A Fullerene-Like Ball in a Second Century Roman Mosaic?

A fullerene-like ball is found in a second century mosaic from Porta Marina Roman Baths near Ostia. Although it could be an hexadecahedral ball (28 vertices, 4 hexagonal and 12 pentagonal faces), it is probably an erroneous representation of a dodecahedral ball.     

The Influence of C60 Powders On Cultured Human Leukocytes

In order to check its possible acute toxicity, C₆₀ was incorporated into living human phagocytes. It was observed that C₆₀ has no influence on the survival of human leukocytes.     

On the Vibrational Spectrum of C60 Measured by Neutron Inelastic Scattering

New experimental data on the vibrational spectrum of C₆₀ have been recorded with neutron inelastic scattering (NIS). These data modify the positions of the lattice modes, which previously were reported at too high frequencies. New information on the frequencies of the intramolecular modes has also been obtained using a better instrumental resolution.     

Systems modeling,simulation and material operating requirements for chemical hydride based hydrogen storage

Research on ammonia borane (AB, NH₃BH₃) has shown it to be a promising material for chemical hydride based hydrogen storage. AB was selected by DOE’s Hydrogen Storage Engineering Center of Excellence (HSECoE) as the initial chemical hydride of study because of its high hydrogen storage capacity (up to ∼16% by weight for the release of ∼2.5 M equivalents of hydrogen gas) and its stability under typical ambient conditions. Another promising candidate is alane, AlH₃ (10.1% by weight). Materials operating requirements to use chemical hydrides for vehicle onboard storage are discussed. A flow-through system concept based on augers, ballast tank, hydrogen heat exchanger and H₂ burner was designed and implemented in simulation. In this design, the chemical hydride material was assumed to produce H₂ in the auger itself, thus minimizing the size of ballast tank and reactor. One dimensional models based on conservation of mass, species and energy were used to predict important state variables such as reactant and product concentrations, temperatures of various components, flow rates, along with pressure, in various components of the storage system. Various subsystem components in the models were coded as ‘C’ language S-functions and implemented in Matlab/Simulink. Steady state simulation results for all the three candidate materials (solid AB, liquid AB and alane) were presented to show the proof of concept, whereas the drive cycle simulations were discussed only for solid AB using the fuel cell H₂ demand for four different US drive cycles. Conditional logic based controllers that control the material flow rate into the reactor and to control the H₂ fed to the burner were developed and implemented in drive cycle simulations. Simulation results show that the proposed system meets most of the 2010 DOE targets, and is well above the required > 40% of the DOE targets for fill time, well-to-powerplant efficiency, and volumetric and gravimetric density.     

Overview of systems considerations for on-board chemical hydrogen storage

Recent advances in chemical hydrogen storage systems are reviewed. Factors impacting design and implementation of chemical hydrogen storage systems for on-board vehicular use are highlighted. The physical and chemical characteristics of chemical hydrogen fuels and their spent fuel counterparts are considered to provide guidance to future technology developers. Heat management, fuel stability, reactor design, and fuel morphology are examples of issues that must be considered for the future of chemical hydrogen storage systems.     

Synthesis and Characterization of Divalent Organolanthanide-Fullerene Adducts Cp2LnC60 (Ln=Yb,Sm): First Example of Insertion Reaction Involving Cyclopentadienyl and Fullerene

Abstract

A fullerene-like ball is found in a second century mosaic from Porta Marina Roman Baths near Ostia. Although it could be an hexadecahedral ball (28 vertices, 4 hexagonal and 12 pentagonal faces), it is probably an erroneous representation of a dodecahedral ball.