Effect of oxide nanoparticles on thermal and mechanical properties of electrospun separators for lithium-ion batteries

This study reports the fabrication and characterization of poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) and poly(vinylidenefluoride-co-chlorotrifluoroethylene) (PVDF-CTFE) nanofibrous separators for lithium-ion batteries loaded with different amounts of fumed-silica and tin oxide nanoparticles. Membrane morphological characterization (SEM, TEM) showed the presence of good-quality nanofibres containing nanoparticles. Thermal degradation and membrane mechanical properties were also investigated, and a remarkable effect of nanoparticle addition on membrane mechanical properties was found. In particular, PEO membranes were strengthened by the addition of metal oxide, whereas PVDF-CTFE membranes acquired ductility

Climate Change Impact on Corrosion of Reinforced Concrete Bridges and Their Seismic Performance

As a consequence of climate change impact, a significant variation in terms of temperature, atmospheric humidity, and carbon dioxide concentration levels is happening. This condition leads to several negative effects on the safety and the life cycle of existing concrete structures, such as the increase in the rate of material degradation, due to corrosion phenomena. In fact, the presence of carbonation and corrosion phenomena significantly influence the load-bearing capacity of existing reinforced concrete (RC) structures, under both static and dynamic loads. Among the wide range of existing RC constructions, bridges stand out for their importance. Furthermore, as structures directly exposed to the weather effects, they are more susceptible to these phenomena. In this paper, the influence of corrosion on existing RC motorway viaducts’ seismic behavior, considering the impact of climate change, is investigated, by means of an efficient procedure based on the implementation of 3D simplified finite element models and the use of analytical relations to obtain the amount of reduction in the steel reinforcement area as a function of the age of the bridge and of the different corrosion scenarios analyzed. Several scenarios for the expected variations in CO2 concentrations, temperature, and relative humidity are evaluated, considering that most of the viaducts present in the Italian motorway network were built between the 1960s and the 1970s. The results obtained using the projection of climate change impacts are compared with those calculated considering the corrosion scenarios resulting from the DuraCrete research project, to understand if the evolution of climate change leads to worse scenarios than those previously assessed

Il Nobel 2019 premia lo sviluppo delle batterie agli ioni Litio

Il premio Nobel per la Chimica 2019 è stato assegnato a John B. Goodenough, M. Stanley Whittingham e Akira Yoshino per il loro contributo allo sviluppo della batteria agli ioni di litio. Questa batteria ricaricabile innovativa ha gettato le basi dell’elettronica “wireless”, di cui domina da anni il mercato, e sta rendendo possibile l’introduzione in larga scala dell’autotrazione elettrificata e lo stoccaggio efficiente di energia da fonti rinnovabili, verso un mondo privo di combustibili fossili. Nel presente articolo vengono ripercorse le tappe principali dello sviluppo delle batterie litio-ione e il background scientifico, dando luce alle motivazioni che hanno portato all’assegnazione del Premio Nobel per la Chimica a tre eminenti scienziati, così come divulgato dalla stessa Accademia Reale Svedese delle Scienze. Gli autori sottolineano, inoltre, il ruolo di primo piano che l’Italia ha avuto in questo settore, dedicando un paragrafo al contributo del Prof. Bruno Scrosati.The 2019 Nobel Prize Honors the Development of Lithium Ion Batteries The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2019 was awarded to John B. Goodenough, M. Stanley Whittingham and Akira Yoshino for their contributions to the development of the lithium-ion battery. This rechargeable battery laid the foundation of wireless electronics such as mobile phones and laptops. It also makes a fossil fuel-free world possible, as it is used for everything from powering electric cars to storing energy from renewable sources. In this paper, the scientific background and main steps towards the development of the lithium-ion battery are reported. The motivations for the Nobel Prize assignment to three distinguished researchers are highlighted, as explained by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. Also, the authors underline the fundamental role of Italy in the international scenario, through the pioneering contribution of Prof. Bruno Scrosati

Novel MIPs-Parabens based SPE Stationary Phases Characterization and Application

In this work, the synthesis, characterization, and application of novel parabens imprinted polymers as highly selective solid-phase extraction (SPE) sorbents have been reported. The imprinted polymers were created using sol–gel molecular imprinting process. All the seven parabens were considered herein in order to check the phase selectivity. By means of a validated HPLC-photodiode array detector (PDA) method all seven parabens were resolved in a single chromatographic run of 25 min. These SPE sorbents, in-house packed in SPE empty cartridges, were first characterized in terms of extraction capability, breakthrough volume, retention volume, hold-up volume, number of theoretical plates, and retention factor. Finally, the device was applied to a real urine sample to check the method feasibility on a very complex matrix. The new paraben imprinted SPE sorbents, not yet present in the literature, potentially encourage the development of novel molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) to enhance the extraction efficiency, and consequently the overall analytical performances, when the trace quantification is required

Novel MIPs-parabens based SPE stationary phases characterization and application

In this work, the synthesis, characterization, and application of novel parabens imprinted polymers as highly selective solid-phase extraction (SPE) sorbents have been reported. The imprinted polymers were created using sol–gel molecular imprinting process. All the seven parabens were considered herein in order to check the phase selectivity. By means of a validated HPLC-photodiode array detector (PDA) method all seven parabens were resolved in a single chromatographic run of 25 min. These SPE sorbents, in-house packed in SPE empty cartridges, were first characterized in terms of extraction capability, breakthrough volume, retention volume, hold-up volume, number of theoretical plates, and retention factor. Finally, the device was applied to a real urine sample to check the method feasibility on a very complex matrix. The new paraben imprinted SPE sorbents, not yet present in the literature, potentially encourage the development of novel molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) to enhance the extraction efficiency, and consequently the overall analytical performances, when the trace quantification is required

Pelvic trauma : WSES classification and guidelines

Complex pelvic injuries are among the most dangerous and deadly trauma related lesions. Different classification systems exist, some are based on the mechanism of injury, some on anatomic patterns and some are focusing on the resulting instability requiring operative fixation. The optimal treatment strategy, however, should keep into consideration the hemodynamic status, the anatomic impairment of pelvic ring function and the associated injuries. The management of pelvic trauma patients aims definitively to restore the homeostasis and the normal physiopathology associated to the mechanical stability of the pelvic ring. Thus the management of pelvic trauma must be multidisciplinary and should be ultimately based on the physiology of the patient and the anatomy of the injury. This paper presents the World Society of Emergency Surgery (WSES) classification of pelvic trauma and the management Guidelines.Peer reviewe