4 in air was only weakly dependent on the sample heating rate and occurred at about 910 °C. The onset temperature for the oxidation of CoO varied between about 850 and 875 °C for cooling rates between 1 and 20 °C/min, but complete re-conversion to Co3O4 could only be achieved at the slowest cooling rates. Due to the dependence of the rate constant on the oxygen partial pressure, the oxidation of Co3O4 in a N2 environment occurred at temperatures between about 775 and 825 °C for heating rates between 1 and 20 °C/min and no subsequent re-oxidation of the reduced Co3O4 was observed on cooling to room temperature. In conjunction with a measured transition heat of about 600 J/g of Co3O4, these measurements indicate that cobalt oxide is a viable TES material.

Blood pressure reduction induced by low dose of epinephrine via different routes in rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Jing; Ji, Mu-Huo; Wang, Zhong-Yun; Zhu, Wei; Yang, Jian-Jun; Peng, Yong G

2013-09-01

Epinephrine was recently shown to induce a hypotension episode. Activation of β₂-adrenoceptors with smooth muscle relaxation may be the underlying mechanism. This study investigated the effects of ICI 118551, a β₂-adrenoceptors antagonist, on epinephrine-induced blood pressure reduction via different administration routes in rats. A total of 144 Sprague Dawley rats were equally randomized into 3 groups (intranasal, intravenous, and intra-arterial administration), each with 4 subgroups: saline + saline, ICI 118551 + saline, saline + epinephrine, and ICI 118551 + epinephrine. All rats were anesthetized while spontaneously breathing. Epinephrine was administered at doses of 5 μg/kg via nose, 0.25 μg/kg via femoral vein, and 0.1 μg/kg via aorta. Mean arterial pressure and heart rate were monitored. Mean arterial pressure decreased in all 3 saline + epinephrine subgroups after administration (P blood pressure reduction can be prevented by ICI 118551 in rats, suggesting that the activation of β₂-adrenoceptors contributes to blood pressure reduction.

Self-assembling organomodified Co/Al based layered double hydroxides (LDH) via one-step route

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

WANG De-yi; A.LEUTERITZ; U.WAGENKNECHT; G.HEINRICH

2009-01-01

The preparation of self-assembling organomodified Co/Al-layered double hydroxide (LDH) via one-step route was studied.A common surfactant,sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate (DBS),was employed as an organic modifier.The behavior and structure of self-assembled intercalated organic Co/Al-LDH were investigated by FTIR,SEM,WAXS,element analysis and TGA.Based upon the WAXS results and calculation by Bragg equation,the interlayer distance (d value) for organic Co/Al-LDH is enlarged from 0.75 nm to 3.10 nm,showing that the self-assembling behavior has been carried out successfully.Considering the observation from SEM,the product shows the morphology of organic Co/Al-LDH of a layered structure.In addition,FTIR,element analysis and TGA analysis show that the modifier is intercalated into the gallery of the Co/Al-LDH.Since organic modification for nanofiller is deemed to be necessary before applying it into polymer,the successful preparation of organomodified Co/Al-LDH will be significantly beneficial to the preparation and investigation of novel polymer/LDH nanocomposite.

Catalytic reduction of NO and N20 for CO on Co-ZSM-5

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rios, Luis Alberto; Aristizabal, Gladys Liliana; Ruiz, Julio Fernando; Montes Consuelo

1996-01-01

Several catalysts with the help of ZSM-5 with Co were tested in the catalytic reduction of NO and N2O using CO like agent reducer and in presence of variable quantities of O2 The cobalt incorporated in the zeolite ZSM-5 for the methods of ionic exchange, impregnation and substitution. ZSM-5 exchanged with Co presented the highest conversions of NO (80% to 5OO oC), in presence of 3000 ppm of O2; When adding 25.700 ppm of O2 the conversion it diminished notably, that which shows an effect inhibitor of the O2. The substituted catalysts and impregnated they were less active for the reduction of the NO. With all the catalysts conversions of 70-90% were achieved for the N2O; Additionally, marked deactivation of the catalyst was not presented with the time

Routing in opportunistic networks

CERN Document Server

Dhurandher, Sanjay; Anpalagan, Alagan; Vasilakos, Athanasios

2013-01-01

This book provides a comprehensive guide to selected topics, both ongoing and emerging, in routing in OppNets. The book is edited by worldwide technical leaders, prolific researchers and outstanding academics, Dr. Isaac Woungang and co-editors, Dr. Sanjay Kumar Dhurandher, Prof. Alagan Anpalagan and Prof. Athanasios Vasilakos. Consisting of contributions from well known and high profile researchers and scientists in their respective specialties, the main topics that are covered in this book include mobility and routing, social-aware routing, context-based routing, energy-aware routing, incentive-aware routing, stochastic routing, modeling of intermittent connectivity, in both infrastructure and infrastructure-less OppNets. Key Features: Discusses existing and emerging techniques for routing in infrastructure and infrastructure-less OppNets. Provides a unified covering of otherwise disperse selected topics on routing in infrastructure and infrastructure-less OppNets.  Includes a set of PowerPoint slides and g...

Reframing convenience food.

Science.gov (United States)

Jackson, Peter; Viehoff, Valerie

2016-03-01

This paper provides a critical review of recent research on the consumption of 'convenience' food, highlighting the contested nature of the term and exploring its implications for public health and environmental sustainability. It distinguishes between convenience food in general and particular types of convenience food, such as ready-meals, tracing the structure and growth of the market for such foods with a particular emphasis on the UK which currently has the highest rate of ready-meal consumption in Europe. Having established the definitional complexities of the term, the paper presents the evidence from a systematic review of the literature, highlighting the significance of convenience food in time-saving and time-shifting, the importance of recent changes in domestic labour and family life, and the way the consumption of convenience food is frequently moralized. The paper shows how current debates about convenience food are part of a longer discursive history about food, health and nutrition. It discusses current levels of public understanding about the links between convenience food, environmental sustainability and food waste. The paper concludes by making a case for understanding the consumption of convenience food in terms of everyday social practices, emphasising its habitual and routine character. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Synthesis and characterization of (Ni{sub 1−x}Co{sub x})Se{sub 2} based ternary selenides as electrocatalyst for triiodide reduction in dye-sensitized solar cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Theerthagiri, J.; Senthil, R.A. [Solar Energy Lab, Department of Chemistry, Thiruvalluvar University, Vellore 632115 (India); Buraidah, M.H. [Centre for Ionics University of Malaya, Department of Physics, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603 (Malaysia); Raghavender, M. [Department of Physics, Yogi Vemana University, Kadapa 516003, Andhra Pradesh (India); Madhavan, J., E-mail: jagan.madhavan@gmail.com [Solar Energy Lab, Department of Chemistry, Thiruvalluvar University, Vellore 632115 (India); Arof, A.K. [Centre for Ionics University of Malaya, Department of Physics, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603 (Malaysia)

2016-06-15

Ternary metal selenides of (Ni{sub 1−x}Co{sub x})Se{sub 2} with 0≤x≤1 were synthesized by using one-step hydrothermal reduction route. The synthesized metal selenides were utilized as an efficient, low-cost platinum free counter electrode for dye-sensitized solar cells. The cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy studies revealed that the Ni{sub 0.5}Co{sub 0.5}Se{sub 2} counter electrode exhibited higher electrocatalytic activity and lower charge transfer resistance at the counter electrode/electrolyte interface than the other compositions for reduction of triiodide to iodide. Ternary selenides of Ni{sub 0.5}Co{sub 0.5}Se{sub 2} offer a synergistic effect to the electrocatalytic activity for the reduction of triiodide that might be due to an increase in active catalytic sites and small charge transfer resistance. The DSSC with Ni{sub 0.5}Co{sub 0.5}Se{sub 2} counter electrode achieved a high power conversion efficiency of 6.02%, which is comparable with that of conventional platinum counter electrode (6.11%). This present investigation demonstrates the potential application of Ni{sub 0.5}Co{sub 0.5}Se{sub 2} as counter electrode in dye-sensitized solar cells.

Efficient Secure and Privacy-Preserving Route Reporting Scheme for VANETs

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yuanfei; Pei, Qianwen; Dai, Feifei; Zhang, Lei

2017-10-01

Vehicular ad-hoc network (VANET) is a core component of intelligent traffic management system which could provide various of applications such as accident prediction, route reporting, etc. Due to the problems caused by traffic congestion, route reporting becomes a prospective application which can help a driver to get optimal route to save her travel time. Before enjoying the convenience of route reporting, security and privacy-preserving issues need to be concerned. In this paper, we propose a new secure and privacy-preserving route reporting scheme for VANETs. In our scheme, only an authenticated vehicle can use the route reporting service provided by the traffic management center. Further, a vehicle may receive the response from the traffic management center with low latency and without violating the privacy of the vehicle. Experiment results show that our scheme is much more efficiency than the existing one.

Reconfigurable Robust Routing for Mobile Outreach Network

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Ching-Fang

2010-01-01

The Reconfigurable Robust Routing for Mobile Outreach Network (R3MOO N) provides advanced communications networking technologies suitable for the lunar surface environment and applications. The R3MOON techn ology is based on a detailed concept of operations tailored for luna r surface networks, and includes intelligent routing algorithms and wireless mesh network implementation on AGNC's Coremicro Robots. The product's features include an integrated communication solution inco rporating energy efficiency and disruption-tolerance in a mobile ad h oc network, and a real-time control module to provide researchers an d engineers a convenient tool for reconfiguration, investigation, an d management.

Opportunities and challenges in the electrocatalysis of CO2 and CO reduction using bifunctional surfaces

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jovanov, Zarko; Hansen, Heine A.; Varela Gasque, Ana Sofia

2016-01-01

Electrolysis could enable the large-scale conversion of CO2 to fuels and small molecules. This perspective discusses the state-of-the-art understanding of CO2 and CO reduction electrocatalysis and provides an overview of the most promising approaches undertaken thus far. We set to explore "bifunc...

CO2 reduction through energy conservation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1991-05-01

A study was carried out of the potential to economically reduce carbon dioxide emissions through energy conservation in the petroleum and natural gas industry. The study examined current and projected emissions levels, cogeneration at gas plants, flaring, economics, regulation, reporting requirements, implementation, and research and development. Economically attractive energy conservation measures can reduce oil and gas industry, exclusive of Athabasca oil sands operations, CO 2 emissions by 6-7%. The energy conservation options identified range from field energy awareness committees through to equipment retrofits and replacement. At ca 3 million tonnes/y, these reductions will not offset the increases in oil and gas related CO 2 emissions anticipated by producers and Alberta government agencies. There will be increasing emphasis on in-situ bitumen production, more energy intensive light crude oil production and increasing natural gas sales, increasing energy inputs in excess of reductions. Cogeneration of electricity for utility company distribution and for internally required steam at gas plants and in-situ production sites is not economic due to low electricity prices. 8 tabs

Reduction of CO{sub 2} emission and oil dependency with biomass-based polygeneration

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Joelsson, Jonas M; Gustavsson, Leif [Ecotechnology and Environmental Science, Department of Engineering and Sustainable Development, Mid Sweden University, SE-831 25 Oestersund (Sweden)

2010-07-15

We compare different options for the use of lignocellulosic biomass to reduce CO{sub 2} emission and oil use, focusing on polygeneration of biomass-based motor fuels and electricity, and discuss methodological issues related to such comparisons. The use of biomass can significantly reduce CO{sub 2} emission and oil use, but there is a trade-off between the reductions in CO{sub 2} emission and oil use. Bioelectricity from stand-alone plants replacing coal-based electricity reduced CO{sub 2} emission by 99 kg per GJ biomass input but gave no oil use reduction. Stand-alone produced methanol replacing diesel reduced the CO{sub 2} emission with 38 kg and the oil use with 0.67 GJ per GJ biomass, indicating that a potential CO{sub 2} emission reduction of 90 kg is lost per GJ oil reduced. CO{sub 2} emission and oil use reduction for alternatives co-producing fuel and electricity fall between the stand-alone alternatives. Plug-in hybrid-electric vehicles using bioelectricity reduced CO{sub 2} emission by 75-88 kg and oil use by 0.99-1.2 GJ, per GJ biomass input. Biomass can also reduce CO{sub 2} emission and/or oil use more efficiently if fossil-fuel-fired boilers or electric heating is replaced by district heating from biomass-based combined heat and power generation. This is also true if electricity or motor fuel is produced from black liquor gasification in pulp mills or if wood is used instead of concrete in building construction. Biomass gasification is an important technology to achieve large reductions, irrespective of whether CO{sub 2} emission or oil use reduction is prioritised. (author)

CO2 reduction by dematerialization

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hekkert, M.P. [Department of Innovation Studies, Copernicus Institute, Utrecht University, Utrecht (Netherlands)

2002-04-01

Current policy for the reduction of greenhouse gases is mainly concerned with a number of types of solutions: energy saving, shifting to the use of low-carbon fuels and the implementation of sustainable energy technologies. Recent research has shown that a strategy directed at a more efficient use of materials could make a considerable contribution to reducing CO2 emissions. Moreover, the costs to society as a whole of such a measure appear to be very low.

The convenience food market in Great Britain: convenience food lifestyle (CFL) segments.

Science.gov (United States)

Buckley, Marie; Cowan, Cathal; McCarthy, Mary

2007-11-01

Convenience foods enable the consumer to save time and effort in food activities, related to shopping, meal preparation and cooking, consumption and post-meal activities. The objective of this paper is to report on the attitudes and reported behaviour of food consumers in Great Britain based on a review of their convenience food lifestyle (CFLs). The paper also reports the development and application of a segmentation technique that can supply information on consumer attitudes towards convenience foods. The convenience food market in Great Britain is examined and the key drivers of growth in this market are highlighted. A survey was applied to a nationally representative sample of 1000 consumers (defined as the persons primarily responsible for food shopping and cooking in the household) in Great Britain in 2002. Segmentation analysis, based on the identification of 20 convenience lifestyle factors, identified four CFL segments of consumers: the 'food connoisseurs' (26%), the 'home meal preparers' (25%), the 'kitchen evaders' (16%) and the 'convenience-seeking grazers' (33%). In particular, the 'kitchen evaders' and the 'convenience-seeking grazers' are identified as convenience-seeking segments. Implications for food producers, in particular, convenience food manufacturers are discussed. The study provides an understanding of the lifestyles of food consumers in Great Britain, and provides food manufacturers with an insight into what motivates individuals to purchase convenience foods.

A highly selective copper-indium bimetallic electrocatalyst for the electrochemical reduction of aqueous CO2to CO

KAUST Repository

Rasul, Shahid

2014-12-23

The challenge in the electrochemical reduction of aqueous carbon dioxide is in designing a highly selective, energy-efficient, and non-precious-metal electrocatalyst that minimizes the competitive reduction of proton to form hydrogen during aqueous CO2 conversion. A non-noble metal electrocatalyst based on a copper-indium (Cu-In) alloy that selectively converts CO2 to CO with a low overpotential is reported. The electrochemical deposition of In on rough Cu surfaces led to Cu-In alloy surfaces. DFT calculations showed that the In preferentially located on the edge sites rather than on the corner or flat sites and that the d-electron nature of Cu remained almost intact, but adsorption properties of neighboring Cu was perturbed by the presence of In. This preparation of non-noble metal alloy electrodes for the reduction of CO2 provides guidelines for further improving electrocatalysis.

Gel-combustion synthesis of CoSb2O6 and its reduction to powdery Sb2Co alloy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

MAJA JOVIC

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Sb2Co alloy in powdery form was synthesized via reduction with gaseous hydrogen of the oxide CoSb2O6, obtained by the citrate gel-combustion technique. The precursor was an aqueous solution of antimony nitrate, cobalt nitrate and citric acid. The precursor solution with mole ratio Co(II/Sb(V of 1:2 was gelatinized by evaporation of water. The gel was heated in air up to the temperature of self-ignition. The product of gel combustion was a mixture of oxides and it had to be additionally thermally treated in order to be converted to pure CoSb2O6. The reduction of CoSb2O6 by gaseous hydrogen yielded powdery Sb2Co as the sole phase. The process of oxide reduction to alloy was controlled by thermogravimetry, while X-ray diffractometry was used to control the phase compositions of both the oxides and alloys.

CoPt nanoparticles by chemical reduction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, H.L.; Zhang, Y.; Huang, Y.; Zeng, Q.; Hadjipanayis, G.C.

2004-01-01

CoPt nanoparticles with a size of 1-2 nm were synthesized by chemical reduction using the solvents of water and alcohol. A phase transformation from the originally disordered face centered cubic (FCC) structure to an ordered face centered tetragonal L1 0 structure occurred after annealing, which results in the coercivity up to 9 kOe because of the high anisotropy of the tetragonal phase (K∼2-4x10 7 erg/cm 3 ) (Philos. Mag. 13 (1966) 567; IEEE Trans. Magn. 20 (1984) 1625). HREM images of as-grow Co 48 Pt 52 shows the single-crystalline FCC structure with the shape of columnar and spherical

Performance Limits of Photoelectrochemical CO2 Reduction Based on Known Electrocatalysts and the Case for Two-Electron Reduction Products

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vesborg, Peter Christian Kjærgaard; Seger, Brian

2016-01-01

Solar-drivenreduction of CO2 to solar fuels as an alternative to H2 via water splitting is an intriguing proposition. We modelthe solar-to-fuel (STF) efficiencies using realistic parameters basedon recently reported CO2 reduction catalysts with a highperformance tandem photoabsorber structure. CO...... due to excessiveoverpotentials and poor selectivity. This work considers breakingup the multielectron reduction pathway into individually optimized,separate two-electron steps as a way forward....

Analysis of CO2 emissions reduction in the Malaysian transportation sector: An optimisation approach

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mustapa, Siti Indati; Bekhet, Hussain Ali

2016-01-01

The demand for transport services is expected to rise, causing the CO 2 emissions level to increase as well. In Malaysia, the transportation sector accounts for 28% of total CO 2 emissions, of which 85% comes from road transport. By 2020, Malaysia is targeting a reduction in CO 2 emissions intensity by up to 40% and in this effort the role of road transport is paramount. This paper attempts to investigate effective policy options that can assist Malaysia in reducing the CO 2 emissions level. An Optimisation model is developed to estimate the potential CO 2 emissions mitigation strategies for road transport by minimising the CO 2 emissions under the constraint of fuel cost and demand travel. Several mitigation strategies have been applied to analyse the effect of CO 2 emissions reduction potential. The results demonstrate that removal of fuel price subsidies can result in reductions of up to 652 ktonnes of fuel consumption and CO 2 emissions can be decreased by 6.55%, which would enable Malaysia to hit its target by 2020. CO 2 emissions can be reduced significantly, up to 20%, by employing a combination of mitigation policies in Malaysia. This suggests that appropriate mitigation policies can assist the country in its quest to achieve the CO 2 emissions reduction target. - Highlights: • An optimisation model for CO 2 emissions reduction in Malaysia's road transport is formulated. • Sensible policy options to achieve the CO 2 emissions reduction target are provided. • Increase in fuel price has induced shift towards fuel efficient vehicles. • The CO 2 emissions can be reduced up to 5.7 MtCO 2 with combination of mitigation policies.

Meal box schemes as a convenient way to avoid convenience food?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hertz, Frej; Halkier, Bente

2017-01-01

to categorize meal box schemes as a new form of convenience food called convenient food. In addition, results suggest that meal box schemes reduce leftovers from dinner. Meal boxes also influence dinner related activities such as planning ahead in time and grocery shopping, which require less physical......The term convenience food is subject to diversification, lack of clarity and moral ambiguity. In this paper we address these issues and critically discuss convenience food by using empirical findings from a Danish study that deals with practitioners' uses of meal box schemes. The methodological...

Mesostructure-Induced Selectivity in CO2 Reduction Catalysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Hall, Anthony Shoji; Yoon, Youngmin; Wuttig, Anna; Surendranath, Yogesh

2015-12-02

Gold inverse opal (Au-IO) thin films are active for CO2 reduction to CO with high efficiency at modest overpotentials and high selectivity relative to hydrogen evolution. The specific activity for hydrogen evolution diminishes by 10-fold with increasing porous film thickness, while CO evolution activity is largely unchanged. We demonstrate that the origin of hydrogen suppression in Au-IO films stems from the generation of diffusional gradients within the pores of the mesostructured electrode rather than changes in surface faceting or Au grain size. For electrodes with optimal mesoporosity, 99% selectivity for CO evolution can be obtained at overpotentials as low as 0.4 V. These results establish electrode mesostructuring as a complementary method for tuning selectivity in CO2-to-fuels catalysis.

Achieving CO2 Emissions Reduction Goals with Energy Infrastructure Projects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eberlinc, M.; Medved, K.; Simic, J.

2013-01-01

The EU has set its short-term goals in the Europe 2020 Strategy (20% of CO 2 emissions reduction, 20% increase in energy efficiency, 20% share of renewables in final energy). The analyses show that the EU Member States in general are on the right track of achieving these goals; they are even ahead (including Slovenia). But setting long-term goals by 2050 is a tougher challenge. Achieving CO 2 emissions reduction goes hand in hand with increasing the share of renewables and strategically planning the projects, which include exploiting the potential of renewable sources of energy (e.g. hydropower). In Slovenia, the expected share of hydropower in electricity production from large HPPs in the share of renewables by 2030 is 1/3. The paper includes a presentation of a hydro power plants project on the middle Sava river in Slovenia and its specifics (influenced by the expansion of the Natura 2000 protected sites and on the other hand by the changes in the Environment Protection Law, which implements the EU Industrial Emissions Directive and the ETS Directive). Studies show the importance of the HPPs in terms of CO 2 emissions reduction. The main conclusion of the paper shows the importance of energy infrastructure projects, which contribute to on the one hand the CO 2 emissions reduction and on the other the increase of renewables.(author)

In-Situ XRD during Electrochemical CO Reduction on Cu

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bertheussen, Erlend; Scott, Søren Bertelsen; Hogg, Thomas

2018-01-01

Almost all-successful CO2 and CO reduction catalysts to higher chain carbons are based on copper1, however various facets and pre-treatments of copper have shown to give a wide variety of product selectivity.2,3 Currently there are many unanswered questions regarding active sites and mechanisms t...

Normalising convenience food?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Halkier, Bente

2017-01-01

The construction of convenience food as a social and cultural category for food provisioning, cooking and eating seems to slide between or across understandings of what is considered “proper food” in the existing discourses in everyday life and media. This article sheds light upon some...... of the social and cultural normativities around convenience food by describing the ways in which convenience food forms part of the daily life of young Danes. Theoretically, the article is based on a practice theoretical perspective. Empirically, the article builds upon a qualitative research project on food...... habits among Danes aged 20–25. The article presents two types of empirical patterns. The first types of patterns are the degree to which and the different ways in which convenience food is normalised to use among the young Danes. The second types of patterns are the normative places of convenient food...

Latency reduction in online multiplayer games using detour routing

OpenAIRE

Ly, Cong

2010-01-01

Long network latency negatively impacts the performance of online multiplayer games. In this thesis, we propose a novel approach to reduce the network latency in online gaming. Our approach employs application level detour routing in which game-state update messages between two players can be forwarded through other intermediate relay nodes in order to reduce network latency. We present results from an extensive measurement study to show the potential benefits of detour routing in online game...

A facile route to controlled synthesis of Co3O4 nanoparticles and their environmental catalytic properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dong Yuming; He Kun; Yin Lin; Zhang Aimin

2007-01-01

Using ammonia and Co(CH 3 COO) 2 ·4H 2 O as starting materials, a facile and surfactant-free route to controlled synthesis of Co 3 O 4 nanoparticles was proposed. Co 3 O 4 nanoparticles with average sizes of 3.5, 6, 11, 19 and 70 nm were obtained through adjusting the ethanol amount in the solvent (the ratio of ethanol to water) or the concentration of raw materials. In this process, the presence of enough O 2 was crucial for the formation of pure Co 3 O 4 phase. The environmental catalytic properties of as-obtained Co 3 O 4 nanoparticles were investigated. The results indicated their remarkable catalysis for ozonation degradation of phenol, which denoted a promising application as catalyst in waste-water treatment

Carbon Supported Engineering NiCo2O4 Hybrid Nanofibers with Enhanced Electrocatalytic Activity for Oxygen Reduction Reaction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Diab Hassan

2016-09-01

Full Text Available The design of cheap and efficient oxygen reduction reaction (ORR electrocatalysts is of a significant importance in sustainable and renewable energy technologies. Therefore, ORR catalysts with superb electrocatalytic activity and durability are becoming a necessity but still remain challenging. Herein, we report C/NiCo2O4 nanocomposite fibers fabricated by a straightforward electrospinning technique followed by a simple sintering process as a promising ORR electrocatalyst in alkaline condition. The mixed-valence oxide can offer numerous accessible active sites. In addition, the as-obtained C/NiCo2O4 hybrid reveals significantly remarkable electrocatalytic performance with a highly positive onset potential of 0.65 V, which is only 50 mV lower than that of commercially available Pt/C catalysts. The analyses indicate that C/NiCo2O4 catalyst can catalyze O2-molecules via direct four electron pathway in a similar behavior as commercial Pt/C catalysts dose. Compared to single NiCo2O4 and carbon free NiCo2O4, the C/NiCo2O4 hybrid displays higher ORR current and more positive half-wave potential. The incorporated carbon matrices are beneficial for fast electron transfer and can significantly impose an outstanding contribution to the electrocatalytic activity. Results indicate that the synthetic strategy hold a potential as efficient route to fabricate highly active nanostructures for practical use in energy technologies.

Seeded Growth Route to Noble Calcium Carbonate Nanocrystal.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aminul Islam

Full Text Available A solution-phase route has been considered as the most promising route to synthesize noble nanostructures. A majority of their synthesis approaches of calcium carbonate (CaCO3 are based on either using fungi or the CO2 bubbling methods. Here, we approached the preparation of nano-precipitated calcium carbonate single crystal from salmacis sphaeroides in the presence of zwitterionic or cationic biosurfactants without external source of CO2. The calcium carbonate crystals were rhombohedron structure and regularly shaped with side dimension ranging from 33-41 nm. The high degree of morphological control of CaCO3 nanocrystals suggested that surfactants are capable of strongly interacting with the CaCO3 surface and control the nucleation and growth direction of calcium carbonate nanocrystals. Finally, the mechanism of formation of nanocrystals in light of proposed routes was also discussed.

A click chemistry approach to glycomimetics: Michael addition of 2,3,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl-1-thio-beta-D-glucopyranose to 4-deoxy-1,2-O-isopropylidene-L-glycero-pent-4-enopyranos-3-ulose--a convenient route to novel 4-deoxy-(1-->5)-5-C-thiodisaccharides.

Science.gov (United States)

Witczak, Zbigniew J; Lorchak, David; Nguyen, Nguyen

2007-09-03

The base catalyzed conjugate Michael addition of the 1-thiosugar, 2,3,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl-beta-D-glucopyranose, 1, to a new highly reactive enone 4-deoxy-1,2-O-isopropylidene-L-glycero-pent-4-enopyranos-3-ulose, 2, proceeds steroselectively with formation of adduct 3 in 94% yield. Convenient stereoselective reduction of the C-3 keto function of 3 with L-Selectride followed by in situ acetylation produces thiodisaccharide 4 in good 82% yield. Cleavage of the 1,2-O-isopropylidene protecting group with p-toluenesulfonic acid in methanol, followed by de-O-acetylation, produced an inseparable anomeric mixture of methyl 4-deoxy-5-C-(beta-D-glucopyranosyl)-thio-alpha/beta-L-ribo-pyranoside 5 in 72% overall yield. This approach constitutes a new general two-step click chemistry route to the previously unknown class of 4-deoxy-(1-->5)-5-C-thiodisaccharides as stable and biologically important glycomimetics.

A new fabrication route for SFR fuel using (U, Pu)O{sub 2} powder obtained by oxalic co-conversion

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vaudez, Stéphane, E-mail: stephane.vaudez@cea.fr [CEA, DEN, DEC, SPUA, Cadarache, F-13108 Saint-Paul-Lez-Durance (France); Belin, Renaud C.; Aufore, Laurence; Sornay, Philippe [CEA, DEN, DEC, SPUA, Cadarache, F-13108 Saint-Paul-Lez-Durance (France); Grandjean, Stéphane [CEA, DEN, DRCP, DIR, Marcoule, F-30207 Bagnols sur Cèze (France)

2013-11-15

The standard powder metallurgy preparation of SFR (Sodium Fast Reactor) oxide fuel involves UO{sub 2} and PuO{sub 2} co-milling. An alternative route, using a solid-solution of mixed oxide obtained by oxalic co-conversion as the starting material, is presented. It was used to manufacture nuclear fuels for the “COPIX” irradiation conducted in the Phenix SFR. Two processes using co-converted powders were tested to elaborate fuel pellets: (1) the Direct Process that consists in pressing and sintering the mixed oxide with the final Pu content and (2) the Dilution Process, which involves the dilution of a high Pu content mixed oxide with UO{sub 2}. After studying the structural and microstructural evolution with temperature of these innovative raw materials, the elaboration parameters were adjusted to obtain final pellets in accordance with the Phenix fuel specifications. This study demonstrates the feasibility of such new fabrication route at laboratory scale and, from a more fundamental prospect, allows a better understanding of the underlying phenomena involved during sintering.

Photocatalytic reduction of CO2 to CO over copper decorated g-C3N4 nanosheets with enhanced yield and selectivity

Science.gov (United States)

Shi, Guodong; Yang, Lin; Liu, Zhuowen; Chen, Xiao; Zhou, Jianqing; Yu, Ying

2018-01-01

Photocatalytic reduction of CO2 to fuel has attracted considerable attention due to the consumption of fossil fuels and serious environmental problems. Although there are many photocatalysts reported for CO2 reduction, the improvement of activity and selectivity is still in great need of. In this work, a series of Cu nanoparticle decorated g-C3N4 nanosheets with different Cu loadings were fabricated by a facile secondary calcination and subsequent microwave hydrothermal method. The designed catalysts shown good photocatalytic activity and selectivity for CO2 reduction to CO. The optimal sample exhibited a 3-fold augmentation of the CO yield in comparison with pristine g-C3N4 under visible light. It is revealed that with the loading of Cu nanoparticles, the resulting photocatalyst possessed an improved charge carrier transfer and separation efficiency as well as increased surface reactive sites, resulting in a significant enhancement of CO yield. It is anticipated that the designed Cu/C3N4 photocatalyst may provide new insights for two dimensional layer materials and non-noble particles applied to CO2 reduction.

Salt as a public health challenge in continental European convenience and ready meals.

Science.gov (United States)

Kanzler, Sonja; Hartmann, Christina; Gruber, Anita; Lammer, Guido; Wagner, Karl-Heinz

2014-11-01

To assess the salt content of continental European convenience and ready meals. A multistage study in which, after laboratory analysis of the products' salt contents (n 32), new salt-reduced meals were developed through food reformulation. Additionally, a comprehensive survey of convenience meals from the Austrian market (n 572) was conducted to evaluate the salt contents of a wider product range. Six continental European countries participated. No subjects enrolled. The salt contents of continental European convenience and ready meals mostly exceeded 1·8 g/100 g, which is 30 % of the targeted daily intake level; some contained even more than the recommended daily intake of 6 g. The highest salt contents were found in pizzas and pasta dishes, the lowest ones in sweet meals. Large variations in salt levels were found not only between and within meal type categories, but also between similar meals from different producers. In addition, our approach to develop new salt-reduced meals showed that a stepwise reduction of the ready meals' salt contents is possible without compromising the sensory quality. To address the problem of hypertension and increased risk for CVD through high salt intake, a reduction of the salt levels in continental European convenience and ready meals is urgently needed, since they are providing a major part of the daily salt intake. Successful national-wide salt reduction strategies in the UK or Finland have already demonstrated the public health impact of this setting.

In vitro anticancer potential of BaCO3 nanoparticles synthesized via green route.

Science.gov (United States)

Nagajyothi, P C; Pandurangan, Muthuraman; Sreekanth, T V M; Shim, Jaesool

2016-03-01

Green synthesis of nanoparticles is a growing research area because of their potential applications in nanomedicine. Barium carbonate nanoparticles (BaCO3 NPs) were synthesized using an aqueous extract of Mangifera indica seed as a reducing agent. These particles were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), selected area electron diffraction (SAED), Energy-dispersive-X-ray (EDX) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis. HR-TEM images are confirmed that green synthesized BaCO3 NPs have spherical, triangular and uneven shapes. EDX analysis confirmed the presence of Ba, C and O. The peaks at 2θ of 19.45, 23.90, 24.29, 27.72, 33.71, 34.08, 34.60, 41.98, 42.95, 44.18, 44.85, and 46.78 corresponding to (110), (111), (021), (002), (200), (112), (130), (221), (041), (202), (132) and (113) showed that BaCO3 NPs average size was ~18.3 nm. SAED pattern confirmed that BaCO3 NPs are crystalline nature. BaCO3 NPs significantly inhibited cervical carcinoma cells, as evidenced by cytotoxicity assay. Immunofluorescence and fluorescence assays showed that BaCO3 NPs increased the expression and activity of caspase-3, an autocatalytic enzyme that promotes apoptosis. According to the results, green synthesis route has great potential for easy, rapid, inexpensive, eco-friendly and efficient development of novel multifunctional nanoparticles for the treatment of cancer. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

High-throughput synthesis of mixed-metal electrocatalysts for CO2 reduction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

He, Jingfu; Dettelbach, Kevan E.; Li, Tengfei; Salvatore, Danielle A.; Berlinguette, Curtis P.

2017-01-01

The utilization of CO 2 as a feedstock requires fundamental breakthroughs in catalyst design. The efficiencies and activities of pure metal electrodes towards the CO 2 reduction reaction are established, but the corresponding data on mixed-metal systems are not as well developed. In this study we show that the near-infrared driven decomposition (NIRDD) of solution-deposited films of metal salts and subsequent electrochemical reduction offers the unique opportunity to form an array of mixed-metal electrocatalyst coatings with excellent control of the metal stoichiometries. This synthetic method enabled us to develop an empirical structure-property correlation to help inform the development of optimized CO 2 catalyst compositions. (copyright 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Electrochemical Reduction of CO2 at Metal Electrodes in a Distillable Ionic Liquid.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Lu; Guo, Si-Xuan; Li, Fengwang; Bentley, Cameron; Horne, Mike; Bond, Alan M; Zhang, Jie

2016-06-08

The electroreduction of CO2 in the distillable ionic liquid dimethylammonium dimethylcarbamate (dimcarb) has been investigated with 17 metal electrodes. Analysis of the electrolysis products reveals that aluminum, bismuth, lead, copper, nickel, palladium, platinum, iron, molybdenum, titanium and zirconium electroreduce the available protons in dimcarb to hydrogen rather than reducing CO2 . Conversely, indium, tin, zinc, silver and gold are able to catalyze the reduction of CO2 to predominantly carbon monoxide (CO) and to a lesser extent, formate ([HCOO](-) ). In all cases, the applied potential was found to have a minimal influence on the distribution of the reduction products. Overall, indium was found to be the best electrocatalyst for CO2 reduction in dimcarb, with faradaic efficiencies of approximately 45 % and 40 % for the generation of CO and [HCOO](-) , respectively, at a potential of -1.34 V versus Cc(+/0) (Cc(+) =cobaltocenium) employing a dimethylamine to CO2 ratio of less than 1.8:1. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

CO2 reduction strategies for the Czech Republic

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

De Kruijk, H.; Van den Broek, M.A.; Van Harmelen, T.; Van Oostvoorn, F.; Maly, M.

1994-08-01

Reduction of CO 2 emissions now has high priority on the international political agenda. The UN Convention on Climate Change provides countries the option for fulfilling the CO 2 reduction obligations individually or jointly. But before identifying opportunities, a reference path or scenario is needed to indicate how emissions will vary without joint implementation of projects or policies. This paper looks at the situation in the Czech Republic. First objective of the study concerns collecting information on CO 2 emissions in the Czech Republic, a reference scenario for CO 2 developments, and the reduction scope till the year 2015. Second objective is development of CEC energy/environmental model EFOM-ENV (Energy Flow and Optimization Model - ENVironment) for the Czech Republic. In the new orientation towards a market economy it is important to start preparing policy recommendations for energy and environmental needs based on the least cost approach. Presently the energy/environmental model EFOM-ENV is used for this type of studies by CEC, Directorate-General 12, and research institutes in almost all EC countries. It showed usefulness in EC countries for developing integrated energy /environmental strategies. Furthermore, based on its experience with this type of studies, the Netherlands Energy Research Foundation has the last years developed a GAMS PC-version of EFOM-ENV, very flexible and efficient to use. Increasing international cooperation in areas of energy and environmental policies requires a common analytical approach. Particularly for preparing harmonized emission control policies in Europe the use of the EC model EFOM-ENV for all Central European countries can provide comparable and useful insight in the relation between energy use and emissions in Central Europe. In fact similar studies have been and will be conducted for the Slovak Republic, Hungary, Bulgaria, other Central European countries. 4 figs., 5 tabs., 6 refs

Surface-reconstructed Cu Electrode via a Facile Electrochemical Anodization-Reduction Process for Low Overpotential CO 2 reduction

KAUST Repository

Min, Shixiong; Yang, Xiulin; Lu, Ang-Yu; Tseng, Chien-Chih; Hedhili, Mohamed N.; Lai, Zhiping; Li, Lain-Jong; Huang, Kuo-Wei

2017-01-01

A high-surface-area Cu electrode, fabricated by a simple electrochemical anodization-reduction method, exhibits high activity and selectivity for CO2 reduction at low overpotential in 0.1 M KHCO3 solution. A faradaic efficiency of 37% for HCOOH

CO2 Reduction Catalyzed by Nitrogenase: Pathways to Formate, Carbon Monoxide, and Methane.

Science.gov (United States)

Khadka, Nimesh; Dean, Dennis R; Smith, Dayle; Hoffman, Brian M; Raugei, Simone; Seefeldt, Lance C

2016-09-06

The reduction of N2 to NH3 by Mo-dependent nitrogenase at its active-site metal cluster FeMo-cofactor utilizes reductive elimination of Fe-bound hydrides with obligatory loss of H2 to activate the enzyme for binding/reduction of N2. Earlier work showed that wild-type nitrogenase and a nitrogenase with amino acid substitutions in the MoFe protein near FeMo-cofactor can catalytically reduce CO2 by two or eight electrons/protons to carbon monoxide (CO) and methane (CH4) at low rates. Here, it is demonstrated that nitrogenase preferentially reduces CO2 by two electrons/protons to formate (HCOO(-)) at rates >10 times higher than rates of CO2 reduction to CO and CH4. Quantum mechanical calculations on the doubly reduced FeMo-cofactor with a Fe-bound hydride and S-bound proton (E2(2H) state) favor a direct reaction of CO2 with the hydride ("direct hydride transfer" reaction pathway), with facile hydride transfer to CO2 yielding formate. In contrast, a significant barrier is observed for reaction of Fe-bound CO2 with the hydride ("associative" reaction pathway), which leads to CO and CH4. Remarkably, in the direct hydride transfer pathway, the Fe-H behaves as a hydridic hydrogen, whereas in the associative pathway it acts as a protic hydrogen. MoFe proteins with amino acid substitutions near FeMo-cofactor (α-70(Val→Ala), α-195(His→Gln)) are found to significantly alter the distribution of products between formate and CO/CH4.

Incentives for subcontractors to adopt CO2 emission reporting and reduction techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Scholtens, Bert; Kleinsmann, Renske

2011-01-01

We investigate the incentives for subcontractors (couriers) of a transport and logistics company to report about their CO 2 emissions and to implement CO 2 reducing technologies. Furthermore, we try to find out whether these incentives differ between British and Dutch couriers. We find that several incentives play a significant role. Subcontractors in the Netherlands predominantly are extrinsically motivated to engage in CO 2 reporting and reduction techniques. This is because they are mainly driven by regulatory compliance, energy costs and implementation costs. In contrast, British subcontractors are much more intrinsically motivated to comply. They are predominantly driven by energy costs, environmental awareness, relationship building and reputation building. The contractor will have to account for these differences in making its policies work. - Research highlights: → We investigate incentives for couriers to report CO 2 emissions and to implement CO 2 reduction techniques. → We compare couriers in the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. → Several incentives are significant for the adoption of CO 2 reporting and reduction measures. → There are significant differences in the sensitivity for incentives in the Netherlands and the UK.

PREPARATION OF WC-Co POWDER BY DIRECT REDUCTION AND CARBONIZATION

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Zhonglai Yi; Gangqin Shao; Xinglong Duan; Peng Sun; Xiaoliang Shi; Zhen Xiong; Jingkun Guo

2005-01-01

A new approach to produce superfine WC-Co powder by direct reduction and carbonization is proposed.Water-soluble salts containing W and Co were used as raw materials. Tungsten and cobalt oxide powder (CoWO4/WO3)was first formed by a spray-pyrolysis technique, which was then mixed with carbon black and converted to WC-Co composite powder at 950℃ for 4 h in N2 atmosphere. The resulting powder has a particle size of 100-300 nm.

Reaction mechanisms of CO2 activation and catalytic reduction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wolff, Niklas von

2016-01-01

The use of CO 2 as a C1 chemical feedstock for the fine chemical industry is interesting both economically and ecologically, as CO 2 is non-toxic, abundant and cheap. Nevertheless, transformations of CO 2 into value-added products is hampered by its high thermodynamic stability and its inertness toward reduction. In order to design new catalysts able to overcome this kinetic challenge, a profound understanding of the reaction mechanisms at play in CO 2 reduction is needed. Using novel N/Si+ frustrated Lewis pairs (FLPs), the influence of CO 2 adducts and different hydro-borane reducing agents on the reaction mechanism in the catalytic hydroboration of CO 2 were investigated, both by DFT calculations and experiments. In a second step, the reaction mechanism of a novel reaction for the creation of C-C bonds from CO 2 and pyridyl-silanes (C 5 H 4 N-SiMe 3 ) was analyzed by DFT calculations. It was shown that CO 2 plays a double role in this transformation, acting both as a catalyst and a C1-building block. The fine understanding of this transformation then led to the development of a novel approach for the synthesis of sulfones and sulfonamides. Starting from SO 2 and aromatic silanes/amine silanes, these products were obtained in a single step under metal-free conditions. Noteworthy, sulfones and sulfonamides are common motifs in organic chemistry and found in a variety of highly important drugs. Finally, this concept was extended to aromatic halides as coupling partners, and it was thus shown for the first time that a sulfonylative Hiyama reaction is a possible approach to the synthesis of sulfones. (author) [fr

Net radiative forcing and air quality responses to regional CO emission reductions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. M. Fry

2013-05-01

Full Text Available Carbon monoxide (CO emissions influence global and regional air quality and global climate change by affecting atmospheric oxidants and secondary species. We simulate the influence of halving anthropogenic CO emissions globally and individually from 10 regions on surface and tropospheric ozone, methane, and aerosol concentrations using a global chemical transport model (MOZART-4 for the year 2005. Net radiative forcing (RF is then estimated using the GFDL (Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory standalone radiative transfer model. We estimate that halving global CO emissions decreases global annual average concentrations of surface ozone by 0.45 ppbv, tropospheric methane by 73 ppbv, and global annual net RF by 36.1 mW m−2, nearly equal to the sum of changes from the 10 regional reductions. Global annual net RF per unit change in emissions and the 100 yr global warming potential (GWP100 are estimated as −0.124 mW m−2 (Tg CO−1 and 1.34, respectively, for the global CO reduction, and ranging from −0.115 to −0.131 mW m−2 (Tg CO−1 and 1.26 to 1.44 across 10 regions, with the greatest sensitivities for regions in the tropics. The net RF distributions show widespread cooling corresponding to the O3 and CH4 decreases, and localized positive and negative net RFs due to changes in aerosols. The strongest annual net RF impacts occur within the tropics (28° S–28° N followed by the northern midlatitudes (28° N–60° N, independent of reduction region, while the greatest changes in surface CO and ozone concentrations occur within the reduction region. Some regional reductions strongly influence the air quality in other regions, such as East Asia, which has an impact on US surface ozone that is 93% of that from North America. Changes in the transport of CO and downwind ozone production clearly exceed the direct export of ozone from each reduction region. The small variation in CO GWPs among world regions suggests that future international

Convenience experimentation.

