scholarly journals The Effect of Laser Re-Solidification on Microstructure and Photo-Electrochemical Properties of Fe-Decorated TiO2 Nanotubes

Materials ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (18) ◽  
pp. 4019
Author(s):  
Piotr Kupracz ◽  
Katarzyna Grochowska ◽  
Jakub Karczewski ◽  
Jakub Wawrzyniak ◽  
Katarzyna Siuzdak
Keyword(s):  
Visible Light ◽  
Fossil Fuels ◽  
Laser Light ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Electrochemical Analysis ◽  
Elementary Cell ◽  
Intense Laser ◽  
Charge Carrier Density ◽  
Iron Films ◽  
Promising Tool

Fossil fuels became increasingly unpleasant energy source due to their negative impact on the environment; thus, attractiveness of renewable, and especially solar energy, is growing worldwide. Among others, the research is focused on smart combination of simple compounds towards formation of the photoactive materials. Following that, our work concerns the optimized manipulation of laser light coupled with the iron sputtering to transform titania that is mostly UV-active, as well as exhibiting poor oxygen evolution reaction to the material responding to solar light, and that can be further used in water splitting process. The preparation route of the material was based on anodization providing well organized system of nanotubes, while magnetron sputtering ensures formation of thin iron films. The last step covering pulsed laser treatment of 355 nm wavelength significantly changes the material morphology and structure, inducing partial melting and formation of oxygen vacancies in the elementary cell. Depending on the applied fluence, anatase, rutile, and hematite phases were recognized in the final product. The formation of a re-solidified layer on the surface of the nanotubes, in which thickness depends on the laser fluence, was shown by microstructure studies. Although a drastic decrement of light absorption was recorded especially in UV range, laser-annealed samples have shown activity under visible light even 20 times higher than bare titania. Electrochemical analysis has shown that the improvement of photoresponse originates mainly from over an order of magnitude higher charge carrier density as revealed by Mott-Schottky analysis. The results show that intense laser light can modulate the semiconductor properties significantly and can be considered as a promising tool towards activation of initially inactive material for the visible light harvesting.

Konsumsi Energi Pada Alat Pengering Surya dan Tipe Bak Untuk Pengeringan Biji Kakao

2019 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lamhot P. Manalu
Keyword(s):  
Specific Energy ◽  
Fossil Fuels ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Solar Irradiation ◽  
Drying Process ◽  
Food Industries ◽  
Solar Dryer ◽  
Agricultural Applications ◽  
Drying System ◽  
Drying Efficiency

Crop drying is essential for preservation in agricultural applications. It is performed either using fossil fuels in an artificial mechanical drying process or by placing the crop under the open sun. The first method is costly and has a negative impact on the environment, while the second method is totally dependent on the weather. The drying process requires a lot of energy in relation to the amount of water that must be evaporated from the product. It is estimated that 12% of the total energy used by the food industries and agriculture absorbed in this process. Due to the limitation of energy resources, it is important to keep researching and developing of diversification and optimization of energy This study aims to assess the use of energy for cocoa drying using solar energy dryer and bin-type dryer, as well as to determine the drying efficiency of each type of dryer. The results showed that the efficiency of the solar dryer drying system ranges between 36% to 46%, while the tub-type dryers between 21.7% to 33.1%. The specific energy of solar dryer ranged from 6.17-7.87 MJ / kg, while the tub-type dryers 8.58-13.63 MJ / kg. Dryer efficiency is influenced by the level of solar irradiation and the amount of drying load, the higher the irradiation received and more cocoa beans are dried, the drying efficiency is also higher and the specific energy further down.Proses pengeringan memerlukan banyak energi sehubungan dengan banyaknya air yang harus diuapkan dari bahan yang dikeringkan. Pengeringan dapat dilakukan dengan menggunakan pengering mekanis berbahan bakar fosil atau dengan menempatkan produk di bawah matahari terbuka. Metode pertama adalah mahal dan memiliki dampak negatif pada lingkungan, sedangkan metode kedua sangat tergantung pada cuaca. Diperkirakan bahwa 12% dari total energi yang dipergunakan oleh industri pangan dan pertanian diserap untuk proses ini. Mengingat semakin terbatasnya sumber energi bahan bakar minyak maka usaha diversifikasi dan optimasi energi untuk pengeringan perlu terus diteliti dan dikembangkan. Salah satunya adalah pemanfaatan energi surya sebagai sumber energi terbarukan. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengkaji penggunaan energi untuk pengeringan kakao dengan memakai pengering energi surya dan pengering tipe bak, serta untuk mengetahui efisiensi pengeringan dari masing-masing tipe pengering. Hasil kajian menunjukkan bahwa efisiensi total sistem pengeringan alat pengering surya berkisar antara 36% dan 46%, sedangkan pengering tipe bak antara 21.7% dan 33.1%. Kebutuhan energi spesifik alat pengering surya berkisar antara 6.17-7.87 MJ/kg, sedangkan alat pengering tipe bak 8.58-13.63 MJ/kg. Efisiensi alat pengering dipengaruhi oleh tingkat iradiasi surya dan jumlah beban pengeringan, semakin tinggi iradiasi yang diterima pengering serta semakin banyak biji kakao yang dikeringkan, maka efisiensi pengeringan juga semakin tinggi dan kebutuhan energi spesifik semakin turun.Keywords: energy, efficiency, cocoa, solar dryer, bin-type dryer.

