Characterization of a Spent Ru/C Catalyst after Gasification of Biomass in Supercritical Water

Carbon-supported ruthenium catalysts promote the gasification of aqueous organic feed with high efficiency to synthetic natural gas in supercritical water. Ruthenium metal was recently identified as the catalytically active species. [1] Occasionally deactivation is observed. To understand the deactivation, the fresh and several spent catalyst samples were investigated by RBS, ERDA, and XPS. The data revealed a massive reduction of the ruthenium concentration in toto and especially of the surface concentration. Of importance is the almost complete disappearance of the spectral features in the valance band region. Coverage of the ruthenium clusters e.g. with a thin 'carbonaceous' layer, i.e. a kind of fouling, or structural modifications of the ruthenium clusters might be the origin. Additionally, leaching of ruthenium might contribute, but is not considered a major effect, because ruthenium was never found in the liquid effluent of the reactor. The influence of additionally detected corrosion products (Ni, Cr, Fe, Ti) from the stainless steel and the titanium alloy walls seems to be small. No evidence for a deactivation by sulphur could be found

Microstructure and electrical conductivity of YSZ thin films prepared by pulsed laser deposition

Yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) is the most common solid electrolyte material used e.g. in ceramic fuel cells. Thin films of YSZ were deposited on c-cut sapphire single crystals by pulsed laser deposition using a KrF excimer laser focused on a polycrystalline 8 mol% Y2O3-stabilized ZrO2 target. Depending on the substrate temperature and the oxygen background pressure during deposition, different microstructures are obtained. XRD and high-resolution SEM revealed the formation of dense amorphous films at room temperature. At 600°C preferentially (111) oriented polycrystalline films consisting of densely agglomerated nm-sized grains of the cubic phase resulted. Grain size and surface roughness could be controlled by varying the oxygen background pressure. RBS and PIXE evidenced congruent transfer only for a low number of pulses, indicating a dynamical change of the target stoichiometry during laser irradiation. The in-plane ionic conductivity of the as-deposited crystalline films was comparable to bulk YSZ. The conductivity of initially amorphous YSZ passes a maximum during the crystallization process. However, the relative changes remain small, i.e. no significant enhancement of ionic conductivity related to the formation of a nanocrystalline microstructure is foun

Attempts to develop a simple, objective test for oestrus in sows

To evaluate the accuracy of various techniques for determining the sexual state of sows, four multiparous Landrace sows were housed in stalls 2-5 weeks after weaning. Catheters were inserted under anaesthetic into a prominent ear vein on each sow. Four days later blood and urine sampling commenced, along with other measurements to assess the oestrous state of the animals. Oestrus was detected in all four sows and so were corresponding oestradiol·17β peaks (22-49 pg/ml) in serum of the three sows from which blood was successfully sampled during the complete 25·day collection period. Serum progesterone concentrations were highest between days — 5 and — 12 (day 0 = 1st day of standing heat) (peak values of 33·1-58·2 ng/ml), with values of 3·55 ng/ml or less on day 0. Urinary oestrogen was less well correlated with oestrous state than were serum hormone concentrations, but progesterone derivatives in urine corresponded well to serum progesterone with peaks between days —5 and —9. Vulval redness, vulval size, social interest and the occurrence of flehmen were markedly greater during the oestrous period than at other times in the cycle. Body temperature, vaginal pH, the presence of vaginal mucus and behavioural manifestations of oestrus (with the exception of back pressure test) were less well correlated with sexual state. A combination of vulval colour and size, back pressure test, a more detailed study of behaviour and possibly with urinary progesterone derivatives, should give the best indication of the incidence of oestrus in sow

Cr:LiSrAlF6 channel waveguides as broadband fluorescence sources

We report on the production and fluorescence of active channel waveguides in Cr:LiSrAlF6. We have produced ∼10μm wide and 5μm high channel waveguides by He+ ion implantation, lithographic patterning and subsequent Ar+ ion sputtering. Diode-pumped waveguides emitted 13μW of fluorescence light with a spectrum ranging from 760nm to 900nm at a pump power of 165mW and a pump wavelength of 660nm. The compact and cheap optical pump source is a main advantage of this fluorescence material. This makes Cr:LiSrAlF6 channel waveguides a suitable candidate for a broadband fluorescence source in low-coherence interferometry and other applications in the near-infrared wavelength rang

The influence of lithium excess in the target on the properties andcompositions of Li1+ x Mn2O4− δ thin films prepared by PLD

