Pyrolysis of Miscanthus Giganteus and wood pellets: TG-FTIR analysis and reaction kinetics

Characterisation of two biomass fuels (pelletised Miscanthus Giganteus and wood) was performed using thermogravimetric analysis with measurement of products by means of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (TG-FTIR). Three heating rate profiles were applied (10, 30 and 100 °C/min), with a final temperature of 900 °C. HCN and HNCO were found to be the major N-products, while the NH₃ fraction was detected to a minor extent. Kinetic parameters were obtained from the TG-FTIR results using a model based on parallel first-order reactions with a Gaussian distribution of activation energies. On the basis of the above kinetic analysis and product yields, input files for the functional group-devolatilisation, vaporisation, cross-linking biomass-pyrolysis model were prepared. The fit of model parameters to TG-FTIR product-evolution data was found to be generally good, but the model-predicted yields for some species did not fit experimental data at all heating rates. Further improvements in the model are needed to resolve above difficulty.     

飞行时间二次离子质谱--强有力的表面、界面和薄膜分析手段

二次离子质谱（Secondary ion mass spectrometry，简称SIMS）是一种对表面灵敏的质谱技术，建立在表面各种类型带正、负电荷原子或分子发射的基础上。用飞行时间（Time of flight，简称TOF）仪器对这些二次离子进行质量分析，能确保并行质量登录、高质量范围、高流通率下的高分辨和精确质量测定这些优异性能。配合细聚焦扫描一次离子束，可在优于1nm的高深度分辨和优于50nm的横向分辨本领下，实现对表面优于单层ppm(百万分之一）量级的极高检测灵敏度。当今TOF－SIMS已发展为一种成熟且完善的表面分析技术。极高的灵敏度，再加上即使对大分子及不易挥发性分子都独具的敏感性，使它成为很多高技术领域不可缺少的分析手段，这些领域包括微电子学、化学和材料科学以至纳米技术和生命科学等。本文简述了TOF－SIMS的原理、仪器及其多方面的应用和展望。     

Production of silver‐doped analcime by isomorphous substitution technique

BACKGROUND: Metal‐exchanged zeolites have been reported to have significant limitations on cayalytic activity, such as counterbalancing the negative framework charges and limitation of active space. Alternative methods of incorporating silver ions into the framework of zeolites are therefore necessary. This paper reports on a technique for producing silver doped analcime by isomorphous substitution of silver ion into the framework of analcime. The amount of aluminium in the gel composition was reduced by a factor of 5%, 10% and 20% and an equivalent amount of silver was added to the gel and treated in a conventional manner for zeolite crystallisation. Some of the aluminium in the reaction gel was replaced with the silver. The silver‐doped analcime samples where characterised by X‐ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X‐rays (EDX), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and inductively coupled plasma‐atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP‐AES) analysis. RESULTS: The amount of silver ions loaded for each reduction of aluminium as determined by EDX were found to be (w/w) 0.29%, 1.41% and 2.10%, respectively. XRD pattern SEM images of the silver‐doped analcime showed the presence of zeolite P in addition to analcime. CONCLUSION: Silver‐doped analcime was successfully produced with different silver loadings and may exhibit higher anti‐microbial activities than silver‐exchanged counterparts. Copyright © 2008 Society of Chemical Industry     

APPLICATION OF SITE-SPECIFIC NATURAL ISOTOPE FRACTIONATION (SNIF-NMR) OF HYDROGEN TO THE CHARACTERIZATION OF EUROPEAN BEERS

More than one hundred samples of European beers have been investigated by the new SNIF-NMR method which is based on 2H NMR at the natural abundance level and enables site-specific natural isotope fractionation factors in ethanol to be determined. The relative (R) and absolute (D/H)_i, parameters are shown to be characteristic of the country where the beers are brewed and the observed variations are explained in terms of cereal composition, water resource, and manufacturing processing (fermentation, yeast, temperature cycle). These new parameters find analytical and mechanistic applications in the identification of a beer and in the investigation of a fermentation process.     

Carbon materials and catalytic wet air oxidation of organic pollutants in wastewater

The use of carbon materials as catalytic support or direct catalyst in catalytic wet air oxidation (WAO) of organic pollutants is reviewed. The discussion covers important engineering aspects including the characterisation, activity and stability of carbon catalysts, process performance, reaction kinetics and reactor modelling. Recommendations for further research in catalytic WAO are outlined.     

The phosphorous level fine structure in homoepitaxial and polycrystalline n-type CVD diamond

The application of very sensitive photocurrent-based spectroscopic techniques have led to the detection of new levels for the electronic structure of the phosphorous donor in n-type CVD diamond. By combining quasi-steady-state photocurrent measurements (PC), photothermal ionisation spectroscopy (PTIS) and the highly sensitive Fourier transform photocurrent spectroscopy (FTPS) technique at different temperatures, ranging from liquid nitrogen temperature to 170 K, the resulting spectra point to a richer structure than assumed up to now. This is the consequence of the improved sample quality over the last years, opening up to a much larger attainable doping window. By using doping levels, ranging from 10¹⁹ cm⁻³ down to 10¹⁶ cm⁻³ on 111 -oriented Ib HPHT substrates, still giving rise to measurable n-type conductivity, spectra showed less line broadening and more fine structure. Finally, the results will be compared with spectra measured on active P-doped polycrystalline n-type films.     

Modelling and characterisation for the responsive performance of CF/PLA and CF/PEEK smart materials fabricated by 4D printing

4D printing, which is the combination of 3D printing technology and printable smart materials, provides the potential of automating actuation devices. In this paper, we have used a modified-fused deposition modelling 3D printing technology to fabricate a double-layer laminate smart material, which can be activated by temperature directly or by an electric circuit indirectly. A double-layer laminate mathematical model has been developed to describe the bending behaviour caused by the mismatch strain between the surface layer and the basal layer. The electrocaloric deformation testings were performed to find the different bending rules of this low-cost printed active composite in different physical states. The considerable maximal deformation values and deformation force (7?mm and 100?mN for these carbon fibre (CF)/polylactic acid specimens, and 10?mm and 200?mN for these CF/polyether-ether-ketone specimens in the paper) provide this double-layer smart material and 4D printing method the prospective to be applied in biomimetic sensors, actuators, transducers, and artificial muscles.     

Modeling the dynamic properties of fibre-reinforced concrete with different coating technologies of multifilament yarns

The dynamic behaviour of fibre-reinforced, cementitious composite materials is gaining increasing interest. With respect to service life dynamic loading just under the elastic limit of the material at hand is relevant to practical applications, for the resulting (stress-)waves may be focused within regions of the heterogeneous composite material. This local overstraining of the material may lead to deterioration of the structural element. In this contribution, the effect of the set-up of the reinforcing fibres on the wave scattering behaviour is investigated. Special attention is paid to layered centric configurations of these fibres, as it occurs e. g. within textile-reinforced concrete (TRC). A mechanical model is developed and solved analytically providing an efficient and robust method to describe the dynamic behaviour of given fibre configurations. This method is needed for materials which have to be described mechanically before the manufacturing process – as it is the case for TRC. The proposed model also allows for planning experiments and thus is of additional value. It is shown that the inner structure of the fibres does influence the amplitude response spectra and consequently the proposed method also may be used for non-destructively detecting the inner structure of the multifilament yarns and other related objects.