Science.gov (United States)

Krohs, Ulrich

2012-03-01

Systems biology aims at explaining life processes by means of detailed models of molecular networks, mainly on the whole-cell scale. The whole cell perspective distinguishes the new field of systems biology from earlier approaches within molecular cell biology. The shift was made possible by the high throughput methods that were developed for gathering 'omic' (genomic, proteomic, etc.) data. These new techniques are made commercially available as semi-automatic analytic equipment, ready-made analytic kits and probe arrays. There is a whole industry of supplies for what may be called convenience experimentation. My paper inquires some epistemic consequences of strong reliance on convenience experimentation in systems biology. In times when experimentation was automated to a lesser degree, modeling and in part even experimentation could be understood fairly well as either being driven by hypotheses, and thus proceed by the testing of hypothesis, or as being performed in an exploratory mode, intended to sharpen concepts or initially vague phenomena. In systems biology, the situation is dramatically different. Data collection became so easy (though not cheap) that experimentation is, to a high degree, driven by convenience equipment, and model building is driven by the vast amount of data that is produced by convenience experimentation. This results in a shift in the mode of science. The paper shows that convenience driven science is not primarily hypothesis-testing, nor is it in an exploratory mode. It rather proceeds in a gathering mode. This shift demands another shift in the mode of evaluation, which now becomes an exploratory endeavor, in response to the superabundance of gathered data. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

In situ spectroscopic monitoring of CO2 reduction at copper oxide electrode.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Liying; Gupta, Kalyani; Goodall, Josephine B M; Darr, Jawwad A; Holt, Katherine B

2017-04-28

Copper oxide modified electrodes were investigated as a function of applied electrode potential using in situ infrared spectroscopy and ex situ Raman and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. In deoxygenated KHCO 3 electrolyte bicarbonate and carbonate species were found to adsorb to the electrode during reduction and the CuO was reduced to Cu(i) or Cu(0) species. Carbonate was incorporated into the structure and the CuO starting material was not regenerated on cycling to positive potentials. In contrast, in CO 2 saturated KHCO 3 solution, surface adsorption of bicarbonate and carbonate was not observed and adsorption of a carbonato-species was observed with in situ infrared spectroscopy. This species is believed to be activated, bent CO 2 . On cycling to negative potentials, larger reduction currents were observed in the presence of CO 2 ; however, less of the charge could be attributed to the reduction of CuO. In the presence of CO 2 CuO underwent reduction to Cu 2 O and potentially Cu, with no incorporation of carbonate. Under these conditions the CuO starting material could be regenerated by cycling to positive potentials.

Reduction of CO2 emissions by influencing fuel prices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Keller, M.; Zbinden, R.; Haan, P.; Gruetter, J.; Ott, W.

2002-01-01

The CO 2 law stipulates quantitative targets for CO 2 emissions (reductions of 10% by 2010 compared with 1990, 15% for heating fuels, 8% for motor fuels). For motor fuels, it is currently estimated that the target will be missed by about 15%, or 2 to 2.5 million tonnes of CO 2 . In order to reach the targets, therefore, all measures that can be taken to reduce emissions are to be checked out and, where sensible and possible, implemented too. The subject of this study is the preferential treatment of diesel, natural gas, liquefied gas and bio-fuels as far as taxation is concerned, with compensation of tax losses on the petrol side. Also, the possibilities for promoting energy-efficient cars are looked at. The reduction of the price for diesel (at least 25 Swiss cents when compensated for via the petrol price) is considered to be unsuitable for reaching the targets because, in the final analysis, fuel sales - the determining factor for the CO 2 emissions that are charged to Switzerland - will increase instead of decreasing. Also, reservations are expressed from the environmental point of view (increased NO x emissions and, in particular, emissions of particulate matter). The modified measure proposed (fixed difference between the prices for petrol and diesel of 25 Swiss cents, for example) is looked at less critically, because it does actually lead to a reduction of CO 2 , even if only a modest one (approx. 10% of the gap to be bridged). On the environmental side, the same reservations apply. Bonus-malus systems, on the other hand, permit a selective choice of the objects of promotion (efficient and, possibly, low-emission vehicles), avoid the unjust preferential treatment of goods traffic and can be implemented without disturbing international price structures (fuel tourism). A bonus-malus system applied at purchase (e.g. different levels of car taxation) is considered to be more efficient than a differentiation in vehicle (road) tax. The promotion of gas is a

The improvement of CO2 emission reduction policies based on system dynamics method in traditional industrial region with large CO2 emission

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Fujia; Dong, Suocheng; Li, Zehong; Li, Yu; Li, Shantong; Wan, Yongkun

2012-01-01

Some traditional industrial regions are characterized by high industrial proportion and large CO 2 emission. They are facing dual pressures of maintaining economic growth and largely reducing CO 2 emission. From the perspective of study of typological region, taking the typical traditional industrial region—Liaoning Province of China as a case, this study establishes a system dynamics model named EECP and dynamically simulates CO 2 emission trends under different conditions. Simulation results indicate, compared to the condition without CO 2 emission reduction policies, CO 2 emission intensity under the condition of implementing CO 2 emission reduction policies of “Twelfth Five-Year Plan” is decreased by 11% from 2009 to 2030, but the economic cost is high, making the policies implementation faces resistance. Then some improved policies are offered and proved by EECP model that they can reduce CO 2 emission intensity after 2021 and decrease the negative influence to GDP, realizing the improvement objects of reducing CO 2 emission and simultaneously keeping a higher economy growth speed. The improved policies can provide reference for making and improving CO 2 emission reduction policies in other traditional industrial regions with large CO 2 emission. Simultaneously, EECP model can provide decision-makers with reference and help for similar study of energy policy. - Highlights: ► We build EECP model for CO 2 emission reduction study in traditional industry region. ► By the model, we simulate CO 2 emission trend and improve emission reduction policy. ► By improvement, both CO 2 emission intensity and economic cost can be largely reduced. ► Besides CO 2 emission is reduced effectively, higher GDP increment speed is kept. ► EECP model can be widely used for making and improving regional energy policies.

Developments and innovation in carbon dioxide (CO{sub 2}) capture and storage technology. Volume 2: Carbon dioxide (CO{sub 2}) storage and utilisation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mercedes Maroto-Valer, M. (ed.)

2010-07-01

This volume initially reviews geological sequestration of CO{sub 2}, from saline aquifer sequestration to oil and gas reservoir and coal bed storage, including coverage of reservoir sealing, and monitoring and modelling techniques used to verify geological sequestration of CO{sub 2}. Terrestrial and ocean sequestration are also reviewed, along with the environmental impact and performance assessments for these routes. The final section reviews advanced concepts for CO{sub 2} storage and utilization, such as industrial utilization, biofixation, mineral carbonation and photocatalytic reduction.

A multinational model for CO2 reduction: defining boundaries of future CO2 emissions in nine countries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kram, Tom; Hill, Douglas.

1996-01-01

A need to make substantial future reductions in greenhouse gas emissions would require major changes in national energy systems. Nine industrialized countries have explored the technical boundaries of CO 2 emission restrictions during the next 40 to 50 years using comparable scenario assumptions and a standard model, MARKAL. Quantitative results for the countries are shown side by side in a set of energy maps that compare the least-cost evolution of the national energy systems by the main factors that contribute to CO 2 emissions. The ability to restrict future CO 2 emissions and the most cost-effective measures for doing so differ among the countries; an international agreement that would mandate substantial emission restrictions among countries by an equal percentage reduction is clearly impossible. The results are a first step toward a basis for allocating such international reductions, and the multinational process by which they were produced provides an example for further international greenhouse gas abatement costing studies. (Author)

Efficient routing of service vehicles. Publication No. 95-82, and Publication No. 1010

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gendreau, M.; Laporte, G.; Yelle, S.Y.

1995-12-31

GeoRoute is an arc routing software package that includes a route optimization module based on the GENIUS traveling salesman problem heuristic. The territory under study is represented by a directed graph in which arcs correspond to streets. The system also introduces artificial arcs to account for street crossings, street changes, and turns. In many applications of the package, penalties should be assigned to take into account such constraints as prohibited turns and minimization of deadheading. This report describes experiments performed using GeoRoute to determine optimal routes for garbage collection and for snow plowing operations on 30 street networks. The experiments tested various values of penalties in order to arrive at convenient packages of penalties for use in various situations. The results help GeoRoute users select sets of penalties without having to ponder a large set of possible parameters.

Use of glucose as reductant to recover Co from spent lithium ions batteries.

Science.gov (United States)

Meng, Qi; Zhang, Yingjie; Dong, Peng

2017-06-01

A hydrometallurgical leaching process has been developed for recovery of Co and Li from cathode material (LiCoO 2 ) collected from spent LIBs using a mix solution of glucose and phosphoric acid. The spent LiCoO 2 before and after leaching process are analyzed by scanning electron microscopy. A leaching rate of about 98% Co and nearly 100% Li is presented with 1.5mol/L phosphoric acid and 0.02mol/L glucose at 80°C in about 2h. During leaching process, glucose was oxidized into monocarboxylic acid with reduction of Co(III) to Co(II). Co in solution was recovered as Co-oxalate after leaching process. Using glucose as reductant to dissolve LiCoO 2 with chelating agent of phosphoric acid is achieved here. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Potential energy savings and CO2 emissions reduction of China's cement industry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ke, Jing; Zheng, Nina; Fridley, David; Price, Lynn; Zhou, Nan

2012-01-01

This study analyzes current energy and carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) emission trends in China's cement industry as the basis for modeling different levels of cement production and rates of efficiency improvement and carbon reduction in 2011–2030. Three cement output projections are developed based on analyses of historical production and physical and macroeconomic drivers. For each of these three production projections, energy savings and CO 2 emission reduction potentials are estimated in a best practice scenario and two continuous improvement scenarios relative to a frozen scenario. The results reveal the potential for cumulative final energy savings of 27.1 to 37.5 exajoules and energy-related direct emission reductions of 3.2 to 4.4 gigatonnes in 2011–2030 under the best practice scenarios. The continuous improvement scenarios produce cumulative final energy savings of 6.0 to 18.9 exajoules and reduce CO 2 emissions by 1.0 to 2.4 gigatonnes. This analysis highlights that increasing energy efficiency is the most important policy measure for reducing the cement industry's energy and emissions intensity, given the current state of the industry and the unlikelihood of significant carbon capture and storage before 2030. In addition, policies to reduce total cement production offer the most direct way of reducing total energy consumption and CO 2 emissions. - Highlights: ► This study models output and efficiency improvements in Chinese cement industry from 2011–2030. ► Energy savings and CO 2 emission reductions estimated for 3 scenarios relative to frozen scenario. ► Results reveal cumulative final energy savings potential of 27.1–37.5 EJ and 3.2–4.4 Gt CO 2 reductions. ► Increasing efficiency is the most important policy for reducing cement energy and emissions intensity.

Synthesis of graphene platelets by chemical and electrochemical route

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ramachandran, Rajendran; Felix, Sathiyanathan [Centre for Nanotechnology Research, VIT University, Vellore 632014, Tamil Nadu (India); Joshi, Girish M. [Materials Physics Division, School of Advanced Sciences, VIT University, Vellore 632014, Tamil Nadu (India); Raghupathy, Bala P.C., E-mail: balapraveen2000@yahoo.com [Centre for Nanotechnology Research, VIT University, Vellore 632014, Tamil Nadu (India); Research and Advanced Engineering Division (Materials), Renault Nissan Technology and Business Center India (P) Ltd., Chennai, Tamil Nadu (India); Jeong, Soon Kwan, E-mail: jeongsk@kier.re.kr [Climate Change Technology Research Division, Korea Institute of Energy Research, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 305-343 (Korea, Republic of); Grace, Andrews Nirmala, E-mail: anirmalagrace@vit.ac.in [Centre for Nanotechnology Research, VIT University, Vellore 632014, Tamil Nadu (India); Climate Change Technology Research Division, Korea Institute of Energy Research, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 305-343 (Korea, Republic of)

2013-10-15

Graphical abstract: A schematic showing the overall reduction process of graphite to reduced graphene platelets by chemical and electrochemical route. - Highlights: • Graphene was prepared by diverse routes viz. chemical and electrochemical methods. • NaBH{sub 4} was effective for removing oxygen functional groups from graphene oxide. • Sodium borohydride reduced graphene oxide (SRGO) showed high specific capacitance. • Electrochemical rendered a cheap route for production of graphene in powder form. - Abstract: Graphene platelets were synthesized from graphene oxide by chemical and electrochemical route. Under the chemical method, sodium borohydride and hydrazine chloride were used as reductants to produce graphene. In this paper, a novel and cost effective electrochemical method, which can simplify the process of reduction on a larger scale, is demonstrated. The electrochemical method proposed in this paper produces graphene in powder form with good yield. The atomic force microscopic images confirmed that the graphene samples prepared by all the routes have multilayers of graphene. The electrochemical process provided a new route to make relatively larger area graphene sheets, which will have interest for further patterning applications. Attempt was made to quantify the quantum of reduction using cyclic voltammetry and choronopotentiometry techniques on reduced graphene samples. As a measure in reading the specific capacitance values, a maximum specific capacitance value of 265.3 F/g was obtained in sodium borohydride reduced graphene oxide.

Synthesis of graphene platelets by chemical and electrochemical route

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ramachandran, Rajendran; Felix, Sathiyanathan; Joshi, Girish M.; Raghupathy, Bala P.C.; Jeong, Soon Kwan; Grace, Andrews Nirmala

2013-01-01

Graphical abstract: A schematic showing the overall reduction process of graphite to reduced graphene platelets by chemical and electrochemical route. - Highlights: • Graphene was prepared by diverse routes viz. chemical and electrochemical methods. • NaBH 4 was effective for removing oxygen functional groups from graphene oxide. • Sodium borohydride reduced graphene oxide (SRGO) showed high specific capacitance. • Electrochemical rendered a cheap route for production of graphene in powder form. - Abstract: Graphene platelets were synthesized from graphene oxide by chemical and electrochemical route. Under the chemical method, sodium borohydride and hydrazine chloride were used as reductants to produce graphene. In this paper, a novel and cost effective electrochemical method, which can simplify the process of reduction on a larger scale, is demonstrated. The electrochemical method proposed in this paper produces graphene in powder form with good yield. The atomic force microscopic images confirmed that the graphene samples prepared by all the routes have multilayers of graphene. The electrochemical process provided a new route to make relatively larger area graphene sheets, which will have interest for further patterning applications. Attempt was made to quantify the quantum of reduction using cyclic voltammetry and choronopotentiometry techniques on reduced graphene samples. As a measure in reading the specific capacitance values, a maximum specific capacitance value of 265.3 F/g was obtained in sodium borohydride reduced graphene oxide

Estimate of Possible CO2 Emission Reduction in Slovenia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Plavcak, V.-P.; Jevsek, F.; Tirsek, A.

1998-01-01

The first estimation of possible CO 2 emission reduction, according to the obligations from Kyoto Protocol, is prepared. The results show that the required 8% reduction of greenhouses gases in Slovenia in the period from 2008 to 2012 with regard to year 1986 will require a through analytical treatment not only in electric power sector but also in transport and industry sectors, which are the main pollutants. (author)

Coupled ferredoxin and crotonyl coenzyme A (CoA) reduction with NADH catalyzed by the butyryl-CoA dehydrogenase/Etf complex from Clostridium kluyveri.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Fuli; Hinderberger, Julia; Seedorf, Henning; Zhang, Jin; Buckel, Wolfgang; Thauer, Rudolf K

2008-02-01

Cell extracts of butyrate-forming clostridia have been shown to catalyze acetyl-coenzyme A (acetyl-CoA)- and ferredoxin-dependent formation of H2 from NADH. It has been proposed that these bacteria contain an NADH:ferredoxin oxidoreductase which is allosterically regulated by acetyl-CoA. We report here that ferredoxin reduction with NADH in cell extracts from Clostridium kluyveri is catalyzed by the butyryl-CoA dehydrogenase/Etf complex and that the acetyl-CoA dependence previously observed is due to the fact that the cell extracts catalyze the reduction of acetyl-CoA with NADH via crotonyl-CoA to butyryl-CoA. The cytoplasmic butyryl-CoA dehydrogenase complex was purified and is shown to couple the endergonic reduction of ferredoxin (E0' = -410 mV) with NADH (E0' = -320 mV) to the exergonic reduction of crotonyl-CoA to butyryl-CoA (E0' = -10 mV) with NADH. The stoichiometry of the fully coupled reaction is extrapolated to be as follows: 2 NADH + 1 oxidized ferredoxin + 1 crotonyl-CoA = 2 NAD+ + 1 ferredoxin reduced by two electrons + 1 butyryl-CoA. The implications of this finding for the energy metabolism of butyrate-forming anaerobes are discussed in the accompanying paper.

Characterization of SrCo1.5Ti1.5Fe9O19 hexagonal ferrite synthesized by sol-gel combustion and solid state route

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vinaykumar, R.; Mazumder, R.; Bera, J.

2017-01-01

Co-Ti co-substituted SrM hexagonal ferrite (SrCo 1.5 Ti 1.5 Fe 9 O 19 ) was synthesized by sol-gel combustion and solid state route. The effects of sources of TiO 2 raw materials; titanium tetra-isopropoxide (TTIP) and titanyl nitrate (TN) on the phase formation behavior and properties of the ferrite were studied. The thermal decomposition behavior of the gel was studied using TG-DSC. The phase formation behavior of the ferrite was studied by using X-ray powder diffraction and FTIR analysis. Phase formation was comparatively easier in the TN-based sol-gel process. The morphology of powder and sintered ferrite was investigated using scanning electron microscope. Magnetic properties like magnetization, coercivity, permeability, tan δ µ and dielectric properties were investigated. The ferrite synthesized by sol-gel based chemical route showed higher saturation magnetization, permeability and permittivity compared to the ferrite synthesized by solid state route. - Highlights: • SrCo 1.5 Ti 1.5 Fe 9 O 19 ferrite was successfully prepared by sol–gel combustion process. • Sol-gel synthesis of the ferrite using titanyl nitrate has been reported first time. • Phase formation was easier in the titanyl nitrate based sol-gel process. • Better magneto-dielectric properties were observed in sol-gel processed ferrite.

Surface-reconstructed Cu Electrode via a Facile Electrochemical Anodization-Reduction Process for Low Overpotential CO 2 reduction

KAUST Repository

Min, Shixiong

2017-03-21

A high-surface-area Cu electrode, fabricated by a simple electrochemical anodization-reduction method, exhibits high activity and selectivity for CO2 reduction at low overpotential in 0.1 M KHCO3 solution. A faradaic efficiency of 37% for HCOOH and 27% for CO production was achieved with the current density of 1.5 mA cm-2 at −0.64 V vs. RHE, much higher than that of polycrystalline Cu. The enhanced catalytic performance is a result of the formation of the high electrochemical active surface area and high density of preferred low-index facets.

Cross-Linked CoMoO4/rGO Nanosheets as Oxygen Reduction Catalyst

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jiaqi Fu

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Development of inexpensive and robust electrocatalysts towards oxygen reduction reaction (ORR is crucial for the cost-affordable manufacturing of metal-air batteries and fuel cells. Here we show that cross-linked CoMoO4 nanosheets and reduced graphene oxide (CoMoO4/rGO can be integrated in a hybrid material under one-pot hydrothermal conditions, yielding a composite material with promising catalytic activity for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR. Cyclic voltammetry (CV and linear sweep voltammetry (LSV were used to investigate the efficiency of the fabricated CoMoO4/rGO catalyst towards ORR in alkaline conditions. The CoMoO4/rGO composite revealed the main reduction peak and onset potential centered at 0.78 and 0.89 V (vs. RHE, respectively. This study shows that the CoMoO4/rGO composite is a highly promising catalyst for the ORR under alkaline conditions, and potential noble metal replacement cathode in fuel cells and metal-air batteries.

Surface modification and enhanced photocatalytic CO{sub 2} reduction performance of TiO{sub 2}: a review

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Low, Jingxiang; Cheng, Bei [State Key Laboratory of Advanced Technology for Materials Synthesis and Processing, Wuhan University of Technology, Luoshi Road 122, Wuhan 430070 (China); Yu, Jiaguo, E-mail: jiaguoyu@yahoo.com [State Key Laboratory of Advanced Technology for Materials Synthesis and Processing, Wuhan University of Technology, Luoshi Road 122, Wuhan 430070 (China); Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589 (Saudi Arabia)

2017-01-15

Highlights: • Application of modified TiO{sub 2} for photocatalytic CO{sub 2} reduction is summarized. • Different surface modification strategies of TiO{sub 2} are highlighted. • Summary and future perspectives in photocatalytic CO{sub 2} reduction are presented. - Abstract: Recently, the excessive consumption of fossil fuels has caused high emissions of the greenhouse gases, CO{sub 2} into atmosphere and global energy crisis. Mimicking the natural photosynthesis by using semiconductor materials to achieve photocatalytic CO{sub 2} reduction into valuable solar fuels such as CH{sub 4}, HCO{sub 2}H, CH{sub 2}O, and CH{sub 3}OH is known as one of the best solutions for addressing the aforementioned issue. Among various proposed photocatalysts, TiO{sub 2} has been extensively studied over the past several decades for photocatalytic CO{sub 2} reduction because of its cheapness and environmental friendliness. Particularly, surface modification of TiO{sub 2} has attracted numerous interests due to its capability of enhancing the light absorption ability, facilitating the electron-hole separation, tuning the CO{sub 2} reduction selectivity and increasing the CO{sub 2} adsorption and activation ability of TiO{sub 2} for photocatalytic CO{sub 2} reduction. In this review, recent approaches of the surface modification of TiO{sub 2} for photocatalytic CO{sub 2} reduction, including impurity doping, metal deposition, alkali modification, heterojunction construction and carbon-based material loading, are presented. The photocatalytic CO{sub 2} reduction mechanism and pathways of TiO{sub 2} are discussed. The future research direction and perspective of photocatalytic CO{sub 2} reduction over surface-modified TiO{sub 2} are also presented.

Thermogravimetric and Magnetic Studies of the Oxidation and Reduction Reaction of SmCoO3 to Nanostructured Sm2O3 and Co

Science.gov (United States)

Kelly, Brian; Cichocki, Ronald; Poirier, Gerald; Unruh, Karl

The SmCoO3 to nanostructured Sm2O3 and Co oxidation and reduction reaction has been studied by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) measurements in forming gas (FG) and inert N2 atmospheres, x-ray diffraction (XRD) and vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM). The TGA measurements showed two clearly resolvable reduction processes when heating in FG, from the initial SmCoO3 phase through an intermediate nanostructured mixture of Sm2O3 and CoO when heated to 330°C for several minutes, and then the conversion of CoO to metallic Co when heated above 500°C. These phases were confirmed by XRD and VSM. Similar measurements in N2 yielded little mass change below 900°C and coupled reduction processes at higher temperatures. Isoconversional measurements of the CoO to Co reduction reaction in FG yielded activation energies above 2eV/atom in the nanostructured system. This value is several times larger than those reported in the literature or obtained by similar measurements of bulk mixtures of Sm2O3 and CoO, suggesting the nanostructuring was the source of the large increase in activation energy.

Emissions allocation in transportation routes

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Leenders, B.P.J.; Velázquez Martínez, J.; Fransoo, J.C.

2017-01-01

This article studies the allocation of CO2 emissions to a specific shipment in routing transportation. The authors show that this problem differs from a cost allocation problem specifically because the concavity condition does not hold necessarily in the CO2 allocation problem. This implies that a

The role of CO* as a spectator in CO₂ electro-reduction on RuO₂

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bhowmik, Arghya; Hansen, Heine Anton; Vegge, Tejs

2017-01-01

evolution reaction (HER). We show that a moderate CO* coverage (∼50%) is necessary for obtaining methanol as a product and that higher CO* coverages leads to very low overpotential for formic acid evolution. Our analysis also clarifies the importance of the reaction condition for CO2 reduction to liquid......RuO2-based electrocatalysts are found to be active at low overpotential toward direct electrochemical reduction of CO2 to formic acid and methanol. RuO2 can circumvent the thermodynamic bottleneck resulting from the scaling relations observed on metallic electrocatalyst, by utilizing an alternate...

High-throughput synthesis of mixed-metal electrocatalysts for CO{sub 2} reduction

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

He, Jingfu; Dettelbach, Kevan E.; Li, Tengfei [Department of Chemistry, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC (Canada); Salvatore, Danielle A. [Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC (Canada); Berlinguette, Curtis P. [Department of Chemistry, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC (Canada); Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC (Canada)

2017-05-22

The utilization of CO{sub 2} as a feedstock requires fundamental breakthroughs in catalyst design. The efficiencies and activities of pure metal electrodes towards the CO{sub 2} reduction reaction are established, but the corresponding data on mixed-metal systems are not as well developed. In this study we show that the near-infrared driven decomposition (NIRDD) of solution-deposited films of metal salts and subsequent electrochemical reduction offers the unique opportunity to form an array of mixed-metal electrocatalyst coatings with excellent control of the metal stoichiometries. This synthetic method enabled us to develop an empirical structure-property correlation to help inform the development of optimized CO{sub 2} catalyst compositions. (copyright 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Backtracking search algorithm in CVRP models for efficient solid waste collection and route optimization.

Science.gov (United States)

Akhtar, Mahmuda; Hannan, M A; Begum, R A; Basri, Hassan; Scavino, Edgar

2017-03-01

Waste collection is an important part of waste management that involves different issues, including environmental, economic, and social, among others. Waste collection optimization can reduce the waste collection budget and environmental emissions by reducing the collection route distance. This paper presents a modified Backtracking Search Algorithm (BSA) in capacitated vehicle routing problem (CVRP) models with the smart bin concept to find the best optimized waste collection route solutions. The objective function minimizes the sum of the waste collection route distances. The study introduces the concept of the threshold waste level (TWL) of waste bins to reduce the number of bins to be emptied by finding an optimal range, thus minimizing the distance. A scheduling model is also introduced to compare the feasibility of the proposed model with that of the conventional collection system in terms of travel distance, collected waste, fuel consumption, fuel cost, efficiency and CO 2 emission. The optimal TWL was found to be between 70% and 75% of the fill level of waste collection nodes and had the maximum tightness value for different problem cases. The obtained results for four days show a 36.80% distance reduction for 91.40% of the total waste collection, which eventually increases the average waste collection efficiency by 36.78% and reduces the fuel consumption, fuel cost and CO 2 emission by 50%, 47.77% and 44.68%, respectively. Thus, the proposed optimization model can be considered a viable tool for optimizing waste collection routes to reduce economic costs and environmental impacts. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Synthesis carbon-encapsulated NiZn ferrite nanocomposites by in-situ starch coating route combined with hydrogen thermal reduction

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liu, Fuming [Department of Materials Chemistry, Nanchang Hangkong University, Nanchang 330063 (China); Xie, Yu, E-mail: xieyu_121@163.com [Department of Materials Chemistry, Nanchang Hangkong University, Nanchang 330063 (China); Key Laboratory of Photochemical Conversion and Optoelectronic Materials, TIPC, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190 (China); Duan, Junhong; Hua, Helin [Department of Materials Chemistry, Nanchang Hangkong University, Nanchang 330063 (China); Yu, Changlin, E-mail: yuchanglinjx@163.com [School of Metallurgy and Chemical Engineering, Jiangxi University of Science and Technology, Ganzhou 341000 (China); Gao, Yunhua [Key Laboratory of Photochemical Conversion and Optoelectronic Materials, TIPC, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190 (China); Huang, Yan; Pan, Jianfei; Ling, Yun [Department of Materials Chemistry, Nanchang Hangkong University, Nanchang 330063 (China)

2015-05-05

Carbon-encapsulated NiZn ferrite magnetic nanocomposites were successfully synthesized by an inexpensive and environment-friendly method of in-situ starch coating route combined with hydrogen thermal reduction. The nanocomposites were characterized in detail by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FT-IR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and vibrate sample magnetometer (VSM) and so on techniques. XRD, FT-IR, TGA and TEM images indicate the formation of carbon-encapsulated NiZn ferrite magnetic nanocomposites. XRD patterns reveal that the crystalline structure of the nanocomposites is cubic spinel and taenite emerges under the hydrogen thermal reductive ambient. FT-IR spectra suggest that there are interactions on the NiZn ferrite nanocomposites and a spinel-type structure corresponding to NiZn ferrite has formed. TGA shows that the weight loss of the nanocomposites can be divided into three stages in the course of heat decomposition. TEM observations reveal that the carbon-encapsulated NiZn ferrite magnetic nanocomposites have an intact core–shell structure. Under the magnetic field, the nanocomposites exhibited the ferrimagnetic behavior. The saturated magnetization (M{sub s}) of carbon-encapsulated NiZn ferrite nanocomposites calcined at 400 °C can reach a high value up to 72.67 emu/g, and the saturated magnetization (M{sub s}) decreases as the annealing temperature goes up, while the coercivity (Hc), magnetic residual (Mr) magnetic parameters practically fixed on 115.15 Oe and 7.85 emu/g. - Graphical abstract: Carbon-encapsulated NiZn ferrite magnetic nanocomposites were successfully synthesized by an inexpensive and environment-friendly method of in-situ starch coating route combined with hydrogen thermal reduction (Fig. 1). The nanocomposites were characterized and the experimental results were discussed. Under applied magnetic field, the nanocomposites exhibited the ferromagnetic behavior

A LOOP-BASED APPROACH IN CLUSTERING AND ROUTING IN MOBILE AD HOC NETWORKS

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Li Yanping; Wang Xin; Xue Xiangyang; C.K. Toh

2006-01-01

Although clustering is a convenient framework to enable traffic control and service support in Mobile Ad hoc NETworks (MANETs), it is seldom adopted in practice due to the additional traffic overhead it leads to for the resource limited ad hoc network. In order to address this problem, we proposed a loop-based approach to combine clustering and routing. By employing loop topologies, topology information is disseminated with a loop instead of a single node, which provides better robustness, and the nature of a loop that there are two paths between each pair of nodes within a loop suggests smart route recovery strategy. Our approach is composed of setup procedure, regular procedure and recovery procedure to achieve clustering, routing and emergent route recovering.

Ni–Fe–S Cubanes in CO2 Reduction Electrocatalysis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Varley, J. B.; Hansen, H. A.; Ammitzbøll, Nadia Luciw

2013-01-01

In this work, we perform extensive mechanistic studies of CO2 (electro)reduction by analogs to the active sites of carbon monoxide dehydrogenase (CODH) enzymes. We explore structure–property relationships for different cluster compositions and interpret the results with a model for CO2...... electroreduction we recently developed and applied to transition metal catalysts. Our results validate the effectiveness of the CODH in catalyzing this important reaction and give insight into why specific cluster compositions were adopted by nature....

Electrochemical CO2 Reduction by Ni-containing Iron Sulfides: How Is CO2 Electrochemically Reduced at Bisulfide-Bearing Deep-sea Hydrothermal Precipitates?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamaguchi, Akira; Yamamoto, Masahiro; Takai, Ken; Ishii, Takumi; Hashimoto, Kazuhito; Nakamura, Ryuhei

2014-01-01

The discovery of deep-sea hydrothermal vents on the late 1970's has led to many hypotheses concerning chemical evolution in the prebiotic ocean and the early evolution of energy metabolism in ancient Earth. Such studies stand on the quest for the bioenergetic evolution to utilize reducing chemicals such as H 2 for CO 2 reduction and carbon assimilation. In addition to the direct reaction of H 2 and CO 2 , the electrical current passing across a bisulfide-bearing chimney structure has pointed to the possible electrocatalytic CO 2 reduction at the cold ocean-vent interface (R. Nakamura, et al. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2010, 49, 7692 − 7694). To confirm the validity of this hypothesis, here, we examined the energetics of electrocatalytic CO 2 reduction by iron sulfide (FeS) deposits at slightly acidic pH. Although FeS deposits inefficiently reduced CO 2 , the efficiency of the reaction was substantially improved by the substitution of Fe with Ni to form FeNi 2 S 4 (violarite), of which surface was further modified with amine compounds. The potential-dependent activity of CO 2 reduction demonstrated that CO 2 reduction by H 2 in hydrothermal fluids was involved in a strong endergonic electron transfer reaction, suggesting that a naturally occurring proton-motive force (PMF) as high as 200 mV would be established across the hydrothermal vent chimney wall. However, in the chimney structures, H 2 generation competes with CO 2 reduction for electrical current, resulting in rapid consumption of the PMF. Therefore, to maintain the PMF and the electrosynthesis of organic compounds in hydrothermal vent mineral deposits, we propose a homeostatic pH regulation mechanism of FeS deposits, in which elemental hydrogen stored in the hydrothermal mineral deposits is used to balance the consumption of the electrochemical gradient by H 2 generation

Surface structured platinum electrodes for the electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide in imidazolium based ionic liquids.

Science.gov (United States)

Hanc-Scherer, Florin A; Montiel, Miguel A; Montiel, Vicente; Herrero, Enrique; Sánchez-Sánchez, Carlos M

2015-10-07

The direct CO2 electrochemical reduction on model platinum single crystal electrodes Pt(hkl) is studied in [C2mim(+)][NTf2(-)], a suitable room temperature ionic liquid (RTIL) medium due to its moderate viscosity, high CO2 solubility and conductivity. Single crystal electrodes represent the most convenient type of surface structured electrodes for studying the impact of RTIL ion adsorption on relevant electrocatalytic reactions, such as surface sensitive electrochemical CO2 reduction. We propose here based on cyclic voltammetry and in situ electrolysis measurements, for the first time, the formation of a stable adduct [C2mimH-CO2(-)] by a radical-radical coupling after the simultaneous reduction of CO2 and [C2mim(+)]. It means between the CO2 radical anion and the radical formed from the reduction of the cation [C2mim(+)] before forming the corresponding electrogenerated carbene. This is confirmed by the voltammetric study of a model imidazolium-2-carboxylate compound formed following the carbene pathway. The formation of that stable adduct [C2mimH-CO2(-)] blocks CO2 reduction after a single electron transfer and inhibits CO2 and imidazolium dimerization reactions. However, the electrochemical reduction of CO2 under those conditions provokes the electrochemical cathodic degradation of the imidazolium based RTIL. This important limitation in CO2 recycling by direct electrochemical reduction is overcome by adding a strong acid, [H(+)][NTf2(-)], into solution. Then, protons become preferentially adsorbed on the electrode surface by displacing the imidazolium cations and inhibiting their electrochemical reduction. This fact allows the surface sensitive electro-synthesis of HCOOH from CO2 reduction in [C2mim(+)][NTf2(-)], with Pt(110) being the most active electrode studied.

Synthesis of aqueous ferrofluids of ZnxFe3−xO4 nanoparticles by citric acid assisted hydrothermal-reduction route for magnetic hyperthermia applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Behdadfar, Behshid; Kermanpur, Ahmad; Sadeghi-Aliabadi, Hojjat; Morales, Maria del Puerto; Mozaffari, Morteza

2012-01-01

Superparamagnetic and monodispersed aqueous ferrofluids of Zn substituted magnetite nanoparticles (Zn x Fe 3−x O 4 , x=0, 0.25, 0.3, 0.37 and 0.4) were synthesized via hydrothermal-reduction route in the presence of citric acid, which is a facile, low energy and environmental friendly method. The synthesized nanoparticles were characterized by X ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM and TEM) and the dynamic light scattering (DLS) method. The results showed that a certain amount of citric acid was required to obtain single phase Zn substituted magnetite nanoparticles. Citric acid acted as a modulator and reducing agent in the formation of spinel structure and controlled nanoparticle size and crystallinity. Mean particle sizes of the prepared nanoparticles were around 10 nm. The results that are obtained from XRD, magnetic and power loss measurements showed that the crystallinity, saturation magnetization (M S ) and loss power of the synthesized ferrofluids were all influenced by the substitution of Zn in the structure of magnetite. The Zn substituted magnetite nanoparticles obtained by this route showed a good stability in aqueous medium (pH 7) and hydrodynamic sizes below 100 nm and polydispersity indexes below 0.2. The calculated intrinsic loss power (ILP) for the sample x=0.3 (e.g. 2.36 nH m 2 /kg) was comparable to ILP of commercial ferrofluids with similar hydrodynamic sizes. - Highlights: ► We synthesized Zn substituted magnetite nanoparticles via hydrothermal-reduction route. ► We used citric acid as a reducing agent in this route. ► This route is a facile, low energy and environmental friendly method. ► The nanoparticles obtained by this route were superparamagnetic and stable in water. ► The calculated intrinsic loss power for the sample x=0.3 was 2.36 nH m 2 /kg.

CO2 Reduction Catalyzed by Nitrogenase: Pathways to Formate, Carbon Monoxide, and Methane

OpenAIRE

Khadka, Nimesh; Dean, Dennis R.; Smith, Dayle; Hoffman, Brian M.; Raugei, Simone; Seefeldt, Lance C.

2016-01-01

The reduction of N2 to NH3 by Mo-dependent nitrogenase at its active-site metal cluster FeMo-cofactor utilizes reductive elimination (re) of Fe-bound hydrides with obligatory loss of H2 to activate the enzyme for binding/reduction of N2. Earlier work showed that wild type nitrogenase and a nitrogenase having amino acid substitutions in the MoFe protein near FeMo-cofactor can catalytically reduce CO2 by 2 or 8 electrons/protons to carbon monoxide (CO) and methane (CH4) at low rates. Here, it i...

Topotactic reduction of YBaCo2O5 and LaBaCo2O5: square-planar Co(I) in an extended oxide.

Science.gov (United States)

Seddon, James; Suard, Emmanuelle; Hayward, Michael A

2010-03-03

The low-temperature reduction of YBaCo(2)O(5) and LaBaCo(2)O(5) with NaH to form YBaCo(2)O(4.5) and YBaCo(2)O(4.25), respectively, demonstrates that the structures of anion-deficient materials formed by such topotactic reductions can be directed by the ordering and identity of the A-site cations. YBaCo(2)O(4.5) adopts a structure consisting of a corner-shared network of square-based pyramidal CoO(5) and distorted tetrahedral CoO(4) units. The structure of LaBaCoO(4.25) is more complex, consisting of an array of square-based pyramidal CoO(5), distorted tetrahedral CoO(4), and square planar CoO(4) units. Magnetic susceptibility and variable-temperature neutron diffraction data reveal that YBaCo(2)O(4.5) adopts a G-type antiferromagnetically ordered structure below T(N) approximately 280 K. LaBaCo(2)O(4.25) also adopts antiferromagnetic order (T(N) approximately 325 K) with ordered moments consistent with the presence of square-planar, low-spin, s = 0, Co(I) centers. A detailed analysis reveals that the different anion vacancy ordered structures adopted by the two REBaCo(2)O(5-x) phases are directed by the relative sizes and ordering of the La(3+) and Y(3+) cations. This suggests that ordered arrangements of A-cations can be used to direct the anion vacancy order in topotactically reduced phases, allowing the preparation of novel metal-oxygen networks containing unusual transition metal coordination environments.

Just how convenient is convenience? An empirical study of the associations between perceived convenience, meal preparation activities and ready meals' characteristics

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Costa, Ana I.A.; Ruijschop, R. M. A. J.

2006-01-01

Parallel to considerations about settings, selection of the appropriate level of time, effort and care to be put into meal preparation is an important determinant of food choice. Nevertheless, significant relations between the time/energy consumers are willing to devote to food preparation...... and the types of meals they eat are surprisingly hard to find. One explanation for this could be that perceived convenience finds little support on the technological attributes of products like ready meals. This study's aim was to uncover significant relations between perceived convenience, meal preparation...... activities and technological attributes of frozen pizzas. Ninety-eight Dutch meal preparers, 18-29 years old, were asked to rate expected convenience attributes of frozen pizzas; (2) prepare and consume these pizzas in a home-like setting; (3) rate experienced convenience after consumption. Pizzas were also...

Magnetic behavior of nickel ferrite nanoparticles prepared by co-precipitation route

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maaz, K.; Mashiatullah, A.; Javed, T.; Ali, G.; Karim, S.

2008-01-01

Magnetic nanoparticles of nickel ferrite (NiFe/sub 2/O/sub 4/) have been synthesized by co-precipitation route using stable ferric and nickel salts with sodium hydroxide as the precipitating agent and oleic acid as the surfactant. X-ray Diffraction (XRD) and Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM) analyses confirmed the formation of single phase nickel ferrite nanoparticles in the range 8-28 nm. The size of the particles was observed to be increasing linearly with increasing annealing temperature of the sample. Typical blocking effects were observed below -225 K for all the prepared samples. The superparamagnetic blocking temperature was found to be continuously increasing with increasing particle sizes that has been attributed to the increased effective anisotropy of the nanoparticles. The saturation moment of all the samples was found much below the bulk value of nickel ferrite that has been attributed to the disordered surface spins of these nanoparticles. (author)

Economic efficiency of CO2 reduction programs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tahvonen, O.; Storch, H. von; Storch, J. von

1993-01-01

A highly simplified time-dependent low-dimensional system has been designed to describe conceptually the interaction of climate and economy. Enhanced emission of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) is understood as the agent that not only favors instantaneous consumption but also causes unfavorable climate changes at a later time. The problem of balancing these two counterproductive effects of CO 2 emissions on a finite time horizon is considered. The climate system is represented by just two parameters, namely a globally averaged near-surface air-temperature and a globally averaged troposheric CO 2 concentration. The costs of abating CO 2 emissions are monitored by a function which depends quadratically on the percentage reduction of emission compared to an 'uncontrolled emission' scenario. Parameters are fitted to historical climate data and to estimates from studies of CO 2 abatement costs. Two optimization approaches, which differ from earlier attempts to describe the interaction of economy and climate, are discussed. In the 'cost oriented' strategy an optimal emission path is identified which balances the abatement costs and explicitly formulated damage costs. These damage costs, whose estimates are very uncertain, are hypothesized to be a linear function of the time-derivative of temperature. In the 'target oriented' strategy an emission path is chosen so that the abatement costs are minimal while certain restrictions on the terminal temperature and concentration change are met. (orig.)

