Spatial Connections between Microplastics and Heavy Metal Pollution within Floodplain Soils

Soils contain an increasing number of different pollutants, which are often released into the environment by human activity. Among the “new” potential pollutants are plastics and microplastics. “Recognized” pollutants such as heavy metals, of geogenic and anthropogenic origin, now meet purely anthropogenic contaminants such as plastic particles. Those can meet especially in floodplain landscapes and floodplain soils, because of their function as a temporary sink for sediments, nutrients, and pollutants. Based on a geospatial sampling approach, we analyzed the soil properties and heavy metal contents (ICP-MS) in soil material and macroplastic particles, and calculated total plastic concentrations (Ptot) from preliminary studies. Those data were used to investigate spatial connections between both groups of pollutants. Our results from the example of the Lahn river catchment show a low-to-moderate contamination of the floodplain soils with heavy metals and a wide distribution of plastic contents up to a depth of two meters. Furthermore, we were able to document heavy metal contents in macroplastic particles. Spatial and statistical correlations between both pollutants were found. Those correlations are mainly expressed by a comparable variability in concentrations across the catchment and in a common accumulation in topsoil and upper soil or sediment layers (0–50 cm). The results indicate comparable deposition conditions of both pollutants in the floodplain system.

Fabrication of Wear Resistance Ni/SiC nano composite Coating by Electro co-deposition

In this paper, we succeeded in obtaining a Ni/SiC nano composite coating using conventional electro deposition by adding different amount of SiC nanoparticles to a nickel-watt bath to be co-deposited. The effect of electro deposition conditions was studied by changing the amount of SiC nanoparticles in the nano composite, and the deposition current density which affects on the participation of SiC nanoparticles in the coating. The morphology and mechanical properties of the electrodeposited nano-composite were studied. The wear behavior of the nano-composite coatings was evaluated on a ball-on-disk test. It was found that the increased micro hardness and wear resistance of the nano-composite coatings increased with increasing content of the SiC nano-particulate in bath.

Thermal physical processes during forming of biocompatible Ca-P coatings by detonation spraying

Carbon-carbon composites with calcium phosphate (Ca-P) coatings (with a thickness up to of ≈100 μm) are considering as prospective grafts for defect bone substitution. Detonation spraying of Ca-P layers allows to fulfil a deposition mode with relative low temperature loads (up to a temperature of the processed surface of ≈850…1100 K) under a pulsed pressure of ≈2…6 bar. Such deposition conditions could promote to minimal thermal decomposition of feedstock HAp.

Sputtered Non-Hydrogenated Amorphous Silicon as Alternative Absorber for Silicon Photovoltaic Technology

Non-hydrogenated amorphous-silicon films were deposited on glass substrates by Radio Frequency magnetron sputtering with the aim of being used as precursor of a low-cost absorber to replace the conventional silicon absorber in solar cells. Two Serie of samples were deposited varying the substrate temperature and the working gas pressure, ranged from 0.7 to 4.5 Pa. The first Serie was deposited at room temperature, and the second one, at 325 °C. Relatively high deposition rates above 10 Å/s were reached by varying both deposition temperature and working Argon gas pressure to ensure high manufacturing rates. After deposition, the precursor films were treated with a continuous-wave diode laser to achieve a crystallized material considered as the alternative light absorber. Firstly, the structural and optical properties of non-hydrogenated amorphous silicon precursor films were investigated by Raman spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, X-ray diffraction, reflectance, and transmittance, respectively. Structural changes were observed in the as-deposited films at room temperature, suggesting an orderly structure within an amorphous silicon matrix; meanwhile, the films deposited at higher temperature pointed out an amorphous structure. Lastly, the effect of the precursor material’s deposition conditions, and the laser parameters used in the crystallization process on the quality and properties of the subsequent crystallized material was evaluated. The results showed a strong influence of deposition conditions used in the amorphous silicon precursor.