Energy Markets and Trading

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Mares
Keyword(s):  
Fossil Fuels ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Adjustment Costs ◽  
Institutional Context ◽  
Energy Markets ◽  
Energy Resources ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
The Social ◽  
Impact Risk

This chapter discusses the role of energy in economic development, the transformation of energy markets, trade in energy resources themselves, and the geopolitical dynamics that result. The transformation of energy markets and their expansion via trade can help or hinder development, depending on the processes behind them and how stakeholders interact. The availability of renewable, climate-friendly sources of energy, domestically and internationally, means that there is no inherent trade-off between economic growth and the use of fossil fuels. The existence of economic, political, social, and geopolitical adjustment costs means that the expansion of international energy markets to incorporate alternatives to oil and coal is a complex balance of environmental trade-offs with no solutions completely free of negative impact risk. An understanding of the supply of and demand for energy must incorporate the institutional context within which they occur, as well as the social and political dynamics of their setting.

scholarly journals Analysis of the Particulate Matter Pollution in the Urban Areas of Croatia, EU

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 9
Author(s):  
Martina Habulan ◽  
Bojan Đurin ◽  
Anita Ptiček Siročić ◽  
Nikola Sakač
Keyword(s):  
Particulate Matter ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Fossil Fuels ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Electric Energy ◽  
Two Cities ◽  
Adriatic Coast ◽  
Pm2.5 And Pm10 ◽  
Autumn And Winter ◽  
Particulate Matter Pollution

Particulate matter (PM) comprises a mixture of chemical compounds and water particles found in the air. The size of suspended particles is directly related to the negative impact on human health and the environment. In this paper, we present an analysis of the PM pollution in urban areas of Croatia. Data on PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations were measured with nine instruments at seven stationary measuring units located in three continental cities, namely Zagreb (the capital), Slavonski Brod, and Osijek, and two cities on the Adriatic coast, namely Rijeka and Dubrovnik. We analyzed an hourly course of PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations and average seasonal PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations from 2017 to 2019. At most measuring stations, maximum concentrations were recorded during autumn and winter, which can be explained by the intensive use of fossil fuels and traffic. Increases in PM concentrations during the summer months at measuring stations in Rijeka and Dubrovnik may be associated with the intensive arrival of tourists by air during the tourist season, and lower PM concentrations during the winter periods may be caused by a milder climate consequently resulting in lower consumption of fossil fuels and use of electric energy for heating.

scholarly journals Use of diesel and emulsified diesel in CI engine: A comparative analysis of engine characteristics

2021 ◽  
Vol 104 (2) ◽  
pp. 003685042110209
Author(s):  
Zain Ul Hassan ◽  
Muhammad Usman ◽  
Muhammad Asim ◽  
Ali Hussain Kazim ◽  
Muhammad Farooq ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Comparative Analysis ◽  
Alternative Fuels ◽  
Fossil Fuels ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Water Injection ◽  
Load Range ◽  
Performance And Emission ◽  
Injection Methods ◽  
Ci Engine ◽  
Ci Engines

