Solar decomposition of fossil fuels as an option for sustainability

This paper presents an overview on solar-thermal decomposition of fossil fuels as a viable option for transition path from today's permanent dependency on fossil fuels to tomorrow's solar fuels via solar thermochemical technology. The paper focuses on the thermochemical hydrogen generation technologies from concentrated solar energy and gives an assessment of the recent advancements in the hydrogen producing solar reactors. The advantages and obstacles of hydrogen generation via solar cracking and solar reforming are presented along with some discussions on the feasibility of industrial scaling of these technologies. Solar cracking and solar reforming processes are discussed as promising hybrid solar/fossil technologies to take considerable share during transition from fossil fuel dependency to clean energy based sustainability.     

Adsorption of blood proteins on glow‐discharge‐modified polyurethane membranes

Polyurethanes are a class of polymers that have a wide range of applications in the medical field although their blood compatibility still needs improvement. In order to obtain medical purity, this study prepared membrane‐form polyurethanes from toluene 2,4‐diisocyanate (TDI) and poly(propylene ethylene glycol) without the addition of any ingredients such as solvents, catalysts, or chain extenders. The aim was to increase surface hydrophilicity and improve blood compatibility. Therefore, the prepared membranes were modified by treatment with oxygen or argon plasmas. Characterizations of the samples were achieved by contact‐angle and water‐uptake studies as well as from atomic force microscope (AFM) pictures. It was found that oxygen‐modified samples were more hydrophilic than argon‐modified samples. The AFM images showed that surface roughness increased with plasma treatment. The protein adsorption experiments carried out with single protein solutions demonstrated that the adsorption of bovine serum albumin and fibrinogen decreased drastically by increasing the applied power and exposure time of the glow discharge. A similar decrease in the adsorption of protein was also observed for human blood proteins. The alterations of the conformational structures of the adsorbed proteins were examined by fluorescence spectrophotometry. Similar spectra with the same maximum wavelength were observed for native and desorbed proteins. These results showed that no denaturation of the proteins occurred upon adsorption on the surfaces of the prepared membranes. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 81: 1322–1332, 2001     

Immobilization of urease and estimation of effective diffusion coefficients of urea in HEMA and VP copolymer matrices

Enzyme urease was immobilized in copolymer matrices of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) and N-vinyl pyrrolidone (VP). The activities of immobilized urease stored in phosphate buffer solution of pH 7.0 at 4°C were examined periodically for up to 90 days. For the matrices of higher VP/HEMA mole ratio in the structure, a higher volume increase and enhanced apparent activity were observed, while HEMA polymer alone proved to have the most stable matrix for prolonged activity. No appreciable amount of enzyme leakage was experienced for any of the matrices prepared. The effective diffusion coefficients of urea through these polymer matrices were calculated with a ‘diffusion and reaction’ model and the highest effective diffusion coefficient was found with pure HEMA matrix, possibly due to its laminated structure.     

Assumed stress function finite element method: Two-dimensional elasticity

A complementary energy-based finite element formulation, using assumed stress functions as the approximating functions, is developed for the linear elastic two-dimensional stress analysis. It features the use of blending function interpolants, enabling the convenient representation of traction boundary conditions, which in the past have posed difficulties. A family of rectangular elements is constructed. Numerical results assessing the behaviour of these elements are presented. An advantage of this approach is in the accurate prediction of stress distributions.     

The effect of weather damage on wheat enzymes

Sound (ungerminated) and germinated wheat kernals (cv Banks) were milled into wholemeal flours, and the activities of a range of enzymes important in baking were determined. Germination of the wheat gave increases in α-amylase (EC 3.2.1.1), protease (azocaseinase), endo-arabinoxylanase (EC 3.2.1.55), endo-carboxymethylcellulase (EC 3.2.1.4) and β-D-glucopyranosidase (EC 3.2.1.21) activities, and a slight increase in activity was detected for β-D-xylopyranosidase (EC 3.2.1.37). β-Amylase (EC 3.2.1.2) glutathione reductase (EC 1.6.2.4) and most of the glycosidase activities tested did not significantly increase on germination.     