CuZn Alloy- Based Electrocatalyst for CO2 Reduction

KAUST Repository

Alazmi, Amira

2014-01-01

, especially when the electronic energy is derived from renewable energies, such as solar, wind, geo-thermal and tidal. To achieve this goal, the development of an efficient electrocatalyst for CO2 reduction is essential. In this thesis, studies on CuZn alloys

Controlling selectivities in CO2 reduction through mechanistic understanding

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Xiang; Shi, Hui; Szanyi, János

2017-09-11

Catalytic CO2 conversion to energy carriers and intermediates is of utmost importance to energy and environmental goals. However, the lack of fundamental understanding of the reaction mechanism renders designing a selective catalyst inefficient. We performed operando FTIR/SSITKA experiments to understand the correlation between the kinetics of product formation and that of surface species conversion during CO2 reduction over Pd/Al2O3 catalysts. We found that the rate-determining step for CO formation is the conversion of adsorbed formate, while that for CH4 formation is the hydrogenation of adsorbed carbonyl. The balance of the hydrogenation kinetics between adsorbed formates and carbonyls governs the selectivities to CH4 and CO. We demonstrated how this knowledge can be used to design catalysts to achieve high selectivities to desired products.

A supply chain optimization framework for CO2 emission reduction : Case of the Netherlands

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kalyanarengan Ravi, N.; Zondervan, E.; van Sint Annaland, M.; Fransoo, J.C.; Grievink, J.; Claus, T.; Herrmann, F.; Manitz, M.; Rose, O.

2016-01-01

A major challenge for the industrial deployment of a CO2 emission reduction methodology is to reduce the overall cost and the integration of all the nodes in the supply chain for CO2 emission reduction. In this work, we develop a mixed integer linear optimization model that selects appropriate

Coupled Ferredoxin and Crotonyl Coenzyme A (CoA) Reduction with NADH Catalyzed by the Butyryl-CoA Dehydrogenase/Etf Complex from Clostridium kluyveri▿ †

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Fuli; Hinderberger, Julia; Seedorf, Henning; Zhang, Jin; Buckel, Wolfgang; Thauer, Rudolf K.

2008-01-01

Cell extracts of butyrate-forming clostridia have been shown to catalyze acetyl-coenzyme A (acetyl-CoA)- and ferredoxin-dependent formation of H2 from NADH. It has been proposed that these bacteria contain an NADH:ferredoxin oxidoreductase which is allosterically regulated by acetyl-CoA. We report here that ferredoxin reduction with NADH in cell extracts from Clostridium kluyveri is catalyzed by the butyryl-CoA dehydrogenase/Etf complex and that the acetyl-CoA dependence previously observed is due to the fact that the cell extracts catalyze the reduction of acetyl-CoA with NADH via crotonyl-CoA to butyryl-CoA. The cytoplasmic butyryl-CoA dehydrogenase complex was purified and is shown to couple the endergonic reduction of ferredoxin (E0′ = −410 mV) with NADH (E0′ = −320 mV) to the exergonic reduction of crotonyl-CoA to butyryl-CoA (E0′ = −10 mV) with NADH. The stoichiometry of the fully coupled reaction is extrapolated to be as follows: 2 NADH + 1 oxidized ferredoxin + 1 crotonyl-CoA = 2 NAD+ + 1 ferredoxin reduced by two electrons + 1 butyryl-CoA. The implications of this finding for the energy metabolism of butyrate-forming anaerobes are discussed in the accompanying paper. PMID:17993531

Heterologous Expression of the Clostridium carboxidivorans CO Dehydrogenase Alone or Together with the Acetyl Coenzyme A Synthase Enables both Reduction of CO2 and Oxidation of CO by Clostridium acetobutylicum.

Science.gov (United States)

Carlson, Ellinor D; Papoutsakis, Eleftherios T

2017-08-15

With recent advances in synthetic biology, CO 2 could be utilized as a carbon feedstock by native or engineered organisms, assuming the availability of electrons. Two key enzymes used in autotrophic CO 2 fixation are the CO dehydrogenase (CODH) and acetyl coenzyme A (acetyl-CoA) synthase (ACS), which form a bifunctional heterotetrameric complex. The CODH/ACS complex can reversibly catalyze CO 2 to CO, effectively enabling a biological water-gas shift reaction at ambient temperatures and pressures. The CODH/ACS complex is part of the Wood-Ljungdahl pathway (WLP) used by acetogens to fix CO 2 , and it has been well characterized in native hosts. So far, only a few recombinant CODH/ACS complexes have been expressed in heterologous hosts, none of which demonstrated in vivo CO 2 reduction. Here, functional expression of the Clostridium carboxidivorans CODH/ACS complex is demonstrated in the solventogen Clostridium acetobutylicum , which was engineered to express CODH alone or together with the ACS. Both strains exhibited CO 2 reduction and CO oxidation activities. The CODH reactions were interrogated using isotopic labeling, thus verifying that CO was a direct product of CO 2 reduction, and vice versa. CODH apparently uses a native C. acetobutylicum ferredoxin as an electron carrier for CO 2 reduction. Heterologous CODH activity depended on actively growing cells and required the addition of nickel, which is inserted into CODH without the need to express the native Ni insertase protein. Increasing CO concentrations in the gas phase inhibited CODH activity and altered the metabolite profile of the CODH-expressing cells. This work provides the foundation for engineering a complete and functional WLP in nonnative host organisms. IMPORTANCE Functional expression of CO dehydrogenase (CODH) from Clostridium carboxidivorans was demonstrated in C. acetobutylicum , which is natively incapable of CO 2 fixation. The expression of CODH, alone or together with the C. carboxidivorans

Investigation of CO2 emission reduction strategy from in-use gasoline vehicle

Science.gov (United States)

Choudhary, Arti; Gokhale, Sharad

2016-04-01

On road transport emissions is kicking off in Indian cities due to high levels of urbanization and economic growth during the last decade in Indian subcontinent. In 1951, about 17% of India's population were living in urban areas that increased to 32% in 2011. Currently, India is fourth largest Green House Gas (GHG) emitter in the world, with its transport sector being the second largest contributor of CO2 emissions. For achieving prospective carbon reduction targets, substantial opportunity among in-use vehicle is necessary to quantify. Since, urban traffic flow and operating condition has significant impact on exhaust emission (Choudhary and Gokhale, 2016). This study examined the influence of vehicular operating kinetics on CO2 emission from predominant private transportation vehicles of Indian metropolitan city, Guwahati. On-board instantaneous data were used to quantify the impact of CO2 emission on different mileage passenger cars and auto-rickshaws at different times of the day. Further study investigates CO2 emission reduction strategies by using International Vehicle Emission (IVE) model to improve co-benefit in private transportation by integrated effort such as gradual phase-out of inefficient vehicle and low carbon fuel. The analysis suggests that fuel type, vehicles maintenance and traffic flow management have potential for reduction of urban sector GHG emissions. Keywords: private transportation, CO2, instantaneous emission, IVE model Reference Choudhary, A., Gokhale, S. (2016). Urban real-world driving traffic emissions during interruption and congestion. Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment 43: 59-70.

The global warming game - simulations of a CO2 reduction agreement

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fankhauser, S.; Kverndokk, S.

1992-06-01

The paper analyses incentives for and the benefits of a possible international cooperation to reduce CO-2-emissions. The negotiations are modeled as a (static) reciprocal-externality-game in CO 2 -emissions between five world regions. CO 2 -emissions affect the players in two ways: First, each country's income depends (via energy inputs) on the amount of CO 2 emitted. On the other hand, emissions may cause future damage due to climate change. Without cooperation, each player maximizes its net benefits in setting marginal income equal to its marginal damage cost (Nash equilibrium). Under full cooperation marginal income equals the sum of the marginal damages (social optimum). The paper presents simulations of these two equilibria. Compared to the situation where no attention is paid to the greenhouse effect (the business as usual scenario), emission reductions under the Nash equilibrium can be interpreted as incentives for unilateral actions. According to the simulation results, this can only be expected from OECD countries. The results also imply that a socially optimal treaty, while clearly beneficial for the world in its entirety, may only be achieved if side payments are offered to at least China and the former Soviet Union, and probably the USA. The optimal global emission reductions in this study are on average lower than the reductions recommended by international conferences. 34 refs., 2 figs., 9 tabs

Chips in black boxes? Convenience life span, parafood, brandwidth, families, and co-creation.

Science.gov (United States)

Jacobs, Marc

2015-11-01

Any consumer who opens a bag of potato or corn chips (or crisps in the UK) knows there is no time to waste to enjoy or share them. The convenience life span of chips is limited: it is the shelf or storage life and a very limited time once outside the bag. Many technologies converge to generate the desired effect as a black box, not only of the packaging but also of the chips themselves. The concept of paratext can be applied to printed messages on the package, including the brand name and other texts like advertising (epitexts), which can be expanded into the concept of parafood. These concepts help to discuss technological developments and interpret why this has recently become a negotiation zone for co-creation (see the Do us a flavor campaigns). They are symptoms of changing relations between production, research and development, marketing, and consumption. This paper pays special attention to back stories, underdog brand biographies and narratives about origin. The concept of brandwidth is introduced to sensitize about the limits of combining different stories about chips. A recent brand biography, a family history and a cookery book are used to discuss the phenomenon of cooking with Fritos. Together with the concepts of parafood, brandwidth and black boxes, more reflection and dialogue about the role of history and heritage in marketing put new challenging perspectives on the agenda. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

An Insight into the Convenience and Efficiency of the Freeze-Drying Route to Construct 3D Graphene-Based Hybrids for Lithium-Ion Batteries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ding, Caihua; Zhao, Yongjie; Yan, Dong; Zhao, Yuzhen; Zhou, Heping; Li, Jingbo; Jin, Haibo

2016-01-01

Constructing hybrids of transition metal oxides with different kinds of carbon based materials has attracted a lot of attention recently. However, scalable synthesis of homogeneous hybrids with active controllable of microstructure remains great challenge. Here, we proposed a convenient and efficient strategy named freeze-drying process for scalable production of 3D NiO/graphene hybrids. With a controllable procedure, NiO microflowers and graphene layers could preserve uniform configuration from fully mixed solvent to final hybrids materials. The mechanical stability and electrical conductivity of NiO microflowers was increased by graphene. NiO microflowers as spacers intercalated into graphene layers and effectively prevented it from aggregation or restacking, leading to a high specific surface area in hybrids. The NiO/graphene exhibited enhanced cycle stability and rate performance when evaluated as an anode for lithium ion batteries. It rendered high specific capacities about 1000 mA h g −1 after 70 cycles, and 770 mA h g −1 after 100 cycles at 300 mA g −1 . Excellent electrochemical properties were probably ascribed to the synergistic effect of NiO microflowers and graphene layers, as a result of smart structure design by a freeze-drying route. This strategy with merits of rational construction and scalable production could establish new aspects for diverse hybrid towards industrialization.

Convenience food products. Drivers for consumption.

Science.gov (United States)

Brunner, Thomas A; van der Horst, Klazine; Siegrist, Michael

2010-12-01

Convenience is one of the big trends in the food business. The demand for convenience food products is steadily increasing; therefore, understanding convenience food consumption is an important issue. Despite being vital properties of convenience food, saving time and effort have not been very successful constructs for predicting convenience food consumption. To examine a wide range of possible drivers for convenience food consumption, the present study uses a convenience food frequency questionnaire that asks about consumption behavior. A paper-and-pencil questionnaire was sent out to a representative sample of people in German-speaking Switzerland and yielded N = 918 complete datasets from persons mainly responsible for buying and preparing food in the household. The various convenience food products could be categorized into four groups, which we labeled as highly processed food items, moderately processed food items, single components, and salads. Fifteen drivers were found to have a significant impact either on total convenience consumption or on one of the identified categories. Strong predictors were age, concern about naturalness, nutrition knowledge, and cooking skills. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Strategy development for improving competitiveness of a Chinese local convenience store Case of Suguo Co., Ltd

OpenAIRE

Wang, Xiang; Ju, Wei

2014-01-01

The topic of the thesis is improving the competitiveness of the case company. We will regard Suguo as the case compamy. We focused on a Chinese local convenience store, and compared it in four perspectives with an international convenience store which has already entered the Chinese market successfully. The four perspectives are market perspective, customer perspective, management perspective, and decorative style perspective. In addition, we created a strategic map on the basis of the consum...

CO2 photoreduction using NiO/InTaO4 in optical-fiber reactor for renewable energy

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wang, Zhen-Yi; Chou, Hung-Chi; Wu, Jeffrey C.S.; Tsai, Din Ping; Mul, Guido

2010-01-01

The photocatalytic reduction of CO2 into fuels provides a direct route to produce renewable energy from sunlight. NiO loaded InTaO4 photocatalyst was prepared by a sol–gel method. Aqueous-phase CO2 photoreduction was performed in a quartz reactor to search for the highest photoactivity in a series

Alternative route for the preparation of CoSb3 and Mg2Si derivatives

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Godlewska, E.; Mars, K.; Zawadzka, K.

2012-01-01

An alternative manufacturing route has been developed for cobalt triantimonide and magnesium disilicide derivatives. Elemental powders were mixed in stoichiometric proportions, cold pressed into cylindrical preforms and heated in oxygen-free environment to initiate the exothermic reaction. According to DTA/TG measurements and observations under high-temperature microscope, the onset of reaction occurred at a temperature not exceeding the melting point of the more volatile component, i.e. antimony in the case of CoSb 3 and magnesium in the case of Mg 2 Si. The reaction products were additionally heat treated to secure homogenization. Dense sinters were obtained by hot uniaxial pressing of the obtained powders in moderate temperature-and-pressure conditions. Several advantages were identified in the proposed technology: absence of liquid phases, relatively short time of the synthesis, possibility of in-situ or ex-situ doping and grain size control. - Graphical abstract: (1) Manufacturing flow sheet for CoSb 3 (milling included) and Mg 2 Si (no milling). (2) Micrographs of CoSb 3 product. (3) Micrographs of Mg 2 Si product. Highlights: ► The combustion synthesis followed by HP was used for the manufacturing of CoSb 3 or Mg 2 Si. ► The time of reaction is shorter compared with many other synthesis methods. ► The process is scalable and practically wasteless.

Commercial Motion Sensor Based Low-Cost and Convenient Interactive Treadmill

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jonghyun Kim

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Interactive treadmills were developed to improve the simulation of overground walking when compared to conventional treadmills. However, currently available interactive treadmills are expensive and inconvenient, which limits their use. We propose a low-cost and convenient version of the interactive treadmill that does not require expensive equipment and a complicated setup. As a substitute for high-cost sensors, such as motion capture systems, a low-cost motion sensor was used to recognize the subject’s intention for speed changing. Moreover, the sensor enables the subject to make a convenient and safe stop using gesture recognition. For further cost reduction, the novel interactive treadmill was based on an inexpensive treadmill platform and a novel high-level speed control scheme was applied to maximize performance for simulating overground walking. Pilot tests with ten healthy subjects were conducted and results demonstrated that the proposed treadmill achieves similar performance to a typical, costly, interactive treadmill that contains a motion capture system and an instrumented treadmill, while providing a convenient and safe method for stopping.

A stable and convenient protein electrophoresis titration device with bubble removing system.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Qiang; Fan, Liu-Yin; Li, Wen-Lin; Cong, Feng-Song; Zhong, Ran; Chen, Jing-Jing; He, Yu-Chen; Xiao, Hua; Cao, Cheng-Xi

2017-07-01

Moving reaction boundary titration (MRBT) has a potential application to immunoassay and protein content analysis with high selectivity. However, air bubbles often impair the accuracy of MRBT, and the leakage of electrolyte greatly decreases the safety and convenience of electrophoretic titration. Addressing these two issues a reliable MRBT device with modified electrolyte chamber of protein titration was designed. Multiphysics computer simulation was conducted for optimization according to two-phase flow. The single chamber was made of two perpendicular cylinders with different diameters. After placing electrophoretic tube, the resident air in the junction next to the gel could be eliminated by a simple fast electrolyte flow. Removing the electrophoretic tube automatically prevented electrolyte leakage at the junction due to the gravity-induced negative pressure within the chamber. Moreover, the numerical simulation and experiments showed that the improved MRBT device has following advantages: (i) easy and rapid setup of electrophoretic tube within 20 s; (ii) simple and quick bubble dissipates from the chamber of titration within 2 s; (iii) no electrolyte leakage from the two chambers: and (iv) accurate protein titration and safe instrumental operation. The developed technique and apparatus greatly improves the performance of the previous MRBT device, and providing a new route toward practical application. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

A supply chain optimization framework for CO2 emission reduction: Case of the Netherlands

OpenAIRE

Kalyanarengan Ravi, N.; Zondervan, E.; van Sint Annaland, M.; Fransoo, J.C.; Grievink, J.; Claus, T.; Herrmann, F.; Manitz, M.; Rose, O.

2016-01-01

A major challenge for the industrial deployment of a CO2 emission reduction methodology is to reduce the overall cost and the integration of all the nodes in the supply chain for CO2 emission reduction. In this work, we develop a mixed integer linear optimization model that selects appropriate sources, capture process, transportation network and CO2 storage sites and optimize for a minimum overall cost. Initially, we screen the sources and storage options available in the Netherlands at diffe...

CO_2 emissions and energy intensity reduction allocation over provincial industrial sectors in China

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu, Jie; Zhu, Qingyuan; Liang, Liang

2016-01-01

Highlights: • DEA is used to evaluate the energy and environmental efficiency of 30 provincial industrial sector in China. • A new DEA-based model is proposed to allocate the CO_2 emissions and energy intensity reduction targets. • The context-dependent DEA is used to characterize the production plans. - Abstract: High energy consumption by the industry of developing countries has led to the problems of increasing emission of greenhouse gases (GHG) (primarily CO_2) and worsening energy shortages. To address these problems, many mitigation measures have been utilized. One major measure is to mandate fixed reductions of GHG emission and energy consumption. Therefore, it is important for each developing country to disaggregate their national reduction targets into targets for various geographical parts of the country. In this paper, we propose a DEA-based approach to allocate China’s national CO_2 emissions and energy intensity reduction targets over Chinese provincial industrial sectors. We firstly evaluate the energy and environmental efficiency of Chinese industry considering energy consumption and GHG emissions. Then, considering the necessity of mitigating GHG emission and energy consumption, we develop a context-dependent DEA technique which can better characterize the changeable production with reductions of CO_2 emission and energy intensity, to help allocate the national reduction targets over provincial industrial sectors. Our empirical study of 30 Chinese regions for the period 2005–2010 shows that the industry of China had poor energy and environmental efficiency. Considering three major geographical areas, eastern China’s industrial sector had the highest efficiency scores while in this aspect central and western China were similar to each other at a lower level. Our study shows that the most effective allocation of the national reduction target requires most of the 30 regional industrial to reduce CO_2 emission and energy intensity, while a

Co-benefit analysis of an air quality management plan and greenhouse gas reduction strategies in the Seoul metropolitan area

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chae, Yeora

2010-01-01

This study assesses the co-benefits of an air quality management plan and CO 2 emission control measures in the Seoul metropolitan area. This co-benefit analysis includes NO x , PM 10 and CO 2 emission reductions and cost estimations, yielding cost-effectiveness values for each of the measures. It has been found that fuel switching from BC-oil to LNG, CNG bus operation are most cost effective in NO x and PM 10 emission reduction. For CO 2 emission reduction, landfill gas reuse and fuel switching were the most effective option. The correlation of cost-effectiveness analysis indicated that fuel switching and CNG bus operation were the most cost effective option to reduce NO x and CO 2 , PM 10 and CO 2 emissions at the same time. Based on cost effectiveness and co-benefit analysis, this study developed an alternative scenario of emission reduction measures through optimization in order to achieve both air quality improvements and CO 2 reduction targets at the minimum cost. These integrated environmental strategies make it possible to reduce 10.3 Mt of CO 2 emissions, which is beyond the target of the CO 2 reduction strategy, and achieve air quality improvement targets together and at a lower cost than the CO 2 emission reduction and air quality improvement measures combined.

Microstructure and mechanical properties of NiCoCrAlYTa alloy processed by press and sintering route

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pereira, J.C., E-mail: jpereira@uc.edu.ve [Instituto de Tecnología de Materiales, Universidad Politécnica de Valencia, Camino de vera s/n, Valencia, España (Spain); Centro de Investigaciones en Mecánica, Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad de Carabobo (Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of); Zambrano, J.C. [Centro de Investigaciones en Mecánica, Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad de Carabobo (Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of); Afonso, C.R.M. [Departamento de Engenharia de Materiais, Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCar), São Carlos, SP (Brazil); Amigó, V. [Instituto de Tecnología de Materiales, Universidad Politécnica de Valencia, Camino de vera s/n, Valencia, España (Spain)

2015-03-15

Nickel-based superalloys such as NiCoCrAlY are widely used in high-temperature applications, such as gas turbine components in the energy and aerospace industries, due to their strength, high elastic modulus, and high-temperature oxidation resistance. However, the processing of these alloys is complex and costly, and the alloys are currently used as a bond coat in thermal barrier coatings. In this work, the effect of cold press and sintering processing parameters on the microstructure and mechanical properties of NiCoCrAlY alloy were studied using the powder metallurgy route as a new way to obtain NiCoCrAlYTa samples from a gas atomized prealloyed powder feedstock. High mechanical strength and adequate densification up to 98% were achieved. The most suitable compaction pressure and sintering temperature were determined for NiCoCrAlYTa alloy through microstructure characterization. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and energy dispersive spectroscopy microanalysis (EDS) were performed to confirm the expected γ-Ni matrix and β-NiAl phase distribution. Additionally, the results demonstrated the unexpected presence of carbides and Ni–Y-rich zones in the microstructure due to the powder metallurgy processing parameters used. Thus, microhardness, nanoindentation and uniaxial compression tests were conducted to correlate the microstructure of the alloy samples with their mechanical properties under the different studied conditions. The results show that the compaction pressure did not significantly affect the mechanical properties of the alloy samples. In this work, the compaction pressures of 400, 700 and 1000 MPa were used. The sintering temperature of 1200 °C for NiCoCrAlYTa alloy was preferred; above this temperature, the improvement in mechanical properties is not significant due to grain coarsening, whereas a lower temperature produces a decrease in mechanical properties due to high porosity and

Probing the Active Surface Sites for CO Reduction on Oxide-Derived Copper Electrocatalysts

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Verdaguer Casadevall, Arnau; Li, Christina W.; Johansson, Tobias Peter

2015-01-01

CO electroreduction activity on oxide-derived Cu (OD-Cu) was found to correlate with metastable surface features that bind CO strongly. OD-Cu electrodes prepared by H-2 reduction of Cu2O precursors reduce CO to acetate and ethanol with nearly 50% Faradaic efficiency at moderate overpotential. Tem...

Climate change air toxic co-reduction in the context of macroeconomic modelling.

Science.gov (United States)

Crawford-Brown, Douglas; Chen, Pi-Cheng; Shi, Hsiu-Ching; Chao, Chia-Wei

2013-08-15

This paper examines the health implications of global PM reduction accompanying greenhouse gas emissions reductions in the 180 national economies of the global macroeconomy. A human health effects module based on empirical data on GHG emissions, PM emissions, background PM concentrations, source apportionment and human health risk coefficients is used to estimate reductions in morbidity and mortality from PM exposures globally as co-reduction of GHG reductions. These results are compared against the "fuzzy bright line" that often underlies regulatory decisions for environmental toxics, and demonstrate that the risk reduction through PM reduction would usually be considered justified in traditional risk-based decisions for environmental toxics. It is shown that this risk reduction can be on the order of more than 4 × 10(-3) excess lifetime mortality risk, with global annual cost savings of slightly more than $10B, when uniform GHG reduction measures across all sectors of the economy form the basis for climate policy ($2.2B if only Annex I nations reduce). Consideration of co-reduction of PM-10 within a climate policy framework harmonized with other environmental policies can therefore be an effective driver of climate policy. An error analysis comparing results of the current model against those of significantly more spatially resolved models at city and national scales indicates errors caused by the low spatial resolution of the global model used here may be on the order of a factor of 2. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

An analysis of energy strategies for CO2 emission reduction in China. Case studies by MARKAL model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Guangya

1994-12-01

The China's energy system has been analyzed by using the MARKAL model in this study and the time period is from the year 1990 to 2050. The MARKAL model is applied here to evaluate the cost effective energy strategies for CO 2 emission reduction in China. Firstly the Reference Energy System (RES) of China and its database were established, and the useful energy demand was projected on the basis of China's economic target and demographic forecasting. Four scenarios, BASE1-BASE4 were defined with different assumptions of crude oil and natural uranium availability. Analytical results show that without CO 2 emission constrains coal consumption will continue to hold a dominant position in primary energy supply, and CO 2 emissions in 2050 will be 9.55 BtCO 2 and 10.28 BtCO 2 with different natural uranium availability. Under the CO 2 emission constraints, nuclear and renewable energy will play important roles in CO 2 emission reduction, and feasible maximum CO 2 emission reduction estimated by this study is 3.16 BtCO 2 in 2050. The cumulative CO 2 emission from 1990 to 2050 will be 418.25 BtCO 2 and 429.16 BtCO 2 with different natural uranium availability. Total feasible maximum CO 2 emission reduction from 1990 to 2050 is 95.97 BtCO 2 . (author)

Reduction of aerobic and lactic acid bacteria in dairy desludge using an integrated compressed CO2 and ultrasonic process.

Science.gov (United States)

Overton, Tim W; Lu, Tiejun; Bains, Narinder; Leeke, Gary A

Current treatment routes are not suitable to reduce and stabilise bacterial content in some dairy process streams such as separator and bactofuge desludges which currently present a major emission problem faced by dairy producers. In this study, a novel method for the processing of desludge was developed. The new method, elevated pressure sonication (EPS), uses a combination of low frequency ultrasound (20 kHz) and elevated CO 2 pressure (50 to 100 bar). Process conditions (pressure, sonicator power, processing time) were optimised for batch and continuous EPS processes to reduce viable numbers of aerobic and lactic acid bacteria in bactofuge desludge by ≥3-log fold. Coagulation of proteins present in the desludge also occurred, causing separation of solid (curd) and liquid (whey) fractions. The proposed process offers a 10-fold reduction in energy compared to high temperature short time (HTST) treatment of milk.

Progress and Perspective of Electrocatalytic CO2 Reduction for Renewable Carbonaceous Fuels and Chemicals.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Wenjun; Hu, Yi; Ma, Lianbo; Zhu, Guoyin; Wang, Yanrong; Xue, Xiaolan; Chen, Renpeng; Yang, Songyuan; Jin, Zhong

2018-01-01

The worldwide unrestrained emission of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) has caused serious environmental pollution and climate change issues. For the sustainable development of human civilization, it is very desirable to convert CO 2 to renewable fuels through clean and economical chemical processes. Recently, electrocatalytic CO 2 conversion is regarded as a prospective pathway for the recycling of carbon resource and the generation of sustainable fuels. In this review, recent research advances in electrocatalytic CO 2 reduction are summarized from both experimental and theoretical aspects. The referred electrocatalysts are divided into different classes, including metal-organic complexes, metals, metal alloys, inorganic metal compounds and carbon-based metal-free nanomaterials. Moreover, the selective formation processes of different reductive products, such as formic acid/formate (HCOOH/HCOO - ), monoxide carbon (CO), formaldehyde (HCHO), methane (CH 4 ), ethylene (C 2 H 4 ), methanol (CH 3 OH), ethanol (CH 3 CH 2 OH), etc. are introduced in detail, respectively. Owing to the limited energy efficiency, unmanageable selectivity, low stability, and indeterminate mechanisms of electrocatalytic CO 2 reduction, there are still many tough challenges need to be addressed. In view of this, the current research trends to overcome these obstacles in CO 2 electroreduction field are summarized. We expect that this review will provide new insights into the further technique development and practical applications of CO 2 electroreduction.

Reduction of emissions and geological storage of CO{sub 2}. Innovation an industrial stakes; Reduction des emissions et stockage geologique du CO{sub 2}. Innovation et enjeux industriels

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mandil, C.; Podkanski, J.; Socolow, R.; Dron, D.; Reiner, D.; Horrocks, P.; Fernandez Ruiz, P.; Dechamps, P.; Stromberg, L.; Wright, I.; Gazeau, J.C.; Wiederkehr, P.; Morcheoine, A.; Vesseron, P.; Feron, P.; Feraud, A.; Torp, N.T.; Christensen, N.P.; Le Thiez, P.; Czernichowski, I.; Hartman, J.; Roulet, C.; Roberts, J.; Zakkour, P.; Von Goerne, G.; Armand, R.; Allinson, G.; Segalen, L.; Gires, J.M.; Metz, B.; Brillet, B

2005-07-01

An international symposium on the reduction of emissions and geological storage of CO{sub 2} was held in Paris from 15 to 16 September 2005. The event, jointly organized by IFP, ADEME and BRGM, brought together over 400 people from more than 25 countries. It was an opportunity to review the international stakes related to global warming and also to debate ways of reducing CO{sub 2} emissions, taking examples from the energy and transport sectors. The last day was dedicated to technological advances in the capture and geological storage of CO{sub 2} and their regulatory and economic implications. This document gathers the available transparencies and talks presented during the colloquium: Opening address by F. Loos, French Minister-delegate for Industry; Session I - Greenhouse gas emissions: the international stakes. Outlook for global CO{sub 2} emissions. The global and regional scenarios: Alternative scenarios for energy use and CO{sub 2} emissions until 2050 by C. Mandil and J. Podkanski (IEA), The stabilization of CO{sub 2} emissions in the coming 50 years by R. Socolow (Princeton University). Evolution of the international context: the stakes and 'factor 4' issues: Costs of climate impacts and ways towards 'factor 4' by D. Dron (ENS Mines de Paris), CO{sub 2} emissions reduction policy: the situation in the United States by D. Reiner (MIT/Cambridge University), Post-Kyoto scenarios by P. Horrocks (European Commission), Possibilities for R and D in CO{sub 2} capture and storage in the future FP7 program by P. Fernandez Ruiz and P. Dechamps (European Commission). Session II - CO{sub 2} emission reductions in the energy and transport sectors. Reducing CO{sub 2} emissions during the production and conversion of fossil energies (fixed installations): Combined cycles using hydrogen by G. Haupt (Siemens), CO{sub 2} emission reductions in the oil and gas industry by I. Wright (BP). Reducing CO{sub 2} emissions in the transport sector: Sustainable

Kinetics and mechanism of oxygen reduction reaction at CoPd system synthesized on XC72

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tarasevich, M.R.; Chalykh, A.E.; Bogdanovskaya, V.A.; Kuznetsova, L.N.; Kapustina, N.A.; Efremov, B.N.; Ehrenburg, M.R.; Reznikova, L.A.

2006-01-01

Studies are presented of the kinetics and mechanism of oxygen electroreduction reaction on CoPd catalysts synthesized on carbon black XC72. As shown both in model conditions and in the tests within the cathodes of hydrogen-oxygen fuel cells with proton conducting electrolyte, CoPd/C system features a higher activity, as compared to Co/C. The highest activity in the oxygen reduction reaction is demonstrated by the catalysts with the Pd:Co atomic ratio being 7:3 and 4:1. The structural studies (XPS and XRD, and also the data of CO desorption measurements) evidence the CoPd alloy formation, which is reflected in the negative shift of the bonding energy maximum as compared to Pd/C and in the appearance of the additional CO desorption maximums on the voltammograms. It is found by means of structural research that CoPd alloy is formed in the course of the catalyst synthesis which features a higher catalytic activity of the binary systems. Besides, CoPd/C catalyst is more stable in respect to corrosion than Pd supported on carbon black. The measurements on the rotating disc electrode and rotating ring-disc electrode evidence that CoPd/C system provides the predominant oxygen reduction to water in the practically important range of potentials (E > 0.7 V). The proximity of kinetic parameters of the oxygen reduction reaction on CoPd/C and Pt/C catalysts points to the similar reaction mechanism. The slow step of the reaction is the addition of the first electron to the adsorbed and previously protonated O 2 molecule. The assumptions are offered about the reasons causing the higher activity and selectivity of the binary catalyst towards oxygen reduction to water, as compared to Co/C. The studies of the most active catalysts within the fuel cell cathodes are performed

Coupled Metal/Oxide Catalysts with Tunable Product Selectivity for Electrocatalytic CO2 Reduction.

Science.gov (United States)

Huo, Shengjuan; Weng, Zhe; Wu, Zishan; Zhong, Yiren; Wu, Yueshen; Fang, Jianhui; Wang, Hailiang

2017-08-30

One major challenge to the electrochemical conversion of CO 2 to useful fuels and chemical products is the lack of efficient catalysts that can selectively direct the reaction to one desirable product and avoid the other possible side products. Making use of strong metal/oxide interactions has recently been demonstrated to be effective in enhancing electrocatalysis in the liquid phase. Here, we report one of the first systematic studies on composition-dependent influences of metal/oxide interactions on electrocatalytic CO 2 reduction, utilizing Cu/SnO x heterostructured nanoparticles supported on carbon nanotubes (CNTs) as a model catalyst system. By adjusting the Cu/Sn ratio in the catalyst material structure, we can tune the products of the CO 2 electrocatalytic reduction reaction from hydrocarbon-favorable to CO-selective to formic acid-dominant. In the Cu-rich regime, SnO x dramatically alters the catalytic behavior of Cu. The Cu/SnO x -CNT catalyst containing 6.2% of SnO x converts CO 2 to CO with a high faradaic efficiency (FE) of 89% and a j CO of 11.3 mA·cm -2 at -0.99 V versus reversible hydrogen electrode, in stark contrast to the Cu-CNT catalyst on which ethylene and methane are the main products for CO 2 reduction. In the Sn-rich regime, Cu modifies the catalytic properties of SnO x . The Cu/SnO x -CNT catalyst containing 30.2% of SnO x reduces CO 2 to formic acid with an FE of 77% and a j HCOOH of 4.0 mA·cm -2 at -0.99 V, outperforming the SnO x -CNT catalyst which only converts CO 2 to formic acid in an FE of 48%.

Accelerated Carbonation of Steel Slags Using CO{sub 2} Diluted Sources: CO{sub 2} Uptakes and Energy Requirements

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Baciocchi, Renato, E-mail: baciocchi@ing.uniroma2.it; Costa, Giulia [Department of Civil Engineering and Computer Science Engineering, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Rome (Italy); Polettini, Alessandra; Pomi, Raffaella; Stramazzo, Alessio [Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Rome “La Sapienza”, Rome (Italy); Zingaretti, Daniela [Department of Civil Engineering and Computer Science Engineering, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Rome (Italy)

2016-01-18

This work presents the results of carbonation experiments performed on Basic Oxygen Furnace (BOF) steel slag samples employing gas mixtures containing 40 and 10% CO{sub 2} vol. simulating the gaseous effluents of gasification and combustion processes respectively, as well as 100% CO{sub 2} for comparison purposes. Two routes were tested, the slurry-phase (L/S = 5 l/kg, T = 100°C and Ptot = 10 bar) and the thin-film (L/S = 0.3–0.4 l kg, T = 50°C and Ptot = 7–10 bar) routes. For each one, the CO{sub 2} uptake achieved as a function of the reaction time was analyzed and on this basis, the energy requirements associated with each carbonation route and gas mixture composition were estimated considering to store the CO{sub 2} emissions of a medium size natural gas fired power plant (20 MW). For the slurry-phase route, maximum CO{sub 2} uptakes ranged from around 8% at 10% CO{sub 2}, to 21.1% (BOF-a) and 29.2% (BOF-b) at 40% CO{sub 2} and 32.5% (BOF-a) and 40.3% (BOF-b) at 100% CO{sub 2}. For the thin-film route, maximum uptakes of 13% (BOF-c) and 19.5% (BOF-d) at 40% CO{sub 2}, and 17.8% (BOF-c) and 20.2% (BOF-d) at 100% were attained. The energy requirements of the two analyzed process routes appeared to depend chiefly on the CO{sub 2} uptake of the slag. For both process route, the minimum overall energy requirements were found for the tests with 40% CO{sub 2} flows (i.e., 1400−1600 MJ/t{sub CO{sub 2}} for the slurry-phase and 2220 – 2550 MJ/t{sub CO{sub 2}} for the thin-film route).

CO2 sequestration. World CO2 emission reduction by forest plantations on agricultural land up to 2050

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dameron, V.; Barbier, C.; Riedacker, A.

2005-01-01

The main objective of this study was to determine the possible contribution on CO 2 emission reductions of new forest plantations on agricultural land which may become available in the world from now to 2050. Emission reductions have been calculated by taking into account potential changes in carbon stocks on afforested land (in biomass and soil) and replacement with biomass of fossil fuel and material such as steel, aluminium or concrete. Increase of carbon stocks in wood as building material and final conversion of wood recycled from buildings into energy to replace fossil fuel have also been taken into account. CO 2 emission reductions (or carbon benefits) from afforested agricultural land become significant only after 2030 or 2050, and even at a later stage with long rotations. In the case of the latter, about 100 years are needed to get the full benefits. Forest plantations can therefore only be considered as long term options

Characterization of FeCo particles synthesized via co-precipitation, particle growth using flux treatment and reduction in hydrogen gas

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kishimoto, Mikio, E-mail: kishimoto.mikio.gb@u.tsukuba.ac.jp; Latiff, Hawa; Kita, Eiji; Yanagihara, Hideto

2017-06-15

The possibility of high coercive force in FeCo particles was examined focusing on distortion introduced in the particles. The particles were synthesized via co-precipitation of Fe and Co ions, heat-treatment in potassium bromide flux for particle growth, and reduction using hydrogen gas. The particle shape was spherical or a slightly elongated with the size of approximately 30–200 nm, and the composition with approximately Fe{sub 60}Co{sub 40} was determined from the D-spacing of (110) peak. The coercive force of approximately 90 kA/m was obtained in particles with the saturation magnetization of approximately 150 Am{sup 2}/kg. The coercive force was higher than those in reported FeCo particles with same level of saturation magnetization. As one of the reason of high coercive force, we expected the possibility of occurrence of magnetic anisotropy based on the anisotropic distortion generated between FeCo alloy and surface oxides in a slightly elongated particles. - Highlights: • FeCo particles synthesized via Fe/Co:1/1, flux treated, and reduction. • Spherical or slightly elongated shape with size of approximately 30–200 nm. • Composition with Fe{sub 60}Co{sub 40} determined from D-spacing of (110) peak. • Coercive force of 90 kA/m and saturation magnetization of 150 Am{sup 2}/kg.

Pricing a Convenience Food.

Science.gov (United States)

Gabor, Andre

1980-01-01

Discusses a study undertaken by the Nottingham University Consumer Study Group to determine market operation for popular convenience foods in England. Information is presented on distribution of purchases, brand loyalties of respondents to a questionnaire regarding convenience foods, and market fluctuation due to inflation. (Author/DB)

Radiolytic reduction of nifurtimose by CO2-· free radicals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Filali-Mouhim, A.; Champion, B.; Jore, D.; Ferradini, C.; Hickel, B.

1991-01-01

Nifurtimox is an antiparasitic drug often used in the treatment of the Chagas disease. Its therapeutic action seems to involve its monoelectronic reduction leading to a reduced radical capable of providing superoxide anion by reaction with oxygen. The oxidation reduction mechanisms involved in this action have been studied by steady state and pulse radiolysis methods. This study is devoted to the monoelectronic exchanges observed in the absence of air, the reducing radicals being the CO 2 - · anions [fr

Assesment of Energy Options for CO2 Emission Reduction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cavlina, Nikola

2014-01-01

Since the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, global anthropogenic CO 2 emissions grew by 52% which caused an increase in 10.8% in the CO 2 concentration in the atmosphere, and it tipped the 400 ppm mark in May 2013. The Fifth Assessment Report on climate impacts from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) confirmed earlier warnings that climate change is already stressing human communities, agriculture, and natural ecosystems, and the effects are likely to increase in the future. While European Union has long been committed to lowering carbon emissions, this places additional pressure on current EU goals for energy sector that includes significant reduction of CO 2 emissions. Current EU commitment has been formalized in so-called '20-20-20' plan, reducing carbon emissions, increasing energy efficiency and increasing energy production from renewables by 20% by 2020. Some EU member states are even more ambitious, like United Kingdom, planning to reduce carbon emissions by 80% by 2050. Bulk of carbon reduction will have to be achived in energy sector. In the power industry, most popular solution is use of solar and wind power. Since their production varies significantly during the day, for the purpose of base-load production they can be paired with gas-fired power plant. Other possible CO 2 -free solution is nuclear power plant. In this invited lecture, predicted cost of energy production for newly bulit nuclear power plant and newly built combination of wind or solar and gas-fired power plant are compared. Comparison was done using Levelized Unit of Energy Cost (LUEC). Calculations were performed using the Monte Carlo method. For input parameters that have biggest uncertainty (gas cost, CO 2 emission fee) those uncertainties were addressed not only through probability distribution around predicted value, but also through different scenarious. (author)

Surface spin effects in La-doped CoFe.sub.2./sub.O.sub.4./sub. nanoparticles prepared by microemulsion route

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Burianová, Simona; Poltierová Vejpravová, Jana; Holec, Petr; Plocek, J.; Nižňanský, D.

2011-01-01

Roč. 110, č. 7 (2011), "073902-1"-"073902-7" ISSN 0021-8979 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z10100520; CEZ:AV0Z40320502 Keywords : CoFe 2 O 4 nanoparticles * lanthanum doping * microemulsion route * high coercivity * surface spin effects Subject RIV: BM - Solid Matter Physics ; Magnetism Impact factor: 2.168, year: 2011

Two convenient low-temperature routes to single crystals of plutonium dioxide

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Meredith, Nathan A. [Departments of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556 (United States); Wang, Shuao; Diwu, Juan [School of Radiation Medicine and Protection and School of Radiological and Interdisciplinary Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215123 (China); Albrecht-Schmitt, Thomas E., E-mail: talbrechtschmitt@gmail.com [Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306 (United States)

2014-11-15

Highlights: • Two low-temperature routes to the growth single crystals of plutonium dioxide. • Safer methods of preparing PuO{sub 2} single crystals that do not involve solid-state synthetic techniques. • Solvothermal crystal growth of plutonium dioxide. - Abstract: During the solvothermal synthesis of a low-dimensional borate, KB{sub 5}O{sub 7}(OH){sub 2}⋅2H{sub 2}O, in the presence of Pu(III), single crystals of plutonium dioxide unexpectedly formed. Single crystals of PuO{sub 2} also formed during the hydrothermal synthesis of another borate, Na{sub 2}B{sub 5}O{sub 8}(OH)⋅2H{sub 2}O, in the presence of Pu(III). The reactions were conducted at 170 °C and 150 °C, respectively, which are much lower temperature than previously reported preparations of crystalline PuO{sub 2}. Yellow–green crystals with a tablet habit were characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction and solid-state UV–vis–NIR absorption spectroscopy. The crystal structure was solved by direct methods with R{sub 1} = 1.26% for 19 unique observed reflections. PuO{sub 2} is cubic, space group Fm3{sup ‾}m, and adopts the fluorite structure type. The lattice parameter was determined to be a = 5.421(5) Å giving a volume of 159.3(2) Å{sup 3}. The absorption spectrum is consistent with Pu(IV)

Rational Design of a Hierarchical Tin Dendrite Electrode for Efficient Electrochemical Reduction of CO2.