Despite a number of efforts to evaluate the utility of water-diesel emulsions (WED) in CI engine to improve its performance and reduce its emissions in search of alternative fuels to combat the higher prices and depleting resources of fossil fuels, no consistent results are available. Additionally, the noise emissions in the case of WED are not thoroughly discussed which motivated this research to analyze the performance and emission characteristics of WED. Brake thermal efficiency (BTE) and brake specific fuel consumption (BSFC) were calculated at 1600 rpm within 15%–75% of the load range. Similarly, the contents of NOx, CO, and HC, and level of noise and smoke were measured varying the percentage of water from 2% to 10% gradually for all values of loads. BTE in the case of water emulsified diesel was decreased gradually as the percentage of water increased accompanied by a gradual increase in BSFC. Thus, WED10 showed a maximum 13.08% lower value of BTE while BSFC was increased by 32.28%. However, NOx emissions (21.8%) and smoke (48%) were also reduced significantly in the case of WED10 along with an increase in the emissions of HC and CO and noise. The comparative analysis showed that the emulsified diesel can significantly reduce the emission of NOx and smoke, but it has a negative impact on the performance characteristics and HC, CO, and noise emissions which can be mitigated by trying more fuels variations such as biodiesel and using different water injection methods to decrease dependency on fossil fuels and improve the environmental impacts of CI engines.

scholarly journals Impact of Crystallography on Design of Cathode Materials for Li-ion Batteries

2014 ◽  
Vol 70 (a1) ◽  
pp. C20-C20
Author(s):  
Evgeny Antipov ◽  
Nellie Khasanova
Keyword(s):  
Transition Metal ◽  
Cathode Materials ◽  
Fossil Fuels ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Renewable Energy Sources ◽  
Energy Sources ◽  
Li Ion Batteries ◽  
Practical Applications ◽  
Storage Devices ◽  
Li Ion

Ninety percent of the energy produced today come from fossil fuels, making dramatically negative impact on our future due to rapid consumption of these energy sources, ecological damage and climate change. This justifies development of the renewable energy sources and concurrently efficient large storage devices capable to replace fossil fuels. Li-ion batteries have originally been developed for portable electronic devices, but nowadays new application niches are envisaged in electric vehicles and stationary energy storages. However, to satisfy the needs of these rapidly growing applications, Li-ion batteries require further significant improvement of their properties: capacity and power, cyclability, safety and cost. Cathode is the key part of the Li-ion batteries largely determining their performance. Severe requirements are imposed on a cathode material, which should provide fast reversible intercalation of Li-ions at redox potential close to the upper boundary of electrolyte stability window, possess relatively low molecular weight and exhibit small volume variation upon changing Li-concentration. First generation of the cathode materials for the Li-ion batteries based on the spinel (LiM2O4, M – transition metal) or rock-salt derivatives (LiMO2) has already been widely commercialised. However, the potential to further improve the performance of these materials is almost exhausted. The compounds, containing lithium and transition metal cations together with different polyanions (XmOn)p- (X=B, P, S, Si), are now considered as the most promising cathode materials for the next generation of the Li-ion batteries. Covalently-bonded structural frameworks in these compounds offer long-term structural stability, which is essential for good cyclability and safety. Further advantages are expected from combining different anions (such as (XO4)p- and F- ) in the anion sublattice, with the hope to enhance the specific energy and power of these materials. Various fluoride-phosphates and fluoride-sulphates have been recently discovered, and some of them exhibit attractive electrochemical performance. An overview of the research on the cathode materials for the Li-ion batteries will be presented with special emphasis on crystallography as a guide towards improved properties important for practical applications.

scholarly journals Visible Light Photochemical Reactions for Nucleic Acid-Based Technologies

Molecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 556
Author(s):  
Bonwoo Koo ◽  
Haneul Yoo ◽  
Ho Jeong Choi ◽  
Min Kim ◽  
Cheoljae Kim ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nucleic Acid ◽  
Nucleic Acids ◽  
Visible Light ◽  
Chemical Reactions ◽  
Chemical Biology ◽  
Photochemical Reactions ◽  
Reaction Conditions ◽  
Promising Tool ◽  
Recent Developments ◽  
Visible Light Driven

