scholarly journals Measurement of Physicochemical Properties, Electrical and Thermal Conductivity of Wood Ash for Effective Soil Amendment

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 176
Author(s):  
M O Kanu ◽  
Gabriel Wirdzelii Joseph ◽  
Israel George

The ability of the soil to regulate heat energy is important for plant growth, soil texture and strength. Many agricultural soils are acidic in nature which tends to limit plant growth and microbial activity. Aside from agricultural lime, wood ash is used to amend physical and physicochemical properties of the soil. To maintain the soil hydraulic and physicochemical properties and to increase plant yield, it is important to know the physicochemical and physical properties of the ash used. The physiochemical and physical properties vary across various plant species. Ash samples from seven different plants were used for this study. The Horiba metre was used to measure the electrical conductivity, pH, Total Dissolved Solid (TDS) and salinity of the samples, while the Lees Disc apparatus was used to measure the thermal conductivity of the samples. The study revealed that moringa olieferra ash has the highest salinity, TDS and Electrical conductivity, while azadichta indica and tiobroma cacoa have least pH. Also, Kyah seleelygalisis and azadichta indica had the highest and lowest thermal conductivity respectively.

Alloy Digest ◽  
1977 ◽  
Vol 26 (5) ◽  

Abstract Copper Alloy No. 815 is an age-hardenable cast copper-chromium alloy. It is characterized by high electrical and thermal conductivities combined with medium hardness and strength in the age-hardened condition. It is used for components requiring high electrical conductivity or high thermal conductivity. This datasheet provides information on composition, physical properties, hardness, elasticity, and tensile properties. It also includes information on corrosion resistance as well as casting, heat treating, machining, and joining. Filing Code: Cu-332. Producer or source: Copper alloy foundries.


HortScience ◽  
1998 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 492c-492
Author(s):  
Chris Ely ◽  
Mark A. Hubbard

Azomite is a mined, commercially available, hydrated sodium calcium aluminosiliclate soil amendment reported to act as a source of mineral elements. To determine its effect on plant growth, Dendranthema `Connie' rooted cuttings, Malus seedlings, and Citrus seedlings were grown in containers in one of two growing media: ProMix BX or ProMix BX with Azomite (1:1, v:v). Plant height was monitored weekly and after 6 weeks of growth, fresh and dry plant weights of roots and shoots were determined. There was no difference in any of the parameters measured as a result of the addition of Azomite. Any nutritional influence of the Azomite may only be evident in different conditions, e.g., field soil, or over an extended period of time. The Azomite altered the medium's physical properties and therefore bulk density and water-holding capacity of the Azomite were determined for consideration.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jannis Grafmüller ◽  
Nikolas Hagemann ◽  
Hans-Peter Schmidt ◽  
Nicolaus Dahmen

