Ionic conductivity, viscosity, and self-diffusion coefficients of novel imidazole salts for lithium-ion battery electrolytes

Lithium-ion battery performance and longevity depend critically on the conducting salt utilized in the electrolyte. With new avenues for multifunctional integration and optimization of functional properties, conducting salts beyond lithium hexafluorophosphate (LiPF$_6$) need to be studied. Herein we elucidate on viscosity, ionicity, anion self-diffusion and ionic conductivity through variation of the length of the perfluoroalkyl side chain present in the anions of the used lithium imidazole salts. Specifically, we study LiPF$_6$ in comparison with lithium 4,5-dicyano-2-(trifluoromethyl)imidazolide (LiTDI), lithium 4,5-dicyano-2-(pentafluoroethyl)imidazolide (LiPDI), and lithium 4,5-dicyano-2-(n-heptafluoropropyl)imidazolide (LiHDI). We find that the ion mobility of LiPF$_6$ depends the least on viscosity and its ionicity is the highest among the electrolytes investigated here. LiTDI shows the strongest correlation between ion mobility and viscosity and the lowest ionicity. LiPDI and LiHDI range between these two regarding their ionicity and the correlation of mobility with viscosity. The previously rarely studied anion self-diffusion coefficients exhibit a strong correlation with viscosity as it was to be expected. Differences between the LiTDI, LiPDI and LiHDI salts are minute

Comparative Laser Spectroscopy Diagnostics for Ancient Metallic Artefacts Exposed to Environmental Pollution

Metal artworks are subjected to corrosion and oxidation processes due to reactive agents present in the air, water and in the ground that these objects have been in contact with for hundreds of years. This is the case for archaeological metals that are recovered from excavation sites, as well as artefacts exposed to polluted air. Stabilization of the conservation state of these objects needs precise diagnostics of the accrued surface layers and identification of original, historical materials before further protective treatments, including safe laser cleaning of unwanted layers. This paper presents analyses of the chemical composition and stratigraphy of corrosion products with the use of laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) and Raman spectroscopy. The discussion of the results is supported by material studies (SEM-EDS, XRF, ion-analyses). The tests were performed on several samples taken from original objects, including copper roofing from Wilanów Palace in Warsaw and Karol Poznański Palace in ŁódŸ, bronze decorative figures from the Wilanów Palace gardens, and four archaeological examples of old jewellery (different copper alloys). Work has been performed as a part of the MATLAS project in the frames of EEA and Norway Grants (www.matlas.eu) and the results enable the comparison of the methodology and to elaborate the joint diagnostic procedures of the three project partner independent laboratories

Properties and Applications of Essential Oils: A Review

Essential oils are complex mixtures of volatile compounds obtained from plants where they play aromatic, communicative and defensive roles. They have been used for centuries in medicine, agriculture and industry due to their broad spectrum of biological activity. They exhibit antimicrobial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and smooth muscle relaxant properties. Due to their lipophilicity and small molecular size, essential oil components easily penetrate biological membranes and exert therapeutic effects. Currently, research is underway on the use of essential oils for the treatment of viral infections, cancer prevention and inflammatory diseases. These agents may provide a valuable alternative to conventional therapies due to their natural origin and high tolerability. However, ensuring the appropriate quality and standardization of preparations is crucial to guarantee their efficacy and safe use. This paper provides an overview of the properties of essential oils, the methods used to obtain them, their composition, and their medical and therapeutic applications

Shear Strength of Soil-Root Layer Formed on Degraded Soil Supplemented with New Zeolite Substrate

The aim of the study was to determine the shear strength of the soil-root layer obtained as a result of growth of cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerata L.) on degraded soil enriched with the addition of a new zeolite substrate Z-ion. Measurement of shear strength for soil-root layers formed as a result of growth of a grass species (on degraded soil alone and on degraded soil with added Z-ion) was performed in a direct shear apparatus. The measurement results allowed determining parameters of equations describing the dependence of shear strength of studied soil-root layers on normal stress e.g. cohesion and internal friction coefficient. Under the experimental conditions, application of 1% v/v substrate addition to degraded soil induced development of cocksfoot root system which resulted in the significantly increased cohesion of soil-root layer (by 30%) as compared to that formed on degraded soil alone. The enhanced cohesion of the soil-root layer formed on soil enriched with Z-ion resulted in its significantly increased shear strength as compared to that of soil-root layer obtained on soil alone. Further research using higher doses of the Z-ion substrate (greater than 1% v/v) is needed to obtain the information at what dose ranges of the substrate one can expect even more intensive development of plant root systems and, consequently, further significant improvement in the shear strength of the soil-root layers

Shear Strength of Soil-Root Layer Formed on Degraded Soil Supplemented with New Zeolite Substrate

The aim of the study was to determine the shear strength of the soil-root layer obtained as a result of growth of cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerata L.) on degraded soil enriched with the addition of a new zeolite substrate Z-ion. Measurement of shear strength for soil-root layers formed as a result of growth of a grass species (on degraded soil alone and on degraded soil with added Z-ion) was performed in a direct shear apparatus. The measurement results allowed determining parameters of equations describing the dependence of shear strength of studied root-soil layers on normal stress e.g. cohesion and internal friction coefficient. Under the experimental conditions, application of 1% v/v substrate addition to degraded soil induced development of cocksfoot root system which resulted in the significantly increased cohesion of soil-root layer (by 30%) as compared to that formed on degraded soil alone. The enhanced cohesion of the root-soil layer formed on soil enriched with Z-ion resulted in its significantly increased shear strength as compared to that of root-soil layer obtained on soil alone. Further research using higher doses of the Z-ion substrate (greater than 1% v/v) is needed to obtain the information at what dose ranges of the substrate one can expect even more intensive development of plant root systems and, consequently, further significant improvement in the shear strength of the soil-root layers