Investigation of alkaline water electrolysis performance for different cost effective electrodes under magnetic field

Alkaline water electrolysis is the easiest methods for hydrogen production because of their simplicity. Although the simplicity is an advantage; reducing the energy consumption and maintaining the durability and the safety of these systems are the main challenges. In this paper, alkaline water electrolysis system, that uses cost effective electrode materials and magnetic field effects are presented. Cost effective electrodes such as high carbon steel, 304 stainless steel, 316L low carbon steel and graphite material are used for the hydrogen production. After the selection of the best electrode pair, effects of magnetic field to hydrogen production and change of current density are investigated for KOH electrolytes in different concentrations (5 wt%, 10 wt% and 15 wt%). According to the experimental observations the direction of the Lorentz Force affects the hydrogen production and current density. When the Lorentz Force is directed upward, it enhances the hydrogen production for 5 wt% and 15 wt% KOH solution by almost 17%. The increase in current density for 5 wt%, 10 wt% and 15 wt% concentration is 19%, 5%, 13%, respectively. Forced convection in the magnetic field enhances the separation of gas bubbles from electrode surface. Downward directed Lorentz Force decreases hydrogen production and current density values significantly. For 5 wt%, 10 wt% and 15 wt% the hydrogen production decreases by 14%, 8%, 7%, respectively. Similarly, current density for downward directed Lorentz Force decreases by 11%, 7%, 4%, respectively.     

The synthesis,antimicrobial activity and absorption characteristics of some novel heterocyclic disazo dyes

Aniline derivatives were diazotized and coupled with 3-aminocrotononitrile to give the corresponding 2-arylhydrazono-3-ketiminobutyronitriles. Cyclization of these arylhydrazono derivatives with hydrazine monohydrate afforded 5-amino-4-arylazo-3-methyl-1H-pyrazoles which were subsequently diazotised and coupled with malononitrile to yield a series of pyrazolylhydrazonomalononitriles. These compounds were then reacted with hydrazine monohydrate to provide 10, novel, heterocyclic disazo dyes, which were characterized by elemental analysis and spectral methods. The antimicrobial activity and absorption characteristics of the dyes were also examined in detail.     

Spouted bed and microwave-assisted spouted bed drying of parboiled wheat

The effect of spouted bed and microwave-assisted spouted bed drying on drying rates of parboiled wheat was investigated. In addition, the effective moisture diffusivities of parboiled wheat were calculated. The drying experiments were performed using 200 g of parboiled wheat, at three different air temperatures (50, 70, 90 °C) and at two different microwave powers (3.5 W/g (db), 7.5 W/g (db)). Microwave-assisted spouted bed drying at microwave power of 3.5 W/g and 7.5 W/g reduced drying time by at least 60% and 85%, respectively compared to spouted bed drying. The effective diffusivity values were in the range of 1.44 × 10^?10–3.32 × 10^?10 in spouted bed drying while they were between 5.06 × 10^?10 and 11.3 × 10^?10 in microwave-assisted spouted bed drying at different experimental conditions.     

Low molecular weight polyacrylic acid with pendant aminomethylene phosphonic acid groups

Low molecular weight poly(acrylic acid‐co‐vinyl aminomethylene phosphonic acid)s were prepared by consecutively applying the Hofmann degradation and the Mannich reaction to polyacrylamide and poly(acrylamide‐co‐acrylic acid)s. ¹H‐NMR, ³¹P‐NMR, and microanalysis were used for structural analyses. These polymers were tested as anti‐scalent and they showed better anti‐scalent effect than commercial poly(acrylic acid)s. The scale inhibition properties of copolymers increased with increasing amount of aminomethylene phosphonic acid groups. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 78: 870–874, 2000     

Polymers of vinylphosphonic acid,acrylonitrile, and methyl acrylate and their nanofibers

In this study, a small amount of vinylphosphonic acid was used to produce fire-retardant copolymers and terpolymers from acrylonitrile and methyl acrylate. The structures of copolymer and terpolymers were elucidated by ¹H-NMR and phosphorous analysis. Thermal decomposition of vinylphosphonic acid-containing copolymers and terpolymers started at lower temperatures than of poly(acrylonitrile-co-methyl acrylate). Methyl acrylate contributes to the thermal resistance of the terpolymers. Poly(acrylonitrile-co-methyl acrylate-co-vinylphosphonic acid) with a phosphorous content about 0.25% burned at a slower rate and emitted less smoke compared to poly(acrylonitrile-co-methyl acrylate). The burning tests showed that both copolymer and terpolymers containing vinylphosphonic acid behaved as a fire-retardant polymer. The phosphonate and phosphonic acid groups in the copolymer and terpolymers accelerate the cyclization of nitrile groups and inhibit the fire in the gas phase. Nanofibers were successfully produced by the electrospinning method from the copolymers and terpolymers containing vinylphosphonic acid moiety.