Ammonia borane-based nanocomposites as solid state hydrogen stores for portable power applications

Ammonia borane (AB) based nanocomposites have been investigated with the aim of developing a promising solid-state hydrogen store that complies with the requirements of a modular polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEM FC) in a portable power pack system. AB-carbon nanocomposites (prepared via ball milling or solution-impregnation) demonstrate improved hydrogen release performance compared to AB itself in terms of onset temperature and hydrogen purity, while maintaining a gravimetric density of more than 5 wt. % H2. The most promising of these materials is an AB-AC (activated carbon) composite, synthesised via solution-impregnation with an optimal dehydrogenation temperature of 96 °C. When combined with an external nickel chloride filter downstream, no evolved gaseous by-products can be detected above 100 ppb. The feasibility of an AB-AC storage tank has been further endorsed by simulations in which the reaction rate and the hydrogen flux was found to be almost constant as the temperature front propagated from the bottom to the top of the tank after initiation

Rapid surfactant-free synthesis of Mg(OH)2 nanoplates and pseudomorphic dehydration to MgO

Magnesium hydroxide nanoplates ca. 50 nm in thickness can be prepared over minute timescales via hydrothermal synthesis in a multimode cavity (MMC) microwave reactor. This approach allows ca. 1 g of single-phase Mg(OH)2 to be synthesised in under 3 minutes without the requirement of surfactants or non-aqueous solvents. The hydroxide nanomaterial dehydrates at temperatures >200 K below that of the equivalent bulk material and can be utilised as a precursor for the pseudomorphic synthesis of nanoplates of MgO as investigated by TG-DTA-MS, XRD and SEM measurements. Equally, the pseudomorphic synthesis can be performed by irradiating the Mg(OH)2 nanomaterial with microwaves for 6 minutes to produce single phase MgO

First Workshop on Identification of Future Emerging Technologies for Low Carbon Energy Supply

As part of the European Commission's internal Low Carbon Energy Observatory project, the Joint Research Centre is developing an inventory of future emerging technologies relevant to energy supply. A key part of this initiative is consultation with external experts. This workshop is the first step in this process. It targets two main energy research areas: electricity from electromagnetic irradiation (principally photovoltaics, but also thermo-electric concepts) and fuels (comprising fuel cells, hydrogen and biofuels). Issues of general interest are also considered. The goal is to identify innovative technologies and processes for energy supply, possibly not sufficiently considered in current research funding programs.JRC.C.4-Sustainable Transpor

Rapid surfactant-free synthesis of Mg(OH)2 nanoplates and pseudomorphic dehydration to MgO

Magnesium hydroxide nanoplates ca. 50 nm in thickness can be prepared over minute timescales via hydrothermal synthesis in a multimode cavity (MMC) microwave reactor. This approach allows ca. 1 g of single-phase Mg(OH)2 to be synthesised in under 3 minutes without the requirement of surfactants or non-aqueous solvents. The hydroxide nanomaterial dehydrates at temperatures >200 K below that of the equivalent bulk material and can be utilised as a precursor for the pseudomorphic synthesis of nanoplates of MgO as investigated by TG-DTA-MS, XRD and SEM measurements. Equally, the pseudomorphic synthesis can be performed by irradiating the MgIJOH)2 nanomaterial with microwaves for 6 minutes to produce single-phase MgO.JRC.F.2-Energy Conversion and Storage Technologie

Scientific Assessment in support of the Materials Roadmap enabling Low Carbon Energy Technologies: Hydrogen and Fuel Cells

A group experts from European research organisations and industry have assessed the state of the art and future eeds for materials' R&D for hydrogen and fuel cell technologies. The work was performed as input to the European Commission's roadmapping exercise on materials for the European Strategic Energy Technology Plan. The report summarises the results, including key targets identified for medium term (2020/2030) and long term (2050) timescales.JRC.F.2-Cleaner energ

Opracowanie matematycznych i fizycznych metod eliminacji efektów matrycy w rentgenowskiej mikroanalizie fluorescencyjnej pojedynczych ziaren: rozprawa doktorska /