Science.gov (United States)

Won, Da Hye; Choi, Chang Hyuck; Chung, Jaehoon; Chung, Min Wook; Kim, Eun-Hee; Woo, Seong Ihl

2015-09-21

Catalysis is a key technology for the synthesis of renewable fuels through electrochemical reduction of CO2 . However, successful CO2 reduction still suffers from the lack of affordable catalyst design and understanding the factors governing catalysis. Herein, we demonstrate that the CO2 conversion selectivity on Sn (or SnOx /Sn) electrodes is correlated to the native oxygen content at the subsurface. Electrochemical analyses show that the reduced Sn electrode with abundant oxygen species effectively stabilizes a CO2 (.-) intermediate rather than the clean Sn surface, and consequently results in enhanced formate production in the CO2 reduction. Based on this design strategy, a hierarchical Sn dendrite electrode with high oxygen content, consisting of a multi-branched conifer-like structure with an enlarged surface area, was synthesized. The electrode exhibits a superior formate production rate (228.6 μmol h(-1)  cm(-2) ) at -1.36 VRHE without any considerable catalytic degradation over 18 h of operation. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Surface coverage of Pt atoms on PtCo nanoparticles and catalytic kinetics for oxygen reduction

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jiang Rongzhong, E-mail: rongzhong.jiang@us.army.mi [Sensors and Electron Devices Directorate, U.S. Army Research Laboratory, 2800 Powder Mill Road, Adelphi, MD 20783-1197 (United States); Rong, Charles; Chu, Deryn [Sensors and Electron Devices Directorate, U.S. Army Research Laboratory, 2800 Powder Mill Road, Adelphi, MD 20783-1197 (United States)

2011-02-01

The surface coverage of Pt atoms on PtCo nanoparticles and its effect on catalytic kinetics for oxygen reduction were investigated. The PtCo nanoparticles with different surface coverage of Pt atoms were synthesized with various methods, including normal chemical method, microemulsion synthesis, and ultrasound-assisted microemulsion. A model of Pt atoms filling into a spherical nanoparticle was proposed to explain the relationship of surface metal atoms and nanoparticle size. The catalytic activity of the PtCo nano-particles is highly dependent on the synthetic methods, even if they have the same chemical composition. The PtCo nano-particles synthesized with ultrasound-assisted microemulsion showed the highest activity, which is attributed to an increase of active surface coverage of Pt atoms on the metal nanoparticles. The rate of oxygen reduction at 0.5 V (vs. SCE) catalyzed by the PtCo synthesized with ultrasound-assisted micro-emulsion was about four times higher than that of the PtCo synthesized with normal chemical method. As demonstrated with rotating-ring disk electrode measurement, the PtCo nano-particles can catalyze oxygen 4-electron reduction to water without intermediate H{sub 2}O{sub 2} detected.

Selective Electrochemical Reduction of Carbon Dioxide to Ethanol on a Boron- and Nitrogen-Co-doped Nanodiamond.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Yanming; Zhang, Yujing; Cheng, Kai; Quan, Xie; Fan, Xinfei; Su, Yan; Chen, Shuo; Zhao, Huimin; Zhang, Yaobin; Yu, Hongtao; Hoffmann, Michael R

2017-12-04

Electrochemical reduction of CO 2 to ethanol, a clean and renewable liquid fuel with high heating value, is an attractive strategy for global warming mitigation and resource utilization. However, converting CO 2 to ethanol remains great challenge due to the low activity, poor product selectivity and stability of electrocatalysts. Here, the B- and N-co-doped nanodiamond (BND) was reported as an efficient and stable electrode for selective reduction of CO 2 to ethanol. Good ethanol selectivity was achieved on the BND with high Faradaic efficiency of 93.2 % (-1.0 V vs. RHE), which overcame the limitation of low selectivity for multicarbon or high heating value fuels. Its superior performance was mainly originated from the synergistic effect of B and N co-doping, high N content and overpotential for hydrogen evolution. The possible pathway for CO 2 reduction revealed by DFT computation was CO 2 →*COOH→*CO→*COCO→*COCH 2 OH→*CH 2 OCH 2 OH→CH 3 CH 2 OH. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

CO2 reduction: is increasing the diesel share the way to go?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Rijkeboer, R.C.; Havenith, C.; Baarbe, H.L.

1998-01-01

Different scenarios have been compared for the future reduction of CO2-emission under real-world driving conditions. A significant shift towards diesel appears hardly to benefit the CO2 but would carry a real NOx penalty. Introduction of DI petrol engines and a shift towards gaseous fuels for s.i.

The global warming game - simulations of a CO[sub 2] reduction agreement

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fankhauser, S [Centre for Social and Economic Research on the Global Environment, London (United Kingdom); Kverndokk, S [Stiftelsen for Samfunns- og Naeringslivsforskning, Oslo (Norway)

1992-06-01

The paper analyses incentives for and the benefits of a possible international cooperation to reduce CO-2-emissions. The negotiations are modeled as a (static) reciprocal-externality-game in CO[sub 2]-emissions between five world regions. CO[sub 2]-emissions affect the players in two ways: First, each country's income depends (via energy inputs) on the amount of CO[sub 2] emitted. On the other hand, emissions may cause future damage due to climate change. Without cooperation, each player maximizes its net benefits in setting marginal income equal to its marginal damage cost (Nash equilibrium). Under full cooperation marginal income equals the sum of the marginal damages (social optimum). The paper presents simulations of these two equilibria. Compared to the situation where no attention is paid to the greenhouse effect (the business as usual scenario), emission reductions under the Nash equilibrium can be interpreted as incentives for unilateral actions. According to the simulation results, this can only be expected from OECD countries. The results also imply that a socially optimal treaty, while clearly beneficial for the world in its entirety, may only be achieved if side payments are offered to at least China and the former Soviet Union, and probably the USA. The optimal global emission reductions in this study are on average lower than the reductions recommended by international conferences. 34 refs., 2 figs., 9 tabs.

trans-(Cl)-[Ru(5,5'-diamide-2,2'-bipyridine)(CO)2 Cl2 ]: Synthesis, Structure, and Photocatalytic CO2 Reduction Activity.

Science.gov (United States)

Kuramochi, Yusuke; Fukaya, Kyohei; Yoshida, Makoto; Ishida, Hitoshi

2015-07-06

A series of trans-(Cl)-[Ru(L)(CO)2 Cl2 ]-type complexes, in which the ligands L are 2,2'-bipyridyl derivatives with amide groups at the 5,5'-positions, are synthesized. The C-connected amide group bound to the bipyridyl ligand through the carbonyl carbon atom is twisted with respect to the bipyridyl plane, whereas the N-connected amide group is in the plane. DFT calculations reveal that the twisted structure of the C-connected amide group raises the level of the LUMO, which results in a negative shift of the first reduction potential (Ep ) of the ruthenium complex. The catalytic abilities for CO2 reduction are evaluated in photoreactions (λ>400 nm) with the ruthenium complexes (the catalyst), [Ru(bpy)3 ](2+) (bpy=2,2'-bipyridine; the photosensitizer), and 1-benzyl-1,4-dihydronicotinamide (the electron donor) in CO2 -saturated N,N-dimethylacetamide/water. The logarithm of the turnover frequency increases by shifting Ep a negative value until it reaches the reduction potential of the photosensitizer. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Synthesis of TiO2-loaded Co0.85Se thin films with heterostructure and their enhanced catalytic activity for p-nitrophenol reduction and hydrazine hydrate decomposition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zuo, Yong; Song, Ji-Ming; Niu, He-Lin; Mao, Chang-Jie; Zhang, Sheng-Yi; Shen, Yu-Hua

2016-01-01

P-nitrophenol (4-NP) and hydrazine hydrate are considered to be highly toxic pollutants in wastewater, and it is of great importance to remove them. Herein, TiO 2 -loaded Co 0.85 Se thin films with heterostructure were successfully synthesized by a hydrothermal route. The as-synthesized samples were characterized by x-ray diffraction, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy and selective-area electron diffraction. The results demonstrate that TiO 2 nanoparticles with a size of about 10 nm are easily loaded on the surface of graphene-like Co 0.85 Se nanofilms, and the NH 3  · H 2 O plays an important role in the generation and crystallization of TiO 2 nanoparticles. Brunauer–Emmett–Teller measurement shows that the obtained nanocomposites have a larger specific surface area (199.3 m 2 g −1 ) than that of Co 0.85 Se nanofilms (55.17 m 2 g −1 ) and TiO 2 nanoparticles (19.49 m 2 g −1 ). The catalytic tests indicate Co 0.85 Se–TiO 2 nanofilms have the highest activity for 4-NP reduction and hydrazine hydrate decomposition within 10 min and 8 min, respectively, compared with the corresponding precursor Co 0.85 Se nanofilms and TiO 2 nanoparticles. The enhanced catalytic performance can be attributed to the larger specific surface area and higher rate of interfacial charge transfer in the heterojunction than that of the single components. In addition, recycling tests show that the as-synthesized sample presents stable conversion efficiency for 4-NP reduction. (paper)

Strength Reduction of Coal Pillar after CO2 Sequestration in Abandoned Coal Mines

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Qiuhao Du

2017-02-01

Full Text Available CO2 geosequestration is currently considered to be the most effective and economical method to dispose of artificial greenhouse gases. There are a large number of coal mines that will be scrapped, and some of them are located in deep formations in China. CO2 storage in abandoned coal mines will be a potential option for greenhouse gas disposal. However, CO2 trapping in deep coal pillars would induce swelling effects of coal matrix. Adsorption-induced swelling not only modifies the volume and permeability of coal mass, but also causes the basic physical and mechanical properties changing, such as elastic modulus and Poisson ratio. It eventually results in some reduction in pillar strength. Based on the fractional swelling as a function of time and different loading pressure steps, the relationship between volumetric stress and adsorption pressure increment is acquired. Eventually, this paper presents a theory model to analyze the pillar strength reduction after CO2 adsorption. The model provides a method to quantitatively describe the interrelation of volumetric strain, swelling stress, and mechanical strength reduction after gas adsorption under the condition of step-by-step pressure loading and the non-Langmuir isothermal model. The model might have a significantly important implication for predicting the swelling stress and mechanical behaviors of coal pillars during CO2 sequestration in abandoned coal mines.

Reduction of emissions and geological storage of CO2. Innovation an industrial stakes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mandil, C.; Podkanski, J.; Socolow, R.; Dron, D.; Reiner, D.; Horrocks, P.; Fernandez Ruiz, P.; Dechamps, P.; Stromberg, L.; Wright, I.; Gazeau, J.C.; Wiederkehr, P.; Morcheoine, A.; Vesseron, P.; Feron, P.; Feraud, A.; Torp, N.T.; Christensen, N.P.; Le Thiez, P.; Czernichowski, I.; Hartman, J.; Roulet, C.; Roberts, J.; Zakkour, P.; Von Goerne, G.; Armand, R.; Allinson, G.; Segalen, L.; Gires, J.M.; Metz, B.; Brillet, B.

2005-01-01

An international symposium on the reduction of emissions and geological storage of CO 2 was held in Paris from 15 to 16 September 2005. The event, jointly organized by IFP, ADEME and BRGM, brought together over 400 people from more than 25 countries. It was an opportunity to review the international stakes related to global warming and also to debate ways of reducing CO 2 emissions, taking examples from the energy and transport sectors. The last day was dedicated to technological advances in the capture and geological storage of CO 2 and their regulatory and economic implications. This document gathers the available transparencies and talks presented during the colloquium: Opening address by F. Loos, French Minister-delegate for Industry; Session I - Greenhouse gas emissions: the international stakes. Outlook for global CO 2 emissions. The global and regional scenarios: Alternative scenarios for energy use and CO 2 emissions until 2050 by C. Mandil and J. Podkanski (IEA), The stabilization of CO 2 emissions in the coming 50 years by R. Socolow (Princeton University). Evolution of the international context: the stakes and 'factor 4' issues: Costs of climate impacts and ways towards 'factor 4' by D. Dron (ENS Mines de Paris), CO 2 emissions reduction policy: the situation in the United States by D. Reiner (MIT/Cambridge University), Post-Kyoto scenarios by P. Horrocks (European Commission), Possibilities for R and D in CO 2 capture and storage in the future FP7 program by P. Fernandez Ruiz and P. Dechamps (European Commission). Session II - CO 2 emission reductions in the energy and transport sectors. Reducing CO 2 emissions during the production and conversion of fossil energies (fixed installations): Combined cycles using hydrogen by G. Haupt (Siemens), CO 2 emission reductions in the oil and gas industry by I. Wright (BP). Reducing CO 2 emissions in the transport sector: Sustainable transport systems by P. Wiederkehr (EST International), The prospects for reducing

Performance Improvements and Congestion Reduction for Routing-based Synthesis for Digital Microfluidic Biochips

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Windh, Skyler; Phung, Calvin; Grissom, Daniel T.

2017-01-01

Routing-based synthesis for digital microfluidic biochips yields faster assay execution times compared to module-based synthesis. We show that routing-based synthesis can lead to deadlocks and livelocks in specific cases, and that dynamically detecting them and adjusting the probabilities...

Lithium-Assisted Copolymerization of CO 2 /Cyclohexene Oxide: A Novel and Straightforward Route to Polycarbonates and Related Block Copolymers

KAUST Repository

Zhang, Dongyue

2016-03-23

A facile route toward alternating polycarbonates by anionic copolymerization of carbon dioxide (CO2) and cyclohexene oxide (CHO), using lithium halide or alkoxide as initiators and triisobutylaluminum (TiBA) as activator, is reported. α,ω-Heterobifunctional and α,ω-dihydroxypoly(cyclohexene carbonate)s (PCHC) as well as poly(CHC-co-CHO) copolymers with different carbonate composition could also be easily synthesized by adjusting the amount of TiBA or by adding inert lithium salts. The value of this initiating system also resides in the easy access to PSt-b-PCHC (PSt: polystyrene) and PI-b-PCHC (PI: polyisoprene) block copolymers which can be derived by mere one-pot sequential addition of styrene or dienes first and then of CO2 and CHO under the same experimental conditions. © 2016 American Chemical Society.

An inventory location routing model with environmental considerations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lerhlaly Sanaa

2017-01-01

Full Text Available In this work we consider an integrated Inventory Location Routing problem ILRP. The objective is to select depots to open, the routes to perform distribution from the capacitated depots to the clients by a homogeneous fleet of vehicles and over a multi-period planning horizon. To solve the problem, an exact model is designed in order to minimize the total cost (location, routing and inventory and the routing CO2 emissions, while respecting transport and storage constraints for a hazardous material. We have also studied an industrial real case to illustrate the problem.

Subsurface oxide plays a critical role in CO2 activation by Cu(111) surfaces to form chemisorbed CO2, the first step in reduction of CO2.

Science.gov (United States)

Favaro, Marco; Xiao, Hai; Cheng, Tao; Goddard, William A; Yano, Junko; Crumlin, Ethan J

2017-06-27

A national priority is to convert CO 2 into high-value chemical products such as liquid fuels. Because current electrocatalysts are not adequate, we aim to discover new catalysts by obtaining a detailed understanding of the initial steps of CO 2 electroreduction on copper surfaces, the best current catalysts. Using ambient pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy interpreted with quantum mechanical prediction of the structures and free energies, we show that the presence of a thin suboxide structure below the copper surface is essential to bind the CO 2 in the physisorbed configuration at 298 K, and we show that this suboxide is essential for converting to the chemisorbed CO 2 in the presence of water as the first step toward CO 2 reduction products such as formate and CO. This optimum suboxide leads to both neutral and charged Cu surface sites, providing fresh insights into how to design improved carbon dioxide reduction catalysts.

Carbide Nanoparticles Encapsulated in the Caves of Carbon Nanotubes by an In Situ Reduction-Carbonization Route

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chunli Guo

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Carbides (TiC, WC, and NbC nanoparticles fully encapsulated in the caves of carbon nanotubes (CNTs were synthesized via an in situ reduction-carbonization route at 600∘C in an autoclave. The structural features and morphologies of as-obtained products were investigated using by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM. HRTEM studies showed that the average diameter of CNTs encapsulated with carbide nanoparticles are in the range of 15–40 nm. The reaction temperature, the reaction time, and the metal catalyst are found to play crucial roles to the product morphology. The growth mechanism of carbide nanoparticles encapsulated in CNTs was discussed in detail.

Compliance to two city convenience store ordinance requirements

Science.gov (United States)

Menéndez, Cammie K Chaumont; Amandus, Harlan E; Wu, Nan; Hendricks, Scott A

2015-01-01

Background Robbery-related homicides and assaults are the leading cause of death in retail businesses. Robbery reduction approaches focus on compliance to Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) guidelines. Purpose We evaluated the level of compliance to CPTED guidelines specified by convenience store safety ordinances effective in 2010 in Dallas and Houston, Texas, USA. Methods Convenience stores were defined as businesses less than 10 000 square feet that sell grocery items. Store managers were interviewed for store ordinance requirements from August to November 2011, in a random sample of 594 (289 in Dallas, 305 in Houston) convenience stores that were open before and after the effective dates of their city’s ordinance. Data were collected in 2011 and analysed in 2012–2014. Results Overall, 9% of stores were in full compliance, although 79% reported being registered with the police departments as compliant. Compliance was consistently significantly higher in Dallas than in Houston for many requirements and by store type. Compliance was lower among single owner-operator stores compared with corporate/franchise stores. Compliance to individual requirements was lowest for signage and visibility. Conclusions Full compliance to the required safety measures is consistent with industry ‘best practices’ and evidence-based workplace violence prevention research findings. In Houston and Dallas compliance was higher for some CPTED requirements but not the less costly approaches that are also the more straightforward to adopt. PMID:26337569

Controlled electropolymerisation of a carbazole-functionalised iron porphyrin electrocatalyst for CO2 reduction

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hu, Xinming; Salmi, Zakaria; Lillethorup, Mie

2016-01-01

Using a one-step electropolymerisation procedure, CO2 absorbing microporous carbazole-functionalised films of iron porphyrins are prepared in a controlled manner. The electrocatalytic reduction of CO2 for these films is investigated to elucidate their efficiency and the origin of their ultimate...

How rural and urban parents describe convenience in the context of school-based influenza vaccination: a qualitative study.

Science.gov (United States)

Lind, Candace; Russell, Margaret L; Collins, Ramona; MacDonald, Judy; Frank, Christine J; Davis, Amy E

2015-01-22

Seasonal influenza vaccine uptake among school-age children has been low, particularly among rural children, even in jurisdictions in Canada where this immunization is publicly funded. Providing this vaccination at school may be convenient for parents and might contribute to increased vaccine uptake, particularly among rural children. We explore the construct of convenience as an advantage of school based influenza vaccination. We also explore for rural urban differences in this construct. Participants were parents of school-aged children from Alberta, Canada. We qualitatively analyzed focus group data from rural parents using a thematic template that emerged from prior work with urban parents. Both groups of parents had participated in focus groups to explore their perspectives on the acceptability of adding an annual influenza immunization to the immunization program that is currently delivered in Alberta schools. Data from within the theme of 'convenience' from both rural and urban parents were then further explored for sub-themes within convenience. Data were obtained from nine rural and nine urban focus groups. The template of themes that had arisen from prior analysis of the urban data applied to the rural data. Convenience was a third level theme under Advantages. Five fourth level themes emerged from within convenience. Four of the five sub-themes were common to both rural and urban participants: reduction of parental burden to schedule, reduction in parental lost time, decrease in parental stress and increase in physical access points for influenza immunization. The fifth subtheme, increases temporal access to influenza immunization, emerged uniquely from the rural data. Both rural and urban parents perceived that convenience would be an advantage of adding an annual influenza immunization to the vaccinations currently given to Alberta children at school. Improving temporal access to such immunization may be a more relevant aspect of convenience to rural

"Convenience Food."

Science.gov (United States)

Lemieux, Colette

1980-01-01

Defines the meaning of the American expression "convenience food," quoting definitions given by dictionaries and specialized publications. Discusses the problem of finding the exact equivalent of this expression in French, and recommends some acceptable translations. (MES)

Electrodeposition of nano-sized bismuth on copper foil as electrocatalyst for reduction of CO{sub 2} to formate

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lv, Weixin; Zhou, Jing; Bei, Jingjing [School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Yancheng Institute of Technology, Yancheng, 224051 (China); Zhang, Rui, E-mail: zhangrui@ycit.cn [School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Yancheng Institute of Technology, Yancheng, 224051 (China); Wang, Lei [Key Laboratory of Functional Inorganic Material Chemistry, Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China, Heilongjiang University, Harbin, 150080 (China); Xu, Qi [School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Yancheng Institute of Technology, Yancheng, 224051 (China); Wang, Wei, E-mail: wangw@ycit.edu.cn [School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Yancheng Institute of Technology, Yancheng, 224051 (China)

2017-01-30

Highlights: • Bi/Cu electrode was prepared by depositing nano-sized Bi catalyst on Cu foil. • The Bi/Cu electrode can reduce CO{sub 2} to formate with a low overpotential. • The energy efficiency for reduction of CO{sub 2} to formate can reach to 50%. • A Tafel slope of 128 mV decade{sup −1} was observed for producing formate. - Abstract: Electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide (CO{sub 2}) to formate is energetically inefficient because high overpotential is required for reduction of CO{sub 2} to formate on most traditional catalysts. In this paper, a novel nano-sized Bi-based electrocatalyst deposited on a Cu foil has been synthesized, which can be used as a cathode for electrochemical reduction of CO{sub 2} to formate with a low overpotential (0.69 V) and a high selectivity (91.3%). The electrocatalyst can show excellent catalytic performance toward reduction of CO{sub 2} which can probably be attributed to the nano-sized structure and the surface oxide layer. The energy efficiency for reduction of CO{sub 2} to formate can reach to 50% when an Ir{sub x}Sn{sub y}Ru{sub z}O{sub 2}/Ti electrode is used as anode, it is one of the highest values found in the literatures and very practicable for sustainable fuel synthesis.

Selective Reduction of CO2 to CH4 by Tandem Hydrosilylation with Mixed Al/B Catalysts

KAUST Repository

Chen, Jiawei

2016-04-04

This contribution reports the first example of highly selective reduction of CO2 into CH4 via tandem hydrosilylation with mixed main-group organo-Lewis acid (LA) catalysts [Al(C6F5)3 + B(C6F5)3] {[Al] + [B]}. As shown by this comprehensive experimental and computational study, in this unique tandem catalytic process, [Al] effectively mediates the first step of the overall reduction cycle, namely the fixation of CO2 into HCOOSiEt3 (1) via the LA-mediated C=O activation, while [B] is incapable of promoting the same transformation. On the other hand, [B] is shown to be an excellent catalyst for the subsequent reduction steps 2–4, namely the hydrosilylation of the more basic intermediates [1 to H2C(OSiEt3)2 (2) to H3COSiEt3 (3) and finally to CH4] through the frustrated-Lewis-pair (FLP)-type Si–H activation. Hence, with the required combination of [Al] and [B], a highly selective hydrosilylative reduction of CO2 system has been developed, achieving high CH4 production yield up to 94%. The remarkably different catalytic behaviors between [Al] and [B] are attributed to the higher overall Lewis acidity of [Al] derived from two conflicting factors (electronic and steric effects), which renders the higher tendency of [Al] to form stable [Al]–substrate (intermediate) adducts with CO2 as well as subsequent intermediates 1, 2 and 3. Overall, the roles of [Al] and [B] are not only complementary but also synergistic in the total reduction of CO2, which render both [Al]-mediated first reduction step and [B]-mediated subsequent steps catalytic.

Selective Reduction of CO2 to CH4 by Tandem Hydrosilylation with Mixed Al/B Catalysts

KAUST Repository

Chen, Jiawei; Falivene, Laura; Caporaso, Lucia; Cavallo, Luigi; Chen, Eugene Y.-X.

2016-01-01

This contribution reports the first example of highly selective reduction of CO2 into CH4 via tandem hydrosilylation with mixed main-group organo-Lewis acid (LA) catalysts [Al(C6F5)3 + B(C6F5)3] {[Al] + [B]}. As shown by this comprehensive experimental and computational study, in this unique tandem catalytic process, [Al] effectively mediates the first step of the overall reduction cycle, namely the fixation of CO2 into HCOOSiEt3 (1) via the LA-mediated C=O activation, while [B] is incapable of promoting the same transformation. On the other hand, [B] is shown to be an excellent catalyst for the subsequent reduction steps 2–4, namely the hydrosilylation of the more basic intermediates [1 to H2C(OSiEt3)2 (2) to H3COSiEt3 (3) and finally to CH4] through the frustrated-Lewis-pair (FLP)-type Si–H activation. Hence, with the required combination of [Al] and [B], a highly selective hydrosilylative reduction of CO2 system has been developed, achieving high CH4 production yield up to 94%. The remarkably different catalytic behaviors between [Al] and [B] are attributed to the higher overall Lewis acidity of [Al] derived from two conflicting factors (electronic and steric effects), which renders the higher tendency of [Al] to form stable [Al]–substrate (intermediate) adducts with CO2 as well as subsequent intermediates 1, 2 and 3. Overall, the roles of [Al] and [B] are not only complementary but also synergistic in the total reduction of CO2, which render both [Al]-mediated first reduction step and [B]-mediated subsequent steps catalytic.

CO2 emissions and reduction potential in China's chemical industry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhu, Bing; Zhou, Wenji; Hu, Shanying; Li, Qiang; Griffy-Brown, Charla; Jin, Yong

2010-01-01

GHG (Increasing greenhouse gas) emissions in China imposes enormous pressure on China's government and society. The increasing GHG trend is primarily driven by the fast expansion of high energy-intensive sectors including the chemical industry. This study investigates energy consumption and CO 2 emissions in the processes of chemical production in China through calculating the amounts of CO 2 emissions and estimating the reduction potential in the near future. The research is based on a two-level perspective which treats the entire industry as Level one and six key sub-sectors as Level two, including coal-based ammonia, calcium carbide, caustic soda, coal-based methanol, sodium carbonate, and yellow phosphorus. These two levels are used in order to address the complexity caused by the fact that there are more than 40 thousand chemical products in this industry and the performance levels of the technologies employed are extremely uneven. Three scenarios with different technological improvements are defined to estimate the emissions of the six sub-sectors and analyze the implied reduction potential in the near future. The results highlight the pivotal role that regulation and policy administration could play in controlling the CO 2 emissions by promoting average technology performances in this industry.

Co-benefits from CO{sub 2}-emission reduction measurements in Shanxi, China - a first assessment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Aunan, Kristin; Fang, Jinghua; Li, Guanghai; Seip, Hans Martin; Vennemo, Haakon

2000-05-01

The largest local and regional air pollution problems are usually found in countries without emission reduction obligations in the Kyoto protocol. Thus, in many Chinese cities the concentrations of SO{sub 2} and particulates in the air by far exceed the WHO air quality guidelines. This report analyses a set of CO{sub 2}-reducing abatement options related to coal consumption in Shanxi, China. The costs and potential for abatement are investigated for different economic sectors and the entailed emission reductions are estimated in terms of CO{sub 2}, SO{sub 2} and particles. The present population-weighted exposure level for particles and SO{sub 2} is estimated and the reduced population exposure resulting from the abatement measures is assessed. Exposure-response functions from Chinese and international epidemiology are used to indicate the health effects of applying the measures. An economic evaluation of the reduced health effect is made by applying unit prices of health impacts based on the damage cost approach. The present agricultural crop loss due to enhanced levels of surface ozone are estimated. It is found that the CO{sub 2}-reducing abatement options in Shanxi are profitable in a socioeconomic sense. But there is a certain lack of synergy between the options with respect to their effectiveness in meeting local, regional and global environmental concerns.

Capacitated vehicle-routing problem model for scheduled solid waste collection and route optimization using PSO algorithm.

Science.gov (United States)

Hannan, M A; Akhtar, Mahmuda; Begum, R A; Basri, H; Hussain, A; Scavino, Edgar

2018-01-01

Waste collection widely depends on the route optimization problem that involves a large amount of expenditure in terms of capital, labor, and variable operational costs. Thus, the more waste collection route is optimized, the more reduction in different costs and environmental effect will be. This study proposes a modified particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm in a capacitated vehicle-routing problem (CVRP) model to determine the best waste collection and route optimization solutions. In this study, threshold waste level (TWL) and scheduling concepts are applied in the PSO-based CVRP model under different datasets. The obtained results from different datasets show that the proposed algorithmic CVRP model provides the best waste collection and route optimization in terms of travel distance, total waste, waste collection efficiency, and tightness at 70-75% of TWL. The obtained results for 1 week scheduling show that 70% of TWL performs better than all node consideration in terms of collected waste, distance, tightness, efficiency, fuel consumption, and cost. The proposed optimized model can serve as a valuable tool for waste collection and route optimization toward reducing socioeconomic and environmental impacts. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Rise of nano effects in electrode during electrocatalytic CO2 conversion

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Ki Dong; Lee, Chan Woo; Jang, Jun Ho; Ha, Tak Rae; Nam, Ki Tae

2017-09-01

The electrocatalytic conversion of CO2 into value-added fuels has received increasing attention as a promising way to mitigate the atmospheric CO2 concentration and close the broken carbon-cycle. Early studies, focused on polycrystalline metal electrodes, outlined in detail the overall trends in the catalytic activity and product selectivity of pure metals; however, several inherent limitations were found, such as low current density and high overpotential, which hindered electrocatalytic CO2 reduction from practical application. Fortunately, the recent development of precisely synthesized nanocatalysts has led to several breakthroughs in catalytic CO2 conversion. By carefully controlling the thermodynamic adsorption energies and flow dynamics of reaction intermediates, nanosized electrocatalysts afford more versatile and energetically efficient routes to convert CO2 into desired chemicals. In this article, we review the state-of-the-art nanocatalysts applied for CO2 conversion and discuss newly found phenomena at the local environment near the catalyst surface. The mechanistic understanding of these findings can provide insight into the future design of catalysts for the efficient and selective reduction of CO2.

Energy savings, emission reductions, and health co-benefits of the green building movement.

Science.gov (United States)

P, MacNaughton; X, Cao; J, Buonocore; J, Cedeno-Laurent; J, Spengler; A, Bernstein; J, Allen

2018-06-01

Buildings consume nearly 40% of primary energy production globally. Certified green buildings substantially reduce energy consumption on a per square foot basis and they also focus on indoor environmental quality. However, the co-benefits to health through reductions in energy and concomitant reductions in air pollution have not been examined.We calculated year by year LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification rates in six countries (the United States, China, India, Brazil, Germany, and Turkey) and then used data from the Green Building Information Gateway (GBIG) to estimate energy savings in each country each year. Of the green building rating schemes, LEED accounts for 32% of green-certified floor space and publically reports energy efficiency data. We employed Harvard's Co-BE Calculator to determine pollutant emissions reductions by country accounting for transient energy mixes and baseline energy use intensities. Co-BE applies the social cost of carbon and the social cost of atmospheric release to translate these reductions into health benefits. Based on modeled energy use, LEED-certified buildings saved $7.5B in energy costs and averted 33MT of CO 2 , 51 kt of SO 2 , 38 kt of NO x , and 10 kt of PM 2.5 from entering the atmosphere, which amounts to $5.8B (lower limit = $2.3B, upper limit = $9.1B) in climate and health co-benefits from 2000 to 2016 in the six countries investigated. The U.S. health benefits derive from avoiding an estimated 172-405 premature deaths, 171 hospital admissions, 11,000 asthma exacerbations, 54,000 respiratory symptoms, 21,000 lost days of work, and 16,000 lost days of school. Because the climate and health benefits are nearly equivalent to the energy savings for green buildings in the United States, and up to 10 times higher in developing countries, they provide an important and previously unquantified societal value. Future analyses should consider these co-benefits when weighing policy

Mechanistic Pathway in the Electrochemical Reduction of CO₂ on RuO₂

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Karamad, Mohammadreza; Hansen, Heine Anton; Rossmeisl, Jan

2015-01-01

below −0.43 V vs the reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE). On the other hand, at 0.5 ML of CO*, the reduction of formic acid to H2COOH* is the thermodynamically most difficult step and becomes exergonic at potentials below −0.25 V vs RHE. We have found that CO2 reduction activity on RuO2 changes with CO...

A Problem-Reduction Evolutionary Algorithm for Solving the Capacitated Vehicle Routing Problem

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wanfeng Liu

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Assessment of the components of a solution helps provide useful information for an optimization problem. This paper presents a new population-based problem-reduction evolutionary algorithm (PREA based on the solution components assessment. An individual solution is regarded as being constructed by basic elements, and the concept of acceptability is introduced to evaluate them. The PREA consists of a searching phase and an evaluation phase. The acceptability of basic elements is calculated in the evaluation phase and passed to the searching phase. In the searching phase, for each individual solution, the original optimization problem is reduced to a new smaller-size problem. With the evolution of the algorithm, the number of common basic elements in the population increases until all individual solutions are exactly the same which is supposed to be the near-optimal solution of the optimization problem. The new algorithm is applied to a large variety of capacitated vehicle routing problems (CVRP with customers up to nearly 500. Experimental results show that the proposed algorithm has the advantages of fast convergence and robustness in solution quality over the comparative algorithms.

Investigation of the charge-transfer in photo-excited nanoparticles for CO2 reduction in non-aqueous media

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dimitrijević Nada M.

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Photoinduced charge separation in TiO2 and Cu2O semiconductor nanoparticles was examined using Electron Paramagnetic Resonance spectroscopy in order to get insight into the photocatalytic reduction of CO2 in nonaqueous media. For dissolution/grafting of CO2 we have used carboxy-PEG4-amine, and as a solvent poly(ethylene glycol 200. We have found that, in this system, reduction of CO2 starts at potential of -0.5 V vs Ag/AgCl, which is significantly more positive than the potential for electrochemical reduction of CO2 in most organic solvents and water (-2.0 V vs. Ag/AgCl. The electron transfer from excited nanoparticles to CO2 is governed both by thermodynamic and kinetic parameters, namely by the redox potential of conduction band electrons and adsorption/binding of CO2 on the surface of nanoparticles.

Effects of composition of the micro porous layer and the substrate on performance in the electrochemical reduction of CO2 to CO

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Byoungsu; Hillman, Febrian; Ariyoshi, Miho; Fujikawa, Shigenori; Kenis, Paul J. A.

2016-04-01

With the development of better catalysts, mass transport limitations are becoming a challenge to high throughput electrochemical reduction of CO2 to CO. In contrast to optimization of electrodes for fuel cells, optimization of gas diffusion electrodes (GDE) - consisting of a carbon fiber substrate (CFS), a micro porous layer (MPL), and a catalyst layer (CL) - for CO2 reduction has not received a lot of attention. Here, we studied the effect of the MPL and CFS composition on cathode performance in electroreduction of CO2 to CO. In a flow reactor, optimized GDEs exhibited a higher partial current density for CO production than Sigracet 35BC, a commercially available GDE. By performing electrochemical impedance spectroscopy in a CO2 flow reactor we determined that a loading of 20 wt% PTFE in the MPL resulted in the best performance. We also investigated the influence of the thickness and wet proof level of CFS with two different feeds, 100% CO2 and the mixture of 50% CO2 and N2, determining that thinner and lower wet proofing of the CFS yields better cathode performance than when using a thicker and higher wet proof level of CFS.

Water-Soluble Polymers with Strong Photoluminescence through an Eco-Friendly and Low-Cost Route.

Science.gov (United States)

Guo, Zhaoyan; Ru, Yue; Song, Wenbo; Liu, Zhenjie; Zhang, Xiaohong; Qiao, Jinliang

2017-07-01

Photoluminescence (PL) of nonconjugated polymers brings a favorable opportunity for low-cost and nontoxic luminescent materials, while most of them still exhibit relatively weak emission. Strong PL from poly[(maleic anhydride)-alt-(vinyl acetate)] (PMV) from low-cost monomer has been found in organic solvents, yet the necessity of noxious solvents would hinder its practical applications. Herein, through a novel, eco-friendly, and one-step route, PMV-derived PL polymers can be fabricated with the highest quantum yield of 87% among water-soluble nonconjugated PL polymers ever reported. These PMV-derived polymers emit strong blue emission in both solutions and solids, and can be transformed into red-emission agents easily. These PL polymers exhibit application potentials in light-conversion agricultural films. It is assumed that this work not only puts forward a convenient preparation routine for nonconjugated polymers with high PL, but also provides an industrial application possibility for them. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Synthetic wastewaters treatment by electrocoagulation to remove silver nanoparticles produced by different routes.

Science.gov (United States)

Matias, M S; Melegari, S P; Vicentini, D S; Matias, W G; Ricordel, C; Hauchard, D

2015-08-15

Nanoscience is a field that has stood out in recent years. The accurate long-term health and environmental risks associated with these emerging materials are unknown. Therefore, this work investigated how to eliminate silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) from synthetic effluents by electrocoagulation (EC) due to the widespread use of this type of nanoparticle (NP) in industry and its potential inhibition power over microorganisms responsible for biological treatment in effluent treatment plants. Synthesized AgNPs were studied via four different routes by chemical reduction in aqueous solutions to simulate the chemical variations of a hypothetical industrial effluent, and efficiency conditions of the EC treatment were determined. All routes used silver nitrate as the source of silver ions, and two synthesis routes were studied with sodium citrate as a stabilizer. In route I, sodium citrate functioned simultaneously as the reducing agent and stabilizing agent, whereas route II used sodium borohydride as a reducing agent. Route III used D-glucose as the reducing agent and sodium pyrophosphate as the stabilizer; route IV used sodium pyrophosphate as the stabilizing agent and sodium borohydride as the reducing agent. The efficiency of the EC process of the different synthesized solutions was studied. For route I, after 85 min of treatment, a significant decrease in the plasmon resonance peak of the sample was observed, which reflects the efficiency in the mass reduction of AgNPs in the solution by 98.6%. In route II, after 12 min of EC, the absorbance results reached the detection limit of the measurement instrument, which indicates a minimum reduction of 99.9% of AgNPs in the solution. During the 4 min of treatment in route III, the absorbance intensities again reached the detection limit, which indicates a minimum reduction of 99.8%. In route IV, after 10 min of treatment, a minimum AgNP reduction of 99.9% was observed. Based on these results, it was possible to verify that

[Awareness of health co-benefits of carbon emissions reduction in urban residents in Beijing: a cross-sectional survey].

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, J H; Zhang, Y; Wang, J; Chen, H J; Zhang, G B; Liu, X B; Wu, H X; Li, J; Li, J; Liu, Q Y

2017-05-10

Objective: To understand the awareness of the health co-benefits of carbon emission reduction in urban residents in Beijing and the influencing factors, and provide information for policy decision on carbon emission reduction and health education campaigns. Methods: Four communities were selected randomly from Fangshan, Haidian, Huairou and Dongcheng districts of Beijing, respectively. The sample size was estimated by using Kish-Leslie formula for descriptive analysis. 90 participants were recruited from each community. χ (2) test was conducted to examine the associations between socio-demographic variables and individuals' awareness of the health co-benefits of carbon emission reduction. Ordinal logistic regression analysis was performed to investigate the factors influencing the awareness about the health co-benefits. Results: In 369 participants surveyed, 12.7 % reported they knew the health co-benefits of carbon emission reduction. The final logistic regression analysis revealed that age ( OR =0.98), attitude to climate warming ( OR =0.72) and air pollution ( OR =1.59), family monthly average income ( OR =1.27), and low carbon lifestyle ( OR =2.36) were important factors influencing their awareness of the health co-benefits of carbon emission reduction. Conclusion: The awareness of the health co-benefits of carbon emissions reduction were influenced by people' socio-demographic characteristics (age and family income), concerns about air pollution and climate warming, and low carbon lifestyle. It is necessary to take these factors into consideration in future development and implementation of carbon emission reduction policies and related health education campaigns.

Reduction under hydrogen of ferrite MFe{sub 2}O{sub 4} (M: Fe, Co, Ni) nanoparticles obtained by hydrolysis in polyol medium: A novel route to elaborate CoFe{sub 2}, Fe and Ni{sub 3}Fe nanoparticles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ballot, N.; Schoenstein, F.; Mercone, S.; Chauveau, T.; Brinza, O. [Laboratoire des Sciences des Procedes et des Materiaux, CNRS, LSPM - UPR 3407, Universite Paris 13, PRES Sorbonne-Paris-Cite, 99 Avenue J.-B. Clement, 93430 Villetaneuse (France); Jouini, N., E-mail: jouini@univ-paris13.fr [Laboratoire des Sciences des Procedes et des Materiaux, CNRS, LSPM - UPR 3407, Universite Paris 13, PRES Sorbonne-Paris-Cite, 99 Avenue J.-B. Clement, 93430 Villetaneuse (France)

2012-09-25

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Spinels nano-particles MFe{sub 2}O{sub 4} (M: Co, Fe or Ni) are obtained by hydrolysis in polyol medium. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Gentle reduction under hydrogen flow of spinel nano-particles yields metal and alloy nanoparticles. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer TEM and X-ray analysis show that CoFe{sub 2}, Fe and Ni{sub 3}Fe nano-particles are monocrystalline particles with size less than 160 nm. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Iron with size of 150 nm presents ferromagnetic behavior. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer CoFe{sub 2} alloy with size of 55 nm could be considered as a superparamagnetic material. - Abstract: A novel method to process metal and various alloy particles of nanometric size is described. The first step consists in the elaboration of MFe{sub 2}O{sub 4} (M: Fe, Ni or Co) spinel nanoparticles in polyol medium via hydrolysis and the second one in gently reducing these latter under hydrogen at 300 Degree-Sign C. X-ray diffraction analysis shows that pure Fe and CoFe{sub 2} alloy are well obtained by reducing Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} and CoFe{sub 2}O{sub 4}, respectively. This is not the case when we try to reduce NiFe{sub 2}O{sub 4}. A mixture of Fe and Ni{sub 3}Fe is observed. TEM analysis reveals that the size of metal particles stays within the range of a few tenths of nm up to 150 nm, while the precursors (MFe{sub 2}O{sub 4}) never exceed 5 nm. Our results show that the formation of metal particles occurs via two main steps: (i) reduction of the spinel oxide nanoparticles into metal ones and (ii) aggregation of the latter, leading to larger metal nanoparticles. Magnetic measurements indicate that the as-obtained metallic materials have good magnetic properties mainly affected by the sizes of the nanoparticles and the purity of the reduced phases.

REFORMACIÓN SECA DE METANO SOBRE CATALIZADORES DE Co OBTENIDOS DE ÓXIDOS TIPO PEROVSKITA I DRY REFORMING OF METHANE OVER Co CATALYSTS OBTAINED OF PEROVSKITE- TYPE OXIDES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

GUSTAVO VALDERRAMA

2018-05-01

Full Text Available A series of perovskite-type precursors (La 1-x Sr x CoO 3 with x = 0; 0,2; 0,4 were studied which were prepared by the auto-combustion method and characterized by techniques such as X-ray powder diffraction (XRD, specific surface area (BET, temperature-programmed reduction (TPR and transmission electron microscopy (TEM. After reduction, their catalytic activity toward CO 2 reforming of CH 4 was tested in a fixed bed reactor at 1073 ºK. X-ray diffraction patterns revealed the formation of the perovskite structure in all samples prepared. It was found that the activation route occurs through intermediary species producing Co 0 nanoparticles highly dispersed in the La 2 O 2 CO 3 -SrO solid matrix. These species are responsible of the high activity and inhibit the coke deposition despite the severe reaction conditions used.