<p><span>Biochar is the solid carbonaceous product of biomass pyrolysis and is suggested as a viable tool to improve soil properties and to buil</span><span>d</span><span> up terrestrial carbon sinks. Since biochar is usually poor in nutrients, it needs to be enriched with nutrients before being applied to agricultural soils. Recently, the production of biochar from biomass with added wood ash has been proposed as a novel strategy. Among other elements, wood ashes are rich in potassium, an important macronutrient for plants. Compared to the direct application of pure wood ash, rapid nutrient leaching may be avoided by incorporating the ash into the pyrogenic carbon. In addition, alk</span><span>ali and alkaline</span><span> earth metals in the wood ash promote the formation of the solid product during biomass pyrolysis. However, it is necessary to find out to what extent the potassium in the ash-modified biochar is available for plants when introduced into the soil. </span><span>Based on a greenhouse trial, we investigated the potassium fertilisation effect of ash-modified biochars (2 t·ha</span><sup><span>-1</span></sup><span>) compared to a pure mineral fertilisation and the application of wood ash to the soil. Therefore, softwood sawdust mixed with different concentrations of wood ash was pyrolyzed at 500 °C resulting in ash contents between 2 and 70 wt% in the biochars. Content</span><span>s</span><span> of trace elements and organic pollutants (PAH, PCDD/F and PCB) w</span><span>ere</span><span> mostly below the limits of the European Biochar Certificate. Based on CaCl</span><sub><span>2 </span></sub><span>(0.01 M) extractions, between 6 and 10 % of the total potassium content in the ash-modified biochars was plant-available. For a greenhouse experiment, sunflower (</span><span><em>Helianthus annuus, Santa Fe variety</em></span><span>) was chosen because of its high potassium demand. A lack of potassium in the different treatments is expected to result in reduced plant growth and deficiency symptoms on the leaves. All treatments were fully fertili</span><span>s</span><span>ed, while mineral K was (partially) replaced by ash-modified biochar or wood ash according to the available potassium content of these additives. The evaluation of the fresh and dry biomass yields, as well as other plant vitality parameters, will show whether the potassium in the ash-modified biochars can replace mineral potassium fertiliser and/or whether ash-modified biochar can promote plant growth beyond a nutrient effect. Our results will determine if and how the use of wood ash in biochar production is a viable way to close nutrient cycles, reduce</span><span>s</span><span> the use of mineral potassium fertiliser in agriculture and at the same time promote</span><span>s</span><span> pyrogenic carbon capture and storage. </span></p>


1998 ◽  
Vol 553 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Cyrot-Lackmann

Stable quasicrystals exhibit specific and unusual physical properties, such as, diamagnetism, low electrical conductivity, low thermal conductivity, and large themoelectric power at room temperature. These properties can be understood with a Bragg's reflexions scheme due to their dense filled reciprocal space.This leads to small gaps on the Fermi surface (some tenths of eV), much narrower than the usual Hume-Rothery ones (of order of 0.5 eV) which explain their stability. These gaps lead to the existence of quasi Umklapp processes, crucial for the interpretation of thermoelectric power. In some cases, the positive phonon drag contribution due to Umklapp processes, add with the electronic one's and dominates at room temperature with a large positive thermoelectric power. A crude estimate of the figure of merit gives some hope for applications of some quasicrystals and high approximants as new thermoelectric materials.


1985 ◽  
Vol 63 (9) ◽  
pp. 1521-1524 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. Gianinazzi-Pearson ◽  
S. Gianinazzi ◽  
A. Trouvelot

Infectivity, measured as propagule numbers and root colonization rates, and effects on plant growth of indigenous vesicular–arbuscular fungal populations varied among soils from 10 different localities in Burgundy. These three characteristics of the populations were not necessarily related to each other nor to the physicochemical properties of the soils. It was possible, using relatively simple methods, to assess the potential for vesicular–arbuscular fungal inoculation in the different soils.


Khazanah ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Warit Abi Nurazaq ◽  
◽  
Bambang Purwantana ◽  
Radi Radi ◽  
Andri Prima Nugroho ◽  
...  

Tropical country has a large biomass provide from agricultural residue. The biomass has potential to be processed as biochar. In general, biochar can be utilized as soil amendment in order to increase the ability of soil to retain nutrients, reduce surface runoff, due to excess water, and adding biodiversity of soils that are very useful for plant growth. The biochar characteristics are strongly related to the feedstock types and also their pyrolysis method. This research aims to study the physical characteristics of tropical biochar and their potential suitability in soil improvement. The biochar was produced by slow pyrolysis method using a vertical bed kiln. The feedstock were 9 types of agricultural residue including: mango leaf, longan leaf, teak leaf, mango branch, longan branch, rubber branch, corncob, rice straw, and rice husk. Temperature of the pyrolisis process was in the range of 400 °C to 600 °C. The results indicated that the physical properties of feedstock affects the characteristics of biochar. The higher bulk density and fixed carbon value the greater yield of biochar. Compare to their raw materials, the average water content of biochar was reduced (0.2–3.85 %), while pH increased (7.06–9.9). The electrical conductivity in general also increased (0.11–2.9 ds.m-1 ). Bulk density changed, corncob, and branches materials decreased, while rice straw, rice husk and leaves materials increased. The water holding capacity was a fairly low number (4–20 %). Application of the utilized biochar as a soil amendment is to improve soil chemical properties (pH, electrical conductivity, and availability of N-P contents) and physical properties (bulk density, porosity, and water holding capacity). Application for different soil types requires different biochar characteristics, it is influenced by the type of raw material used, temperature, and combustion time.