Recenzenci pracy: Piotr Urbański, Jerzy Janczyszyn.Praca doktorska. Akademia Górniczo-Hutnicza im. Stanisława Staszica (Kraków), 2006.Bibliogr. k. 93-97. Indeksy.Fizyczne podstawy mikroskopii rentgenowskiej, źródła promieniowania wzbudzającego, optyka promieniowania X, kolimatory, reflektory Bragga, zwierciadła, soczewki refrakcyjne, strefowe Fresnela, kapilary, polikapilary, detektory, rentgenowskie promieniowanie charakterystyczne, efekty matrycy, metody ich eliminacji, metoda użycia promieniowania pierwotnego rozproszonego niekoherentnie, metody wykorzystujące koherentne, niekoherentne rozproszenie, parametrów fundamentalnych, rozwój technik pomiarowych, aplikacji mikroskopii rentgenowskiej, konfokalnej, doświadczalna metoda korekcji efektu absorpcji w zastosowaniu do analizy pojedynczych ziaren, wyznaczenie współczynnika absorpcji promieniowania w ziarnie, obliczenie średniej energii promieniowania wzbudzającego dla każdego pierwiastka, analiza efektów geometrycznych przy założeniu różnych aproksymacji kształtu ziaren, przybliżenie kształtu ziarna płaskorównoległą warstwą, aproksymacja kształtu ziarna sześcianem, graniastosłupem, wyznaczenie masy, metoda wykorzystująca rozproszone promieniowanie pierwotne, niezależnego pomiaru średnicy, absorpcji wiązki wzbudzającej, walidacja zaproponowanej metody korekcji efektów matrycy, spektrometr, kalibracja, wyznaczenie iloczynu całkowitego masowego współczynnika absorpcji promieniowania i masy powierzchniowej funkcji energii, analiza ziaren materiału referencyjnego, badanie dokładności analiz dla różnych modeli kształtu ziaren, metod wyznaczenia masy, analiza wyników pomiarów dużej serii pojedynczych ziaren minerałów z zastosowaniem metod wielowymiarowej analizy wariancji, przygotowanie danych do analizy statystycznej, wielowymiarowa analiza wariancji, ilościowa wybranych ziaren, przestrzennego rozmieszczenia pierwiastków metodą mikroskopii konfokalnej, wykonanie pomiarów, jakościowa rekonstrukcja rozkładu przestrzennego pierwiastków, zawartości pierwiastków głównych metodą korelacji natęże

Beta delayed neutron measurements by means of Modular Total Absorption Spectrometer

Possibility to use Modular Total Absorption Spectrometer (MTAS) as a device to measure complete decay scheme, including β-n of neutron rich isotopes, has been investigated. Analysis of well known 87Br with its 2.6% β-n branching ratio served as a test case. Preliminary results agree with the published data

Beta delayed neutron measurements by means of Modular Total Absorption Spectrometer

Possibility to use Modular Total Absorption Spectrometer (MTAS) as a device to measure complete decay scheme, including β-n of neutron rich isotopes, has been investigated. Analysis of well known 87Br with its 2.6% β-n branching ratio served as a test case. Preliminary results agree with the published data

Ammonia Borane Based Nanocomposites as Solid‐State Hydrogen Stores for Portable Power Applications

Ammonia borane (AB) based nanocomposites are studied with the aim of developing a promising solid-state hydrogen store that complies with the requirements of a modular polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEM FC) in a portable power pack system. AB-carbon nanocomposites (prepared via ball milling or solution-impregnation) demonstrate improved hydrogen release performance compared to AB itself in terms of onset temperature and hydrogen purity, while maintaining a gravimetric density of more than 5 wt.% H2. The most promising of these materials is an AB-AC (activated carbon) composite, synthesized via solution impregnation with an optimal dehydrogenation temperature of 968C. When combined with an external nickel chloride filter downstream, no evolved gaseous by-products can be detected above 100 ppb. The feasibility of an AB-AC storage tank is further investigated using simulations in which the reaction rate and the hydrogen flux is found to be nearly constant as the temperature front propagated from the bottom to the top of the tank after initiation.JRC.C.1-Energy Storag

Internal and External Dosimetry organization in the Joint Research Centre of Ispra

Abstract The Joint Research Centre of Ispra, one of the research Sites belonging to the European Commission, Directorate General JRC, was created in the late ¿50s, in order to steer European research on nuclear industry. It hosts numerous nuclear facilities, some of which are maintained in operation, while others were shutdown in past years, namely: two research nuclear reactors, hot cells facilities, radiochemical laboratories, one Cyclotron (still in operation), facilities for studies on fissile material (in operation), and some facilities for the treatment and storage of liquid and solid waste (in operation). The JRC accounts for 16 nuclear licences, 14 Controlled Zones and 12 main Surveilled Zones, on its Ispra Site. The Radiation Protection Sector employs the services of some internal laboratories for the assessment of external and internal doses: the ¿Dosimetry¿ Laboratory (for personal and ambient TLDs), the Whole Body Count Laboratory, the Radiotoxicological Laboratory (for analyses on excreta), the Radiation Protection Sector itself (for ambient dose and contamination reporting, and electronic personal dosimeters readings). Some of these Services are open also to the external market, and JRC-Ispra is among the few being able to provide, in Italy, either for internal and external dosimetric services to Customers. The paper will discuss the organization and the structure of the Dosimetry and the Whole Body Count Laboratories, and their functions in the management of daily Radiation Protection tasks at the JRC. Moreover, in order to follow-up and control Personnel radiation doses, the Radiation Protection Sector has developed and put in place, in 2007, the ¿Unified Dosimetry System¿, a wide and flexible database centralizing all dosimetric data and making them on-line available to JRC Radiation Protection experts and to the JRC Qualified Expert.JRC.C.1-Nuclear Decommissionin