Deuterium Retention and Release Behavior from Beryllium Co-Deposited Layers at Distinct Ar/D Ratio

Beryllium-deuterium co-deposited layers were obtained using DC magnetron sputtering technique by varying the Ar/D2 gas mixture composition (10/1; 5/1; 2/1 and 1:1) at a constant deposition rate of 0.06 nm/s, 343 K substrate temperature and 2 Pa gas pressure. The surface morphology of the layers was analyzed using Scanning Electron Microscopy and the layer crystalline structure was analyzed by X-ray diffraction. Rutherford backscattering spectrometry was employed to determine the chemical composition of the layers. D trapping states and inventory quantification were performed using thermal desorption spectroscopy. The morphology of the layers is not influenced by the Ar/D2 gas mixture composition but by the substrate type and roughness. The increase of the D2 content during the deposition leads to the deposition of Be-D amorphous layers and also reduces the layer thickness by decreasing the sputtering yield due to the poisoning of the Be target. The D retention in the layers is dominated by the D trapping in low activation binding states and the increase of D2 flow during deposition leads to a significant build-up of deuterium in these states. Increase of deuterium flow during deposition consequently leads to an increase of D retention in the beryllium layers up to 300%. The resulted Be-D layers release the majority of their D (above 99.99%) at temperatures lower than 700 K.

The influence of the grass mixture composition on the quality and suitability for football pitches

The selection of grass mixtures with appropriate visual and functional parameters for sowing football fields is a key element in shaping the sports infrastructure, ensuring the spectacularity of a match and comfort for players. The aim of the research was to investigate the properties of lawn grass mixtures and their suitability for football pitches. The experiment was conducted at the Toya Golf & Country Club (51° 20′ E, 17° 07′ N), Wrocław, Poland, between 2007 and 2009. 12 grass mixtures were selected, mainly based on red fescue, Kentucky bluegrass, and perennial ryegrass. The assessment was carried out using a nine-point scale, according to the Plant Variety Office methodology for crops and turf grass. Six features of sports turf were studied: appearance, density, colour, leaf fineness, overwintering, and susceptibility to disease and they significantly varied, depending on the grass mixture and the year of research. Our study showed that mixtures based on the dominance of meadow grass were characterized by higher values of the general visual aspect, colour and slenderness of the leaf blade and these based on the dominance of perennial ryegrass and co-dominance of perennial ryegrass and meadow grass were the most useful in terms of wintering, resistance to diseases and sodding.

A lattice Boltzmann model for reactive mixtures

A new lattice Boltzmann model for reactive ideal gas mixtures is presented. The model is an extension to reactive flows of the recently proposed multi-component lattice Boltzmann model for compressible ideal gas mixtures with Stefan–Maxwell diffusion for species interaction. First, the kinetic model for the Stefan–Maxwell diffusion is enhanced to accommodate a source term accounting for the change in the mixture composition due to chemical reaction. Second, by including the heat of formation in the energy equation, the thermodynamic consistency of the underlying compressible lattice Boltzmann model for momentum and energy allows a realization of the energy and temperature change due to chemical reactions. This obviates the need for ad-hoc modelling with source terms for temperature or heat. Both parts remain consistently coupled through mixture composition, momentum, pressure, energy and enthalpy. The proposed model uses the standard three-dimensional lattices and is validated with a set of benchmarks including laminar burning speed in the hydrogen–air mixture and circular expanding premixed flame. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Progress in mesoscale methods for fluid dynamics simulation’.

Industrial Waste Materials as Alternative Fillers in Asphalt Mixtures

One important role in asphalt mixture performances is represented by the filler content and characteristics. This research aims to assess the potential usage of industrial waste powders as replacers of the standard limestone filler in asphalt mixture composition. First of all, an SEM and EDX analysis was carried out to figure whether this industrial waste can be used in asphalt mixture composition by comparing the results of the industrial wastes with the properties of the standard filler. After a chemical evaluation, laboratory investigations were carried out to characterize the materials in terms of geometrical and physical properties. The research study involved sixteen dosages of limestone filler with four different types of industrial waste powders in different percentages used. The results obtained from laboratory testing suggested that the inclusion of industrial wastes in the manufacture of asphaltic mixtures may have benefits for the construction industry, the waste management sector, and also for the environment.