2020 ◽  
pp. 363-370
Author(s):  
Joanna Ziemska ◽  
Jolanta Solecka ◽  
Małgorzata Mazańska ◽  
Tomasz Szynal

Chemical composition, organoleptic and physicochemical properties of natural groundwaters are varied and dependent on their geological environment. Determining the basic organoleptic properties – such as colour, taste, odour – as well as physical properties – such as electrical conductivity or redox potential – allow us to assess the stability of water chemical composition. Based on their origin, groundwaters can be divided into infiltration, as well as condensation, juvenile, metamorphic and relic groundwaters, which are currently of lesser value. Groundwaters sourced in Poland belong to various chemical types and play an important role in balneotherapy and the bottling industry. Of particular importance are thermal, bicarbonate, chloride or sulphate type waters. There is also a growing interest in humic waters found in the Wielkopolska region.


Catalysts ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 34 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rashmi M. ◽  
Padmanaban R. ◽  
Vaithinathan Karthikeyan ◽  
Vellaisamy A. L. Roy ◽  
Anantha-Iyengar Gopalan ◽  
...  

Copper oxide (CuO) and cerium oxide (CeO2) of various concentrations have been prepared through an ultrasonically assisted dispersion of CuO and CeO2 nanoparticles (NPs) in which water and nanofluids (NFs) were formulated. The morphological properties of the CuO and CeO2 NPs are reported. Few of the physicochemical properties that can influence the photocatalytic activities of the NFs are evaluated, such as viscosity, activation energy, density, thermal conductivity, electrical conductivity, alternating current (AC) conductivity, pH, stability, refractive index and optical band gap of the CuO and CeO2 NFs. Viscosity studies have been made at four different temperatures (303 K, 308 K, 313 K and 318 K) and the activation energy is calculated and compared between the CuO and CeO2 NFs. The thermal conductivity of the two NFs is calculated and compared. Electrical conductivity is measured for CuO and CeO2 NFs using an impedance analyzer at different frequencies at 303 K. The dielectric constant and AC conductivity were studied. The electrical conductivity and pH of the prepared NFs are measured and the results are compared. The stability of the NFs is determined from Zeta potential values obtained from dynamic light scattering measurements. UV-Visible diffuse reflectance measurements were used to deduce the optical bandgap of the respective metal oxide NPs in the NFs. The photocatalytic efficiencies of the CuO NFs and CeO2 NFs were evaluated using methylene blue (MB) as the model dye. The rate constant for the photodegradation of MB was higher for CuO NF as compared CeO2 NF and also higher than simple NPs-based photocatalysts. A plausible explanation for the role of NFs over the simple NPs-based photocatalytic solution is presented.


2019 ◽  
Vol 24 (94/4) ◽  
pp. 21-26
Author(s):  
Ye. Ventsel ◽  
O. Shchukin ◽  
O. Orel ◽  
A. Yevtushenko

It has been shown theoretically and confirmed experimentally that the dispersion of dirt particles found in engine oils and working fluids affects significantly their physical properties. In particular, it has been established that if dirt particles are artificially dispersed in a lubricant, its electrical conductivity increases. This, in turn, is expected to lead to a decrease in the share of electrostatic wear of the tribo units. Such particles are also able to increase the mechanical strength (surface tension) of lubricating films, that is, to make the boundary layers more durable, due to which we can expect a decrease in wear of tribo units. In this case, the thermal conductivity of oil lubricating films with highly dispersed dirt particles does not change.


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