Post place and route design-technology co-optimization for scaling at single-digit nodes with constant ground rules

Science.gov (United States)

Mattii, Luca; Milojevic, Dragomir; Debacker, Peter; Berekovic, Mladen; Sherazi, Syed Muhammad Yasser; Chava, Bharani; Bardon, Marie Garcia; Schuddinck, Pieter; Rodopoulos, Dimitrios; Baert, Rogier; Gerousis, Vassilios; Ryckaert, Julien; Raghavan, Praveen

2018-01-01

Standard-cell design, technology choices, and place and route (P&R) efficiency are deeply interrelated in CMOS technology nodes below 10 nm, where lower number of tracks cells and higher pin densities pose increasingly challenging problems to the router in terms of congestion and pin accessibility. To evaluate and downselect the best solutions, a holistic design-technology co-optimization approach leveraging state-of-the-art P&R tools is thus necessary. We adopt such an approach using the imec N7 technology platform, with contacted poly pitch of 42 nm and tightest metal pitch of 32 nm, by comparing post P&R area of an IP block for different standard cell configurations, technology options, and cell height. Keeping the technology node and the set of ground rules unchanged, we demonstrate that a careful combination of these solutions can enable area gains of up to 50%, comparable with the area benefits of migrating to another node. We further demonstrate that these area benefits can be achieved at isoperformance with >20% reduced power. As at the end of the CMOS roadmap, conventional scaling enacted through pitch reduction is made more and more challenging by constraints imposed by lithography limits, material resistivity, manufacturability, and ultimately wafer cost, the approach shown herein offers a valid, attractive, and low-cost alternative.

Characterization of SrCo{sub 1.5}Ti{sub 1.5}Fe{sub 9}O{sub 19} hexagonal ferrite synthesized by sol-gel combustion and solid state route

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vinaykumar, R., E-mail: vinaykumar.r1984@gmail.com; Mazumder, R., E-mail: ranabrata@nitrkl.ac.in; Bera, J., E-mail: jbera@nitrkl.ac.in

2017-05-01

Co-Ti co-substituted SrM hexagonal ferrite (SrCo{sub 1.5}Ti{sub 1.5}Fe{sub 9}O{sub 19}) was synthesized by sol-gel combustion and solid state route. The effects of sources of TiO{sub 2} raw materials; titanium tetra-isopropoxide (TTIP) and titanyl nitrate (TN) on the phase formation behavior and properties of the ferrite were studied. The thermal decomposition behavior of the gel was studied using TG-DSC. The phase formation behavior of the ferrite was studied by using X-ray powder diffraction and FTIR analysis. Phase formation was comparatively easier in the TN-based sol-gel process. The morphology of powder and sintered ferrite was investigated using scanning electron microscope. Magnetic properties like magnetization, coercivity, permeability, tan δ{sub µ} and dielectric properties were investigated. The ferrite synthesized by sol-gel based chemical route showed higher saturation magnetization, permeability and permittivity compared to the ferrite synthesized by solid state route. - Highlights: • SrCo{sub 1.5}Ti{sub 1.5}Fe{sub 9}O{sub 19} ferrite was successfully prepared by sol–gel combustion process. • Sol-gel synthesis of the ferrite using titanyl nitrate has been reported first time. • Phase formation was easier in the titanyl nitrate based sol-gel process. • Better magneto-dielectric properties were observed in sol-gel processed ferrite.

Convenience foods. What, why, and when.

Science.gov (United States)

Scholliers, Peter

2015-11-01

An attempt is made to assess the academic interest in convenience foods in the past decades in order to introduce this special section on historical dimensions of convenience foods, prepared by FOST, a unit that investigates the history and culture of food (up to today). First, the rise of academic interest is trailed since the appearance of the concept in the 1920s and, next, themes in connection to this interest are considered (e.g., time, health, or gender). Then, definitions of convenience foods are tracked since the 1950s, which leads to suggesting a clear focus (linking convenience foods to home cooking of meals and industrially produced foods). The conclusion stresses the changing definition of the concept, as well as the need to gain historical insight in present-day issues related to convenience foods. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Production of SmCo5 alloy by calciothermic reduction of samarium oxide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krishnan, T.S.; Gupta, C.K.

1988-01-01

Among the established permanent magnets, SmCo 5 magnet occupies the foremost position as it offers a unique combination of high energy product, coercivity and curie temperature. The SmCo 5 magnets are thus extensively used for high field applications. These are also best suited for use in environments where high demagnetizing field and high temperature are operative. Also, for applications where high performance and miniaturization are the over-riding considerations, the choice again falls on SmCo 5 magnets. The main deterrent to the widespread use of SmCo 5 magnet is its high cost. Both samarium and cobalt metals are high priced, and the magnets prepared from their directly melted alloy are thus naturally very expensive. An alternate process involving calcium reduction of their oxide intermediates has, therefore, been studied and the alloy prepared by this process has been evaluated and found satisfactory for magnet production. The process essentially involves compaction of the charge mix containing samarium oxide, cobalt oxide (or metal) and calcium metal and reduction of the charge compact at 1000-1300 degrees C in hydrogen atmosphere, followed by water and acid leaching, drying and classification

Selective rhodium-catalyzed reduction of tertiary amides in amino acid esters and peptides.

Science.gov (United States)

Das, Shoubhik; Li, Yuehui; Bornschein, Christoph; Pisiewicz, Sabine; Kiersch, Konstanze; Michalik, Dirk; Gallou, Fabrice; Junge, Kathrin; Beller, Matthias

2015-10-12

Efficient reduction of the tertiary amide bond in amino acid derivatives and peptides is described. Functional group selectivity has been achieved by applying a commercially available rhodium precursor and bis(diphenylphosphino)propane (dppp) ligand together with phenyl silane as a reductant. This methodology allows for specific reductive derivatization of biologically interesting peptides and offers straightforward access to a variety of novel peptide derivatives for chemical biology studies and potential pharmaceutical applications. The catalytic system tolerates a variety of functional groups including secondary amides, ester, nitrile, thiomethyl, and hydroxy groups. This convenient hydrosilylation reaction proceeds at ambient conditions and is operationally safe because no air-sensitive reagents or highly reactive metal hydrides are needed. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Enhanced Photocatalytic Reduction of CO2 to CO through TiO2 Passivation of InP in Ionic Liquids.

Science.gov (United States)

Zeng, Guangtong; Qiu, Jing; Hou, Bingya; Shi, Haotian; Lin, Yongjing; Hettick, Mark; Javey, Ali; Cronin, Stephen B

2015-09-21

A robust and reliable method for improving the photocatalytic performance of InP, which is one of the best known materials for solar photoconversion (i.e., solar cells). In this article, we report substantial improvements (up to 18×) in the photocatalytic yields for CO2 reduction to CO through the surface passivation of InP with TiO2 deposited by atomic layer deposition (ALD). Here, the main mechanisms of enhancement are the introduction of catalytically active sites and the formation of a pn-junction. Photoelectrochemical reactions were carried out in a nonaqueous solution consisting of ionic liquid, 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate ([EMIM]BF4), dissolved in acetonitrile, which enables CO2 reduction with a Faradaic efficiency of 99% at an underpotential of +0.78 V. While the photocatalytic yield increases with the addition of the TiO2 layer, a corresponding drop in the photoluminescence intensity indicates the presence of catalytically active sites, which cause an increase in the electron-hole pair recombination rate. NMR spectra show that the [EMIM](+) ions in solution form an intermediate complex with CO2(-), thus lowering the energy barrier of this reaction. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

A supply chain optimization framework for CO₂ emission reduction: Case of the Netherlands

OpenAIRE

Kalyanarengan Ravi, Narayen; Zondervan, Edwin; Van Sint Annaland, Martin; Fransoo, Jan C.; Grievink, J.

2016-01-01

A major challenge for the industrial deployment of a CO2 emission reduction methodology is to reduce the overall cost and the integration of all the nodes in the supply chain for CO2 emission reduction. In this work, we develop a mixed integer linear optimization model that selects appropriate sources, capture process, transportation network and CO2 storage sites and optimize for a minimum overall cost. Initially, we screen the sources and storage options available in the Netherlands at diffe...

Compliance to two city convenience store ordinance requirements.

Science.gov (United States)

Chaumont Menéndez, Cammie K; Amandus, Harlan E; Wu, Nan; Hendricks, Scott A

2016-04-01

Robbery-related homicides and assaults are the leading cause of death in retail businesses. Robbery reduction approaches focus on compliance to Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) guidelines. We evaluated the level of compliance to CPTED guidelines specified by convenience store safety ordinances effective in 2010 in Dallas and Houston, Texas, USA. Convenience stores were defined as businesses less than 10 000 square feet that sell grocery items. Store managers were interviewed for store ordinance requirements from August to November 2011, in a random sample of 594 (289 in Dallas, 305 in Houston) convenience stores that were open before and after the effective dates of their city's ordinance. Data were collected in 2011 and analysed in 2012-2014. Overall, 9% of stores were in full compliance, although 79% reported being registered with the police departments as compliant. Compliance was consistently significantly higher in Dallas than in Houston for many requirements and by store type. Compliance was lower among single owner-operator stores compared with corporate/franchise stores. Compliance to individual requirements was lowest for signage and visibility. Full compliance to the required safety measures is consistent with industry 'best practices' and evidence-based workplace violence prevention research findings. In Houston and Dallas compliance was higher for some CPTED requirements but not the less costly approaches that are also the more straightforward to adopt. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Tailoring subunit vaccine immunity with adjuvant combinations and delivery routes using the Middle East respiratory coronavirus (MERS-CoV receptor-binding domain as an antigen.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jiaming Lan

Full Text Available The development of an effective vaccine is critical for prevention of a Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV pandemic. Some studies have indicated the receptor-binding domain (RBD protein of MERS-CoV spike (S is a good candidate antigen for a MERS-CoV subunit vaccine. However, highly purified proteins are typically not inherently immunogenic. We hypothesised that humoral and cell-mediated immunity would be improved with a modification of the vaccination regimen. Therefore, the immunogenicity of a novel MERS-CoV RBD-based subunit vaccine was tested in mice using different adjuvant formulations and delivery routes. Different vaccination regimens were compared in BALB/c mice immunized 3 times intramuscularly (i.m. with a vaccine containing 10 µg of recombinant MERS-CoV RBD in combination with either aluminium hydroxide (alum alone, alum and polyriboinosinic acid (poly I:C or alum and cysteine-phosphate-guanine (CpG oligodeoxynucleotides (ODN. The immune responses of mice vaccinated with RBD, incomplete Freund's adjuvant (IFA and CpG ODN by a subcutaneous (s.c. route were also investigated. We evaluated the induction of RBD-specific humoral immunity (total IgG and neutralizing antibodies and cellular immunity (ELISpot assay for IFN-γ spot-forming cells and splenocyte cytokine production. Our findings indicated that the combination of alum and CpG ODN optimized the development of RBD-specific humoral and cellular immunity following subunit vaccination. Interestingly, robust RBD-specific antibody and T-cell responses were induced in mice immunized with the rRBD protein in combination with IFA and CpG ODN, but low level of neutralizing antibodies were elicited. Our data suggest that murine immunity following subunit vaccination can be tailored using adjuvant combinations and delivery routes. The vaccination regimen used in this study is promising and could improve the protection offered by the MERS-CoV subunit vaccine by eliciting

Marginal CO2 reduction cost in ENERGY 2000 development. A socio-economic evaluation of the marginal cost for the alternative reduction methods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maeng, H.

1995-01-01

The official Danish environmental plan involves a reduction of CO 2 within the next 30-50 years. This report describes the analysis of socio-economic cost/consequences of marginal CO 2 reduction by means of various technical solution models. Calculations by means of the special program subroutine SAMFOKO are based on energy balance in annual, monthly, daily and hourly scale. Heat and power savings as well as the development of decentralized power plants are considered in the supply model. Socio-economic consequences in form of charges and cost are discussed. (EG)

CO2 Emission Reduction in Energy Sector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bole, A.; Sustersic, A.; Voncina, R.

2013-01-01

Due to human activities, concentrations of the greenhouse gases increase in the atmosphere much quicker than they naturally would. Today it is clear that climate change is the result of human activities. With the purpose of preventing, reducing and mitigating of climate change, the EU, whose member is also Slovenia, set ambitious goals. In order to keep rise of the global atmosphere temperature below 2 degrees of C, the European Council set an objective of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 80 - 95 % by 2050 compared to 1990. It is important that every single individual is included in achieving of these goals. Certainly, the most important role is assumed by individual sectors especially Public Electricity and Heat Production sector as one of the greatest emitters of the greenhouse gases. As a possible solution of radical reduction of the greenhouse gases emission from mentioned sector Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) technology is implemented. In the article the range of CO 2 reduction possibilities, technology demands and environmental side effects of CCS technology are described. Evaluation of CCS implementation possibilities in Slovenia is also included.(author)

Free energy landscape of electrocatalytic CO2 reduction to CO on aqueous FeN4 center embedded graphene studied by ab initio molecular dynamics simulations

Science.gov (United States)

Sheng, Tian; Sun, Shi-Gang

2017-11-01

Experiments have found that the porphyrin-like FeN4 site in Fe-N-C materials is highly efficient for the electrochemical reduction of CO2 into CO. In this work, we investigated the reduction mechanisms on FeN4 embedded graphene layer catalyst with some explicit water molecules by combining the constrained ab initio molecular dynamics simulations and thermodynamic integrations. The reaction free energy and electron transfer in each elementary step were identified. The initial CO2 activation was identified to go through the first electron transfer to form adsorbed CO2- anion and the CO desorption was the rate limiting step in the overall catalytic cycle.

Organic reactions for the electrochemical and photochemical production of chemical fuels from CO2--The reduction chemistry of carboxylic acids and derivatives as bent CO2 surrogates.

Science.gov (United States)

Luca, Oana R; Fenwick, Aidan Q

2015-11-01

The present review covers organic transformations involved in the reduction of CO2 to chemical fuels. In particular, we focus on reactions of CO2 with organic molecules to yield carboxylic acid derivatives as a first step in CO2 reduction reaction sequences. These biomimetic initial steps create opportunities for tandem electrochemical/chemical reductions. We draw parallels between long-standing knowledge of CO2 reactivity from organic chemistry, organocatalysis, surface science and electrocatalysis. We point out some possible non-faradaic chemical reactions that may contribute to product distributions in the production of solar fuels from CO2. These reactions may be accelerated by thermal effects such as resistive heating and illumination. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Low Overpotential and High Current CO2 Reduction with Surface Reconstructed Cu Foam Electrodess

KAUST Repository

Min, Shixiong

2016-06-23

While recent reports have demonstrated that oxide-derived Cu-based electrodes exhibit high selectivity for CO2 reduction at low overpotential, the low catalytic current density (<2 mA/cm2 at -0.45 V vs. RHE) still largely limits its applications for large-scale fuel synthesis. Here we report an extremely high current density for CO2 reduction at low overpotential using a Cu foam electrode prepared by air-oxidation and subsequent electroreduction. Apart from possessing three-dimensional (3D) open frameworks, the resulting Cu foam electrodes prepared at higher temperatures exhibit enhanced electrochemically active surface area and distinct surface structures. In particular, the Cu foam electrode prepared at 500 °C exhibits an extremely high geometric current density of ~9.4 mA/cm2 in CO2-satrurated 0.1 M KHCO3 aqueous solution and achieving ~39% CO and ~23% HCOOH Faradaic efficiencies at -0.45 V vs. RHE. The high activity and significant selectivity enhancement are attributable to the formation of abundant grain-boundary supported active sites and preferable (100) and (111) facets as a result of reconstruction of Cu surface facets. This work demonstrates that the structural integration of Cu foam with open 3D frameworks and the favorable surface structures is a promising strategy to develop an advanced Cu electrocatalyst that can operate at high current density and low overpotential for CO2 reduction.

PLAINS CO2 REDUCTION (PCOR) PARTNERSHIP

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Edward N. Steadman; Daniel J. Daly; Lynette L. de Silva; John A. Harju; Melanie D. Jensen; Erin M. O' Leary; Wesley D. Peck; Steven A. Smith; James A. Sorensen

2006-01-01

During the period of October 1, 2003, through September 30, 2005, the Plains CO2 Reduction (PCOR) Partnership, identified geologic and terrestrial candidates for near-term practical and environmentally sound carbon dioxide (CO2) sequestration demonstrations in the heartland of North America. The PCOR Partnership region covered nine states and three Canadian provinces. The validation test candidates were further vetted to ensure that they represented projects with (1) commercial potential and (2) a mix that would support future projects both dependent and independent of CO2 monetization. This report uses the findings contained in the PCOR Partnership's two dozen topical reports and half-dozen fact sheets as well as the capabilities of its geographic information system-based Decision Support System to provide a concise picture of the sequestration potential for both terrestrial and geologic sequestration in the PCOR Partnership region based on assessments of sources, sinks, regulations, deployment issues, transportation, and capture and separation. The report also includes concise action plans for deployment and public education and outreach as well as a brief overview of the structure, development, and capabilities of the PCOR Partnership. The PCOR Partnership is one of seven regional partnerships under Phase I of the U.S. Department of Energy National Energy Technology Laboratory's Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnership program. The PCOR Partnership, comprising 49 public and private sector members, is led by the Energy & Environmental Research Center at the University of North Dakota. The international PCOR Partnership region includes the Canadian provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba and the states of Montana (part), Wyoming (part), North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Missouri, Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin.

Stochastic time-dependent vehicle routing problem: Mathematical models and ant colony algorithm

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhengyu Duan

2015-11-01

Full Text Available This article addresses the stochastic time-dependent vehicle routing problem. Two mathematical models named robust optimal schedule time model and minimum expected schedule time model are proposed for stochastic time-dependent vehicle routing problem, which can guarantee delivery within the time windows of customers. The robust optimal schedule time model only requires the variation range of link travel time, which can be conveniently derived from historical traffic data. In addition, the robust optimal schedule time model based on robust optimization method can be converted into a time-dependent vehicle routing problem. Moreover, an ant colony optimization algorithm is designed to solve stochastic time-dependent vehicle routing problem. As the improvements in initial solution and transition probability, ant colony optimization algorithm has a good performance in convergence. Through computational instances and Monte Carlo simulation tests, robust optimal schedule time model is proved to be better than minimum expected schedule time model in computational efficiency and coping with the travel time fluctuations. Therefore, robust optimal schedule time model is applicable in real road network.

Nature-Inspired and Energy Efficient Route Planning

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schlichtkrull, Anders; Christensen, J. B. S.; Feld, T.

2015-01-01

Cars are responsible for substantial CO2 emission worldwide. Computers can help solve this problem by computing shortest routes on maps. A good example of this is the popular Google Maps service. However, such services often require the order of the stops on the route to be fixed. By not enforcing....... The app is aimed at private persons and small businesses. The app works by using a nature-inspired algorithm called Ant Colony Optimization....

Atmospheric stabilization of CO2 emissions: Near-term reductions and absolute versus intensity-based targets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Timilsina, Govinda R.

2008-01-01

This study analyzes CO 2 emissions reduction targets for various countries and geopolitical regions by the year 2030 to stabilize atmospheric concentrations of CO 2 at 450 ppm (550 ppm including non-CO 2 greenhouse gases) level. It also determines CO 2 intensity cuts that would be required in those countries and regions if the emission reductions were to be achieved through intensity-based targets without curtailing their expected economic growth. Considering that the stabilization of CO 2 concentrations at 450 ppm requires the global trend of CO 2 emissions to be reversed before 2030, this study develops two scenarios: reversing the global CO 2 trend in (i) 2020 and (ii) 2025. The study shows that global CO 2 emissions would be limited at 42 percent above 1990 level in 2030 if the increasing trend of global CO 2 emissions were to be reversed by 2020. If reversing the trend is delayed by 5 years, global CO 2 emissions in 2030 would be 52 percent higher than the 1990 level. The study also finds that to achieve these targets while maintaining expected economic growth, the global average CO 2 intensity would require a 68 percent drop from the 1990 level or a 60 percent drop from the 2004 level by 2030

Bioavailability and Brain-Targeting of Geniposide in Gardenia-Borneol Co-Compound by Different Administration Routes in Mice

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xuejiao Zhao

2012-11-01

Full Text Available Both geniposide (Ge and borneol (Bo are bioactive substances derived from traditional Chinese medicine. Injections containing co-compound of Gardenia-Borneol are widely used for stroke treatment in China, such as “Xingnaojing” multi-component injection. As more and more adverse reactions (especially drug allergy were reported, it is urgent to find more effective and safer routes of administration for such kinds of medicines. In this paper, bioavailabilities and brain-target effects of geniposide in Gardenia-Borneol co-compound through different administration routes in mice were investigated. Geniposide concentrations in plasma and in brain of mice were determined by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. The pharmacokinetics parameters of intranasal (i.n. and intragastric (i.g. administration were compared with intravenous (i.v. administration. The bioavailabilities of Ge were 85.38% and 28.76% for i.n. and i.g. while Tmax were 1 min and 30 min. Cmax were 21.881 ± 5.398, 1.914 ± 0.327 and 42.410 ± 6.268 μg/mL for i.n., i.g. and i.v., respectively. The AUC of Ge in brain were 32413.6 ± 4573.9, 6440.1 ± 863.7 and 37270.5 ± 4160.6 ng/g·min for i.n., i.g. and i.v., respectively. The drug target indexes (DTI were 1.02 and 0.60 for i.n. and i.g. The results demonstrated that geniposide could be absorbed promptly and thoroughly by i.n. administration in mice and basically transported into the brain though blood vessel passways.

Co-existence of Methanogenesis and Sulfate Reduction with Common Substrates in Sulfate-Rich Estuarine Sediments

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michal Sela-Adler

2017-05-01

Full Text Available The competition between sulfate reducing bacteria and methanogens over common substrates has been proposed as a critical control for methane production. In this study, we examined the co-existence of methanogenesis and sulfate reduction with shared substrates over a large range of sulfate concentrations and rates of sulfate reduction in estuarine systems, where these processes are the key terminal sink for organic carbon. Incubation experiments were carried out with sediment samples from the sulfate-methane transition zone of the Yarqon (Israel estuary with different substrates and inhibitors along a sulfate concentrations gradient from 1 to 10 mM. The results show that methanogenesis and sulfate reduction can co-exist while the microbes share substrates over the tested range of sulfate concentrations and at sulfate reduction rates up to 680 μmol L-1 day-1. Rates of methanogenesis were two orders of magnitude lower than rates of sulfate reduction in incubations with acetate and lactate, suggesting a higher affinity of sulfate reducing bacteria for the available substrates. The co-existence of both processes was also confirmed by the isotopic signatures of δ34S in the residual sulfate and that of δ13C of methane and dissolved inorganic carbon. Copy numbers of dsrA and mcrA genes supported the dominance of sulfate reduction over methanogenesis, while showing also the ability of methanogens to grow under high sulfate concentration and in the presence of active sulfate reduction.

Composition and microstructure of zirconium and hafnium germanates obtained by different chemical routes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Utkin, A.V.; Prokip, V.E.; Baklanova, N.I.

2014-01-01

The phase composition and morphology of zirconium and hafnium germanates synthesized by ceramic and co-precipitation routes were studied. The products were characterized using high-temperature X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and thermal (TG/DTA) analysis. To investigate the phase composition and stoichiometry of compounds the unit cell parameters were refined by full-profile Rietveld XRD analysis. The morphology of products and its evolution during high-temperature treatment was examined by SEM analysis. It was stated that there is the strong dependence of the phase composition and morphology of products on the preparation route. The ceramic route requires a multi-stage high-temperature treatment to obtain zirconium and hafnium germanates of 95% purity or more. Also, there are strong diffusion limitations to obtain hafnium germanate Hf 3 GeO 8 by ceramic route. On the contrary, the co-precipitation route leads to the formation of nanocrystalline single phase germanates of stoichiometric composition at a relatively low temperatures (less than 1000 °C). The results of quantitative XRD analysis showed the hafnium germanates are stoichiometric compounds in contrast to zirconium germanates that form a set of solid solutions. This distinction may be related to the difference in the ion radii of Zr and Hf. - Graphical abstract: The phase composition and morphology of zirconium and hafnium germanates synthesized by ceramic and co-precipitation routes were studied. It was stated that there is the strong dependence of the phase composition and morphology of products on the preparation route. Display Omitted - Highlights: • Zr and Hf germanates were synthesized by ceramic and co-precipitation routes. • The morphology of products depends on the synthesis parameters. • Zirconium germanates forms a set of solid solutions. • Hafnium germanates are stoichiometric compounds

Optimal production resource reallocation for CO2 emissions reduction in manufacturing sectors

OpenAIRE

Fujii, Hidemichi; Managi, Shunsuke

2015-01-01

To mitigate the effects of climate change, countries worldwide are advancing technologies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This paper proposes and measures optimal production resource reallocation using data envelopment analysis. This research attempts to clarify the effect of optimal production resource reallocation on CO2 emissions reduction, focusing on regional and industrial characteristics. We use finance, energy, and CO2 emissions data from 13 industrial sectors in 39 countries from...

Blurring Aversive Memory: Exploring a Novel Route to Fear Reduction

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Leer, A.

2015-01-01

Treatment of pathological fear typically involves exposure to the feared stimulus. This procedure is effective in reducing fear in the short term. However, many patients relapse, i.e. show a return of fear. The present thesis explored a novel route to counter the renewal of fear. Previous research

Blurring Aversive Memory : Exploring a Novel Route to Fear Reduction

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Leer, Arne

2015-01-01

Treatment of pathological fear typically involves exposure to the feared stimulus. This procedure is effective in reducing fear in the short term. However, many patients relapse, i.e. show a return of fear. The present thesis explored a novel route to counter the renewal of fear. Previous research

Biomethanation Of Syngas Using Anaerobic Sludge: Shift In The Catabolic Routes With The CO Partial Pressure Increase

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Silvia Sancho-Navarro

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Syngas generated by thermal gasification of biomass or coal can be steam reformed and purified into methane, which could be used locally for energy needs, or re-injected in the natural gas grid. As an alternative to chemical catalysis, the main components of the syngas (CO, CO2, and H2 can be used as substrates by a wide range of microorganisms, to be converted into gas biofuels, including methane. This study evaluates the carboxydotrophic (CO-consuming methanogenic potential present in an anaerobic sludge from an upflow anaerobic sludge bed (UASB reactor treating waste water, and elucidates the CO conversion routes to methane at 35±3˚C. Kinetic activity tests under CO at partial pressures (pCO varying from 0.1 to 1.5 atm (0.09-1.31 mmol/L in the liquid phase showed a significant carboxydotrophic activity potential for growing conditions on CO alone. A maximum methanogenic activity of 1 mmol CH4 per g of volatile suspended solid and per day was achieved at 0.2 atm of CO (0.17 mmol/L, and then the rate decreased with the amount of CO supplied. The intermediary metabolites such as acetate, H2 and propionate started to accumulate at higher CO concentrations. Inhibition experiments with 2-bromoethanesulfonic acid (BES, fluoroacetate, and vancomycin showed that in a mixed culture CO was converted mainly to acetate by acetogenic bacteria, which was further transformed to methane by acetoclastic methanogens, while direct methanogenic CO conversion was negligible. Methanogenesis was totally blocked at high pCO in the bottles (≥ 1 atm. However it was possible to achieve higher methanogenic potential under a 100% CO atmosphere after acclimation of the sludge to CO. This adaptation to high CO concentrations led to a shift in the archaeal population, then dominated by hydrogen-utilizing methanogens, which were able to take over acetoclastic methanogens, while syntrophic acetate oxidizing (SAO bacteria oxidized acetate into CO2 and H2. The disaggregation

Biomethanation of Syngas Using Anaerobic Sludge: Shift in the Catabolic Routes with the CO Partial Pressure Increase.

Science.gov (United States)

Sancho Navarro, Silvia; Cimpoia, Ruxandra; Bruant, Guillaume; Guiot, Serge R

2016-01-01

Syngas generated by thermal gasification of biomass or coal can be steam reformed and purified into methane, which could be used locally for energy needs, or re-injected in the natural gas grid. As an alternative to chemical catalysis, the main components of the syngas (CO, CO2, and H2) can be used as substrates by a wide range of microorganisms, to be converted into gas biofuels, including methane. This study evaluates the carboxydotrophic (CO-consuming) methanogenic potential present in an anaerobic sludge from an upflow anaerobic sludge bed (UASB) reactor treating waste water, and elucidates the CO conversion routes to methane at 35 ± 3°C. Kinetic activity tests under CO at partial pressures (pCO) varying from 0.1 to 1.5 atm (0.09-1.31 mmol/L in the liquid phase) showed a significant carboxydotrophic activity potential for growing conditions on CO alone. A maximum methanogenic activity of 1 mmol CH4 per g of volatile suspended solid and per day was achieved at 0.2 atm of CO (0.17 mmol/L), and then the rate decreased with the amount of CO supplied. The intermediary metabolites such as acetate, H2, and propionate started to accumulate at higher CO concentrations. Inhibition experiments with 2-bromoethanesulfonic acid (BES), fluoroacetate, and vancomycin showed that in a mixed culture CO was converted mainly to acetate by acetogenic bacteria, which was further transformed to methane by acetoclastic methanogens, while direct methanogenic CO conversion was negligible. Methanogenesis was totally blocked at high pCO in the bottles (≥1 atm). However it was possible to achieve higher methanogenic potential under a 100% CO atmosphere after acclimation of the sludge to CO. This adaptation to high CO concentrations led to a shift in the archaeal population, then dominated by hydrogen-utilizing methanogens, which were able to take over acetoclastic methanogens, while syntrophic acetate oxidizing (SAO) bacteria oxidized acetate into CO2 and H2. The disaggregation of the

Storage of Renewable Energy by Reduction of CO2 with Hydrogen.

Science.gov (United States)

Züttel, Andreas; Mauron, Philippe; Kato, Shunsuke; Callini, Elsa; Holzer, Marco; Huang, Jianmei

2015-01-01

The main difference between the past energy economy during the industrialization period which was mainly based on mining of fossil fuels, e.g. coal, oil and methane and the future energy economy based on renewable energy is the requirement for storage of the energy fluxes. Renewable energy, except biomass, appears in time- and location-dependent energy fluxes as heat or electricity upon conversion. Storage and transport of energy requires a high energy density and has to be realized in a closed materials cycle. The hydrogen cycle, i.e. production of hydrogen from water by renewable energy, storage and use of hydrogen in fuel cells, combustion engines or turbines, is a closed cycle. However, the hydrogen density in a storage system is limited to 20 mass% and 150 kg/m(3) which limits the energy density to about half of the energy density in fossil fuels. Introducing CO(2) into the cycle and storing hydrogen by the reduction of CO(2) to hydrocarbons allows renewable energy to be converted into synthetic fuels with the same energy density as fossil fuels. The resulting cycle is a closed cycle (CO(2) neutral) if CO(2) is extracted from the atmosphere. Today's technology allows CO(2) to be reduced either by the Sabatier reaction to methane, by the reversed water gas shift reaction to CO and further reduction of CO by the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis (FTS) to hydrocarbons or over methanol to gasoline. The overall process can only be realized on a very large scale, because the large number of by-products of FTS requires the use of a refinery. Therefore, a well-controlled reaction to a specific product is required for the efficient conversion of renewable energy (electricity) into an easy to store liquid hydrocarbon (fuel). In order to realize a closed hydrocarbon cycle the two major challenges are to extract CO(2) from the atmosphere close to the thermodynamic limit and to reduce CO(2) with hydrogen in a controlled reaction to a specific hydrocarbon. Nanomaterials with

Co@Co3O4 nanoparticle embedded nitrogen-doped carbon architectures as efficient bicatalysts for oxygen reduction and evolution reactions

Science.gov (United States)

Qi, Chunling; Zhang, Li; Xu, Guancheng; Sun, Zhipeng; Zhao, Aihua; Jia, Dianzeng

2018-01-01

The oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) play crucial roles in efficient energy conversion and storage solutions. Here, Co@Co3O4 nanoparticle embedded nitrogen-doped carbon architectures (denoted as Co@Co3O4/NCs) are prepared via a simple two-step and in situ approach by carbonization and subsequent oxidation of Co-MOF containing high contents of carbon and nitrogen. When evaluated as electrocatalyst towards both ORR and OER in a KOH electrolyte solution, the as-fabricated Co@Co3O4/NC-2 exhibits similar ORR catalytic activity to the commercial Pt/C catalyst, but superior stability and good methanol tolerance. Furthermore, the as-fabricated catalysts also show promising catalytic activity for OER. The effective catalytic activities originate from the synergistic effects between well wrapped Co@Co3O4 nanoparticles and nitrogen doped carbon structures.

Economic and game-theoretical analysis of CO2 reduction agreements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tahvonen, O.

1994-01-01

The possibility of climate change and suggestions to stabilize CO 2 emissions have led to several different fields of research in resource and environmental economics. These include: 1. Studies on country specific and global greenhouse gas abatement costs. 2. Studies on global and country specific adaptation costs. 3. Game-theoretical analysis of greenhouse gas reduction agreements. 4. Studies on the relationship between CO 2 accumulation and natural resource utilization. 5. Models of climate change and intertemporal efficiency and equity. 6. Studies on emissions taxes and emissions permit markets for greenhouse gas abatement. The aim of this project is to contribute to the economic literature in fields 3, and 4

TG-FTIR measurement of CO2-H2O co-adsorption for CO2 air capture sorbent screening

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Smal, I.M.; Yu, Qian; Veneman, Rens; Fränzel-Luiten, B.; Brilman, Derk Willem Frederik

2014-01-01

Capturing atmospheric CO2 using solid sorbents is gaining interest. As ambient air normally contains much more (up to 100 times) water than CO2, a selective sorbent is desirable as co-adsorption will most likely occur. In this study, a convenient method based on an TG-FTIR analysis system is

PROPOSAL OF ALGORITHM FOR ROUTE OPTIMIZATION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Robert Ramon de Carvalho Sousa

2016-06-01

Full Text Available This article uses “Six Sigma” methodology for the elaboration of an algorithm for routing problems which is able to obtain more efficient results than those from Clarke and Wright´s (CW algorithm (1964 in situations of random increase of product delivery demands, facing the incapability of service level increase . In some situations, the algorithm proposed obtained more efficient results than the CW algorithm. The key factor was a reduction in the number of mistakes (one way routes and in the level of result variation.

Attitudes and behaviour towards convenience food and food waste in the United Kingdom.

Science.gov (United States)

Mallinson, Lucy J; Russell, Jean M; Barker, Margo E

2016-08-01

Households in the UK discard much food. A reduction in such waste to mitigate environmental impact is part of UK government policy. This study investigated whether household food waste is linked to a lifestyle reliant on convenience food in younger consumers. A survey of 928 UK residents aged 18-40 years and responsible for the household food shopping (male n = 278; female n = 650) completed an online questionnaire designed to measure attitudes to convenience food and to quantify household food waste. Cluster analysis of 24 food-related lifestyle factors identified 5 consumer groups. General linear modelling techniques were used to test relationships between the purchase frequency of convenience food and household food waste. From the cluster analysis, five distinct convenience profiles emerged comprising: 'epicures' (n = 135), 'traditional consumers' (n = 255), 'casual consumers' (n = 246), 'food detached consumers' (n = 151) and 'kitchen evaders' (n = 141). Casual consumers and kitchen evaders were the most reliant on convenience food and notably were the most wasteful. The demographic profile of kitchen evaders matched the population groups currently targeted by UK food waste policy. Casual consumers represent a new and distinct group characterised by "buy a lot and waste a lot" behaviour. Household size, packaging format, price-awareness and marketing all appear to influence levels of food waste. However, it seems that subtle behavioural and sociocultural factors also have impact. Further research is needed to elucidate the factors that mediate the positive association between the purchase of convenience food and reported food waste in order to inform food waste policy and initiatives. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Transition paths towards CO2 emission reduction in the steel industry

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Daniëls, Berend Wilhelm

2002-01-01

Radiative forcing, better known as the Greenhouse Effect, is probably the major 21st century environmental problem. Its probable cause is the anthropogenic emission of greenhouse gases, especially CO2. The Kyoto agreement enforces considerable reductions of the GHG emissions in 2010, with 6 to 8% of

Ni–Sn-Supported ZrO2 Catalysts Modified by Indium for Selective CO2 Hydrogenation to Methanol

KAUST Repository

Hengne, Amol Mahalingappa; Samal, Akshaya Kumar; Enakonda, Linga Reddy; Harb, Moussab; Gevers, Lieven; Anjum, Dalaver H.; Hedhili, Mohamed N.; Saih, Youssef; Huang, Kuo-Wei; Basset, Jean-Marie

2018-01-01

Ni and NiSn supported on zirconia (ZrO2) and on indium (In)-incorporated zirconia (InZrO2) catalysts were prepared by a wet chemical reduction route and tested for hydrogenation of CO2 to methanol in a fixed-bed isothermal flow reactor at 250 °C

The Tractor and Semitrailer Routing Considering Carbon Dioxide Emissions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hongqi Li

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The incorporation of the minimization of carbon dioxide (CO2 emissions in the VRP is important to logistics companies. The paper deals with the tractor and semitrailer routing problem with full truckload between any two depots of the network; an integer programming model with the objective of minimizing CO2 emissions per ton-kilometer is proposed. A two-stage approach with the same core steps of the simulated annealing (SA in both stages is designed. The number of tractors is provided in the first stage and the CO2 emissions per ton-kilometer are then optimized in the second stage. Computational experiments on small-scale randomly generated instances supported the feasibility and validity of the heuristic algorithm. To a practical-scale problem, the SA algorithm can provide advice on the number of tractors, the routes, and the location of the central depot to realize CO2 emissions decrease.

Reducing CO2 Emissions through Lightweight Design and Manufacturing

Science.gov (United States)

Carruth, Mark A.; Allwood, Julian M.; Milford, Rachel L.

2011-05-01

To meet targeted 50% reductions in industrial CO2 emissions by 2050, demand for steel and aluminium must be cut. Many steel and aluminium products include redundant material, and the manufacturing routes to produce them use more material than is necessary. Lightweight design and optimized manufacturing processes offer a means of demand reduction, whilst creating products to perform the same service as existing ones. This paper examines two strategies for demand reduction: lightweight product design; and minimizing yield losses through the product supply chain. Possible mass savings are estimated for specific case-studies on metal-intensive products, such as I-beams and food cans. These estimates are then extrapolated to other sectors to produce a global estimate for possible demand reductions. Results show that lightweight product design may offer potential mass savings of up to 30% for some products, whilst yield in the production of others could be improved by over 20%. If these two strategies could be combined for all products, global demand for steel and aluminium would be reduced by nearly 50%. The impact of demand reduction on CO2 emissions is presented, and barriers to the adoption of new, lightweight technologies are discussed.

Intelligent Aggregation Based on Content Routing Scheme for Cloud Computing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jiachen Xu

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Cloud computing has emerged as today’s most exciting computing paradigm for providing services using a shared framework, which opens a new door for solving the problems of the explosive growth of digital resource demands and their corresponding convenience. With the exponential growth of the number of data types and data size in so-called big data work, the backbone network is under great pressure due to its transmission capacity, which is lower than the growth of the data size and would seriously hinder the development of the network without an effective approach to solve this problem. In this paper, an Intelligent Aggregation based on a Content Routing (IACR scheme for cloud computing, which could reduce the amount of data in the network effectively and play a basic supporting role in the development of cloud computing, is first put forward. All in all, the main innovations in this paper are: (1 A framework for intelligent aggregation based on content routing is proposed, which can support aggregation based content routing; (2 The proposed IACR scheme could effectively route the high aggregation ratio data to the data center through the same routing path so as to effectively reduce the amount of data that the network transmits. The theoretical analyses experiments and results show that, compared with the previous original routing scheme, the IACR scheme can balance the load of the whole network, reduce the amount of data transmitted in the network by 41.8%, and reduce the transmission time by 31.6% in the same network with a more balanced network load.

On the chemical synthesis route to bulk-scale skutterudite materials

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tafti, Mohsen Y.; Saleemi, Mohsin; Han, Li

2016-01-01

In this article an alternative high yield route for the synthesis of CoSb3-based unfilled skutterudites is presented. Using low-melting temperature salts of the constituents, melting and mixing them homogeneously in a hydrophobic liquid with postprocessing of the powders we achieve a more intimat......, compaction of the powders with SPS technique provided a safe route to maintaining the nanopowder size and achieving low thermal conductivity (3 W/mK). The proposed method can easily be scaled up and adopted by the industry.......In this article an alternative high yield route for the synthesis of CoSb3-based unfilled skutterudites is presented. Using low-melting temperature salts of the constituents, melting and mixing them homogeneously in a hydrophobic liquid with postprocessing of the powders we achieve a more...

Integrative CO2 Capture and Hydrogenation to Methanol with Reusable Catalyst and Amine: Toward a Carbon Neutral Methanol Economy.

Science.gov (United States)

Kar, Sayan; Sen, Raktim; Goeppert, Alain; Prakash, G K Surya

2018-02-07

Herein we report an efficient and recyclable system for tandem CO 2 capture and hydrogenation to methanol. After capture in an aqueous amine solution, CO 2 is hydrogenated in high yield to CH 3 OH (>90%) in a biphasic 2-MTHF/water system, which also allows for easy separation and recycling of the amine and catalyst for multiple reaction cycles. Between cycles, the produced methanol can be conveniently removed in vacuo. Employing this strategy, catalyst Ru-MACHO-BH and polyamine PEHA were recycled three times with 87% of the methanol producibility of the first cycle retained, along with 95% of catalyst activity after four cycles. CO 2 from dilute sources such as air can also be converted to CH 3 OH using this route. We postulate that the CO 2 capture and hydrogenation to methanol system presented here could be an important step toward the implementation of the carbon neutral methanol economy concept.

Membraneless laminar flow cell for electrocatalytic CO2 reduction with liquid product separation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Monroe, Morgan M; Lobaccaro, Peter; Lum, Yanwei; Ager, Joel W

2017-01-01

The production of liquid fuel products via electrochemical reduction of CO 2 is a potential path to produce sustainable fuels. However, to be practical, a separation strategy is required to isolate the fuel-containing electrolyte produced at the cathode from the anode and also prevent the oxidation products (i.e. O 2 ) from reaching the cathode. Ion-conducting membranes have been applied in CO 2 reduction reactors to achieve this separation, but they represent an efficiency loss and can be permeable to some product species. An alternative membraneless approach is developed here to maintain product separation through the use of a laminar flow cell. Computational modelling shows that near-unity separation efficiencies are possible at current densities achievable now with metal cathodes via optimization of the spacing between the electrodes and the electrolyte flow rate. Laminar flow reactor prototypes were fabricated with a range of channel widths by 3D printing. CO 2 reduction to formic acid on Sn electrodes was used as the liquid product forming reaction, and the separation efficiency for the dissolved product was evaluated with high performance liquid chromatography. Trends in product separation efficiency with channel width and flow rate were in qualitative agreement with the model, but the separation efficiency was lower, with a maximum value of 90% achieved. (paper)

SUBJECTIVE DISTRESS CAUSED BY CO-SPEAKERS’ REACTIONS – REDUCTION DURING STATIONARY GROUP TREATMENT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jelena TADIKJ

2010-04-01

Full Text Available Stuttering is a disorder that represents multifunctional problem. It probably exists since the beginning of mankind. Its’ frequency and severity are influenced by different factors. Among the most significant ones are the complexity of statement, speaking speed, and speakers’ emotional reaction to the whole speech situation and other co-speakers. Goal: To present the results of two-weeks intensive group stationary treatment of adults who stutter, especially stuttering severity and level of subjective distress caused by co-speakers’ reactions in the beginning and at the end of the treatment. Subjects: A group of 25 adults who stutter. Methodology: At the beginning and at the end of the group stationary treatment speech status was taken, consisting of counting, enumerating, repeating the sentences, reading a 100-word tale, retelling the read text, and conversation on a free subject. In the same time, subjective distress caused by 13 different co-speakers reactions was estimated. Results show that very positive results are achieved in the reduction of speech disfluences, as well as moderate reduction of subjective distress caused by co-speakers’ reactions. In the paper the results are shown in more details, and, subsequently, implications for further research and treatment.