Li-Mn-O thin films were deposited by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) onto stainless steel substrates using targets containing different concentrations of added Li2O. The influence of the target composition on the stoichiometry of the resulting thin films, the surface morphology and the electrochemical properties was studied. The application of the target with added 7.5 mol% Li2O results in an almost ideal lithium content, while all films were still oxygen deficient. The thin films were applied as electrodes in Li//Li1+x Mn2O4−δ cells (i.e. model cells for a rechargeable Li-ion battery) and characterized by cyclic voltammetry and galvanostatic charge/discharge experiments. The electrochemical measurements of the thin films confirmed that the thin films can serve as good model systems and that they show a sufficient cyclabilit

Effects of EDTA-Induced Hypocalcaemia and Stress on Plasma TNF-α, IL-1-ra, G-CSF, GM-CSF and S-100 in Dairy Cows

The pathophysiology of postparturient paresis is still not completely understood. Knowledge recently acquired in immunology, endocrinology and cell physiology has still to be integrated in order to elucidate the aetiopathogenesis of the disease. For that purpose, the effect of the EDTA infusion model on the plasma concentrations of selected cytokines and growth factors, and of a calcium binding protein was examined in dairy cows. Six 6- to 11-year-old Brown Swiss cows in mid lactation were infused with a 5% solution of Na2EDTA in one jugular vein over a period of 5 h. Blood samples were collected from the contralateral side daily two days before, and then hourly for five hours during the infusion, hourly for five hours after the end of the infusion, and once daily for 10 days thereafter. The plasma concentrations of cortisol, tumour necrosis factor-α, interleukin-1 receptor antagonist, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, granulocyte and macrophage colony-stimulating factor, and the calcium binding protein S-100 were determined. Before the EDTA infusion, during the infusion and for two days thereafter, the mean plasma concentrations of cortisol were significantly higher than those from days 4 to 10 after the infusion. The plasma concentrations of tumour necrosis factor-α and interleukin-1 receptor antagonist followed a similar profile. At the end of EDTA infusion, low concentrations of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor were detected in one cow only. On days 3 and 4, the mean plasma concentrations of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor were significantly higher than the pre-infusion values, but this was followed by a significant decrease on post-infusion day 5. From day 4 to 7, the plasma concentrations of S-100 were significantly lower than the pre-infusion values. The importance of these findings in the pathophysiology of postparturient paresis remains to be establishe

Scavenging of oxygen vacancies at modulation-doped oxide interfaces: Evidence from oxygen isotope tracing

The introduction of manganite buffer layers, La7/8Sr1/8MnO3 (LSMO) in particular, at the metallic interface between SrTiO3 (STO) and another band insulator suppresses the carrier density of the interfacial two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) and improves significantly the electron mobility. However, the mechanisms underlying the extreme mobility enhancement remain elusive. Herein, we used 18O isotope exchanged SrTi18O3 as substrates to create 2DEG at room temperature with and without the LSMO buffer layer. By mapping the oxygen profile across the interface between STO18 and disordered LaAlO3 or yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ), we provide unambiguous evidence that redox reactions occur at oxide interfaces even grown at room temperature. Moreover, the manganite buffer layer not only suppresses the carrier density but also strongly suppresses the oxygen exchange dynamics of the STO substrate, which likely prevents the reduction of STO during the formation of the 2DEG. The underlying mechanism on the enhanced electron mobility at buffered oxide interfaces is also discussed.Comment: to be apprear in PRMater, 201

Do topology and ferromagnetism cooperate at the EuS/Bi2_2Se3_3 interface?

We probe the local magnetic properties of interfaces between the insulating ferromagnet EuS and the topological insulator Bi$_2$Se$_3$ using low energy muon spin rotation (LE-$\mu$SR). We compare these to the interface between EuS and the topologically trivial metal, titanium. Below the magnetic transition of EuS, we detect strong local magnetic fields which extend several nm into the adjacent layer and cause a complete depolarization of the muons. However, in both Bi$_2$Se$_3$ and titanium we measure similar local magnetic fields, implying that their origin is mostly independent of the topological properties of the interface electronic states. In addition, we use resonant soft X-ray angle resolved photoemission spectroscopy (SX-ARPES) to probe the electronic band structure at the interface between EuS and Bi$_2$Se$_3$. By tuning the photon energy to the Eu anti-resonance at the Eu $M_5$ pre-edge we are able to detect the Bi$_2$Se$_3$ conduction band, through a protective Al$_2$O$_3$ capping layer and the EuS layer. Moreover, we observe a signature of an interface-induced modification of the buried Bi$_2$Se$_3$ wave functions and/or the presence of interface states

Pulsed laser deposition of atomically flat La1-xSrxMnO3 thin films using a novel target geometry

A new ablation target geometry is presented that was used to produce thin films of La1-xSrxMnO3 grown heteroepitaxially on SrTiO3 by pulsed reactive crossed-beam laser ablation. The films were grown in order to perform angle-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy, which demands that the surface be atomically flat. In situ and ex situ analysis shows that this condition was met, even after depositing to a thickness of over 100n