How platinum oxide affects the degradation analysis of PEM fuel cell cathodes

In this work, proton exchange membrane fuel cell cathodes are degraded with accelerated-stress-tests.These PtCo containing cathodes are analyzed at begin-of-life and end-of-test with a dedicated diagnostic procedure. For every individual load point, the oxygen transport resistance and voltage losses due to the formation of platinum oxides were obtained in addition to commonly measured electrochemical surface area, high frequency resistance, as well as cathode ionomer resistance. These data were used to break down the voltage losses into six different contributors. With this break down, performance gains and performance losses were determined at end-of-test. At low current densities, it was found that voltage losses due to degradation are dominated by the loss of specific activity and catalyst surface area - in line with the state-of-the-art knowledge. But by quantifying the losses from platinum oxide formation explicitly, we show that end-of-test an unassigned voltage loss is not only present at highest current densities, but already at low current density. More precisely, the unassigned voltage loss shows a linear increase with decreasing half cell voltage and is independent from the chosen accelerated stress test. As this unassigned loss depends on half cell voltage, it might arise from ionomer adsorption.     

Bestandsaufnahme Grundwasser nach der EU-Wasserrahmenrichtlinie im Koordinierungsraum Mulde-Elbe-Schwarze Elster

Die Wasserrahmenrichtlinie regelt den Schutz von Grund- und Oberflächengewässern und fordert eine nachhaltige Wassernutzung. Sie legt einen Zeitplan fest, um bis zum Jahr 2015 für alle Gewässer einen guten Zustand zu erreichen. Der erste Schritt ist eine Bestandsaufnahme der Gewässer. Für das Grundwasser besteht diese aus einer erstmaligen Beschreibung, einer weitergehenden Beschreibung und der Prüfung der Auswirkungen menschlicher Tätigkeit auf das Grundwasser. Die Wasserrahmenrichtlinie wird unabhängig von administrativen Grenzen innerhalb von hydrologischen Einzugsgebieten umgesetzt. Im deutschen Teil des Flusseinzugsgebietes der Elbe wurden 5 Koordinierungsräume gegründet. Der Koordinierungsraum Mulde-Elbe-Schwarze Elster (MES) wird vorgestellt. Beispielhaft für die angewandten Methoden wird die Beurteilung diffuser Stoffeinträge in das Grundwasser bei der erstmaligen Beschreibung erläutert. Die Ergebnisse der Bestandsaufnahme Grundwasser im Koordinierungsraum MES werden präsentiert. Von 54 Grundwasserkörpern ist für 25 Körper aufgrund der Belastungen durch Punktquellen und diffuse Quellen, wegen des mengenmäßigen Zustands oder sonstiger anthropogener Einwirkungen die Zielerreichung nach der Wasserrahmenrichtlinie unklar/unwahrscheinlich.     

Characterization of activated sludge flocs by confocal laser scanning microscopy and image analysis

In this study we present a new approach to determine volumes, heterogeneity factors, and compositions of the bacterial population of activated sludge flocs by 3D confocal imaging. After staining the fresh flocs with fluorescein-isothiocyanate, 75 stacks of images (containing approx. 3000 flocs) were acquired with a confocal laser scanning microscope. The self-developed macro 3D volume and surface determination for the KS 400 software package combined the images of one stack to a 3D image and calculated the real floc volume and surface. We determined heterogeneity factors like the ratio of real floc surface to the surface of a sphere with the respective volume and the fractal dimension (D(f)). According to their significant influence on floc integrity and quality, we also investigated the chemical composition of flocs and quantified their bacterial population structure by using group-specific rRNA-targeted probes for fluorescence in situ hybridization. By a settling experiment we enriched flocs with poor settling properties and determined the above-mentioned parameters. This approach revealed shifts in floc volume, heterogeneity, and bacterial and chemical composition according to the settling quality of the flocs.     