Nanocrystalline La1-xSrxCo1-yFe yO3 perovskites fabricated by the micro-emulsion route for high frequency response devices fabrications

KAUST Repository

Azhar Khan, Muhammad; Khan, Kamran; Mahmood, Azhar; Murtaza, Gulam; Akhtar, Majid Niaz; Ali, Irshad M.; Shahid, Muhammad; Shakir, Imran; Farooq Warsi, Muhammad

2014-01-01

Nanocrystalline La1-xSrxCo1-yFe yO3 (x=0.00-0.60) perovskites were fabricated by a cheap economic route (i.e. micro-emulsion method) and characterized by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray diffraction (XRD), fourier transform infrared (FTIR

Prepaid convenience.

Science.gov (United States)

Kaiser, F

1998-01-01

Consider prepaid calling cards as a new tool in your marketing arsenal. Your hospitality facility may be considering the sale and distribution of prepaid phone cards to provide more convenience to patients or as a replacement to traditional calling cards for mobile employees. Prepaid phone cards represent a new twist and many advantages for long distance calling.

Eco-routing: More green drivers means more benefits?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Valdes Serrano, C.; Perez Prada, F.; Monzon de Caceres, A.

2016-07-01

Information and Communications Technology (ICT)/Information and Technology Services (ITS) can play an important role in the transport sector, helping in maintaining accessibility and contemporarily optimizing the use of the vehicles. Among these ICT measures, eco-routing seems a promising one. Drivers normally follow the route which minimizes their generalized costs, normally time and money. But environmental concern is increasing, and drivers are starting to think about the effects of their driving. This means including CO2 emissions or fuel consumption in their route choice. But is this always positive, independently of the traffic situation and the penetration level of green drivers? This articles aims to analyze what happens in terms of fuel consumption, CO2 emissions and travel time, when different penetration levels of drivers, and with different traffic situations, follow the route of minimum fuel consumption instead of the conventional generalized costs. The analysis is based on a modelling process using a transport model of the whole region of Madrid. A total of 18 scenarios are considered: 3 reference scenarios (for congested, medium and low flow traffic situations), and 5 different penetration levels of green drivers for each traffic situation. Results show how impact varies substantially with the level of traffic and, also, that the more the best is not always true. (Author)

Identifying Activity Descriptors for CO2 Electro-Reduction to Methanol on Rutile (110) Surfaces

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bhowmik, Arghya; Hansen, Heine Anton; Vegge, Tejs

2015-01-01

Electrocatalytic reduction of CO2 to liquid fuels using energy from renewable sources has the potential to form the basis of a carbon neutral sustainable energy system, while integrating seamlessly in the established infrastructure1. Storing intermittent renewable energy in a chemical fuel...... towards electrocatalytic production of methanol. We would like to acknowledge the Lundbeck Foundation for financial support of this work. References: 1. Lewis, N. S. & Nocera, D. G. Powering the planet: chemical challenges in solar energy utilization. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A.103,15729–35 (2006......., Ali, I., Jansen, M. & Omanovic, S. Electrochemical reduction of CO 2 in an aqueous electrolyte employing an iridium/ruthenium-oxide electrode. Can. J. Chem. Eng. (2014). doi:10.1002/cjce.22110 6. Nørskov, J. K. et al. Origin of the Overpotential for Oxygen Reduction at a Fuel-Cell Cathode. J. Phys...

Route learning in amnesia: a comparison of trial-and-error and errorless learning in patients with the Korsakoff syndrome.

Science.gov (United States)

Kessels, Roy P C; van Loon, Eke; Wester, Arie J

2007-10-01

To examine the errorless learning approach using a procedural memory task (i.e. learning of actual routes) in patients with amnesia, as compared to trial-and-error learning. Counterbalanced self-controlled cases series. Psychiatric hospital (Korsakoff clinic). A convenience sample of 10 patients with the Korsakoff amnestic syndrome. All patients learned a route in four sessions on separate days using an errorless approach and a different route using trial-and-error. Error rate was scored during route learning and standard neuro-psychological tests were administered (i.e. subtest route recall of the Rivermead Behavioural Memory Test (RBMT) and the Dutch version of the California Verbal Learning Test (VLGT)). A significant learning effect was found in the trial-and-error condition over consecutive sessions (P = 0.006), but no performance difference was found between errorless and trial-and-error learning of the routes. VLGT performance was significantly correlated with a trial-and-error advantage (P Korsakoff syndrome (severe amnesia).

Expanding the applicability of random regret minimization for route choice analysis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Prato, Carlo Giacomo

2014-01-01

The discrete choice paradigm of random regret minimization (RRM) has been recently proposed in several choice contexts. In the route choice context, the paradigm has been used to model the choice among three routes and to formulate regret-based stochastic user equilibrium. However, in the same co...

NO reduction by CO over noble-metal catalysts under cycled feedstreams

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Muraki, H.; Fujitani, Y.

1986-01-01

The reduction of NO with CO was studied over α-Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/-supported Pt, Pd, Rh, Ru, and Ir catalysts. The activities were measured by using cycled feeds and steady noncycled feed. The activity sequence of the catalysts tested was Rh > Ru > Ir > Pd > Pt. The activities of Pt and Pd catalysts were increased under the cycled feed. The periodic operation effect on the Pt catalyst was more predominant than that on the Pd catalyst. The order of periodic operation effect corresponded to the order of their susceptibility to CO self-poisoning

Does convenience matter in health care delivery? A systematic review of convenience-based aspects of process utility.

Science.gov (United States)

Higgins, A; Barnett, J; Meads, C; Singh, J; Longworth, L

2014-12-01

To systematically review the existing literature on the value associated with convenience in health care delivery, independent of health outcomes, and to try to estimate the likely magnitude of any value found. A systematic search was conducted for previously published studies that reported preferences for convenience-related aspects of health care delivery in a manner that was consistent with either cost-utility analysis or cost-benefit analysis. Data were analyzed in terms of the methodologies used, the aspects of convenience considered, and the values reported. Literature searches generated 4715 records. Following a review of abstracts or full-text articles, 27 were selected for inclusion. Twenty-six studies reported some evidence of convenience-related process utility, in the form of either a positive utility or a positive willingness to pay. The aspects of convenience valued most often were mode of administration (n = 11) and location of treatment (n = 6). The most common valuation methodology was a discrete-choice experiment containing a cost component (n = 15). A preference for convenience-related process utility exists, independent of health outcomes. Given the diverse methodologies used to calculate it, and the range of aspects being valued, however, it is difficult to assess how large such a preference might be, or how it may be effectively incorporated into an economic evaluation. Increased consistency in reporting these preferences is required to assess these issues more accurately. Copyright © 2014 International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

THELI: CONVENIENT REDUCTION OF OPTICAL, NEAR-INFRARED, AND MID-INFRARED IMAGING DATA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schirmer, M.

2013-01-01

The last 15 years have seen a surge of new multi-chip optical and near-IR imagers. While some of them are accompanied by specific reduction pipelines, user-friendly and generic reduction tools are uncommon. In this paper I introduce THELI, an easy-to-use graphical interface driving an end-to-end pipeline for the reduction of any optical, near-IR, and mid-IR imaging data. The advantages of THELI when compared to other approaches are highlighted. Combining a multitude of processing algorithms and third party software, THELI provides researchers with a single, homogeneous tool. A short learning curve ensures quick success for new and more experienced observers alike. All tasks are largely automated, while at the same time a high level of flexibility and alternative reduction schemes ensure that widely different scientific requirements can be met. Over 90 optical and infrared instruments at observatories world-wide are pre-configured, while more can be added by the user. The Appendices contain three walk-through examples using public data (optical, near-IR, and mid-IR). Additional extensive documentation for training and troubleshooting is available online

Co@Co3 O4 @PPD Core@bishell Nanoparticle-Based Composite as an Efficient Electrocatalyst for Oxygen Reduction Reaction.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Zhijuan; Li, Bing; Ge, Xiaoming; Goh, F W Thomas; Zhang, Xiao; Du, Guojun; Wuu, Delvin; Liu, Zhaolin; Andy Hor, T S; Zhang, Hua; Zong, Yun

2016-05-01

Durable electrocatalysts with high catalytic activity toward oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) are crucial to high-performance primary zinc-air batteries (ZnABs) and direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs). An efficient composite electrocatalyst, Co@Co3 O4 core@shell nanoparticles (NPs) embedded in pyrolyzed polydopamine (PPD) is reported, i.e., in Co@Co3 O4 @PPD core@bishell structure, obtained via a three-step sequential process involving hydrothermal synthesis, high temperature calcination under nitrogen atmosphere, and gentle heating in air. With Co@Co3 O4 NPs encapsulated by ultrathin highly graphitized N-doped carbon, the catalyst exhibits excellent stability in aqueous alkaline solution over extended period and good tolerance to methanol crossover effect. The integration of N-doped graphitic carbon outer shell and ultrathin nanocrystalline Co3 O4 inner shell enable high ORR activity of the core@bishell NPs, as evidenced by ZnABs using catalyst of Co@Co3 O4 @PPD in air-cathode which delivers a stable voltage profile over 40 h at a discharge current density of as high as 20 mA cm(-2) . © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Simultaneous Reduction of CO 2 and Splitting of H 2 O by a Single Immobilized Cobalt Phthalocyanine Electrocatalyst

KAUST Repository

Morlanés, Natalia

2016-04-12

Perfluorinated cobalt phthalocyanine (CoFPc) immobilized on carbon electrodes was found to electrocatalyze the reduction of CO2 selectively to CO in an aqueous solution. The conversion of CO2 became apparent at -0.5 V vs RHE, and the Faradaic efficiency for the CO production reached as high as 93% at -0.8 V vs RHE. Highly stable electrolysis of CO2/H2O into CO/O2 was achieved for 12 h by applying the same catalyst as the cathode for CO2 reduction and the anode for water oxidation. This result indicates the highly robust nature of the CoFPc at wide range of potentials from -0.9 V to +2.2 V vs RHE, demonstrating the potential bipolar electrolytic system for CO2/H2O electrolysis, using the single-site molecular CoFPc-based electrocatalyst, which is simple, inexpensive, robust, and efficient. © 2016 American Chemical Society.

The importance of health co-benefits in macroeconomic assessments of UK Greenhouse Gas emission reduction strategies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Henning Tarp; Keogh-Brown, Marcus R.; Smith, Richard D.

2013-01-01

. In contrast to previous assessment studies, our main focus is on health co-benefits additional to those from reduced local air pollution. We employ a conservative cost-effectiveness methodology with a zero net cost threshold. Our urban transport strategy (with cleaner vehicles and increased active travel......) brings important health co-benefits and is likely to be strongly cost-effective; our food and agriculture strategy (based on abatement technologies and reduction in livestock production) brings worthwhile health co-benefits, but is unlikely to eliminate net costs unless new technological measures...... to achieve future emission targets and longer-term benefits from GHG reduction. Cost-effectiveness of GHG strategies is likely to require technological mitigation interventions and/or demand-constraining interventions with important health co-benefits and other efficiency-enhancing policies that promote...

Environmental benefits from CO2 reduction, due to modal replacement: Case study on light rail vehicle in Brasilia City

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Silva Costa, P.H. da; Alves Teixeira, L.M.; Cardoso Pinheiro, J.; Serra Arruda, F.; Mendonça Brasil, A.C.

2016-07-01

This work aims to measure the reduction of Carbon Dioxide (CO2) emissions in atmosphere by replacing the modal urban bus by Light Rail Vehicle (VLT). In order to accomplish this objective, a case study in Brasilia, Federal District, in the stretch of VLT which passes on Via W-3 South was conducted. The Theory of Externalities that discusses the right to ownership of private and public goods and responsibilities about the positive and negative externalities caused by the agents and individuals of society was used to support the analyses. It was used the Top-Down method, which allowed the calculation the direct emissions of CO2. The values obtained on the reduction of CO2 emissions were converted into values of carbon credits as a way to economically measure such reductions. The results showed a significant reduction in CO2 emissions per year and consequent environmental benefit. (Author)

Influence of Operational Parameters on the Photocatalytic Activity of Powdered TiO2 for the Reduction of CO2

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Oman Zuas

2014-07-01

Full Text Available In this report, the results from a study on the influence of operational parameters on TiO2 photocatalytic activity for CO2 reduction under an ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis illumination are presented. The results indicated that the TiO2 was found to be active for CO2 reduction with CH3OH as the major products, while other minor products (CO, CH4, and C2H4 were also detected. In addition, the formation of such reduction products was obviously influenced by the operational parameters. Under this study, the optimum operational parameters for CO2 reduction at 298 °K were determined to be: NaOH concentration 0.2 M, TiO2 dosage 2 g/L, volume of the reaction media 75 mL, the pressure of system 800 kPa. It was also found that the increase in UV-vis illumination time have increased the yield of product formation. A possible reaction pathway for the formation of the reduction products is also discussed.

Routing strategy including time and carbon dioxide emissions : effects on network performance

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zhang, Fan; Chen, Y.; Goni Ros, B.; GAO, Jian; Knoop, V.L.

2016-01-01

Traffic congestion leads to delays and increased carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. Traffic management measures such as providing information on environmental route costs have been proposed to mitigate congestion. Multi-criteria routing dynamic traffic assignment (MCR-DTA) models are needed to evaluate

Simultaneous Reduction of CO 2 and Splitting of H 2 O by a Single Immobilized Cobalt Phthalocyanine Electrocatalyst

KAUST Repository

Morlanes, Natalia Sanchez; Takanabe, Kazuhiro; Rodionov, Valentin

2016-01-01

Perfluorinated cobalt phthalocyanine (CoFPc) immobilized on carbon electrodes was found to electrocatalyze the reduction of CO2 selectively to CO in an aqueous solution. The conversion of CO2 became apparent at -0.5 V vs RHE, and the Faradaic

CO_2 emissions reduction of Chinese light manufacturing industries: A novel RAM-based global Malmquist–Luenberger productivity index

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Emrouznejad, Ali; Yang, Guo-liang

2016-01-01

Climate change has become one of the most challenging issues facing the world. Chinese government has realized the importance of energy conservation and prevention of the climate changes for sustainable development of China's economy and set targets for CO_2 emissions reduction in China. In China industry contributes 84.2% of the total CO_2 emissions, especially manufacturing industries. Data envelopment analysis (DEA) and Malmquist productivity (MP) index are the widely used mathematical techniques to address the relative efficiency and productivity of a group of homogenous decision making units, e.g. industries or countries. However, in many real applications, especially those related to energy efficiency, there are often undesirable outputs, e.g. the pollutions, waste and CO_2 emissions, which are produced inevitably with desirable outputs in the production. This paper introduces a novel Malmquist–Luenberger productivity (MLP) index based on directional distance function (DDF) to address the issue of productivity evolution of DMUs in the presence of undesirable outputs. The new RAM (Range-adjusted measure)-based global MLP index has been applied to evaluate CO_2 emissions reduction in Chinese light manufacturing industries. Recommendations for policy makers have been discussed. - Highlights: •CO_2 emissions reduction in Chinese light manufacturing industries are measured. •A novel RAM based Malmquist–Luenberger productivity index has been developed. •Recommendation to policy makers for reducing CO_2 reduction in China are given.

Highly magnetic Co nanoparticles fabricated by X-ray radiolysis

Science.gov (United States)

Clifford, Dustin M.; Castano, Carlos E.; Rojas, Jessika V.

2018-03-01

Advanced routes for the synthesis of nanomaterials, such as ferromagnetic nanoparticles, are being explored that are easy to perform using cost-effective and non-toxic precursors. Radiolytic syntheses based on the use of X-rays as ionizing radiation are promising towards this effort. X-rays were used to produce highly magnetic cobalt nanoparticles (NPs), stable in air up to 200 °C, from the radiolysis of water. Crystal structure analysis by XRD indicates a mixture of Cofcc, 63%, and Cohcp, 37%, phases. Magnetic analysis by VSM gave a saturation magnetization (Ms) 136 emu/g at 1 T and coercivity (Hc) = 325 Oe when the reaction solution was purged with N2 while an air-purged treatment resulted in Co NPs having 102 emu/g with a coercivity (Hc) 270 Oe. Overall, the reduction of Co2+ occurred in an aqueous reaction environment without addition of chemical reductants resulting in Co NPs with size distribution from 20 to 140 nm. This clean approach at ambient temperature produced highly magnetic Co NPs that may be used for switching devices (i.e. reed switches) or as additives for alloys that require high Curie points.

A Chemo-Enzymatic Road Map to the Synthesis of CoA Esters

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dominik M. Peter

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Coenzyme A (CoA is a ubiquitous cofactor present in every known organism. The thioesters of CoA are core intermediates in many metabolic processes, such as the citric acid cycle, fatty acid biosynthesis and secondary metabolism, including polyketide biosynthesis. Synthesis of CoA-thioesters is vital for the study of CoA-dependent enzymes and pathways, but also as standards for metabolomics studies. In this work we systematically tested five chemo-enzymatic methods for the synthesis of the three most abundant acyl-CoA thioester classes in biology; saturated acyl-CoAs, α,β-unsaturated acyl-CoAs (i.e., enoyl-CoA derivatives, and α-carboxylated acyl-CoAs (i.e., malonyl-CoA derivatives. Additionally we report on the substrate promiscuity of three newly described acyl-CoA dehydrogenases that allow the simple conversion of acyl-CoAs into enoyl-CoAs. With these five methods, we synthesized 26 different CoA-thioesters with a yield of 40% or higher. The CoA esters produced range from short- to long-chain, include branched and α,β-unsaturated representatives as well as other functional groups. Based on our results we provide a general guideline to the optimal synthesis method of a given CoA-thioester in respect to its functional group(s and the commercial availability of the precursor molecule. The proposed synthetic routes can be performed in small scale and do not require special chemical equipment, making them convenient also for biological laboratories.

Catalytic conversion of CO, NO and SO2 on supported sulfide catalysts. Part 2. Catalytic reduction of NO and SO2 by CO

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhuang, S.-X.; Yamazaki, M.; Omata, K.; Takahashi, Y.; Yamada, M.

2001-01-01

To investigate the possibility of simultaneous catalytic reduction of NO and SO 2 by CO, reactions of NO, NO-CO, and NO-SO 2 -CO were performed on γ-alumina-supported sulfides of transition metals including Co, Mo, CoMo and FeMo. NO was decomposed into N 2 O and N 2 accompanied with the formation of SO 2 ; this serious oxidation of lattice sulfur resulted in the deactivation of the catalysts. The addition of CO to the NO stream suppressed SO 2 formation and yielded COS instead. A stoichiometric conversion of NO and CO to N 2 and CO 2 was observed above 350C on the CoMo and the FeMo catalysts. Although the CO addition lengthened catalyst life, it was not enough to maintain activity. After the NO-CO reaction, an XPS analysis showed the growth of Mo 6+ and SO 4 2- peaks, especially for the sulfided FeMo/Al 2 O 3 ; the FeMo catalyst underwent strong oxidation in the NO-CO reaction. The NO and the NO-CO reactions proceeded non-catalytically, consuming catalyst lattice sulfur to yield SO 2 or COS. The addition of SO 2 in the NO-CO system enabled in situ regeneration of the catalysts; the catalysts oxidized through abstraction of lattice sulfur experienced anew reduction and sulfurization through the SO 2 -CO reaction at higher temperature. NO and SO 2 were completely and catalytically converted at 400C on the sulfided CoMo/Al 2 O 3 . By contrast, the sulfided FeMo/Al 2 O 3 was easily oxidized by NO and hardly re-sulfided under the test conditions. Oxidation states of the metals before and after the reactions were determined. Silica and titania-supported CoMo catalysts were also evaluated to study support effects

The Catalytic Bias of 2-Oxoacid:ferredoxin Oxidoreductase in CO_2: evolution and reduction through a ferredoxin-mediated electrocatalytic assay

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Bin; Elliott, Sean J.

2016-01-01

Enzymes from the 2-oxoacid: ferredoxin oxidoreductase (OFOR) family engage in both CO_2 evolution and reduction in nature, depending on their physiological roles. Two enzymes and their redox partner ferredoxins (Fds) from Hydrogenobacter thermophilus and Desulfovibrio africanus were examined to investigate the basis of the catalytic bias. The Fd1 from H. thermophilus demonstrated a potential of ∼ −485 mV at room temperature, the lowest for known single [4Fe-4S] cluster Fds. It suggests a low potential electron donor may be the key factor in overcoming the large thermodynamic barrier of CO_2 reduction. The Fd-mediated electrocatalytic experiments further demonstrated the impact of Fd’s potential on the direction of the OFOR reaction: as OFOR enzymes could essentially catalyze both CO_2 evolution and reduction in vitro, the difference in their physiological roles is associated with the reduction potential of the redox partner Fd. The electrocatalytic assay could study both CO_2 evolution and reduction in one setup and is a good tool to probe Fds’ reactivity that arise from their reduction potentials.

Recycling of cobalt from spent Li-ion batteries as β-Co(OH)2 and the application of Co3O4 as a pseudocapacitor

Science.gov (United States)

Barbieri, E. M. S.; Lima, E. P. C.; Lelis, M. F. F.; Freitas, M. B. J. G.

2014-12-01

This work has investigated recycling cobalt from the cathodes of spent Li-ion batteries as β-Co(OH)2, obtaining Co3O4. β-Co(OH)2 with a hexagonal structure by using chemical precipitation (CP) or electrochemical precipitation (EP). In addition, the study has investigated whether the charge density applied directly affects the β-Co(OH)2 morphology. Co3O4 is formed by heat-treating β-Co(OH)2 at 450 °C for 3 h (h) in an air atmosphere. After calcining, the Co3O4 shows a cubic structure and satisfactory purity grade, regardless of the route used for preparation via which it was obtained. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) is then used for electrochemical characterization of the Co3O4 composite electrodes. In the cathodic process, CoO2 undergoes reduction to CoOOH, which undergoes further reduction to Co3O4. In the anodic process, Co3O4 undergoes oxidation to CoOOH, which simultaneously undergoes further oxidation to CoO2. The composite electrodes containing Co3O4, carbon black, and epoxy resin show great reversibility, charge efficiency, and a specific capacitance of 13.0 F g-1 (1.0 mV s-1). The synthesis method of Co(OH)2 influences the charge efficiency of Co3O4 composite electrodes at a scan rate of 10.0 mV s-1. Therefore, in addition to presenting an alternative use for exhausted batteries, Co3O4 composites exhibit favorable characteristics for use as pseudocapacitors.

CO{sub 2} reduction cost for bio-diesel, Danish produced bio-diesel based on rape seed; CO{sub 2} reduktionsomkostninger ved biodiesel. Dansk produceret biodiesel pae raps

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Carlsen, Kirsten; Kjellingbro, M; Mogensen, Martin Frank; Kohl, M

2006-12-15

Bio-diesel based on rape seed (RME, Rape Methyl Esther), often referred to as first generation bio-diesel, is a renewable fuel with CO{sub 2} reduction potential. Mixed with conventional diesel it can be used directly in existing diesel engines. The EU target for the use of bio-fuels in the transport sector was 2 % by 2005 and is 5.75 % by 2010. In Denmark, the use of bio-fuels in the transport sector is not viewed as a cost-effective CO{sub 2} reduction measure. This conclusion concerning the cost-effectiveness of bio-fuels was partly based on calculations of the CO2 reduction cost for Danish-produced RME made by the Danish Energy Authority in 2003. At that time the cost was estimated at 360 DKK/tonne CO{sub 2}. Since then some of the assumptions behind the calculations have changed. The overall objective of this report is to update the Danish Energy Authority's study from 2003, taking into account revised assumptions. The report also attempts to examine the uncertainties associated with the calculations by including extended sensitivity analyses. The report draws the following conclusions: 1) The CO{sub 2} reduction cost for Danish produced RME is estimated at 860 DKK/tonne CO{sub 2}, which is significantly higher than the result obtained by the Danish Energy Authority in 2003. 2) The difference from the Danish Energy Authority's original calculations is principally due to a higher rape seed price based on the market price on rape seed. 3) The uncertainty in both estimates is substantial, and there is about 15 % probability of the reduction costs being lower than the target of 180 DKK/tonne CO2 set by the government. (au)

CO{sub 2} reduction cost for bio-diesel, Danish produced bio-diesel based on rape seed; CO{sub 2} reduktionsomkostninger ved biodiesel. Dansk produceret biodiesel pae raps

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Carlsen, Kirsten; Kjellingbro, M.; Mogensen, Martin Frank; Kohl, M.

2006-12-15

Bio-diesel based on rape seed (RME, Rape Methyl Esther), often referred to as first generation bio-diesel, is a renewable fuel with CO{sub 2} reduction potential. Mixed with conventional diesel it can be used directly in existing diesel engines. The EU target for the use of bio-fuels in the transport sector was 2 % by 2005 and is 5.75 % by 2010. In Denmark, the use of bio-fuels in the transport sector is not viewed as a cost-effective CO{sub 2} reduction measure. This conclusion concerning the cost-effectiveness of bio-fuels was partly based on calculations of the CO2 reduction cost for Danish-produced RME made by the Danish Energy Authority in 2003. At that time the cost was estimated at 360 DKK/tonne CO{sub 2}. Since then some of the assumptions behind the calculations have changed. The overall objective of this report is to update the Danish Energy Authority's study from 2003, taking into account revised assumptions. The report also attempts to examine the uncertainties associated with the calculations by including extended sensitivity analyses. The report draws the following conclusions: 1) The CO{sub 2} reduction cost for Danish produced RME is estimated at 860 DKK/tonne CO{sub 2}, which is significantly higher than the result obtained by the Danish Energy Authority in 2003. 2) The difference from the Danish Energy Authority's original calculations is principally due to a higher rape seed price based on the market price on rape seed. 3) The uncertainty in both estimates is substantial, and there is about 15 % probability of the reduction costs being lower than the target of 180 DKK/tonne CO2 set by the government. (au)

One-step preparation of N-doped graphene/Co nanocomposite as an advanced oxygen reduction electrocatalyst

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bai, Fo; Huang, Hao; Tan, Yanlei; Hou, Changmin; Zhang, Ping

2015-01-01

Graphical abstract: N-doped graphene/Co nanocomposites were synthesized through one-step pyrolysis process and the product exhibits high performance for ORR and excellent stability in alkaline medium. - Highlights: • N-doped graphene/Co nano-composite is directly synthesized by a one-step method from Co(NO3)2∙6H2O, glucose and dicyandiamide (DCDA). • The electrocatalytic performance of as-prepared NG/Co-0.5 shows the peak potential positively shifts about 10 mV than commercial Pt/C electrode. • The material shows an excellent stability and tolerance to methanol poisoning effects in alkaline medium. - Abstract: N-doped graphene/Co nanocomposites (NG/Co NPs) have been prepared by a simple one-step pyrolysis of Co(NO 3 ) 2 ∙6H 2 O, glucose and dicyandiamide (DCDA). The products with nitrogen doped and suitable graphitic degree perform high electrocatalytic activity (with the reduction peak at −0.099 V vs Ag/AgCl) and near four-electron selectivity for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), with excellent stability and durability in alkaline medium comparable to a commercial Pt/C catalyst. Owing to the superb ORR performance, low cost and facile preparation, the catalysts of NG/Co NPs have great potential applications in fuel cells, metal-air batteries and ORR-related electrochemical industries

Scenario analysis on CO2 emissions reduction potential in China's iron and steel industry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Ke; Wang Can; Lu Xuedu; Chen Jining

2007-01-01

The international climate community has begun to assess a range of possible options for strengthening the international climate change effort after 2012. Analysis of the potential for sector-based emissions reduction and relevant mitigation options will provide the necessary background information for the debate. In order to assess the CO 2 abatement potential of China's steel industry, a model was developed using LEAP software to generate 3 different CO 2 emission scenarios for the industry from 2000 to 2030. The abatement potentials of different scenarios were compared, and their respective feasibilities were assessed according to the cost information. High priority abatement measures were then identified. The results show that the average CO 2 abatement per year in the Recent Policy scenario and in the New Policy scenario, compared with the reference scenario, are 51 and 107 million tons, respectively. The corresponding total incremental costs are 9.34 and 80.95 billion dollars. It is concluded that there is great potential for CO 2 abatement in China's steel industry. Adjusting the structure of the industry and technological advancement will play an important role in emissions reduction. Successful implementation of current sustainable development policies and measures will result in CO 2 abatement at a low cost. However, to achieve higher levels of abatement, the cost will increase dramatically. In the near future, specific energy conservation technologies such as dry coke quenching, exhaust gas and heat recovery equipment will be of great significance. However, taking a long term perspective, emissions reduction will rely more on the adjustment of production processes and the application of more modern large scale plants. Advanced blast furnace technology will inevitably play an important role

Densely Packed, Ultra Small SnO Nanoparticles for Enhanced Activity and Selectivity in Electrochemical CO2 Reduction.

Science.gov (United States)

Gu, Jun; Héroguel, Florent; Luterbacher, Jeremy; Hu, Xile

2018-03-05

Controlling the selectivity in electrochemical CO 2 reduction is an unsolved challenge. While tin (Sn) has emerged as a promising non-precious catalyst for CO 2 electroreduction, most Sn-based catalysts produce formate as the major product, which is less desirable than CO in terms of separation and further use. Tin monoxide (SnO) nanoparticles supported on carbon black were synthesized and assembled and their application in CO 2 reduction was studied. Remarkably high selectivity and partial current densities for CO formation were obtained using these SnO nanoparticles compared to other Sn catalysts. The high activity is attributed to the ultra-small size of the nanoparticles (2.6 nm), while the high selectivity is attributed to a local pH effect arising from the dense packing of nanoparticles in the conductive carbon black matrix. © 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Alternative synthetic route for the heterometallic CO-releasing [Sb@Rh12(CO27]3− icosahedral carbonyl cluster and synthesis of its new unsaturated [Sb@Rh12(CO24]4− and dimeric [{Sb@Rh12Sb(CO25}2Rh(CO2PPh3]7− derivatives

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cristina Femoni

2016-10-01

Full Text Available The hetero-metallic [Sb@Rh12(CO27]3− cluster has been known as for over three decades thanks to Vidal and co-workers, and represents the first example of an E-centered (E=heteroatom icosahedral rhodium carbonyl cluster. However, its synthesis required high temperature (140–160 °C and elevated CO pressure (400 atm. Applying the redox condensation method for cluster preparation, we herein report a new synthetic, high-yield route for preparing [Sb@Rh12(CO27]3− under much milder conditions of temperature and pressure. Notably, when the same synthesis was carried out under N2 instead of CO atmosphere, the new isostructural but unsaturated derivative [Sb@Rh12(CO24]4− was obtained, for which we report the full X-ray structural characterization. This species represents one of the few examples of an icosahedral cluster disobeying the electron-counting Wade-Mingos rules, possessing less than the expected 170 cluster valence electrons (CVEs. Judging from IR monitoring, the two species can be obtained one from the other by switching between N2 and CO atmosphere, making [Sb@Rh12(CO27]3− a spontaneous CO-releasing molecule. Finally, the study of the chemical reactivity of [Sb@Rh12(CO27]3− with PPh3 allowed us to obtain the new [{Sb@Rh12Sb(CO25}2Rh(CO2PPh3]7− dimeric compound, for which we herein report the full X-ray structural and 31P NMR analyses.

Solid-state thermal decomposition of the [Co(NH3)5CO3]NO3·0.5H2O complex: A simple, rapid and low-temperature synthetic route to Co3O4 nanoparticles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Farhadi, Saeid; Safabakhsh, Jalil

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► [Co(NH 3 ) 5 CO 3 ]NO 3 ·0.5H 2 O complex was used for preparing pure Co 3 O 4 nanoparticles. ► Co 3 O 4 nanoparticles were prepared at low temperature of 175 °C. ► Co 3 O 4 nanoparticles show a weak ferromagnetic behaviour at room temperature. ► The method is simple, low-cost and suitable for the production of Co 3 O 4 . - Abstract: Co 3 O 4 nanoparticles were easily prepared via the decomposition of the pentammine(carbonato)cobalt(III) nitrate precursor complex [Co(NH 3 ) 5 CO 3 ]NO 3 ·0.5H 2 O at low temperature (175 °C). The product was characterized by thermal analysis, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), UV–visible spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), Raman spectroscopy, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) specific surface area measurements and magnetic measurements. The FT-IR, XRD, Raman and EDX results indicated that the synthesized Co 3 O 4 nanoparticles are highly pure and have a single phase. The TEM analysis revealed nearly uniform and quasi-spherical Co 3 O 4 nanoparticles with an average particle size of approximately 10 nm. The optical absorption spectrum of the Co 3 O 4 nanoparticles showed two direct band gaps of 2.18 and 3.52 eV with a red shift in comparison with previous reported values. The prepared Co 3 O 4 nanoparticles showed a weak ferromagnetic behaviour that could be attributed to uncompensated surface spins and/or finite-size effects. Using the present method, Co 3 O 4 nanoparticles can be produced without expensive organic solvents and complicated equipment. This simple, rapid, safe and low-cost synthetic route can be extended to the synthesis of other transition-metal oxides.

Heterojunction-Assisted Co3 S4 @Co3 O4 Core-Shell Octahedrons for Supercapacitors and Both Oxygen and Carbon Dioxide Reduction Reactions.

Science.gov (United States)

Yan, Yibo; Li, Kaixin; Chen, Xiaoping; Yang, Yanhui; Lee, Jong-Min

2017-12-01

Expedition of electron transfer efficiency and optimization of surface reactant adsorption products desorption processes are two main challenges for developing non-noble catalysts in the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and CO 2 reduction reaction (CRR). A heterojunction prototype on Co 3 S 4 @Co 3 O 4 core-shell octahedron structure is established via hydrothermal lattice anion exchange protocol to implement the electroreduction of oxygen and carbon dioxide with high performance. The synergistic bifunctional catalyst consists of p-type Co 3 O 4 core and n-type Co 3 S 4 shell, which afford high surface electron density along with high capacitance without sacrificing mechanical robustness. A four electron ORR process, identical to the Pt catalyzed ORR, is validated using the core-shell octahedron catalyst. The synergistic interaction between cobalt sulfide and cobalt oxide bicatalyst reduces the activation energy to convert CO 2 into adsorbed intermediates and hereby enables CRR to run at a low overpotential, with formate as the highly selective main product at a high faraday efficiency of 85.3%. The remarkable performance can be ascribed to the synergistic coupling effect of the structured co-catalysts; heterojunction structure expedites the electron transfer efficiency and optimizes surface reactant adsorption product desorption processes, which also provide theoretical and pragmatic guideline for catalyst development and mechanism explorations. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Estimation and reduction of CO2 emissions from crude oil distillation units

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gadalla, M.; Olujic, Z.; Jobson, M.; Smith, R.

2006-01-01

Distillation systems are energy-intensive processes, and consequently contribute significantly to the greenhouse gases emissions (e.g. carbon dioxide (CO 2 ). A simple model for the estimation of CO 2 emissions associated with operation of heat-integrated distillation systems as encountered in refineries is introduced. In conjunction with a shortcut distillation model, this model has been used to optimize the process conditions of an existing crude oil atmospheric tower unit aiming at minimization of CO 2 emissions. Simulation results indicate that the total CO 2 emissions of the existing crude oil unit can be cut down by 22%, just by changing the process conditions accordingly, and that the gain in this respect can be doubled by integrating a gas turbine. In addition, emissions reduction is accompanied by substantial profit increase due to utility saving and/or export

Analyses on Cost Reduction and CO2 Mitigation by Penetration of Fuel Cells to Residential Houses

Science.gov (United States)

Aki, Hirohisa; Yamamoto, Shigeo; Kondoh, Junji; Murata, Akinobu; Ishii, Itaru; Maeda, Tetsuhiko

This paper presents analyses on the penetration of polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFC) into a group of 10 residential houses and its effects of CO2 emission mitigation and consumers’ cost reduction in next 30 years. The price is considered to be reduced as the penetration progress which is expected to begin in near future. An experimental curve is assumed to express the decrease of the price. Installation of energy interchange systems which involve electricity, gas and hydrogen between a house which has a FC and contiguous houses is assumed to utilize both electricity and heat more efficiently, and to avoid start-stop operation of fuel processor (reformer) as much as possible. A multi-objective model which considers CO2 mitigation and consumers’ cost reduction is constructed and provided a Pareto optimum solution. A solution which simultaneously realizes both CO2 mitigation and consumers’ cost reduction appeared in the Pareto optimum solution. Strategies to reduce CO2 emission and consumers’ cost are suggested from the results of the analyses. The analyses also revealed that the energy interchange systems are effective especially in the early stage of the penetration.

Study of synthesis routes and processing of NiO-YSZ ceramic composite for use as anode in solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoshito, Walter Kenji

2011-01-01

This study aim the definition of synthesis and ceramic processing conditions of the anodic component suitable for operation of SOFC, i.e, homogeneous distribution of NiO in YSZ matrix and porosity after reduction above 30%. The selected synthesis routes included the co-precipitation in ammonia media, mechanical mixing of powders and combustion reaction from nitrate salts. The characterization techniques of powders included the X-ray diffraction, scanning and transmission electron microscopy, laser diffraction, nitrogen gas adsorption technique (BET) and Helium pycnometry. The obtained results indicated that the loss of Ni 2+ in co-precipitation process, due to the formation of complex [Ni(NH 3 ) n ] 2+ , can be minimized by controlling the pH around 9.3, keeping the concentration of nickel cation in the solution to be precipitated around 0.1M. In the mechanical mixing method the best condition of powder dispersion, without differential sedimentation, was obtained for zeta potential values at pH around 8.0, fixing the dispersant concentration at 0.8%. For the combustion synthesis it was observed that when stoichiometric and twofold stoichiometric urea was used, amorphous phase was formed and a higher surface area was attained in the final products. Employing the fuel-rich solution condition, crystallization of the powder was observed and the relative intensity of reflections of XRD patterns increased with excess of fuel, due to increasing the reaction temperature. Sinterability studies of pellets prepared from powder synthesized by the three routes described above showed the temperature around 1300 deg C for maximum rate densification and porosity between 6.0 and 14%. Reduction results of the composites confirmed that the reduction kinetics occurs in two steps. The first one with a linear behavior and controlled by chemical reaction on the surface. The second reduction step is the reduction that is controlled by gas diffusion in micro pores, generated by reduction

Effect of co-free valve on activity reduction in PWR

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bahn, C.B.; Han, B.C.; Bum, J.S.; Hwang, I.S.; Lee, C.B.

2002-01-01

Radioactive nuclei, such as 68 Co and 60 Co, deposited on out-of-core surfaces in a pressurized water reactor (PWR) primary coolant system, are major sources of occupational radiation exposure to plant maintenance personnel and act as costly impediment to prompt and effective repairs. Valve hardfacing alloys exposed to primary coolant are considered as one of the main Co sources. To evaluate the Co-free valve, such as NOREM 02 and Deloro 50, the candidates for the alternative to Stellite 6, in a simulated PWR primary condition, SNU corrosion test loop (SCOTL) was constructed. For gate valves hard-faced with made of NOREM 02 and Deloro 50 hot cycling tests were conducted for up to 2,000 on-off cycles with cold leak tests at 1,000 cycle interval. It was observed that the leak rate of NOREM 02 (Fe-base) did not satisfy the nuclear grade valve leak criteria. After 1000 cycles test, while there was no leakage in case of Deloro 50 (Ni-base). Also, Deloro 50 showed no leakage after 2000 cycles. To estimate the activity reduction effect, we modified CRUDSIM-MIT which modeled the effects of coolant chemistry on the crud transport and activity buildup in the primary system of PWR. In the new code, crud evaluation and assessment (CREAT), 60 Co activity buildup prediction includes 1) Co-base valve replacement effect, 2) Co-base valve maintenance effect, and 3) control rod drive mechanism (CRDM) and main coolant pump (MCP) shaft contribution. CREAT predicted that the main contributor of Co activity buildup was the corrosion-induced release of Co from the steam generator (SG) tubing. With new SG's tubed with alloy 690, Korean Next Generation Reactor (APR-1400) is expected to have about 64% lower Co activity on SG surface. The use of all Co-free valves is expected to cut additional 8% of activity which is only marginal. (authors)

Reduction of CO2 emissions during cement clinker burning : Part 2 = Ein Beitrag zur Reduzierung der CO2-Emissionen beim Zementklinkerbrand; Teil 2

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vogel, S.; Kolditz, K.; Beilmann, F.; Finger, F.A.; Ott-Reinhardt, D.; Kralisch, D.

2013-01-01

The aim of the research project entitled "New technology in cement production for reducing CO2 emissions" sponsored by the German Federal Environmental Foundation was to lower the CO2 emissions during clinker burning. A possible reduction, relative to an industrial example, of up to 21 % in the

Reduction of CO2 emissions during cement clinker burning; part 1 = Ein Beitrag zur Reduzierung der CO2-Emissionen beim Zementklinkerbrand; Teil 1

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vogel, S.; Kolditz, K.; Bellmann, F.; Ott-Reinhardt, D.; Kralisch, D.

2013-01-01

The aim of the research project entitled "New technology in cement production for reducing CO2 emissions" sponsored by the German Federal Environmental Foundation was to lower the CO2 emissions during clinker burning. A possible reduction, relative to an industrial example, of up to 21 % in the

Convenience food with environmentally-sustainable attributes: A consumer perspective.

Science.gov (United States)

Stranieri, Stefanella; Ricci, Elena Claire; Banterle, Alessandro

2017-09-01

The use of chemicals in agriculture poses risks on both human health and the environment. Regulatory measures, both mandatory and voluntary, have been introduced to promote a reduction in the use of pesticides. The proliferation of such standards is related to the gradual shift of consumer preferences towards food with reduced negative health and environmental impacts. Beside consumer demand for sustainable food products, convenience food is also assuming an increasingly important role in developed countries. Among such products, minimally-processed vegetables are showing a growing positive trend, but their production has also negative effects on the environment. The goal of this study is to investigate the interaction between environmentally-friendly and healthy convenience food, and to investigate the determinants behind the purchase of healthy convenience food products with environmentally-sustainable attributes, focusing on minimally-processed vegetables labelled with voluntary standards related to integrated agriculture. To do so, we started from the Theory of Planned Behaviour and tested the efficacy of an extended model by considering also other variables which were found to affect significantly food choices. Data were collected by means of face-to-face interviews with 550 consumers in charge of grocery shopping in the metropolitan area of Milan, in northern Italy. Structural equation modelling was performed to analyse the relative importance of the constructs on consumer behaviour. Results confirm the relations of Ajzen's theory and reveal positive relations with consumer food shopping habits, food-related environmental behaviour, gender, income and knowledge. A negative relation with agricultural practices concern also emerges, highlighting that the most concerned consumers may prefer other more stringent environmental certifications. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

EU Transport GHG. Routes to 2050 II Project. Developing a better understanding of the secondary impacts and key sensitivities for the decarbonisation of the EU's transport sector by 2050

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hill, N.; Brannigan, C. [AEA Technology plc, London (United Kingdom); Smokers, R. [TNO, Delft (Netherlands); Schroten, A.; Vam Essen, H. [CE Delft, Delft (Netherlands); Skinner, I. [Transport and Environmental Policy Research TEPR, London (United Kingdom)

2012-07-15

The title study directly builds on the work previously completed under the EU Transport GHG: Routes to 2050 project. This new work (dubbed EU Transport GHG: Routes to 2050 II) started in January 2011 and was completed in March 2012. The outputs from this new project help to support the Commission in prioritising and developing their strategy for reducing GHG emissions from the transport sector. CE Delft successfully organised the stakeholder engagement as well as the in-depth research on several topics: greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from vehicle production and infrastructure development, CO2 reduction costs, co-benefits of GHG policies and knock-on consequences of such policies. Also alternative economic development paths were investigated, such as paths that could be less transport intensive, but still deliver increasing levels of prosperity.