Innovative Technologies for the Use of Drilling Waste in Reclamation and Shaping the Physicochemical Properties of Degraded Soils

This paper presents an evaluation of the use of drilling tailings in reclamation and development of physical and chemical properties of degraded soils. Composites with drilling wastes and other wastes, useful for the reclamation of degraded soils and their reconstruction in devastated areas, were used in the tests. Comparative objects were anthropogenic soil fertilized with NPK and manure at a dose of 30 Mg/ha + NPK. The research shows that the tested anthropogenic soil was characterized by very poor sorption properties, and especially the composites with the participation of the tested waste improved the described properties. The composite with sewage sludge from ZA Puławy had a more favorable (by approx. 20%) effect on the sorption capacity of the reclaimed anthropogenic soil than the composite with municipal sewage sludge from Lublin. The effect of the tested composites on reducing the hydrolytic acidity of the reclaimed soil was similar, but much more favorable than that of manure. The results of the conducted research confirmed that drilling wastes have environmentally valuable properties, but due to their unbalance, they should not be used alone, but in composites with properly selected other wastes, such as manure or sewage sludge

Ethiopian Manuscript Maywäyni 041 with Added Miniature: Codicological and Technological Analysis

Ethiopian Manuscript Maywäyni 041 with Added Miniature : Codicological and Technological Analysis The paper concerns the 18th century manuscript of the Miracles of Mary, belonging to the collection of the monastery Maywayni (Tigray), digitised in 2011 within the frame of the Endangered Archives Programme (EAP 526), supported by Arcadia Foundation. This 18th century manuscript is decorated with a drawing, contemporary with the text, and with an additional, 15th century miniature (both depicting Mary with Child). The manuscript was analysed from the codicological point of view and special attention was paid the binding and its repairs reviling the practices of local binding tradition. Finally, the pigments of the miniature were identified using the non-destructive methods of μ-Raman and (FTIR)-spectroscopy.Cet article est dédié à l'analyse d'un manuscrit de la collection monastique de Maywäyni (Tigray), numérisé dans le cadre du programme Endangered Archives en 2011 (EAP 526). Ce manuscrit datant du XVIII e siècle est orné de deux représentations de la Vierge à l'Enfant : un dessin contemporain de sa fabrication, ainsi qu''une miniature du XV e siècle. Une analyse codicologique de ce manuscrit est réalisée, avec une attention toute particulière sur les techniques de reliure et les restaurations qui y ont été apportées. Les pigments et colorants de la miniature ont été analysées au moyen des techniques physico-chimiques de μ-Raman et (FTIR)-spectroscopie.Tomaszewski Jacek, Balicka-witakowska Ewa, Zofa Żukowska Grażyna. Ethiopian Manuscript Maywäyni 041 with Added Miniature: Codicological and Technological Analysis. In: Annales d'Ethiopie. Volume 29, année 2014. pp. 97-117

Heat Energy and Gas Emissions during Composting of Sewage Sludge

The composting of sewage sludge and maize straw mixtures was investigated in this study. The aim was to analyze the influence of different proportions of sewage sludge and maize straw in the mixtures on composting process dynamics (expressed by heat production) and gas emissions. The results showed that all examined mixtures reached a strong thermophilic phase of composting; however, the lowest dynamic of temperature growth was observed in the case of the biggest sewage sludge content (60% of sewage sludge in the composting mixture). The ammonia concentration inside bioreactor chambers was directly related to the content of sewage sludge in the composted mixture. Excessive contents of sewage sludge had a considerable effect on very low C/N ratios and high losses through ammonia emissions. Tests were carried out in reactors with a capacity of 160 dm3 under controlled conditions. All mixtures were aerated by the average air-flow of about 2.5 dm3∙min−1, i.e., the minimum air-flow that allows a temperature of about 70 °C to be reached and a sufficiently long thermophilic phase, which ensures proper composting

Enzymatic Activity of Soils Forming on an Afforested Heap from an Opencast Sulphur Mine

Post-mining areas require reclamation. The main aim of reclamation is to restore the soil as a basic element of the terrestrial ecosystem. This paper presents the results of an evaluation of the enzymatic activity of soils formed on an afforested heap from an opencast sulphur mine. Six research sites were selected on the overburden heap of the Piaseczno sulphur mine, afforested 50 years ago. They differed in the type of soil in the subsoil and in the species composition of the stand. The activity of dehydrogenases, phosphatases, urease, total organic carbon, and total nitrogen was determined and statistical analysis of the obtained results showed that the activity of the evaluated enzymes in the soils formed in the reclaimed areas was significantly dependent on the type of substrate and the species composition of the plants. The activity of the evaluated enzymes was significantly positively correlated with the content of total nitrogen and the C/N ratio, and the activity of phosphatases and urease with the total organic carbon content. Within soils developed on the same texture, the influence of stand species was revealed. In soils formed on clay, the soils under the beech stand and under the birch stand were characterized by higher activity of enzymes. The soil developing under the stands of European larch and red oak was characterized by higher enzymatic activity on weakly clayey sands. On loose sands, the activity of dehydrogenases and urease was significantly higher under acacia robinia than under hornbeam