Technological, economic, and emission analysis of the oxy-combustion process

The high concentration of polluting emissions, and in particular of CO2 in the atmosphere, determines the greenhouse effect, therefore it is necessary to reduce its quantity as much as possible. For this reason, a strong commitment is underway to obtain effective technological improvements and to study adequate operational measures. One measure among these may be the oxy-combustion process. Many researchers have studied this process, its characteristics, and operating conditions but what is not known in the literature is the economic feasibility of a plant employing this technology and its environmental impact. There are few plants powered by oxy-combustion and many of these are still pilot plants, for this reason using Retscreen it was possible to evaluate and optimize the technical and financial feasibility of an oxy-fuel cogeneration plant for a university campus in such a way as to demonstrate the cost-effectiveness and lower environmental impact that an oxy-fuel system causes compared to a traditional system. It was evaluated the return on investment for the cogeneration plant as the economic parameters varied: in almost all cases analyzed the investment turned out to be convenient and the minimum calculated payback time was 2.5 years. With this software, it was also possible to determine the environmental impact of this technology which corresponds to a reduction of approximately 3700 tons/year of carbon dioxide compared to a traditional type of system. This work will encourage the investors and corporate sector to embrace this alternative technology for decreasing polluting emissions from the process

Individual and community catalysts for Renewable Energy Communities (RECs) development

This review examines factors catalyzing citizens' participation in Renewable Energy Communities (RECs), crucial for sustainable energy transitions. We analyze the interplay of individual and community elements promoting involvement in these collective projects. Individual drivers include pro-environmental values, economic incentives, desire for energy autonomy, and technical knowledge. Community factors encompass social cohesion, local identity, effective leadership, inclusive governance, and supportive policies. The synergy between these factors drives REC development. Challenges remain in ensuring accessibility, sustaining participation, and scaling successful models. Further research is needed on participation dynamics over time, cross-cultural comparisons, innovative financing, and digital technologies' role. Understanding and enhancing these catalyzing factors can unlock the potential of community-driven energy solutions to address climate change while promoting sustainable and equitable energy future

Unveiling the role of polypropylene interactions with lithium fluoride solutions: Insights into crystallization dynamics and membrane behaviour

The escalating demand for lithium, driven by its pivotal role in electronic devices and lithium-ion batteries, underscores the urgent need for sustainable lithium recovery methods. Recycling lithium from spent batteries represents a promising strategy to meet this demand; however, a detailed understanding of crystallization processes in the presence of functional interfaces remains largely unexplored. In this study, we present a novel investigation into the role of polypropylene (PP) membranes in controlling the crystallization dynamics of lithium fluoride (LiF) from ionic solutions. Using a combined computational and experimental approach, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations are performed to compare bulk crystallization with crystallization occurring at the membrane interface. Our results reveal that the membrane deeply influences the crystallization process, increasing induction times and reducing nucleation and growth rates, which indicates a more controlled and structured crystal formation. Notably, the presence of the membrane enhances the crystallinity of the formed crystals, likely due to its structuring effect on the surrounding ionic environment. To assess the impact of the ionic solution on the membrane, we further analyzed morphological parameters and conducted experimental validation. The polypropylene membrane demonstrated exceptional robustness, retaining its structural stability and hydrophobicity, as confirmed by contact angle measurements, even after prolonged exposure to the solution. Experimental trends in nucleation times, crystal morphology, and membrane behavior align closely with the computational findings, reinforcing the reliability of our results. This study introduces a novel perspective on the interactions between membranes and crystallizing ionic systems, providing fundamental insights into the role of membrane interfaces in influencing crystallization dynamics. The findings pave the way for optimized membrane-based processes, offering valuable knowledge to advance sustainable lithium recovery technologies

Endoscopic ultrasound-guided tissue sampling: European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ESGE) Technical and Technology Review

: This Technical and Technology Review from the European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ESGE) represents an update of the previous document on the technical aspects of endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided sampling in gastroenterology, including the available types of needle, technical aspects of tissue sampling, new devices, and specimen handling and processing. Among the most important new recommendations are:ESGE recommends end-cutting fine-needle biopsy (FNB) needles over reverse-bevel FNB or fine-needle aspiration (FNA) needles for tissue sampling of solid pancreatic lesions; FNA may still have a role when rapid on-site evaluation (ROSE) is available.ESGE recommends EUS-FNB or mucosal incision-assisted biopsy (MIAB) equally for tissue sampling of subepithelial lesions ≥20 mm in size. MIAB could represent the first choice for smaller lesions (<20 mm) if proper expertise is available.ESGE does not recommend the use of antibiotic prophylaxis before EUS-guided tissue sampling of solid masses and EUS-FNA of pancreatic cystic lesions

Direct Evidence of the Presence of Hybrid Charge Transfer State in a Perovskite Nanocrystal‐Polythiophene Blend Solid State Film

In this paper, the photophysical properties of a hybrid material, composed of a conjugated polymer and perovskite nanocrystals, are investigated by ultrafast spectroscopy and morphological characterization. The relaxation dynamics of a drop-casted film from the semiconducting polythiophene (P3HT) and a green-emitting CsPbBr3 (zwitterionic sulfobetaine -capped) perovskite nanocrystals (NCs) solution is studied. The transient spectroscopy presents a very long photobleaching signal peaked at 516 nm not present in the single components of the blend. The scanning electron and confocal fluorescence microscopy images show that the P3HT and the CsPbBr3 NCs are finely mixed in the film. The presence of a very efficient hole transfer from the nanocrystal to the polymeric chain that induces the formation of a long -lived charge-transfer state as shown in the pump-probe measurements is proposed. The theoretical model reveals the important role of the zwitterionic sulfobetaine capper in this process. The perovskite strongly adsorbs the surfactant, while the polythiophene chain is not directly bound to the perovskite. Instead, it interacts with the surfactant itself, contributing to the electronic properties of the overall system