Rapid thermal reduced graphene oxide/Pt–TiO2 nanotube arrays for enhanced visible-light-driven photocatalytic reduction of CO2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sim, Lan Ching; Leong, Kah Hon; Saravanan, Pichiah; Ibrahim, Shaliza

2015-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Enhanced visible light character of TNTs was imparted by RGO/Pt via facile route. • Pt NPs contribute exemplary visible light harvesting nature through plasmon effect. • Engulfed RGO promoted enhanced charge-carriers separation. • Synergistic effect of RGO, Pt photoreduced CO 2 to CH 4 with max. of 10.96 μmol m −2 . - Abstract: In this study, a complicate natural photosynthesis process was prototyped through a photocatalysis process by reducing CO 2 to light hydrocarbon, CH 4 . The composite photocatalyst employed for this study utilized Pt nanoparticles (Pt NPs) and rapid thermal reduced graphene oxide (RGO) deposited over the surface of the TiO 2 nanotube arrays (TNTs). The existence and contribution of both Pt NPs and RGO in the composite was confirmed through various analytical techniques including XRD, HRTEM, FESEM, Raman, FTIR, XPS, UV-DRS and photoluminescence (PL) analysis. The TNTs in the composite exhibited pure anatase phase. The absorption bands at around 450 nm obtained from UV-DRS spectrum supported the existence of LSPR phenomenon of Pt NPs. The promising lower work function of RGO promoted the electrons transfer from TNTs to RGO efficiently. The successful depositions of Pt and RGO onto the surface of TNTs contributed for the improved photocatalytic activity (total CH 4 yield of 10.96 μmol m −2 ) in the reduction of CO 2 over TNTs and Pt–TNTs. Both of RGO and Pt NPs are equally important to exert a significant impact on the improvement of CH 4 production rates.

Novel, Regenerable Microlith Catalytic Reactor for CO2 Reduction via Bosch Process, Phase I

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — Precision Combustion, Inc. (PCI) proposes to develop an extremely compact, lightweight and regenerable MicrolithREG catalytic CO2 reduction reactor, capable of...

Three routes forward for biofuels: Incremental, leapfrog, and transitional

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morrison, Geoff M.; Witcover, Julie; Parker, Nathan C.; Fulton, Lew

2016-01-01

This paper examines three technology routes for lowering the carbon intensity of biofuels: (1) a leapfrog route that focuses on major technological breakthroughs in lignocellulosic pathways at new, stand-alone biorefineries; (2) an incremental route in which improvements are made to existing U.S. corn ethanol and soybean biodiesel biorefineries; and (3) a transitional route in which biotechnology firms gain experience growing, handling, or chemically converting lignocellulosic biomass in a lower-risk fashion than leapfrog biorefineries by leveraging existing capital stock. We find the incremental route is likely to involve the largest production volumes and greenhouse gas benefits until at least the mid-2020s, but transitional and leapfrog biofuels together have far greater long-term potential. We estimate that the Renewable Fuel Standard, California's Low Carbon Fuel Standard, and federal tax credits provided an incentive of roughly $1.5–2.5 per gallon of leapfrog biofuel between 2012 and 2015, but that regulatory elements in these policies mostly incentivize lower-risk incremental investments. Adjustments in policy may be necessary to bring a greater focus on transitional technologies that provide targeted learning and cost reduction opportunities for leapfrog biofuels. - Highlights: • Three technological pathways are compared that lower carbon intensity of biofuels. • Incremental changes lead to faster greenhouse gas reductions. • Leapfrog changes lead to greatest long-term potential. • Two main biofuel policies (RFS and LCFS) are largely incremental in nature. • Transitional biofuels offer medium-risk, medium reward pathway.

An innovative, quick and convenient labeling method for the investigation of pharmacological behavior and the metabolism of poly(DL-lactide-co-glycolide) nanospheres

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stevanovic, Magdalena; Uskokovic, Dragan; Maksin, Tatjana; Petkovic, Jana; Filipic, Metka

2009-01-01

Nanoparticles of poly(DL-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) in the size range 90-150 nm were produced using the physicochemical method with solvent/non-solvent systems. The encapsulation of the ascorbic acid in the polymer matrix was performed by homogenization of the water and organic phases. In vitro degradation and release tests of PLGA nanoparticles with and without encapsulated ascorbic acid were studied for more than 60 days in PBS and it has been determined that PLGA completely degrades within this period, fully releasing all encapsulated ascorbic acid. The cytotoxicity of PLGA and PLGA/ascorbic acid 85/15% nanoparticles was examined with human hepatoma cell lines (HepG2 ECACC), in vitro. The obtained results indicate that neither PLGA nanospheres nor PLGA/ascorbic acid 85/15% nanoparticles significantly affected the viability of the HepG2 cells. The investigation of the distribution and pharmacokinetics of PLGA is crucial for the effective prediction of host responses to PLGA in particular applications. Thus we present a method of labeling PLGA nanospheres and PLGA/ascorbic acid 85/15 wt% nanoparticles by 99m Tc which binds outside, leaving the cage intact. This enables a quick and convenient investigation of the pharmacological behavior and metabolism of PLGA. The biodistribution of 99m Tc-labeled PLGA particles with and without encapsulated ascorbic acid after different periods of time of their installation into rats was examined. PLGA nanospheres with encapsulated ascorbic acid exhibit prolonged blood circulation accompanied by time-dependent reduction in the lungs, liver and spleen, and addition in the kidney, stomach and intestine. The samples were characterized by x-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, stereological analysis, transmission electron microscopy, ultraviolet spectroscopy and instant thin layer chromatography.

An innovative, quick and convenient labeling method for the investigation of pharmacological behavior and the metabolism of poly(DL-lactide-co-glycolide) nanospheres

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stevanovic, Magdalena; Uskokovic, Dragan [Institute of Technical Sciences of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts, 11000 Belgrade (Serbia); Maksin, Tatjana [Institute of Nuclear Sciences ' Vinca' , 11000 Belgrade (Serbia); Petkovic, Jana; Filipic, Metka, E-mail: magdalena.stevanovic@itn.sanu.ac.r, E-mail: magir@eunet.r [Department of Genetic Toxicology and Cancer Biology, National Institute of Biology, 1000 Ljubljana (Slovenia)

2009-08-19

Nanoparticles of poly(DL-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) in the size range 90-150 nm were produced using the physicochemical method with solvent/non-solvent systems. The encapsulation of the ascorbic acid in the polymer matrix was performed by homogenization of the water and organic phases. In vitro degradation and release tests of PLGA nanoparticles with and without encapsulated ascorbic acid were studied for more than 60 days in PBS and it has been determined that PLGA completely degrades within this period, fully releasing all encapsulated ascorbic acid. The cytotoxicity of PLGA and PLGA/ascorbic acid 85/15% nanoparticles was examined with human hepatoma cell lines (HepG2 ECACC), in vitro. The obtained results indicate that neither PLGA nanospheres nor PLGA/ascorbic acid 85/15% nanoparticles significantly affected the viability of the HepG2 cells. The investigation of the distribution and pharmacokinetics of PLGA is crucial for the effective prediction of host responses to PLGA in particular applications. Thus we present a method of labeling PLGA nanospheres and PLGA/ascorbic acid 85/15 wt% nanoparticles by {sup 99m}Tc which binds outside, leaving the cage intact. This enables a quick and convenient investigation of the pharmacological behavior and metabolism of PLGA. The biodistribution of {sup 99m}Tc-labeled PLGA particles with and without encapsulated ascorbic acid after different periods of time of their installation into rats was examined. PLGA nanospheres with encapsulated ascorbic acid exhibit prolonged blood circulation accompanied by time-dependent reduction in the lungs, liver and spleen, and addition in the kidney, stomach and intestine. The samples were characterized by x-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, stereological analysis, transmission electron microscopy, ultraviolet spectroscopy and instant thin layer chromatography.

CO Reduction to CH3OSiMe3: Electrophile-Promoted Hydride Migration at a Single Fe Site.

Science.gov (United States)

Deegan, Meaghan M; Peters, Jonas C

2017-02-22

One of the major challenges associated with developing molecular Fischer-Tropsch catalysts is the design of systems that promote the formation of C-H bonds from H 2 and CO while also facilitating the release of the resulting CO-derived organic products. To this end, we describe the synthesis of reduced iron-hydride/carbonyl complexes that enable an electrophile-promoted hydride migration process, resulting in the reduction of coordinated CO to a siloxymethyl (L n Fe-CH 2 OSiMe 3 ) group. Intramolecular hydride-to-CO migrations are extremely rare, and to our knowledge the system described herein is the first example where such a process can be accessed from a thermally stable M(CO)(H) complex. Further addition of H 2 to L n Fe-CH 2 OSiMe 3 releases CH 3 OSiMe 3 , demonstrating net four-electron reduction of CO to CH 3 OSiMe 3 at a single Fe site.

A Robust Pyridyl-NHC-Ligated Rhenium Photocatalyst for CO2 Reduction in the Presence of Water and Oxygen

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Casey A. Carpenter

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Re(pyNHC-PhCF3(CO3Br is a highly active photocatalyst for CO2 reduction. The PhCF3 derivative was previously empirically shown to be a robust catalyst. Here, the role of the PhCF3 group is probed computationally and the robust nature of this catalyst is analyzed with regard to the presence of water and oxygen introduced in controlled amounts during the photocatalytic reduction of CO2 to CO with visible light. This complex was found to work well from 0–1% water concentration reproducibly; however, trace amounts of water were required for benchmark Re(bpy(CO3Cl to give reproducible reactivity. When ambient air is added to the reaction mixture, the NHC complex was found to retain substantial performance (~50% of optimized reactivity at up to 40% ambient atmosphere and 60% CO2 while the Re(bpy(CO3Cl complex was found to give a dramatically reduced CO2 reduction reactivity upon introduction of ambient atmosphere. Through the use of time-correlated single photon counting studies and prior electrochemical results, we reasoned that this enhanced catalyst resilience is due to a mechanistic difference between the NHC- and bpy-based catalysts. These results highlight an important feature of this NHC-ligated catalyst: substantially enhanced stability toward common reaction contaminates.

RAFT Aqueous Dispersion Polymerization of N-(2-(Methacryloyloxy)ethyl)pyrrolidone: A Convenient Low Viscosity Route to High Molecular Weight Water-Soluble Copolymers.

Science.gov (United States)

Cunningham, Victoria J; Derry, Matthew J; Fielding, Lee A; Musa, Osama M; Armes, Steven P

2016-06-28

RAFT solution polymerization of N -(2-(methacryoyloxy)ethyl)pyrrolidone (NMEP) in ethanol at 70 °C was conducted to produce a series of PNMEP homopolymers with mean degrees of polymerization (DP) varying from 31 to 467. Turbidimetry was used to assess their inverse temperature solubility behavior in dilute aqueous solution, with an LCST of approximately 55 °C being observed in the high molecular weight limit. Then a poly(glycerol monomethacylate) (PGMA) macro-CTA with a mean DP of 63 was chain-extended with NMEP using a RAFT aqueous dispersion polymerization formulation at 70 °C. The target PNMEP DP was systematically varied from 100 up to 6000 to generate a series of PGMA 63 -PNMEP x diblock copolymers. High conversions (≥92%) could be achieved when targeting up to x = 5000. GPC analysis confirmed high blocking efficiencies and a linear evolution in M n with increasing PNMEP DP. A gradual increase in M w / M n was also observed when targeting higher DPs. However, this problem could be minimized ( M w / M n RAFT aqueous dispersion polymerization of NMEP was approximately four times faster than the RAFT solution polymerization of NMEP in ethanol when targeting the same DP in each case. This is perhaps surprising because both 1 H NMR and SAXS studies indicate that the core-forming PNMEP chains remain relatively solvated at 70 °C in the latter formulation. Moreover, dissolution of the initial PGMA 63 -PNMEP x particles occurs on cooling from 70 to 20 °C as the PNMEP block passes through its LCST. Hence this RAFT aqueous dispersion polymerization formulation offers an efficient route to a high molecular weight water-soluble polymer in a rather convenient low-viscosity form. Finally, the relatively expensive PGMA macro-CTA was replaced with a poly(methacrylic acid) (PMAA) macro-CTA. High conversions were also achieved for PMAA 85 -PNMEP x diblock copolymers prepared via RAFT aqueous dispersion polymerization for x ≤ 4000. Again, better control was achieved when

Synthesis and photocatalytic CO2 reduction performance of Cu2O/Coal-based carbon nanoparticle composites

Science.gov (United States)

Dedong, Zhang; Maimaiti, Halidan; Awati, Abuduheiremu; Yisilamu, Gunisakezi; Fengchang, Sun; Ming, Wei

2018-05-01

The photocatalytic reduction of CO2 into hydrocarbons provides a promising approach to overcome the challenges of environmental crisis and energy shortage. Here we fabricated a cuprous oxide (Cu2O) based composite photocatalyst consisting of Cu2O/carbon nanoparticles (CNPs). To prepare the CNPs, coal samples from Wucaiwan, Xinjiang, China, were first treated with HNO3, followed by hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) oxidation to strip nanocrystalline carbon from coal. After linking with oxygen-containing group such as hydroxyl, coal-based CNPs with sp2 carbon structure and multilayer graphene lattice structure were synthesized. Subsequently, the CNPs were loaded onto the surface of Cu2O nanoparticles prepared by in-situ reduction of copper chloride (CuCl2·2H2O). The physical properties and chemical structure of the Cu2O/CNPs as well as photocatalytic activity of CO2/H2O reduction into CH3OH were measured. The results demonstrate that the Cu2O/CNPs are composed of spherical particles with diameter of 50 nm and mesoporous structure, which are suitable for CO2 adsorption. Under illumination of visible light, electron-hole pairs are generated in Cu2O. Thanks to the CNPs, the fast recombination of electron-hole pairs is suppressed. The energy gradient formed on the surface of Cu2O/CNPs facilitates the efficient separation of electron-hole pairs for CO2 reduction and H2O oxidation, leading to enhanced photocatalytic activity.

Co- and defect-rich carbon nanofiber films as a highly efficient electrocatalyst for oxygen reduction

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Il To; Song, Myeong Jun; Shin, Seoyoon; Shin, Moo Whan

2018-03-01

Many efforts are continuously devoted to developing high-efficiency, low-cost, and highly scalable oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) electrocatalysts to replace precious metal catalysts. Herein, we successfully synthesize Co- and defect-rich carbon nanofibers (CNFs) using an efficient heat treatment approach involving the pyrolysis of electrospun fibers at 370 °C under air. The heat treatment process produces Co-decorated CNFs with a high Co mass ratio, enriched pyridinic N, Co-pyridinic Nx clusters, and defect-rich carbon structures. The synergistic effects from composition and structural changes in the designed material increase the number of catalytically active sites for the ORR in an alkaline solution. The prepared Co- and defect-rich CNFs exhibit excellent ORR activities with a high ORR onset potential (0.954 V vs. RHE), a large reduction current density (4.426 mA cm-2 at 0.40 V), and a nearly four-electron pathway. The catalyst also exhibits a better long-term durability than commercial Pt/C catalysts. This study provides a novel hybrid material as an efficient ORR catalyst and important insight into the design strategy for CNF-based hybrid materials as electrochemical electrodes.

Magnetic response of polycrystalline YBaCo4O7+δ synthesized through the physical and chemical route: The role of phase inhomogeneities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vallejos, E.; Galeano, V.; Gómez, L.; Izquierdo, J.L.; Montoya, J.F.; Mera, J.; Córdoba, C.; Gómez, A.; Paucar, C.; Morán, O.

2014-01-01

Polycrystalline YBaCo 4 O 7+δ samples were obtained through a standard solid state reaction, and their structural, morphological, electrical, and magnetic properties are carefully studied. The X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) patterns showed reflections of a pure hexagonal structure (space group P6 3 mc) with lattice parameters being very close to those reported in the literature. Although XRD analysis showed that the main phase present is 114, the presence of secondary phases could not be ruled out based solely on the XRD characterization. Indeed, sensitive SQUID magnetic measurements showed that the samples were affected by very small quantities of the 112 phase (YBaCo 2 O 5.5 ), which typically manifests itself through a conspicuous increase in the magnetization at∼300 K. The results achieved corroborated the predictions concerning the difficulty of stabilizing the 114 phase when synthesized via the standard solid-state reaction. With this in mind, we next attempted to obtain the compound with improved phase purity. In so doing, the YBaCo 4 O 7+δ compound was synthesized through a wet chemistry method based on a citrates route. The XRD patterns recorded for these samples revealed well-defined peaks corresponding to a pure hexagonal structure. More interestingly, SQUID measurements show no sign of features in the M(T) curve at temperatures as low as∼80 K. This result was consistent with the magnetic behavior observed in YBaCo 4 O 7+δ single-crystals. At temperatures below∼80 K, a clear feature was observed which seemed to correlate with a transition into an antiferromagnetic state. Isothermal magnetization recorded at 70 K showed that field-induced effects manifested themselves through the appearance of a ferromagnetic-like component. This ferromagnetic component may arise from spin canting of the underlying antiferromagnetic state or through field-induced structural transition (at least at local scale). Although a definitive interpretation of the in

An intervention to reduce the number of convenience stores selling tobacco: feasibility study.

Science.gov (United States)

Paynter, Janine; Glover, Marewa; Bullen, Chris; Sonia, Deepika

2016-05-01

Reduction of the availability of tobacco has been proposed as a means of reducing and denormalising tobacco use. Some retailers have stopped selling tobacco. Therefore, we investigated how willing New Zealand convenience store owners were to stop selling tobacco or sell nicotine replacement therapy. Promotion of their stores was offered as an incentive to stop selling tobacco. We asked convenience store owners in the Auckland metropolitan region of New Zealand to choose one of three actions. The first was to stop selling tobacco for a short period of time; the second was to restrict the hours that they sold tobacco; the third was to display and sell nicotine replacement therapy. All participating retailers completed a short interview about selling tobacco. We also surveyed customers about nicotine replacement and cessation. One-third of eligible retailers agreed to participate. Most who participated (93%) were unwilling to stop or restrict tobacco sales and 2 (7%) had already stopped selling tobacco. Tobacco was perceived as a key product for their businesses. Very few customers who purchased cigarettes noticed nicotine replacement therapy or obtained it from convenience stores. Substantially reducing the availability of tobacco in communities is likely to require legislative approaches, underpinned by sustained community pressure and support for convenience store owners who are willing to change their business model. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

NO{sub 2} and CO nonattainment areas: a pragmatic approach to source reduction assessment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cernuschi, S.; Giugliano, M.; Marzolo, F. [D.I.I.A.R. - Politecnico di Milano, Milan (Italy). Environmental Section

1995-12-31

Many Italian large conurbations have CO and NO{sub 2} air quality standards exceeded and, consequently, require control enforcement plans to attain and maintain regulations not respected. In planning the interventions to be undertaken a fundamental issue is represented by the relationships between active emission sources and air quality, commonly described through mathematical models for evaluating the expected effects of the different reduction scenarios. This approach, relatively feasible for slightly or non reactive pollutants like CO, becomes not as easy to be applied for secondary pollutants, like NO{sub 2}, mainly for the complex photo chemical reaction systems involved in their atmospheric presence and the consequent modeling difficulties related either to the description of the system itself than to the detail in input data required. A practicable alternative in this framework relies in the utilization of statistical models for deriving, through the empirical description of the relationships between the parameters of interest, the reduction levels required for complying with the standards. Following an approach already applied with useful results to the same area, present work reports on the development and application to Milan urban area of statistical models for describing the relationships between CO and NO{sub x} annual concentration averages and the corresponding air quality standard parameters (number of standard exceedances for CO and 98th percentile of hourly concentrations for NO{sub 2}). The models are utilised upstream to simple roll-back models for the assessment of the reduction in emissions strength required for attaining air quality standards for the area. (author)

NO{sub 2} and CO nonattainment areas: a pragmatic approach to source reduction assessment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cernuschi, S; Giugliano, M; Marzolo, F [D.I.I.A.R. - Politecnico di Milano, Milan (Italy). Environmental Section

1996-12-31

Many Italian large conurbations have CO and NO{sub 2} air quality standards exceeded and, consequently, require control enforcement plans to attain and maintain regulations not respected. In planning the interventions to be undertaken a fundamental issue is represented by the relationships between active emission sources and air quality, commonly described through mathematical models for evaluating the expected effects of the different reduction scenarios. This approach, relatively feasible for slightly or non reactive pollutants like CO, becomes not as easy to be applied for secondary pollutants, like NO{sub 2}, mainly for the complex photo chemical reaction systems involved in their atmospheric presence and the consequent modeling difficulties related either to the description of the system itself than to the detail in input data required. A practicable alternative in this framework relies in the utilization of statistical models for deriving, through the empirical description of the relationships between the parameters of interest, the reduction levels required for complying with the standards. Following an approach already applied with useful results to the same area, present work reports on the development and application to Milan urban area of statistical models for describing the relationships between CO and NO{sub x} annual concentration averages and the corresponding air quality standard parameters (number of standard exceedances for CO and 98th percentile of hourly concentrations for NO{sub 2}). The models are utilised upstream to simple roll-back models for the assessment of the reduction in emissions strength required for attaining air quality standards for the area. (author)

How convenient!? Adolescents’ vistas on food competences in a convenience context

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wahlen, S.; Horst, van der Hilje; Pothoff, Roosje

2016-01-01

Purpose – Adolescents are at a stage in their life course in which they increasingly become choosers, buyers and preparers of food. Hence, they develop and employ required competences. Current food-related competences of adolescents are shaped in an environment with an abundance of convenience

Uniform β-Co(OH)2 disc-like nanostructures prepared by low-temperature electrochemical rout as an electrode material for supercapacitors

Science.gov (United States)

Aghazadeh, Mustafa; Shiri, Hamid Mohammad; Barmi, Abbas-Ali Malek

2013-05-01

Uniform nanostructures of cobalt hydroxide were successfully prepared by a low-temperature electrochemical method via galvanostatically deposition from a 0.005 M Co(NO3)3 bath at 10 °C. The XRD and FT-IR analyses showed that the prepared sample has a single crystalline hexagonal phase of the brucite-like Co(OH)2. Morphological characterization by SEM and TEM revealed that the prepared β-Co(OH)2 was composed of uniform compact disc-like nanostructures with diameters of 40-50 nm. The electrochemical performance of the prepared β-Co(OH)2 was evaluated using cyclic voltammetry and charge-discharge tests. A maximum specific capacitance of 736.5 F g-1 was obtained in aqueous 1 M KOH with the potential range of -0.2-0.5 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) at the scan rate of 10 mV s-1, suggesting the potential application of the prepared nanostructures as an electrode material in electrochemical supercapacitors. The results of this work showed that the low-temperature cathodic electrodeposition method can be recognized as a new and facile route for the synthesis of cobalt hydroxide nanodiscs as a promising candidate for the electrochemical supercapacitors.

Joint optimization of green vehicle scheduling and routing problem with time-varying speeds

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Dezhi; Wang, Xin; Ni, Nan; Zhang, Zhuo

2018-01-01

Based on an analysis of the congestion effect and changes in the speed of vehicle flow during morning and evening peaks in a large- or medium-sized city, the piecewise function is used to capture the rules of the time-varying speed of vehicles, which are very important in modelling their fuel consumption and CO2 emission. A joint optimization model of the green vehicle scheduling and routing problem with time-varying speeds is presented in this study. Extra wages during nonworking periods and soft time-window constraints are considered. A heuristic algorithm based on the adaptive large neighborhood search algorithm is also presented. Finally, a numerical simulation example is provided to illustrate the optimization model and its algorithm. Results show that, (1) the shortest route is not necessarily the route that consumes the least energy, (2) the departure time influences the vehicle fuel consumption and CO2 emissions and the optimal departure time saves on fuel consumption and reduces CO2 emissions by up to 5.4%, and (3) extra driver wages have significant effects on routing and departure time slot decisions. PMID:29466370

Biomimetic Polymeric Semiconductor Based Hybrid Nanosystems for Artificial Photosynthesis towards Solar Fuels Generation via CO₂ reduction

OpenAIRE

Zhou, H.; Li, P.; Liu, J.; Chen, Z.; Liu, L.; Dontsova, D.; Yan, R.; Fan, T.; Zhang, D.; Ye, J.

2016-01-01

In photosynthesis, an intricate polymeric system is constructed by connecting a light-harvesting antenna network, a molecular water oxidation center, and \\CO2\\} or proton-reduction machinery in a nanolayered architecture as a basic photosynthetic unit for solar-to-fuels conversion. Herein, we present a prototype basic artificial photosynthetic unit by connecting a typical CO2/proton reduction catalyst, a cocatalyst and an electron mediator as well as \\{CO2\\} activator into a polymer based nan...

Performance Determinants for Convenience Store Suppliers

OpenAIRE

Zainah Abdullah; Aznur Hajar Abdullah

2012-01-01

This paper examines the impact of information and communication technology (ICT) usage, internal relationship, supplier-retailer relationship, logistics services and inventory management on convenience store suppliers- performance. Data was collected from 275 convenience store managers in Malaysia using a set of questionnaire. The multiple linear regression results indicate that inventory management, supplier-retailer relationship, logistics services and internal relation...

Synthesis of ternary oxide for efficient photo catalytic conversion of CO2

Science.gov (United States)

Wan, Lijuan

2018-01-01

Zn2GeO4 Nan rods were prepared by solution phase route. The morphology and structure of the as-prepared products were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Bruner-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area measurements. The results revealed that Zn2GeO4 Nan rods with higher surface area have higher photo catalytic activity in photo reduction of CO2 than Zn2GeO4 prepared through solid-state reaction.

Meal box schemes a convenient way to avoid convenience food? Uses and understandings of meal box schemes among Danish consumers.

Science.gov (United States)

Hertz, Frej Daniel; Halkier, Bente

2017-07-01

The term convenience food is subject to diversification, lack of clarity and moral ambiguity. In this paper we address these issues and critically discuss convenience food by using empirical findings from a Danish study that deals with practitioners' uses of meal box schemes. The methodological design consists of thirteen individual interviews, four focus groups and some observations of cooking practices. We combine the empirical findings with a particular definition of convenience food by Brunner et al. (2010) and selected practice theoretical concepts. This particular combination enables us to categorize meal box schemes as a new form of convenience food called convenient food. In addition, results suggest that meal box schemes reduce leftovers from dinner. Meal boxes also influence dinner related activities such as planning ahead in time and grocery shopping, which require less physical and mental effort. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The stochastic seasonal behavior of energy commodity convenience yields

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mirantes, Andrés García; Población, Javier; Serna, Gregorio

2013-01-01

This paper contributes to the commodity pricing literature by consistently modeling the convenience yield with its empirically observed properties. Specifically, in this paper, we show how a four-factor model for the stochastic behavior of commodity prices, with two long- and short-term factors and two additional seasonal factors, may accommodate some of the most important empirically observed characteristics of commodity convenience yields, such as the mean reversion and stochastic seasonality. Based on this evidence, a theoretical model is presented and estimated to characterize the commodity convenience yield dynamics that are consistent with previous findings. We also show that commodity price seasonality is better estimated through convenience yields than through futures prices. - Highlights: • Energy commodity convenience yields exhibit mean reversion and stochastic seasonality. • We present a model for convenience yields accounting for their observed characteristics. • Commodity price seasonality is better estimated through convenience yields

Assessment of Alternative Scenarios for CO2 Reduction Potential in the Residential Building Sector

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Young-Sun Jeong

2017-03-01

Full Text Available The South Korean government announced its goals of reducing the country’s CO2 emissions by up to 30% below the business as usual (BAU projections by 2020 in 2009 and 37% below BAU projections by 2030 in 2015. This paper explores the potential energy savings and reduction in CO2 emissions offered by residential building energy efficiency policies and plans in South Korea. The current and future energy consumption and CO2 emissions in the residential building were estimated using an energy–environment model from 2010 to 2030. The business as usual scenario is based on the energy consumption characteristic of residential buildings using the trends related to socio-economic prospects and the number of dwellings. The alternative scenarios took into account energy efficiency for new residential buildings (scenario I, refurbishment of existing residential buildings (scenario II, use of highly efficient boilers (scenario III, and use of a solar thermal energy system (scenario IV. The results show that energy consumption in the residential building sector will increase by 33% between 2007 and 2030 in the BAU scenario. Maximum reduction in CO2 emissions in the residential building sector of South Korea was observed by 2030 in scenario I. In each alternative scenario analysis, CO2 emissions were 12.9% lower than in the business as usual scenario by the year 2030.

Novel RuCoSe as non-platinum catalysts for oxygen reduction reaction in microbial fuel cells

Science.gov (United States)

Rozenfeld, Shmuel; Schechter, Michal; Teller, Hanan; Cahan, Rivka; Schechter, Alex

2017-09-01

Microbial electrochemical cells (MECs) are explored for the conversion of acetate directly to electrical energy. This device utilizes a Geobacter sulfurreducens anode and a novel RuCoSe air cathode. RuCoSe synthesized in selected compositions by a borohydride reduction method produces amorphous structures of powdered agglomerates. Oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) was measured in a phosphate buffer solution pH 7 using a rotating disc electrode (RDE), from which the kinetic current (ik) was measured as a function of potential and composition. The results show that ik of RuxCoySe catalysts increases in the range of XRu = 0.25 > x > 0.7 and y < 0.15 for all tested potentials. A poisoning study of RuCoSe and Pt catalysts in a high concentration acetate solution shows improved tolerance of RuCoSe to this fuel at acetate concentration ≥500 mM. MEC discharge plots under physiological conditions show that ∼ RuCo2Se (sample S3) has a peak power density of 750 mW cm-2 which is comparable with Pt 900 mW cm-2.

One-Pot Soft-Template Synthesis of Nanostructured Copper-Supported Mesoporous Carbon FDU-15 Electrocatalysts for Efficient CO2 Reduction.

Science.gov (United States)

Şahin, Nihat Ege; Comminges, Clément; Le Valant, Anthony; Kiener, Julien; Parmentier, Julien; Napporn, Teko W; Melinte, Georgian; Ersen, Ovidiu; Kokoh, Kouakou B

2018-03-14

Copper-supported mesoporous carbon nanocatalysts (Cu/FDU-15) were synthesized using an easy and convenient one-pot soft-template method for low-overvoltage CO 2 electroreduction. TEM imaging revealed the presence of large Cu nanoparticles (diameter 140 nm) with Cu 2 O nanoparticles (16 nm) as an additional phase. From the electron tomography observations, we found that the copper particles were placed inside and on the exterior surface of the porous FDU-15 support, providing an accessible surface for electrocatalytic reactions. CO 2 electrolyses showed that the mesostructured Cu/FDU-15-350 cathode materials were active towards CO 2 conversion to formic acid with 22 % Faradaic efficiency at a remarkably low overpotential of 290 mV, hydrogen being the only side-product. The catalyst's activity correlates to the calculated metallic surface area, as determined from a geometrical model, confirming that the mesoporous channels act as a diffusion path for the CO 2 molecule, and that the whole Cu surface is accessible to CO 2 , even if particles are entrapped in the carbon matrix. © 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

The electrochemical selective reduction of NO using CoSe2@CNTs hybrid.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Hui; Xiang, Kaisong; Yang, Bentao; Xie, Xiaofeng; Wang, Dongli; Zhang, Cong; Liu, Zhilou; Yang, Shu; Liu, Cao; Zou, Jianping; Chai, Liyuan

2017-06-01

Converting the NO from gaseous pollutant into NH 4 + through electrocatalytical reduction using cost-effective materials holds great promise for pollutant purifying and resources recycling. In this work, we developed a highly selective and stable catalyst CoSe 2 nanoparticle hybridized with carbon nanotubes (CoSe 2 @CNTs). The CoSe 2 @CNTs hybrid catalysts performed an extraordinary high selectivity for NH 4 + formation in NO electroreduction with minimal N 2 O production and H 2 evolution. The specific spatial structure of CoSe 2 is conductive to the predominant formation of N-H bond between the N from adsorbed NO and H and inhibition of N-N formation from adjacent adsorbed NO. It was also the first time to convert the coordinated NO into NH 4 + using non-noble metal catalysis. Moreover, the original concept of employing CoSe 2 as eletrocatalyst for NO hydrogenation presented in this work can broaden horizons and provide new dimensions in the design of new highly efficient catalysts for NH 4 + synthesis in aqueous solution.

Efficiency potentials of heat pumps with combined heat and power. For maximum reduction of CO2 emissions and for electricity generation from fossil fuels with CO2 reduction in Switzerland

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rognon, F.

2005-06-01

This comprehensive report for the Swiss Federal Office of Energy (SFOE) takes a look at how the efficiency potential of heat pumps together with combined heat and power systems can help provide a maximum reduction of CO 2 emissions and provide electricity generation from fossil fuel in Switzerland together with reductions in CO 2 emissions. In Switzerland, approximately 80% of the low-temperature heat required for space-heating and for the heating-up of hot water is produced by burning combustibles. Around a million gas and oil boilers were in use in Switzerland in 2000, and these accounted for approximately half the country's 41.1 million tonnes of CO 2 emissions. The authors state that there is a more efficient solution with lower CO 2 emissions: the heat pump. With the enormous potential of our environment it would be possible to replace half the total number of boilers in use today with heat pumps. This would be equivalent to 90 PJ p.a. of useful heat, or 500,000 systems. The power source for heat pumps should come from the substitution of electric heating systems (electric resistor-based systems) and from the replacement of boilers. This should be done by using combined heat and power systems with full heat utilisation. This means, according to the authors, that the entire required power source can be provided without the need to construct new electricity production plants. The paper examines and discusses the theoretical, technical, market and realisable potentials

Electrochemical reduction of CO2 on compositionally variant Au-Pt bimetallic thin films

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ma, M.; Hansen, H.A.; Valenti, M.; Wang, Z.; Cao, A.; Dong, M.; Smith, W.A.

2017-01-01

The electrocatalytic reduction of CO2 on Au-Pt bimetallic catalysts with different compositions was evaluated, offering a platform for uncovering the correlation between the catalytic activity and the surface composition of bimetallic electrocatalysts. The Au-Pt alloy films were synthesized by a

Potential CO{sub 2} reduction by fuel substitution to generate electricity in Malaysia

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Masjuki, H.H.; Mahlia, T.M.I.; Choudhury, I.A.; Saidur, R. [University of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia). Dept. of Mechanical Engineers

2002-04-01

Because of changing fossil fuel prices, sources and environmental consciousness, Malaysian utilities have been forced to change the type of energy sources to generate electricity. This new policy of electricity generation companies will change fuel use gradually from 70% gas, 15% coal, 10% hydro and 5% petroleum in the year 2000 to 40% gas, 30% hydro, 29% coal and only 1% petroleum in the year of 2020. These changes tend to reduce CO{sub 2} emission. This study predicts the potential CO{sub 2} reduction due to these changes. The calculation is based on CO{sub 2} emission for unit electricity generated and the changing type of fuel percentages for electricity generation in Malaysia. The study found that the substitution will reduce CO{sub 2} emission from power plants in this country.

Reduction of CO2 emissions by reduction of paper use for publication applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Van den Reek, J.A.

1999-10-01

The main research question of this study is as follows: What is the technical potential for reducing paper use in the field of publication applications in Western Europe within a time frame of 10-20 years, and what will the consequences for CO2 emissions be? To answer this central question we have defined the next four subquestions, all related to Western Europe: (1) How were the historical trends for the consumption figures of publication papers?; (2) What will be the expected publication paper consumption the next 10-20 years based on the historical trends, and what will be the influence on the related CO2 emissions?; (3) What technical opportunities do we see to reduce the future paper consumption trend for publication applications and what will be the individual and cumulative technical potential of these innovations?; (4) Does implementation of the technical opportunities lead to a significant dematerialization effect? Chapter 2 describes the chosen research method. In Chapter 3 we will introduce and define the paper types studied. Furthermore, Chapter 3 describes the detailed division of publication papers we have used in this study and the relationship with pulp and papermaking. After reading this chapter it has to be clear which paper production methods and paper types are (per ton) responsible for how much CO2 emissions. To get an overall-impression of the relevance of certain papers for CO2 emission numbers it is important to have insight into the historical consumption patterns of publication papers. Chapter 4 pays attention to these consumption patterns. Chapter 5 describes the most important trend factors that may influence future paper consumption patterns and in Chapter 6 this is translated into three possible consumption growth scenarios. The first and second growth scenarios are only based on extrapolations from historical figures, the third scenario is based on some of the most significant potential reduction measures. Furthermore, Chapter 6 gives

Performance analysis of photocatalytic CO2 reduction in optical fiber monolith reactor with multiple inverse lights

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yuan, Kai; Yang, Lijun; Du, Xiaoze; Yang, Yongping

2014-01-01

Highlights: • A new optical fiber monolith reactor model for CO 2 reduction was developed. • Methanol concentration versus fiber location and operation parameters was obtained. • Reaction efficiency increases by 31.1% due to the four fibers and inverse layout. • With increasing space of fiber and channel center, methanol concentration increases. • Methanol concentration increases as the vapor ratio and light intensity increase. - Abstract: Photocatalytic CO 2 reduction seems potential to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and produce renewable energy. A new model of photocatalytic CO 2 reduction in optical fiber monolith reactor with multiple inverse lights was developed in this study to improve the conversion of CO 2 to CH 3 OH. The new light distribution equation was derived, by which the light distribution was modeled and analyzed. The variations of CH 3 OH concentration with the fiber location and operation parameters were obtained by means of numerical simulation. The results show that the outlet CH 3 OH concentration is 31.1% higher than the previous model, which is attributed to the four fibers and inverse layout. With the increase of the distance between the fiber and the monolith center, the average CH 3 OH concentration increases. The average CH 3 OH concentration also rises as the light input and water vapor percentage increase, but declines with increasing the inlet velocity. The maximum conversion rate and quantum efficiency in the model are 0.235 μmol g −1 h −1 and 0.0177% respectively, both higher than previous internally illuminated monolith reactor (0.16 μmol g −1 h −1 and 0.012%). The optical fiber monolith reactor layout with multiple inverse lights is recommended in the design of photocatalytic reactor of CO 2 reduction

Revealing the values behind convenience food consumption.

Science.gov (United States)

Botonaki, Anna; Mattas, Konstadinos

2010-12-01

The increasing importance of convenience in consumer food choices has attracted researchers' interest. In the effort to understand how convenience affects consumers' food preferences, values are believed to play an important role. The present study attempts to examine the way personal values suggested by Schwartz (1992) are associated with behaviour and attitudes regarding convenience food. A number of constructs describing food related attitudes and behaviours were developed and their relationship with personal values was analyzed following the methodology proposed by Brunsø, Scholderer, and Grunert (2004). Data were collected through a questionnaire survey from a random sample of consumers in Thessaloniki city, Greece. The results reveal that convenience food consumption and convenience orientation in the food domain are mainly connected with values that motivate people to seek new experiences, act independently and enhance their own personal interests, while are in conflict with values of conservation and self-transcendence. The opposite holds for other food related attitudes and behaviours like involvement with cooking and variety in diet. The findings seem to be of particular interest not only for marketers of food products, but also for food policy makers. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A CsPbBr3 Perovskite Quantum Dot/Graphene Oxide Composite for Photocatalytic CO2 Reduction.

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Yang-Fan; Yang, Mu-Zi; Chen, Bai-Xue; Wang, Xu-Dong; Chen, Hong-Yan; Kuang, Dai-Bin; Su, Cheng-Yong

2017-04-26

Halide perovskite quantum dots (QDs), primarily regarded as optoelectronic materials for LED and photovoltaic devices, have not been applied for photochemical conversion (e.g., water splitting or CO 2 reduction) applications because of their insufficient stability in the presence of moisture or polar solvents. Herein, we report the use of CsPbBr 3 QDs as novel photocatalysts to convert CO 2 into solar fuels in nonaqueous media. Under AM 1.5G simulated illumination, the CsPbBr 3 QDs steadily generated and injected electrons into CO 2 , catalyzing CO 2 reduction at a rate of 23.7 μmol/g h with a selectivity over 99.3%. Additionally, through the construction of a CsPbBr 3 QD/graphene oxide (CsPbBr 3 QD/GO) composite, the rate of electron consumption increased 25.5% because of improved electron extraction and transport. This study is anticipated to provide new opportunities to utilize halide perovskite QD materials in photocatalytic applications.

Hexavalent Chromium reduction by Trichoderma inhamatum

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Morales-Battera, L.; Cristiani-Urbina, E.

2009-07-01

Reduction of hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] to trivalent chromium [Cr(III)] is a useful and attractive process for remediation of ecosystems and industrial effluents contaminated with Cr(VI). Cr(VI) reduction to Cr(II) can be achieved by both chemical and biological methods; however, the biological reduction is more convenient than the chemical one since costs are lower, and sludge is generated in smaller amounts. (Author)

Electro and photo-assisted carbon dioxide reduction on molecular catalysts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stanbury, Matthew

2016-01-01

The general context of this thesis is on CO 2 valorisation, and recounts fundamental research aimed at finding new molecular catalysts in order to achieve CO 2 conversion. The results obtained provide additional knowledge in view of developing an efficient and selective catalytic CO 2 reduction process. The first chapter begins with the general picture of CO 2 utilisation and contains a bibliographical overview on the use of molecular catalysts for CO 2 photo- and electroreduction. This short review demonstrates the wide variety of transition metal complexes used as catalysts, in particularly those based on rhenium. An analysis on the current state of CO 2 reduction research using molecular catalyst complexes of the manganese carbonyl type is then reported. In Chapter II, the discussion begins with a brief overview of the research developed during this thesis relating to new complexes of the general formula: [Mn(L)(CO) 3 (X)] (X = Br, n = 0 ou CH 3 CN, n = 1; L = terpyridine derivatives). The interest in these complexes is twofold, as their physico-chemical properties give them potential catalytic CO 2 reduction applications, as well as applications in the field relating to controlled CO release molecules. Developing new complexes based on ligands derived from terpy is one of the main routes that were chosen for catalyst performance optimisation and improvement. In this context, Mn complexes were synthesised, their photo- and electrochemical properties were studied in detail, before testing their activity with respect to catalytic CO 2 reduction. The most remarkable result comes from the unique ability of these species to release one of their carbonyl ligands in a controlled fashion, which led to the discovery of novel Mn dicarbonyl complexes which are selective catalysts for CO 2 reduction, and also to new molecules which are applicable in the release of small quantities of CO for therapeutic purposes. Chapter III covers the study of the complex [Mn(phen-dione)(CO

Preparation of Bimetallic Pd-Co Nanoparticles on Graphene Support for Use as Methanol Tolerant Oxygen Reduction Electrocatalysts

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R. N. Singh

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Graphene-supported (40-x wt% Pd x wt% Co (0≤x≤13.33 alloys/composites have been prepared by a microwave-assisted polyol reduction method and been investigated for their structural and electrocatalytic properties for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR in 0.5 M H2SO4 at 298 K. The study demonstrated that the bimetallic Pd-Co composite nanoparticles are, in fact, alloy nanoparticles with fcc crystalline structure. Partial substitution of Pd by Co (from 3.64 to 13.33 wt% in 40 wt% Pd/graphene decreases the lattice parameter as well as the crystallite size and increases the apparent catalytic activity, the latter, however, being the greatest with 8 wt% Co. The ORR activity of the active 32 wt% Pd 8wt% Co is found to be considerably low when it was deposited on the support multiwall carbon nanotubes under similar conditions. The rotating disk electrode study indicated that the ORR on 32 wt% Pd 8 wt% Co/GNS in 0.5 M H2SO4 follows approximately the four-electron pathway.

