Cu and Cu2In nanoparticles supported on amorphised zeolites for the selective reduction of biomass derived carboxylic acids to alcohols

Octanoic acid (OA) was used as reactant with medium chain length to model the aliphatic carboxylic acids which can be produced by catalytic, thermochemical or biological degradation of biomass. A flow through reactor was applied at 21 bar total pressure (in general at 20 bar hydrogen and 1 bar octanoic acid partial pressures) and 330-380 °C. Cu A-, X- and Y-zeolite based catalysts were pretreated in hydrogen flow at 450 °C. During reduction/dehydration A- and X-zeolite structures collapsed and aluminosilicate supported copper catalysts were formed, which contain copper nanoparticles in high dispersion. The catalyst samples were modified by In2O3 co-catalyst. Fatty acid conversion activity of amorphized zeolite supported Cu catalysts and the yield of selectively produced alcohol can be increased drastically by In2O3 addition. Appearance of metallic indium can effectively rein in the step by step catalytic reduction at alkanol formation previous to dehydration of alcohols to alkenes and ethers

Observations and predictions at CesrTA, and outlook for ILC

In this paper, we will describe some of the recent experimental measurements [1, 2, 3] performed at CESRTA [4], and the supporting simulations, which probe the interaction of the electron cloud with the stored beam. These experiments have been done over a wide range of beam energies, emittances, bunch currents, and fill patterns, to gather sufficient information to be able to fully characterize the beam-electron-cloud interaction and validate the simulation programs. The range of beam conditions is chosen to be as close as possible to those of the ILC damping ring, so that the validated simulation programs can be used to predict the performance of these rings with regard to electroncloud- related phenomena. Using the new simulation code Synrad3D to simulate the synchrotron radiation environment, a vacuum chamber design has been developed for the ILC damping ring which achieves the required level of photoelectron suppression. To determine the expected electron cloud density in the ring, EC buildup simulations have been done based on the simulated radiation environment and on the expected performance of the ILC damping ring chamber mitigation prescriptions. The expected density has been compared with analytical estimates of the instability threshold, to verify that the ILC damping ring vacuum chamber design is adequate to suppress the electron cloud single-bunch head-tail instability.Comment: 11 pages, contribution to the Joint INFN-CERN-EuCARD-AccNet Workshop on Electron-Cloud Effects: ECLOUD'12; 5-9 Jun 2012, La Biodola, Isola d'Elba, Ital

Why World Art is Urgent Now: Rethinking the Introductory Survey in a Seminar Format

Ultimately, what can and should an introductory course in the history of art do? What difference can it make and what work can it perform? To fully contemplate these questions and radically rethink the standard large-lecture survey, in an experiment, it was taught as an advanced seminar to both majors and general education non-majors, with “global understanding” privileged over extensive content knowledge. The classroom environment moved from the authoritative stance imposed by a lecture format to a space for speaking and listening that was collaborative and exploratory, nurturing curiosity and critical thinking not just about disciplinary knowledge and methods, but also alterity itself. This essay considers both the theoretical impetus for this project (planetary thinking) and details the practical ways in which class activities and assignments were designed to achieve learning objectives. Focusing on the conceptual scaffold for the course – careful and mindful thinking about the art encounter, the meaning of conversation, and the value of not knowing – I will argue that in an age of deep and entrenched misunderstanding, stark polarization, and escalating tension and conflict, the world art course can and must compel students to think about being human