Non-purified commercial multiwalled carbon nanotubes supported on electrospun polyacrylonitrile@polypyrrole nanofibers as photocatalysts for water decontamination

We present a photoactive composite material for water decontamination consisting of non-purified commercial multiwalled carbon nanotubes (CNT(NP)s) supported on an electrospun polymeric mat made of core–sheath polyacrylonitrile–polypyrrole nanofibers. This is the first system that specifically exploits the superior photocatalytic activity of CNT(NP)s compared with the purified carbon nanotubes usually employed. A CNT(NP) still contains the catalytic metal oxide nanoparticles (NPs) used for its synthesis, embedded in the nanotube structure. Under UV-visible irradiation, these NPs generate highly reactive ˙OH radicals capable of degrading the organic molecules adsorbed on the nanotube. Photocatalytic tests on the composite material show that CNT(NP)s act mostly as a source of photogenerated charge carriers. The adsorption of target substrates occurs preferentially onto the polypyrrole sheath, which shuttles the reactive carriers from CNT(NP)s to the substrates. In addition, UV-visible irradiation of semiconducting polypyrrole generates radical species that directly react with the adsorbed substrates. All synthetic procedures reported are scalable and sustainable. This mechanically resistant and flexible composite overcomes one of the weakest aspects of water treatments that employ suspended nanocatalysts, namely the expensive and poorly scalable recovery of the catalyst through nanofiltration. All these features are required for large-scale photocatalytic treatments of polluted water

A Novel Hybridized Automated Manual Transmission for High Performance Cars

Because of the introduction of progressively more restrictive regulations that aim to reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions, the automotive industry is focusing its efforts on environmentally friendly passenger cars. In particular, different electrification roadmaps are pursued by the individual car makers, and electrified drivetrain layouts are progressively introduced into the market. This process involves all vehicle segments, including high performance passenger cars. In this context, this study presents a novel hybridized automated manual transmission (HAMT) for cars with high power characteristics. The HAMT includes six gear ratios associated with the internal combustion engine, and two gear ratios associated with an electric motor. The energy efficiency of the HAMT is measured on a drivetrain test rig, and compared with that of an equivalent dual clutch transmission (DCT). Simulation results based on the experimentally measured efficiency maps show the significant energy consumption reduction of the HAMT in its internal combustion engine mode, with respect to the DCT

La responsabilità del produttore

Nel 1975 ho pubblicato la monografia intitolata Responsabilità dell'impresa e tutela del produttore. Dal 1975 ad oggi la materia è diventata centrale nell'ambito della responsabilità civile, quasi uno specchio delle trasformazioni della società e certo un asse portante nella evoluzione del diritto dell'Unione europea, un settore rilevante del diritto dei consumatori, un laboratorio per l'analisi economica del diritt

The protection of the human embryo in the new Gasparri proposed law

With the bill n. 165 Senator Gasparri returns to the art. 1 c.c. presenting a new proposal – new compared to those dating back to the 16th and 17th legislatures – entitled “Amendment to art. 1 of the civil code in the matter of recognition of the legal capacity of the conceived child”; precisely asking that the recognition of the legal capacity of the fetus already take place at the time of conception and not only after birth, as instead today enshrined in art. 1 of our civil code. A bill that gives the opportunity to reflect, once again, on the questions on the specific theme of the protection of the human embryo and therefore: What is the embryo? What rights should he be recognized? But above all since when should they be recognized