Electrocatalytic behavior of thin Co-Te-O films in oxygen evolution and reduction reactions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rashkova, V.; Kitova, S.; Vitanov, T.

2007-01-01

Co-Te-O catalytic films, obtain by vacuum co-evaporation of Co and TeO 2 are investigated as electrocatalysts for oxygen reactions in alkaline media. Bifunctional gas-diffusion oxygen electrodes (gde) are prepared by direct deposition of catalyst films on gas-diffusion membranes (gdm) consisting of hydrophobized carbon blacks or hydrophobized 'Ebonex' (suboxides of titanium dioxide). Thus obtained electrodes with different atomic ratio R Co/Te of the catalyst, treated at different temperatures were electrochemically tested by means of cyclic voltammetry and steady-state voltammetry. It is shown that the electrodes exhibit high catalytic activity toward oxygen evolution and reduction reaction despite very low catalyst loading of about 0.05-0.5 mg cm -2

How can China reach its CO2 intensity reduction targets by 2020? A regional allocation based on equity and development

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yi Wenjing; Zou Lele; Guo Jie; Wang Kai; Wei Yiming

2011-01-01

In late 2009, the Chinese government committed to cut its carbon dioxide emissions per unit of gross domestic product (GDP) by 40% to 45% of 2005 levels by 2020. This has raised the issue of how to allocate the CO 2 reduction target regionally to meet the national reduction target. To meet this objective, the following aspects may be taken into consideration: equity principles, 'common but differentiated responsibilities'; intensity reduction target fulfillment; and economic difference and reduction potential among provinces. This paper selects per capita GDP, accumulated fossil fuel related CO 2 emissions and energy consumption per unit of industrial added value as indicators for emission reduction capacity, responsibility and potential, respectively. Based on these three indicators, a comprehensive index is developed and an intensity allocation model constructed. As decision makers may have different preferences when allocating the reduction burden, we allocate different weights to the indicators, analyzing the results using cluster analysis. The following aspects may also be considered together with the national regional development strategy to determine how to share the burden: the reduction potential of various regions; implementation potential of the plans; and promotion of a highly efficient low carbon economic development model. - Research highlights: → We compiled a comprehensive index using per capita GDP, accumulated fossil fuel related CO 2 emissions and energy consumption per unit of industrial added value as indicators for emission reduction capacity, responsibility and potential, respectively. → National CO 2 intensity reduction target is allocated according to different index values of provinces. → Equity principles were taken into account when allocating the target.

Autothermal catalytic pyrolysis of methane as a new route to hydrogen production with reduced CO{sub 2} emissions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Muradov, Nazim; Smith, Franklyn; Huang, Cunping; T-Raissi, Ali [Florida Solar Energy Center, University of Central Florida, Cocoa, FL 32922 (United States)

2006-08-15

Hydrogen production plants are among major sources of CO{sub 2} emissions into the atmosphere. The objective of this paper is to explore new routes to hydrogen production from natural gas (or methane) with drastically reduced CO{sub 2} emissions. One approach analyzed in this paper is based on thermocatalytic decomposition (or pyrolysis) of methane into hydrogen gas and elemental carbon over carbon-based catalysts. Several heat input options to the endothermic process are discussed in the paper. The authors conduct thermodynamic analysis of methane decomposition in the presence of small amounts of oxygen in an autothermal (or thermo-neutral) regime using AspenPlus(TM) chemical process simulator. Methane conversion, products yield, effluent gas composition, process enthalpy flows as a function of temperature, pressure and O{sub 2}/CH{sub 4} ratio has been determined. CO{sub 2} emissions (per m{sup 3} of H{sub 2} produced) from the process could potentially be a factor of 3-5 less than from conventional hydrogen production processes. Oxygen-assisted decomposition of methane over activated carbon (AC) and AC-supported iron catalysts over wide range of temperatures and O{sub 2}/CH{sub 4} ratios was experimentally verified. Problems associated with the catalyst deactivation and the effect of iron doping on the catalyst stability are discussed. (author)

Assessment of CO2 emission reduction and identification of CDM potential in a township

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Misra, R.; Aseri, Tarun Kumar; Jamuwa, Doraj Karnal [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Government Engineering College, Ajmer, Rajasthan (India); Bansal, V. [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Government Mahila Engineering College, Ajmer, Rajasthan (India)

2012-11-15

This paper presents the theoretical investigation of CDM opportunity in a township at Jaipur, India. The purpose of study is to identify and analyze the various opportunities viz., installation of solar water heater, energy efficient lighting, energy efficient air conditioners, and energy efficient submersible water pumps in desert coolers and thus achieve a considerable (65.7 %) reduction in GHG emissions. Out of the various opportunities considered, the retrofitting with solar water heater can be recommended for CDM. Though, the retrofitting with energy efficient lighting, energy efficient air conditioners and energy efficient submersible water pumps in desert coolers claimed CO2 emission reduction of 104.84, 25.92, and 36.94 tons per annum, respectively, but the only opportunity which got through CDM was retrofitting with solar water heater claiming 115.70 tCO2 (100 %) emission reductions per annum which could result into net earnings of 115.70 CERs. The simple and discounted payback period for all four project activities are also calculated with and without CDM and tax benefits.

Uncertainty-averse TRANSCO planning for accommodating renewable energy in CO2 reduction environment

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zhang, Chunyu; Ding, Yi; Wang, Qi

2015-01-01

, demand-side variations, market price volatility, and transmission configuration. Three objectives, i.e. social CO2 reduction benefit, energy purchase and network expansion cost and power delivery profit, are optimized simultaneously by a developed two-phase multi-objective particle swarm optimization......The concern of the environment and energy sustainability requests a crucial target of CO2 abatement and results in a relatively high penetration of renewable energy generation in the transmission system. For maintaining system reliability and security, the transmission company (TRANSCO) has to make...

Photocatalytic reduction of CO2 into hydrocarbon solar fuels over g-C3N4-Pt nanocomposite photocatalysts.

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Jiaguo; Wang, Ke; Xiao, Wei; Cheng, Bei

2014-06-21

Photocatalytic reduction of CO2 into renewable hydrocarbon fuels is an alternative way to develop reproducible energy, which is also a promising way to solve the problem of the greenhouse effect. In this work, graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) was synthesized by directly heating thiourea at 550 °C and then a certain amount of Pt was deposited on it to form g-C3N4-Pt nanocomposites used as catalysts for photocatalytic reduction of CO2 under simulated solar irradiation. The main products of photocatalysis were CH4, CH3OH and HCHO. The deposited Pt acted as an effective cocatalyst, which not only influenced the selectivity of the product generation, but also affected the activity of the reaction. The yield of CH4 first increased upon increasing the amount of Pt deposited on the g-C3N4 from 0 to 1 wt%, then decreased at 2 wt% Pt loading. The production rates of CH3OH and HCHO also increased with the content of Pt increasing from 0 to 0.75 wt% and the maximum yield was observed at 0.75 wt%. The Pt nanoparticles (NPs) could facilitate the transfer and enrichment of photogenerated electrons from g-C3N4 to its surface for photocatalytic reduction of CO2. At the same time, Pt was also used a catalyst to promote the oxidation of products. The transient photocurrent response further confirmed the proposed photocatalytic reduction mechanism of CO2. This work indicates that the deposition of Pt is a good strategy to improve the photoactivity and selectivity of g-C3N4 for CO2 reduction.

Possible pathways for dealing with Japan's post-Fukushima challenge and achieving CO2 emission reduction targets in 2030

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Su, Xuanming; Zhou, Weisheng; Sun, Faming; Nakagami, Ken'Ichi

2014-01-01

Considering the unclear nuclear future of Japan after Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant accident since Mar. 11, 2011, this study assesses a series of energy consumption scenarios including the reference scenario, nuclear limited scenarios and current nuclear use level scenario for Japan in 2030 by the G-CEEP (Glocal Century Energy Environment Planning) model. The simulation result for each scenario is firstly presented in terms of primary energy consumption, electricity generation, CO 2 emission, marginal abatement cost and GDP (gross domestic product) loss. According to the results, energy saving contributes the biggest share in total CO 2 emission reduction, regardless of different nuclear use levels and different CO 2 emission reduction levels. A certain amount of coal generation can be retained in the nuclear limited scenarios due to the applying of CCS (carbon capture and storage). The discussion indicates that Japan needs to improve energy use efficiency, increase renewable energy and introduce CCS in order to reduce the dependence on nuclear power and to achieve CO 2 emission reduction target in 2030. In addition, it is ambitious for Japan to achieve the zero nuclear scenario with 30% CO 2 emission reduction which will cause a marginal abatement cost of 383 USD/tC and up to −2.54% GDP loss from the reference scenario. Dealing with the nuclear power issue, Japan is faced with a challenge as well as an opportunity. - Highlights: • Nuclear use limited and carbon emission reduction scenarios for Japan in 2030. • Contributions of different abatement options to carbon emissions. • CCS for reducing dependence on nuclear power

Realizing CO2 emission reduction through industrial symbiosis: A cement production case study for Kawasaki

OpenAIRE

Hashimoto, Shizuka; Fujita, Tsuyoshi; Geng, Yong; Nagasawa, Emiri

2010-01-01

This article is one effort to examine the present and potential performances of CO2 emission reduction though industrial symbiosis by employing a case study approach and life cycle CO2 analysis for alternative industrial symbiosis scenarios. As one of the first and the best-known eco-town projects, Kawasaki Eco-town was chosen as a case study area. First, the current industrial symbiosis practices in this area are introduced. To evaluate the potential of reducing the total CO2 emission throug...

CoPd x oxygen reduction electrocatalysts for polymer electrolyte membrane and direct methanol fuel cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mustain, William E.; Kepler, Keith; Prakash, Jai

2007-01-01

The electrochemical activity of carbon-supported cobalt-palladium alloy electrocatalysts of various compositions have been investigated for the oxygen reduction reaction in a 5 cm 2 single cell polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell. The polarization experiments have been conducted at various temperatures between 30 and 60 deg. C and the reduction performance compared with data from a commercial Pt catalyst under identical conditions. Investigation of the catalytic activity of the CoPd x PEMFC system with varying composition reveals that a nominal cobalt-palladium atomic ratio of 1:3, CoPd 3 , exhibits the best performance of all studied catalysts, exhibiting a catalytic activity comparable to the commercial Pt catalyst. The ORR on CoPd 3 has a low activation energy, 52 kJ/mol, and a Tafel slope of approximately 60 mV/decade, indicating that the rate-determining step is a chemical step following the first electron transfer step and may involve the breaking of the oxygen bond. The CoPd 3 catalyst also exhibits excellent chemical stability, with the open circuit cell voltage decreasing by only 3% and the observed current decreasing by only 10% at 0.8 V over 25 h. The CoPd 3 catalyst also exhibits superior tolerance to methanol crossover poisoning than Pt

Linking service convenience to satisfaction: Dimensions and key moderators

OpenAIRE

Benoit, Sabine; Klose, S; Ettinger, A

2017-01-01

Purpose: Demand for service convenience, defined as a consumer’s perception of minimized time and effort spent to obtain a service, has increased in conjunction with certain sociocultural and demographic changes. Prior research notes the significance of service convenience, but the importance of different dimensions of service convenience as well as the role of key moderators affecting the link between convenience and satisfaction (like customer psychographic and sociodemograph...

Variation of intrinsic magnetic parameters of single domain Co-N interstitial nitrides synthesized via hexa-ammine cobalt nitrate route

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ningthoujam, R.S. [Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur 208016 (India); Chemistry Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai 400085 (India); Panda, R.N., E-mail: rnp@bits-goa.ac.in [Chemistry Group, Birla Institute of Technology and Science-Pilani, Goa Campus, Zuari Nagar, Goa 403726 (India); Gajbhiye, N.S. [Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur 208016 (India)

2012-05-15

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Variation of intrinsic magnetic parameters of Co-N. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Synthesis by hexa-ammine cobalt complex route. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Tuning of coercivity by variation of size. - Abstract: We report the variation of Curie temperature (T{sub c}) and coercivity (H{sub c}) of the single domain Co-N interstitial materials synthesized via nitridation of the hexa-ammine Cobalt(III) nitrate complex at 673 K. Co-N materials crystallize in the fcc cubic structure with unit cell parameter, a = 3.552 Angstrom-Sign . The X-ray diffraction (XRD) peaks are broader indicating the materials to be nano-structured with crystallite sizes of 5-14 nm. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) studies confirm the nanocrystalline nature of the materials. TEM images show chain-like clusters indicating dipolar interactions between the particles. Magnetic studies focus on the existence of giant magnetic Co atoms in the Co-N lattice that are not influenced by the thermal relaxation. The values of the H{sub c} could be tuned with the dimension of the particles. The values of T{sub c} of the nitride materials are masked by the onset of the ferromagnetic to superparamagnetic transition at higher temperatures. Thermomagnetic studies show an increasing trend in the Curie temperature, T{sub c}, with decrease in particle dimension. This result has been explained qualitatively on the basis of ferromagnetic to superparamagnetic transition and finite size scaling effects.

Study on changes of the plasma cytokines in 60Co γ-ray irradiated blood and leukocyte reduction of whole blood

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Zhiqiang; Le Jiayi; Qu Yihua; Xu Wenhao

2006-01-01

Objective: To study the changes of IL-2, IL-6, IFN-γ and TNF-α in 60 Co γ-ray irradiated and leukocyte reduction of whole blood, and to understand the fever phenomenon in patients received blood transfusion. Methods: ELISA method was used to measure changes of the cytokines. Results: The plasma levels of IL-2, IL-6, IFN-γ and TNF-α did not change significantly with extending the conservation period both in 60 Co-irradiated and leukocyte reduction of whole blood. The frequency of fever decreaed obviously with transfusion of 60 Co-irradiated and leukocyte reduction of whole blood. Conclusion: 60 Co-irradiated blood can not only prevent transfusion associated graft-versus-host disease (TA-GVHD), but also decrease non-hemolytic febrile transfusion reactions (NHFTR) effectively. (authors)

28 CFR 66.44 - Termination for convenience.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 28 Judicial Administration 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Termination for convenience. 66.44 Section 66.44 Judicial Administration DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE (CONTINUED) UNIFORM ADMINISTRATIVE... Reports, Records, Retention, and Enforcement § 66.44 Termination for convenience. Except as provided in...

48 CFR 8.406-5 - Termination for the Government's convenience.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... Government's convenience. 8.406-5 Section 8.406-5 Federal Acquisition Regulations System FEDERAL ACQUISITION... Termination for the Government's convenience. (a) An ordering activity contracting officer may terminate individual orders for the Government's convenience. Terminations for the Government's convenience shall...

Energy saving and CO2-reduction potential of micro-cogeneration in the Netherlands (2010-2030). Update 2008

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Van Gastel, M.; De Jong, A.; Schlatmann, S.; Bakker, E.J.; Jeeninga, H.; Boerakker, Y.; Seebregts, A.; Menkveld, M.; Van Wolferen, H.; Turkstra, J.W.; Dam, J.; Harmsen, R.; Rooijers, F.; Koot, M.

2008-05-01

Various parties have been asked to come to a joint point of view with regard to establishing the potential of micro CHP for energy saving and CO2 emission reduction in the Netherlands from 2010 to 2030, assuming that micro CHP will have a successful market introduction. The result of this memo is a method for determining the technical potential of micro CHP for the reduction of energy use and CO2 emissions. This report is an update of the 2006 report [mk] [nl

Synthesis and magnetic characterization of nickel ferrite nanoparticles prepared by co-precipitation route

Science.gov (United States)

Maaz, K.; Karim, S.; Mumtaz, A.; Hasanain, S. K.; Liu, J.; Duan, J. L.

2009-06-01

Magnetic nanoparticles of nickel ferrite (NiFe 2O 4) have been synthesized by co-precipitation route using stable ferric and nickel salts with sodium hydroxide as the precipitating agent and oleic acid as the surfactant. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscope (TEM) analyses confirmed the formation of single-phase nickel ferrite nanoparticles in the range 8-28 nm depending upon the annealing temperature of the samples during the synthesis. The size of the particles ( d) was observed to be increasing linearly with annealing temperature of the sample while the coercivity with particle size goes through a maximum, peaking at ˜11 nm and then decreases for larger particles. Typical blocking effects were observed below ˜225 K for all the prepared samples. The superparamagnetic blocking temperature ( T B) was found to be increasing with increasing particle size that has been attributed to the increased effective anisotropy energy of the nanoparticles. The saturation moment of all the samples was found much below the bulk value of nickel ferrite that has been attributed to the disordered surface spins or dead/inert layer in these nanoparticles.

Achieving CO2 reductions in Colombia: Effects of carbon taxes and abatement targets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Calderón, Silvia; Alvarez, Andrés Camilo; Loboguerrero, Ana María; Arango, Santiago; Calvin, Katherine; Kober, Tom; Daenzer, Kathryn; Fisher-Vanden, Karen

2016-01-01

In this paper we investigate CO 2 emission scenarios for Colombia and the effects of implementing carbon taxes and abatement targets on the energy system. By comparing baseline and policy scenario results from two integrated assessment partial equilibrium models TIAM-ECN and GCAM and two general equilibrium models Phoenix and MEG4C, we provide an indication of future developments and dynamics in the Colombian energy system. Currently, the carbon intensity of the energy system in Colombia is low compared to other countries in Latin America. However, this trend may change given the projected rapid growth of the economy and the potential increase in the use of carbon-based technologies. Climate policy in Colombia is under development and has yet to consider economic instruments such as taxes and abatement targets. This paper shows how taxes or abatement targets can achieve significant CO 2 reductions in Colombia. Though abatement may be achieved through different pathways, taxes and targets promote the entry of cleaner energy sources into the market and reduce final energy demand through energy efficiency improvements and other demand-side responses. The electric power sector plays an important role in achieving CO 2 emission reductions in Colombia, through the increase of hydropower, the introduction of wind technologies, and the deployment of biomass, coal and natural gas with CO 2 capture and storage (CCS). Uncertainty over the prevailing mitigation pathway reinforces the importance of climate policy to guide sectors toward low-carbon technologies. This paper also assesses the economy-wide implications of mitigation policies such as potential losses in GDP and consumption. An assessment of the legal, institutional, social and environmental barriers to economy-wide mitigation policies is critical yet beyond the scope of this paper. - Highlights: • Four energy and economy-wide models under carbon mitigation scenarios are compared. • Baseline results show that CO

Exploring Convenience Food Consumption through a Structural Equation Model

OpenAIRE

Botonaki, Anna; Natos, Dimitrios; Mattas, Konstadinos

2007-01-01

In this study the model of convenience orientation suggested by Scholderer and Grunert (2005) is applied in order to examine consumer behavior in the context of convenience food usage. The empirical results indicate that socio-demographic characteristics affect behavior both directly and indirectly through perceived time resources and convenience orientation towards meal preparation and clearing up. Findings seem to be important for all the bodies involved in the marketing of convenience food...

Enhanced photocatalytic CO2 reduction to CH4 over separated dual co-catalysts Au and RuO2

Science.gov (United States)

Dong, Chunyang; Hu, Songchang; Xing, Mingyang; Zhang, Jinlong

2018-04-01

A spatially separated, dual co-catalyst photocatalytic system was constructed by the stepwise introduction of RuO2 and Au nanoparticles (NPs) at the internal and external surfaces of a three dimensional, hierarchically ordered TiO2-SiO2 (HTSO) framework (the final photocatalyst was denoted as Au/HRTSO). Characterization by HR-TEM, EDS-mapping, XRD and XPS confirmed the existence and spatially separated locations of Au and RuO2. In CO2 photocatalytic reduction (CO2PR), Au/HRTSO (0.8%) shows the optimal performance in both the activity and selectivity towards CH4; the CH4 yield is almost twice that of the singular Au/HTSO or HRTSO (0.8%, weight percentage of RuO2) counterparts. Generally, Au NPs at the external surface act as electron trapping agents and RuO2 NPs at the inner surface act as hole collectors. This advanced spatial configuration could promote charge separation and transfer efficiency, leading to enhanced CO2PR performance in both the yield and selectivity toward CH4 under simulated solar light irradiation.

Electrochemical Reduction of CO2 on Compositionally Variant Au-Pt Bimetallic Thin Films

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ma, Ming; Hansen, Heine Anton; Valenti, Marco

2017-01-01

The electrocatalytic reduction of CO2 on Au-Pt bimetallic catalysts with different compositions was evaluated, offering a platform for uncovering the correlation between the catalytic activity and the surface composition of bimetallic electrocatalysts. The Au-Pt alloy films were synthesized...... by a magnetron sputtering co-deposition technique with tunable composition. It was found that the syngas ratio (CO:H2) on the Au-Pt films is able to be tuned by systematically controlling the binary composition. This tunable catalytic selectivity is attributed to the variation of binding strength of COOH and CO...... intermediates, influenced by the surface electronic structure (d-band center energy) which is linked to the surface composition of the bimetallic films. Notably, a gradual shift of the d-band center away from the Fermi level was observed with increasing Au content, which correspondingly reduces the binding...

14 CFR 152.507 - Termination for convenience.

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2010-01-01

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2010-10-01

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2010-10-01

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2010-01-01

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2010-01-01

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Searching for electrolytes and electrodes for CO₂ reduction below 300 °C

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vico, Federica

Electrochemical CO2 reduction research is driven by the desire to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and lower greenhouse gas emissions. The conversion of CO2 into fuels and chemicals using energy derived from a renewable source, such as wind or solar, could replace the use of fossil fuels...... practical application for carbon dioxide reduction at high pressure. K-doped BaZr1-xYxO3-δ was successfully synthesized by hydrothermal technique, but the conductivity recorded in high pH2O and at 240 °C was too low (3 · 10-5 S/cm) to be considered as a suitable electrolyte. A literature survey showed...... and temperatures. A foam based CO2 conversion cell with gas diffusion electrodes and a ceramic porous structure in which the liquid electrolyte is immobilized by capillary forces was developed and tested up to 20 bar and to a maximum temperature of 50 °C. Potassium carbonate was selected as aqueous electrolyte...

Smelting reduction rate of fine Wustite particles in a CO gas-conveyed bed; CO gas yuso sonai Wustite biryushi no yoyu kangen sokudo

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hayashi, S; Iguchi, Y [Nagoya Institute of Technology, Nagoya (Japan)

1999-06-01

Using a laboratory scale fine particles-gas conveyed bed, the reduction rates of liquid wustite with CO gas were measured. CO-CO{sub 2} mixtures having various flow rates and compositions were flowed downward through a cylindrical reactor maintained at a constant temperature of 1,723 to 1,823K. A batch of pure spherical wustite particles (mean dia.: 48.5 {mu}m) was concurrently fed into the reactor at a small constant rate and reduced in a hot zone. The reduction process was found to proceed in such a manner that metallic iron particles were enclosed inside a wustite droplet. Rate analysis was made of one dimensional mass balance equations for particles and gas in a steady moving bed under an isothermal condition using the reaction rate for a single particle taking the shrinkage into consideration. Under relatively small reducing potentials, it was concluded that the major fraction of overall reaction resistance is attributable to chemical reaction. However, under higher reducing potentials, the reduction process was estimated to include some mass transfer resistances within the liquid oxide phase. From the temperature dependence of forward chemical reaction rate constants, the activation energy was evaluated to be 90.6 kJ/mol. (author)

A microwave assisted one-pot route synthesis of bimetallic PtPd alloy cubic nanocomposites and their catalytic reduction for 4-nitrophenol

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Jian; Gan, Wei; Fu, Xucheng; Hao, Hequn

2017-10-01

We herein report a simple, rapid, and eco-friendly chemical route to the one-pot synthesis of bimetallic PtPd alloy cubic nanocomposites under microwave irradiation. During this process, water was employed as an environmentally benign solvent, while dimethylformamide served as a mild reducing agent, and polyvinylpyrrolidone was used as both a dispersant and a stabilizer. The structure, morphology, and composition of the resulting alloy nanocomposites were examined by x-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy. A detailed study was then carried out into the catalytic activity of the PtPd nanocomposites with a Pt:Pd molar ratio of 50:50 in the reduction of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) by sodium borohydride as a model reaction. Compared with pristine Pt and Pd monometallic nanoparticles (PtNPs and PdNPs), the bimetallic PtPd alloy nanocomposites exhibited enhanced catalytic activities and were readily recyclable in the reduction of 4-NP due to synergistic effects.

Role of the adsorbed oxygen species in the selective electrochemical reduction of CO_2 to alcohols and carbonyls on copper electrodes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Le Duff, Cecile S.; Lawrence, Matthew J.; Rodriguez, Paramaconi

2017-01-01

The electrochemical reduction of CO_2 into fuels has gained significant attention recently as source of renewable carbon-based fuels. The unique high selectivity of copper in the electrochemical reduction of CO_2 to hydrocarbons has called much interest in discovering its mechanism. In order to provide significant information about the role of oxygen in the electrochemical reduction of CO_2 on Cu electrodes, the conditions of the surface structure and the composition of the Cu single crystal electrodes were controlled over time. This was achieved using pulsed voltammetry, since the pulse sequence can be programmed to guarantee reproducible initial conditions for the reaction at every fraction of time and at a given frequency. In contrast to the selectivity of CO_2 reduction using cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometric methods, a large selection of oxygenated hydrocarbons was found under alternating voltage conditions. Product selectivity towards the formation of oxygenated hydrocarbon was associated to the coverage of oxygen species, which is surface-structure- and potential-dependent. (copyright 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

40 CFR 35.6760 - Enforcement and termination for convenience.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... convenience. 35.6760 Section 35.6760 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY GRANTS AND... Enforcement and termination for convenience. The recipient must comply with all terms and conditions in the... termination for convenience described in 40 CFR 31.43 and 31.44. ...

Size-controlled synthesis of transition metal nanoparticles through chemical and photo-chemical routes

Science.gov (United States)

Tangeysh, Behzad

The central objective of this work is developing convenient general procedures for controlling the formation and stabilization of nanoscale transition metal particles. Contemporary interest in developing alternative synthetic approaches for producing nanoparticles arises in large part from expanding applications of the nanomaterials in areas such as catalysis, electronics and medicine. This research focuses on advancing the existing nanoparticle synthetic routes by using a new class of polymer colloid materials as a chemical approach, and the laser irradiation of metal salt solution as a photo-chemical method to attain size and shape selectivity. Controlled synthesis of small metal nanoparticles with sizes ranging from 1 to 5nm is still a continuing challenge in nanomaterial synthesis. This research utilizes a new class of polymer colloid materials as nano-reactors and protective agents for controlling the formation of small transition metal nanoparticles. The polymer colloid particles were formed from cross-linking of dinegatively charged metal precursors with partially protonated poly dimethylaminoethylmethacrylate (PDMAEMA). Incorporation of [PtCl6]2- species into the colloidal particles prior to the chemical reduction was effectively employed as a new strategy for synthesis of unusually small platinum nanoparticles with narrow size distributions (1.12 +/-0.25nm). To explore the generality of this approach, in a series of proof-of-concept studies, this method was successfully employed for the synthesis of small palladium (1.4 +/-0.2nm) and copper nanoparticles (1.5 +/-0.6nm). The polymer colloid materials developed in this research are pH responsive, and are designed to self-assemble and/or disassemble by varying the levels of protonation of the polymer chains. This unique feature was used to tune the size of palladium nanoparticles in a small range from 1nm to 5nm. The procedure presented in this work is a new convenient room temperature route for synthesis of

Study on CO2 emission reduction using ENPEP in Korea

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moon, K. H.; Kim, S. S.; Song, K. D.; Im, C. Y.

2003-01-01

ENPEP was used to analyze the role of nuclear power in mitigating carbon emission in power generation sector. In this study, base scenario reflects business as usual case in Korea. Additional two scenarios were established. One stands for fuel switch scenario, where nuclear power plants scheduled to be introduced after 2008 were assumed to be replaced by Coal Power Plant, the other one is established to see the impact of carbon tax. In this scenario carbon tax(50$/ton-C0 2 ) is imposed on coal power plants from 2008. It is resulted that fuel switch from nuclear to coal in power generation sector has a great effect on CO 2 emission, while carbon tax imposition makes a slight contribution to the reduction of CO 2 emission. These findings mean that the role of nuclear power in Korea is important in view of the GHG mitigation

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2010-04-01

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2010-07-01

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Strategic research on CO2 emission reduction for China. Application of MARKAL to China energy system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Yongping

1995-09-01

MARKAL was applied to the energy system for analyzing the CO 2 emission reduction in China over the time period from 1990 to 2050. First the Chinese Reference Energy System (CRES) was established based on the framework of MARKAL model. The following conclusions can be drawn from this study. When shifting from scenario LH (low useful energy demand and high import fuel prices) to HL (high demand and low prices), another 33 EJ of primary energy will be consumed and another 2.31 billion tons of CO 2 will be emitted in 2050. Detailed analyses on the disaggregation of CO 2 emissions by Kaya Formula show. The energy intensity (primary energy/GDP) decreases much faster in scenario HL, but the higher growth rate of GDP per capita is the overwhelming factor that results in higher CO 2 emission per capita in the baseline case of scenario HL in comparison with LH. When the carbon taxes are imposed on CO 2 emissions, the residential sector will make the biggest contribution to CO 2 emission abatement from a long-term point of view. However, it's difficult to stabilize CO 2 emission per capita before 2030 in both scenarios even with heavy carbon taxes. When nuclear moratorium occurs, more 560 million tons of CO 2 will be emitted to the atmosphere in 2050 under the same CO 2 tax regime. From the analysis of value flow, CO 2 emission reduction depends largely on new or advanced technologies particularly in the field of electricity generation. The competent technologies switch to those CO 2 less-emitting technologies when surcharging CO 2 emissions. Nuclear power shows significant potential in saving fossil energy resources and reducing CO 2 emissions. (J.P.N.)

Rapid synthesis of Co, Ni co-doped ZnO nanoparticles: Optical and electrochemical properties

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Romeiro, Fernanda C.; Marinho, Juliane Z.; Lemos, Samantha C.S. [Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, 38400-902 Uberlândia, MG (Brazil); Moura, Ana P. de [LIEC, Instituto de Química, Universidade Estadual Paulista, 14800-900 Araraquara, SP (Brazil); Freire, Poliana G. [Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, 38400-902 Uberlândia, MG (Brazil); Silva, Luis F. da; Longo, Elson [LIEC, Instituto de Química, Universidade Estadual Paulista, 14800-900 Araraquara, SP (Brazil); Munoz, Rodrigo A.A. [Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, 38400-902 Uberlândia, MG (Brazil); Lima, Renata C., E-mail: rclima@iqufu.ufu.br [Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, 38400-902 Uberlândia, MG (Brazil)

2015-10-15

We report for the first time a rapid preparation of Zn{sub 1−2x}Co{sub x}Ni{sub x}O nanoparticles via a versatile and environmentally friendly route, microwave-assisted hydrothermal (MAH) method. The Co, Ni co-doped ZnO nanoparticles present an effect on photoluminescence and electrochemical properties, exhibiting excellent electrocatalytic performance compared to undoped ZnO sample. Photoluminescence spectroscopy measurements indicated the reduction of the green–orange–red visible emission region after adding Co and Ni ions, revealing the formation of alternative pathways for the generated recombination. The presence of these metallic ions into ZnO creates different defects, contributing to a local structural disorder, as revealed by Raman spectra. Electrochemical experiments revealed that the electrocatalytic oxidation of dopamine on ZnO attached to multi-walled carbon nanotubes improved significantly in the Co, Ni co-doped ZnO samples when compared to pure ZnO. - Graphical abstract: Rapid synthesis of Co, Ni co-doped ZnO nanoparticles: optical and electrochemical properties. Co, Ni co-doped ZnO hexagonal nanoparticles with optical and electrocatalytic properties were successfully prepared for the first time using a microwave hydrothermal method at mild conditions. - Highlights: • Co{sup 2+} and Ni{sup 2+} into ZnO lattice obtained a mild and environmentally friendly process. • The heating method strongly influences in the growth and shape of the particles. • Short-range defects generated by the ions insertion affects the photoluminescence. • Doped ZnO nanoparticles improve the electrocatalytic properties of pure oxide.

Application of the Alternative Traditional and Selective Precipitation Routes for Recovery of High Grade Thorium Concentrates from Egyptian Crude Monazite Sand

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Helaly, O.S.

2017-01-01

Process flow sheet selection for thorium separation in relatively high grade concentrate from Egyptian crude monazite sand was carried out. Traditional selective leaching and precipitation routes were applied after sulfuric acid digestion upon Egyptian crude monazite for this purpose. The resultant hot grey sulfate paste from monazite digestion was firstly cooled to ambient temperature then leached by normal water into two successive stages. The first leach solution contained most of the thorium which represents about 88% of the present thorium and its concentration in the liquor reached 4.5 g Th/l. This liquor also contains most of the free acids and major of impurities especially iron (more than 6.3 g Fe/l). Different routes were tested to evaluate the suitable conditions that verify maximum recovery of thorium from such monazite sulfate solution and producing relatively high grade concentrate. Two different possible traditional and selective methods were involved, namely; thorium initial precipitation with rare earth elements as double sulfate or its precipitation as phosphate through acidity control at ph 1.1 which seems to be the simple, brief and convenient route to accomplish this purpose. Further separation and/or upgrading of thorium from these precipitates (after conversion to hydroxides or without) were conducted through re-dissolution in hydrochloric acid and re-precipitation with different selective reagents in the form of hydroxide, oxalate or fluoride was also included. The target was accomplished through thorium co-precipitation with light rare earth elements as double sulfate, followed by its recovery from this fraction, where a concentrate of grade 68.3% was produced

Efficient Electrocatalytic Reduction of CO2 by Nitrogen-Doped Nanoporous Carbon/Carbon Nanotube Membranes - A Step Towards the Electrochemical CO2 Refinery

KAUST Repository

Wang, Hong; Jia, Jia; Song, Pengfei; Wang, Qiang; Li, Debao; Min, Shixiong; Qian, Chenxi; Wang, Lu; Li, Young Feng; Ma, Chun; Wu, Tao; Yuan, Jiayin; Antonietti, Markus; Ozin, Geoffrey A.

2017-01-01

The search for earth abundant, efficient and stable electrocatalysts that can enable the chemical reduction of CO2 to value-added chemicals and fuels at an industrially relevant scale, is a high priority for the development of a global network of renewable energy conversion and storage systems that can meaningfully impact greenhouse gas induced climate change. Here we introduce a straightforward, low cost, scalable and technologically relevant method to manufacture an all-carbon, electroactive, nitrogen-doped nanoporous carbon-carbon nanotube composite membrane. The membrane is demonstrated to function as a binder-free, high-performance electrode for the electrocatalytic reduction of CO2 to formate. The Faradaic efficiency for the production of formate is 81%. Furthermore, the robust structural and electrochemical properties of the membrane endow it with excellent long-term stability.

Efficient Electrocatalytic Reduction of CO2 by Nitrogen-Doped Nanoporous Carbon/Carbon Nanotube Membranes - A Step Towards the Electrochemical CO2 Refinery

KAUST Repository

Wang, Hong

2017-05-12

The search for earth abundant, efficient and stable electrocatalysts that can enable the chemical reduction of CO2 to value-added chemicals and fuels at an industrially relevant scale, is a high priority for the development of a global network of renewable energy conversion and storage systems that can meaningfully impact greenhouse gas induced climate change. Here we introduce a straightforward, low cost, scalable and technologically relevant method to manufacture an all-carbon, electroactive, nitrogen-doped nanoporous carbon-carbon nanotube composite membrane. The membrane is demonstrated to function as a binder-free, high-performance electrode for the electrocatalytic reduction of CO2 to formate. The Faradaic efficiency for the production of formate is 81%. Furthermore, the robust structural and electrochemical properties of the membrane endow it with excellent long-term stability.

Microbial reduction of [Co(III)–EDTA]− by Bacillus licheniformis SPB-2 strain isolated from a solar salt pan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Paraneeiswaran, Arunachalam; Shukla, Sudhir K.; Prashanth, K.; Rao, T. Subba

2015-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Bacillus licheniformis SPB-2 was used in the bioremediation of [Co(III)–EDTA] − . • The bacterial biomass adsorbed the Co–EDTA complex after its reduction. • [Co(III)–EDTA] − complex showed Bacillus spore inducing property. • B. licheniformis SPB-2 showed significantly radio-tolerance (D 10 = 250 Gy). - Abstract: Naturally stressed habitats are known to be repositories for novel microorganisms with potential bioremediation applications. In this study, we isolated a [Co(III)–EDTA] − reducing bacterium Bacillus licheniformis SPB-2 from a solar salt pan that is exposed to constant cycles of hydration and desiccation in nature. [Co(III)–EDTA] − generated during nuclear waste management process is difficult to remove from the waste due to its high stability and solubility. It is reduced form i.e. [Co(II)–EDTA] 2− is less stable though it is toxic. This study showed that B. licheniformis SPB-2 reduced 1 mM [Co(III)–EDTA] − in 14 days when grown in a batch mode. However, subsequent cycles showed an increase in the reduction activity, which was observed up to four cycles. Interestingly, the present study also showed that [Co(III)–EDTA] − acted as an inducer for B. licheniformis SPB-2 spore germination. Vegetative cells germinated from the spores were found to be involved in [Co(III)–EDTA] − reduction. More detailed investigations showed that after [Co(III)–EDTA] − reduction, i.e. [Co(II)–EDTA] 2− complex was removed by B. licheniformis SPB-2 from the bulk liquid by adsorption phenomenon. The bacterium showed a D 10 value (radiation dose required to kill 90% cells) of ∼250 Gray (Gy), which signifies the potential use of B. licheniformis SPB-2 for bioremediation of moderately active nuclear waste

22 CFR 135.44 - Termination for convenience.

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2010-04-01

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15 CFR 24.44 - Termination for convenience.

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2010-01-01

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2010-01-01

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2010-10-01

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Consumers' convenience orientation towards meal preparation: conceptualization and measurement.

Science.gov (United States)

Candel, M

2001-02-01

Consumer researchers consider convenience orientation towards meal preparation to be a relevant construct for understanding consumer behavior towards foods. This study set out to conceptualize this construct and to develop a scale that measures it. As examined in two different samples of meal preparers, the resulting scale is reliable, satisfies a unifactorial structure and has satisfactory convergent validity. The scale's nomological validity is supported in that it conforms to expectations regarding various psychographic constructs and various food-related behaviors. Convenience orientation was found to be negatively related to cooking enjoyment, involvement with food products and variety seeking, and to be positively related to role overload. The analyses also suggest that the lack of relation between the meal preparer's working status and convenience food consumption, as found in many studies, is due to convenience food not offering enough preparation convenience. Consuming take-away meals and eating in restaurants appear to satisfy the consumer's need for convenience more adequately. Copyright 2001 Academic Press.

Preliminary comparison of different reduction methods of graphene

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

The reduction of graphene oxide (GO) is a promising route to bulk produce graphene-based sheets. Different reduction processes result in reduced graphene oxide (RGO) with different properties. In this paper three reduction methods, chemical, thermal and electrochemical reduction, were compared on three aspects ...

The costs of reducing the excess CO{sub 2} emissions. Reduction potential and costs in certain sector; Hvad koster det at reducere CO{sup 2}-mankoen? - Reduktionspotentiale og omkostninger i udvalgte sektorer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2003-07-01

The report presents the results from the project 'The costs of reducing the excess CO{sub 2} emissions - reduction potential and costs in certain sectors'. The aim of the project has been to elucidate the full extent of the reduction potentials and the costs for certain CO{sub 2} reducing initiatives, which are not included in the present projections of the excess CO{sub 2} emissions. The initiatives included in this report are: Accumulation of methane from Danish disposal facilities; Accumulation of methane from disposal facilities in Russia; Reduction in the use of industrial greenhouse gases; Aquifer disposal of CO{sub 2} in the underground; Offshore CO{sub 2} disposal in oil fields in the North Sea. Furthermore, the report presents a general evaluation of the potential of methane accumulation from wastewater treatment. (ba)

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2010-10-01

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2010-07-01

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2010-07-01

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2010-07-01

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2010-10-01

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2010-10-01

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2010-04-01

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2010-10-01

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2010-10-01

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A route to hydroxylfluorenes: TsOH-mediated condensation reactions of 1,3-diketones with propargylic alcohols

KAUST Repository

Yao, Liangfeng

2012-01-01

An efficient method of preparing hydroxylfluorenes by TsOH-mediated tandem alkylation/rearrangements of propargylic alcohols with 1,3-diketones is described. These reactions are accomplished in moderate to good yields under mild conditions to offer a straightforward and convenient one step synthetic route to hydroxylfluorene derivatives through a plausible mechanism involving a sequence of dehydration, addition, rearrangement and aromatization. This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2012.

Microbial reduction of [Co(III)-EDTA]⁻ by Bacillus licheniformis SPB-2 strain isolated from a solar salt pan.

Science.gov (United States)

Paraneeiswaran, Arunachalam; Shukla, Sudhir K; Prashanth, K; Rao, T Subba

2015-01-01

Naturally stressed habitats are known to be repositories for novel microorganisms with potential bioremediation applications. In this study, we isolated a [Co(III)-EDTA](-) reducing bacterium Bacillus licheniformis SPB-2 from a solar salt pan that is exposed to constant cycles of hydration and desiccation in nature. [Co(III)-EDTA](-) generated during nuclear waste management process is difficult to remove from the waste due to its high stability and solubility. It is reduced form i.e. [Co(II)-EDTA](2-) is less stable though it is toxic. This study showed that B. licheniformis SPB-2 reduced 1mM [Co(III)-EDTA](-) in 14 days when grown in a batch mode. However, subsequent cycles showed an increase in the reduction activity, which was observed up to four cycles. Interestingly, the present study also showed that [Co(III)-EDTA](-) acted as an inducer for B. licheniformis SPB-2 spore germination. Vegetative cells germinated from the spores were found to be involved in [Co(III)-EDTA](-) reduction. More detailed investigations showed that after [Co(III)-EDTA](-) reduction, i.e. [Co(II)-EDTA](2-) complex was removed by B. licheniformis SPB-2 from the bulk liquid by adsorption phenomenon. The bacterium showed a D10 value (radiation dose required to kill 90% cells) of ∼250 Gray (Gy), which signifies the potential use of B. licheniformis SPB-2 for bioremediation of moderately active nuclear waste. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

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