The expanding scope of chemical reactions applied to nucleic acids has diversified the design of nucleic acid-based technologies that are essential to medicinal chemistry and chemical biology. Among chemical reactions, visible light photochemical reaction is considered a promising tool that can be used for the manipulations of nucleic acids owing to its advantages, such as mild reaction conditions and ease of the reaction process. Of late, inspired by the development of visible light-absorbing molecules and photocatalysts, visible light-driven photochemical reactions have been used to conduct various molecular manipulations, such as the cleavage or ligation of nucleic acids and other molecules as well as the synthesis of functional molecules. In this review, we describe the recent developments (from 2010) in visible light photochemical reactions involving nucleic acids and their applications in the design of nucleic acid-based technologies including DNA photocleaving, DNA photoligation, nucleic acid sensors, the release of functional molecules, and DNA-encoded libraries.

I see you’re in pain – The effects of partner validation on emotions in people with chronic pain

2015 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 16-21 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sara M. Edlund ◽  
Maria L. Carlsson ◽  
Steven J. Linton ◽  
Alan E. Fruzzetti ◽  
Maria Tillfors
Keyword(s):  
Chronic Pain ◽  
Negative Affect ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Training Session ◽  
The Other ◽  
Pain Level ◽  
Interpersonal Interactions ◽  
Post Intervention ◽  
Promising Tool

AbstractBackground and aimsChronic pain not only affects the person in pain, but can also have a negative impact on relationships with loved ones. Research shows that chronic pain is associated with difficulties in marital relationships, which in turn is related to a variety of negative outcomes such as psychological distress and conflict within the family. This suggests that couples where chronic physical pain is present also struggle with emotional pain and relationship problems, and thus targeting relationship skills and interpersonal functioning might be helpful for these couples. Although studies in this area are promising, their numbers are few. In the present study, validation as a way of communicating is suggested for handling emotional expression in interpersonal interactions. Validation communicates understanding and acceptance of the other person’s experience, and it has been shown to have a down-regulating effect on negative emotions. It has previously been demonstrated to be important for these couples. However, the feasibility and effects of increasing partner validation in these couples are unknown. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate if a brief training session in validation for spouses would result in more validating and fewer invalidating responses towards their partners with pain, and to investigate if changes in these behavioural responses were associated with changes in emotion and pain level in the partner with pain.MethodsParticipants were 20 couples where at least one partner reported chronic pain. The study employed a within-groups design in which spouses of people with pain received validation training (without their partner’s knowledge), and their validating and invalidating responses were rated pre- and post-intervention using a reliable observational scale. Also, positive and negative affect and subjective pain level in the persons with pain were rated pre- and post-intervention.ResultsResults showed that the validation training was associated with increased validating and decreased invalidating responses in the partners. Their spouses with chronic pain reported a decrease in negative affect from pre- to post-training.ConclusionsOur results indicate that the partner or closest family member, after brief validation training, increased validating responses and decreased invalidating responses towards the person with pain, which had an immediate positive impact on emotions in the other person.ImplicationsThis study suggests that using validation in interpersonal interactions is a promising tool for couples where chronic pain is present.

scholarly journals Dual Cobalt and Photoredox Catalysis Enabled Intermolecular Oxidative Hydrofunctionalization

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Han-Li Sun ◽  
Fan Yang ◽  
Wei-Ting Ye ◽  
Jun-Jie Wang ◽  
Rong Zhu
Keyword(s):  
Hydrogen Atom ◽  
Visible Light ◽  
Electrochemical Analysis ◽  
Hydrogen Atom Transfer ◽  
Redox Process ◽  
Photochemical Oxidation ◽  
Atom Transfer ◽  
Photoredox Catalysis ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Selective Alkylation

A general protocol has been developed for the Markovnikov-selective intermolecular hydrofunctionalization based on visible-light-mediated Co/Ru dual catalysis. The key feature involves the photochemical oxidation of an organocobalt(III) intermediate derived from hydrogen atom transfer, which is supported by electrochemical analysis, quenching studies and stoichiometric experiments. This unique redox process enables the efficient branch-selective alkylation of pharmaceutically important nucleophiles (phenols, sulfonamides and various N-heterocycles) using a wide range of alkenes including moderately electron-deficient ones. Moreover, light-gated polar functionalization via organocobalt species was demonstrated.

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