Environmental and Industrial Corrosion

Nowadays, it is generally accepted that in the natural and industrial environments, corrosion and pollution are interrelated harmful processes since many water, air and soil pollutants accelerate corrosion, and corrosion products such as rust, oxides and salts, also pollute water bodies at ports, rivers, dams, canals and shipyards. Both are pernicious processes that impair the durability of the infrastructure assets, the industry efficiency and profitability and the quality of the environment. Therefore, it is essential to develop and to apply corrosion engineering control methods and techniques, in particular those being environment-friendly. In this crucial time of worldwide energy crisis and economic turmoil, cost effective corrosion control will extend the life of the infrastructure saving large expenses in materials, equipment and structures. This book will contribute to achieve this important mission

Annual Report 1966-1967

It contains the statement of R&D works undertaken, achivement made and the expenditure by the laboratory during the financial year 1966-1967

Pressurized CO2 Electrochemical Conversion to Formic Acid: From Theoretical Model to Experimental Results

To curb the severely rising levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, new approaches to capture and utilize this greenhouse gas are currently being investigated. In the last few years, many researches have focused on the electrochemical conversion of CO2 to added-value products in aqueous electrolyte solutions. In this backdrop, the pressurized electroreduction of CO2 can be assumed an up-and-coming alternative process for the production of valuable organic chemicals [1-3]. In this work, the process was studied in an undivided cell with tin cathode in order to produce formic acid and develop a theoretical model, predicting the effect of several operative parameters. The model is based on the cathodic conversion of pressurized CO2 to HCOOH and it also accounts for its anodic oxidation. In particular, the electrochemical reduction of CO2 to formic acid was performed in pressurized filter press cell with a continuous recirculation of electrolytic solution (0.9 L) at a tin cathode (9 cm2) for a long time (charge passed 67’000 C). It was shown that it is possible to scale-up the process by maintaining good results in terms of faradaic efficiency and generating significantly high concentrations of HCOOH (about 0.4 M) [4]. It was also demonstrated that, for pressurized systems, the process is under the mixed kinetic control of mass transfer of CO2 and the reduction of adsorbed CO2 (described by the Langmuir equation), following our proposed reaction mechanism [5]. Moreover, the theoretical model is in good agreement with the experimental results collected and well describes the effect of several operating parameters, including current density, pressure, and the type of reactor used. 1. Ma, S., & Kenis, P. J. (2013). Electrochemical conversion of CO2 to useful chemicals: current status, remaining challenges, and future opportunities. Current Opinion in Chemical Engineering, 2(2), 191-199. 2. Endrődi, B., Bencsik, G., Darvas, F., Jones, R., Rajeshwar, K., & Janáky, C. (2017). Continuous-flow electroreduction of carbon dioxide. Progress in Energy and Combustion Science, 62, 133-154. 3. Dufek, E. J., Lister, T. E., Stone, S. G., & McIlwain, M. E. (2012). Operation of a pressurized system for continuous reduction of CO2. Journal of The Electrochemical Society, 159(9), F514-F517. 4. Proietto, F., Schiavo, B., Galia, A., & Scialdone, O. (2018). Electrochemical conversion of CO2 to HCOOH at tin cathode in a pressurized undivided filter-press cell. Electrochimica Acta, 277, 30-40. 5. Proietto, F., Galia, A., & Scialdone, O. (2019) Electrochemical conversion of CO2 to HCOOH at tin cathode: development of a theoretical model and comparison with experimental results. ChemElectroChem, 6, 162-172