Influence of Mixture Composition and Compaction Pressure of Briquette Made from Ironwood (Eusideroxylon Zwageri) Charcoal and Gelam (Melaleuca Cajuputi ) on Combustion Characteristic

<p class="02abstracttext">In recent few years, many works have been dedicated to search for new source of renewable energy. In this study, new source of renewable energy is based in the briquette made from mixture of ironwood (Eusideroxylon zwageri) powder and gelam (Melaleuca leucadendron) wood powder. The mixture was carbonized at temperature of 500 ^oC ± 10 ^oC for 120 minutes. The size of the particles used was 50 mesh while the ratio between wood powder adhesives, i.e. starch powder, used in the study was 1:1. The composition variations between ironwood charcoal and gelam were 100% ironwood charcoal powder and 0% gelam, 70%: 30%, 50%: 50%, 30%: 70%, 0% ironwood: 100% gelam. The compaction pressure during briquette production was varied at 100 kg/cm², 125 kg/cm² and 150 kg/cm². The highest combustion temperature at 205 ^oC occurred in the specimen with composition of 30% ironwood powder and 70% gelam wood powder with compaction pressure of 100 kg/cm². The longest burning duration 140 minutes (2 hours 20 minutes) occurred at composition of 50% ironwood powder and 50% gelam wood powder at compaction pressure of 150 kg/cm². The fastest initial ignition time was 7 minutes and occurred for mixture with composition of 70% ironwood powder and 30% gelam wood powder at compaction pressure of 125 kg/cm².</p>

The Effect of the Mixture Composition of BmimBF4-Acetonitrile on the Excited State Relaxation Dynamics of a Solar Cell Dye D149: An Ultrafast Transient Absorption Study

It has been recognized that the understanding of the photo physic of the dyes used in solar cells in an important step in improving their efficiency. Certainly using ionic liquid as an electrolyte is a good solution as it stabilizes the excited state of the dye, however, because of the high viscosity, the diffusion of the components of the solar cell (dye, electrolyte, the chosen redox couple) is very low and has consequences on the other processes (Forward and backward processes). One of the ideas, is to modulate the viscosity of the ionic liquid by mixing the ionic liquid with a solvent. The goal then of this work is to quantify the mixture composition dependence of the excited state relaxation times. Other studies should be carried out to quantify the mixture dependence on the time characteristics of other processes (charge injection, collection etc.) to optimize the working optimal conditions of the solar cell. Following this goal, the present study is devoted to characterize the relaxation time of in the whole mixture composition of BmimBF4 and acetonitrile and in the neat components. For the first time, the decay relaxation times of the first excited electronic state of D149 dye, as obtained by transient absorption spectroscopy (TAS). These relaxation times are monitored by a gradual change of the local structure around a dye, from the one dominated by the interionic interactions, high viscosity and low polarity (as quantified by the static dielectric constant) in BmimBF4 to the one that is dominated by dipole-dipole interactions, low viscosity and high polarity in acetonitrile.<br>

The Effect of the Mixture Composition of BmimBF4-Acetonitrile on the Excited State Relaxation Dynamics of a Solar Cell Dye D149: An Ultrafast Transient Absorption Study

It has been recognized that the understanding of the photo physic of the dyes used in solar cells in an important step in improving their efficiency. Certainly using ionic liquid as an electrolyte is a good solution as it stabilizes the excited state of the dye, however, because of the high viscosity, the diffusion of the components of the solar cell (dye, electrolyte, the chosen redox couple) is very low and has consequences on the other processes (Forward and backward processes). One of the ideas, is to modulate the viscosity of the ionic liquid by mixing the ionic liquid with a solvent. The goal then of this work is to quantify the mixture composition dependence of the excited state relaxation times. Other studies should be carried out to quantify the mixture dependence on the time characteristics of other processes (charge injection, collection etc.) to optimize the working optimal conditions of the solar cell. Following this goal, the present study is devoted to characterize the relaxation time of in the whole mixture composition of BmimBF4 and acetonitrile and in the neat components. For the first time, the decay relaxation times of the first excited electronic state of D149 dye, as obtained by transient absorption spectroscopy (TAS). These relaxation times are monitored by a gradual change of the local structure around a dye, from the one dominated by the interionic interactions, high viscosity and low polarity (as quantified by the static dielectric constant) in BmimBF4 to the one that is dominated by dipole-dipole interactions, low viscosity and high polarity in acetonitrile.<br>