Spatial variation in nitrogen dioxide in three European areas

In order to estimate the spatial variation within well-defined study areas, nitrogen dioxide was measured with diffusion samplers (Palmes tube) in 40-42 sites each in Germany (Munich), the Netherlands and Sweden (Stockholm County). Each site was measured over four 2-week periods during 1 year (spring 1999 to summer 2000). In each country, one reference site was measured during all periods and the results were used to adjust for seasonal variability, to improve the estimates of the annual average. Comparisons between the chemiluminescence method (European reference method) and Palmes tube measurement indicated a good agreement in Germany (with a ratio of 1.0 for Palmes tube/chemiluminescence) but underestimation for Palmes tube measurement in the Netherlands and Sweden (0.8 for both countries). The r2 values were between 0.86 and 0.90 for all three countries. The annual average values for NO2 for different sampling sites were between 15.9 and 50.6 (mean 28.8 microg/m3) in Germany, between 12.1 and 50.8 (mean 28.9 microg/m3) in the Netherlands and between 6.1 and 44.7 (mean 18.5 microg/m3) in Sweden. Comparing spatial variation between similar sites in the three countries, we did not find any significant differences between annual average levels for urban traffic sites. In Sweden, annual average levels in urban background and suburban backgrounds sites were about 8 microg/m3 lower than comparable sites in Germany and the Netherlands. Comparing site types within each country only urban traffic sites and suburban background sites differed in Germany. In the Netherlands and Sweden, the urban traffic sites differed from all other sites and in Sweden also the urban background sites differed from the other background sites. The observed contribution from local traffic was similar in the Netherlands and Sweden (10 and 8 microg/m3, corresponding to 26-27% of the NO2 concentration found in the urban traffic sites). In Germany, the contribution from local traffic was only 3 microg/m3, corresponding to 9% of the NO2 concentration found in the urban traffic sites. The spatial variation was substantially larger for NO2 than the variation for PM2.5 and similar to PM2.5 absorbance, measured in the same locations.     

从集体利益中产生个人利益——共鸣设计方法及其在独立住宅转化为集合住宅中的运用

提出可以增加集合住宅受欢迎度的共鸣设计方法策略,这些策略不仅考虑到建筑本身的一些可能性,同时考虑到在空间和社会环境方面的要求,涵盖了物理的、心理的以及社会的因素;指出这类策略的应用带来了高度的用户接受度并使得适应性建筑在一个长时期内可以保持其价值.阐释在设计方法的帮助下,建筑物被记录和相互比较.     

Lot streaming in a multiple product permutation flow shop with intermingling

In this paper we study the multi-product lot streaming problem in a permutation flow shop. The problem involves splitting given order quantities of different products into sublots and determining their optimal sequence. Each sublot has to be processed successively on all machines. The sublots of the particular products are allowed to intermingle, that is sublots of different jobs may be interleaved. A mixed integer programming formulation is presented which enables us to find optimal sublot sizes as well as the optimal sequence simultaneously. With this formulation, small- and medium-sized instances can be solved in a reasonable time. The model is further extended to deal with different settings and objectives. As no lot streaming instances are available in the literature, LSGen, a problem generator, is presented, facilitating valid and reproducible instances. First results concerning the average benefit of lot streaming with multiple products are presented, and are based on a computational study with 160 small- and medium-sized instances.     

Improving cytocompatibility of Co28Cr6Mo by TiO2 coating: gene expression study in human endothelial cells

Cobalt-based materials are widely used for coronary stents, as well as bone and joint implants. However, their use is associated with high corrosion incidence. Titanium alloys, by contrast, are more biocompatible owing to the formation of a relatively inactive titanium oxide (TiO₂) layer on their surface. This study was aimed at improving Co28Cr6Mo alloy cytocompatibility via sol–gel TiO₂ coating to reduce metal corrosion and metal ion release. Owing to their role in inflammation and tissue remodelling around an implant, endothelial cells present a suitable in vitro model for testing the biological response to metallic materials. Primary human endothelial cells seeded on Co28Cr6Mo showed a stress phenotype with numerous F-actin fibres absent on TiO₂-coated material. To investigate this effect at the gene expression level, cDNA microarray analysis of in total 1301 genes was performed. Compared with control cells, 247 genes were expressed differentially in the cells grown on Co28Cr6Mo, among them genes involved in proliferation, oxidative stress response and inflammation. TiO₂ coating reduced the effects of Co28Cr6Mo on gene expression in endothelial cells, with only 34 genes being differentially expressed. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and protein analysis confirmed microarray data for selected genes. The effect of TiO₂ coating can be, in part, attributed to the reduced release of Co²⁺, because addition of CoCl₂ resulted in similar cellular responses. TiO₂ coating of cobalt-based materials, therefore, could be used in the production of cobalt-based devices for cardiovascular and skeletal applications to reduce the adverse effects of metal corrosion products and to improve the response of endothelial and other cell types.