Effect of the air pressure on electro-Fenton process

Electro-Fenton process is considered a very promising tool for the treatment of waste waters contaminated by organic pollutants refractant or toxic for microorganisms used in biological processes [1-6]. In these processes H2O2 is continuously supplied to an acidic aqueous solution contained in an electrolytic cell from the two-electron reduction of oxygen gas, directly injected as pure gas or bubbled air. Due to the poor solubility of O2 in aqueous solutions, two dimensional cheap graphite or carbon felt electrodes give quite slow generation of H2O2, thus resulting in a slow abatement of organics. In this context, we report here a series of studies [7-9] on the effect of air pressure on the electro-generation of H2O2 and the abatement of organic pollutants in water by electro-Fenton process. The effect of air pressure, current density, mixing and nature of the organic pollutant was evaluated. [1] E. Brillas, I. Sirés, M.A. Oturan, Chem. Rev., 109 (2009) 6570-6631. [2] C.A. Martínez-Huitle, M.A. Rodrigo, I. Sirés, O. Scialdone, Chem. Rev. 115 (2015) 13362–13407. [3] M. Panizza, G. Cerisola, Chem. Rev. 109 (2009) 6541–6569. [4] I. Sirés, E. Brillas, M.A. Oturan, M.A. Rodrigo, M. Panizza, Environ. Sci. Pollut. Res. 21 (2014) 8336–8367. [5] C.A. Martínez-Huitle, S. Ferro, Chem. Soc. Rev. 35 (2006) 1324–1340. [6] B.P.P. Chaplin, Environ. Sci. Process. Impacts. 16 (2014) 1182–1203. [7] O. Scialdone, A. Galia, C. Gattuso, S. Sabatino, B. Schiavo, Electrochim. Acta, 182 (2015) 775-780. [8] J.F. Pérez, A. Galia, M.A. Rodrigo, J. Llanos, S. Sabatino, C. Sáez, B. Schiavo, O. Scialdone, Electrochim. Acta, 248 (2017) 169-177. [9] A.H. Ltaïef, S. Sabatino, F. Proietto, A. Galia, O. Scialdone, O. 2018, Chemosphere, 202, 111-118

Natural and anthropogenic dynamics of the vegetation on the Eastern Cantabrian Coast: Late Pleistocene, Holocene and Anthropocene.

338 p.Los ecosistemas costeros se han caracterizado siempre por su dinamismo y su continua exposición a cambios de carácter natural, como las oscilaciones climáticas o la actividad geofísica de la Tierra. Sin embargo, el ser humano se ha convertido gracias a su desarrollo evolutivo y tecnológico en un agente muy agresivo de transformación y alteración de estos ecosistemas. La vegetación es uno de los elementos que mejor refleja los cambios que se han producido a lo largo de la historia de nuestro planeta. Por eso, en esta tesis doctoral se ha realizado el estudio de 5 sondeos largos y 5 sondeos cortos, 7 de ellos en estuarios, 2 de ellos marinos y 1 en un antiguo lago kárstico con el objetivo de registrar el marco cronológico más amplio posible a la vez que analizamos de manera más detallada los momentos históricos de mayor impacto humano. Estos sondeos nos han permitido retroceder en el tiempo hasta el Pleistoceno y el Holoceno llegando hasta cronologías recientes del Antropoceno. Durante el Pleistoceno, se observan dinámicas de cambio en la vegetación, con alternancia en la dominancia de la vegetación arborea y herbácea. Estas oscilaciones climáticas registradas en la vegetación se corresponderían con eventos muy fríos y secos (eventos Heinrich/H-E. La dinámica de la vegetación mostrada por los sondeos encuadrados cronológicamente en el Holoceno, muestran generalmente una recuperación de la vegetación de tipo boscoso. Esto podría deberse a la mejora climática ocurrida tras el Younger Dryas con un aumento muy rápido de las temperaturas (Optimo Climático Holoceno). En torno al ~6.000 años cal BP, la actividad humana se empieza a hacer más notable en los registros sedimentarios estuarinos. Durante el Antropoceno, la vegetación durante los últimos 200 años. El impacto humano en las zonas estuarinas desde el siglo XIX se intensificó, debido fundamentalmente a la Revolución Industrial. En el caso concreto de la Península Ibérica, es precisamente en la Cornisa Cantábrica donde el proceso industrializador tiene su mayor desarrollo

Future Trends in Advanced Materials and Processes

The Special Issue “Future Trends in Advanced Materials and Processes” contains original high-quality research papers and comprehensive reviews addressing the relevant state-of-the-art topics in the area of materials focusing on relevant or innovative applications such as radiological hazard evaluations of non-metallic materials, composite materials' characterization, geopolymers, metallic biomaterials, etc

Properties and Novel Applications of Recycled Aggregates

The aggregates used in construction are the natural resource consumed the most in the world after air and water. Due to overexploitation, all environmental laws reward the use of recycled materials to guarantee the reduction of consumption of natural aggregates. The use of reclaimed aggregates, reused aggregates, and recycled aggregates increases sustainability in construction activities. Today, they are strategic materials in the manufacturing of green concrete and mortars and as road construction eco-efficient materials. In addition, the use of recycled aggregates from industrial or mining byproducts presents great potential in construction activities as recycled aggregates and/or supplementary cementitious materials. This Special Issue is open to new experiences in construction materials and/or works made with recycled aggregates