Connecting wastes to resources for clean technologies in the chlor-alkali industry: a life cycle approach

Our current economic model is experiencing increasing demand and increasing pressure on resource utilisation, as valuable materials are lost as waste. Moving towards a circular economy and supporting efficient resource utilisation is essential for protecting the environment. The chlor-alkali industry is one of the largest consumers of salt, and efforts have been made to reduce its electricity use. Furthermore, KCl mining wastes have received increasing attention because they can be transformed into value-added resources. This work studies the influence of using different salt sources on the environmental sustainability of the chlor-alkali industry to identify further improvement opportunities. Rock salt, solar salt, KCl waste salt, vacuum salt and solution-mined salt were studied. Membrane cells in both bipolar and monopolar configurations were studied and compared to the emergent oxygen-depolarised cathode (ODC) technology. Life cycle assessment was applied to estimate the cradle-to-gate environmental impacts. The natural resource (NR) requirements and the environmental burdens (EBs) to the air and water environments were assessed. The total NR and EB requirements were reduced by 20% when vacuum salt was replaced with KCl. Moreover, the environmental impacts estimated for the monopolar membrane using KCl were comparable to those generated for the bipolar membrane using VS. The difference between the monopolar and bipolar scenarios (17%) was slightly higher than that between the bipolar and ODC technologies (12%). This work demonstrates the importance of studying every life cycle stage in a chemical process and the environmental benefit of applying a circular economy, even in energy intensive industries such as the chlor-alkali industry.This work was funded by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (MINECO), Project CTM2013-43539-R. The authors are grateful for this funding

Frequency-dependent signal transfer at the interface between electrogenic cells and nanocavity electrodes

We present a model to describe the response of chip-based nanocavity sensors during extracellular recording of action potentials. These sensors feature microelectrodes which are embedded in liquid-filled cavities. They can be used for the highly localized detection of electrical signals on a chip. We calculate the sensor's impedance and simulate the propagation of action potentials. Subsequently we apply our findings to analyze cell-chip coupling properties. The results are compared to experimental data obtained from cardiomyocyte-like cells. We show that both the impedance and the modeled action potentials fit the experimental data well. Furthermore, we find evidence for a large seal resistance of cardiomyocytes on nanocavity sensors compared to conventional planar recording systems

Nanocavity electrode array for recording from electrogenic cells

We present a new nanocavity device for highly localized on-chip recordings of action potentials from individual cells in a network. Microelectrode recordings have become the method of choice for recording extracellular action potentials from high density cultures or slices. Nevertheless, interfacing individual cells of a network with high resolution still remains challenging due to an insufficient coupling of the signal to small electrodes, exhibiting diameters below 10 µm. We show that this problem can be overcome by a new type of sensor that features an electrode, which is accessed via a small aperture and a nanosized cavity. Thus, the properties of large electrodes are combined with a high local resolution and a good seal resistance at the interface. Fabrication of the device can be performed with state-of-the-art clean room technology and sacrificial layer etching allowing integration of the devices into sensor arrays. We demonstrate the capability of such an array by recording the propagation of action potentials in a network of cardiomyocyte-like cells

Testing and validating electroanalytical simulations.

Digital simulations are a commonly used tool in electrochemical and electroanalytical research. However, even though the employed computational methods often feature significant complexity, testing routines are rarely specified or discussed in literature. In this work, we address this topic and describe approaches towards testing electrochemical simulation software. While focussing on simple systems featuring Nernstian reactions in 1 : 1 stoichiometries, we guide through rigorous testing processes of one- and two dimensional simulations with regard to applications in cyclic voltammetry. To this end, we compile expressions for the calculation of key values as references, discuss the conduction of convergence studies, and suggest approaches to automated software testing

Testing and validating electroanalytical simulations.

Digital simulations are a commonly used tool in electrochemical and electroanalytical research. However, even though the employed computational methods often feature significant complexity, testing routines are rarely specified or discussed in literature. In this work, we address this topic and describe approaches towards testing electrochemical simulation software. While focussing on simple systems featuring Nernstian reactions in 1 : 1 stoichiometries, we guide through rigorous testing processes of one- and two dimensional simulations with regard to applications in cyclic voltammetry. To this end, we compile expressions for the calculation of key values as references, discuss the conduction of convergence studies, and suggest approaches to automated software testing

On-chip redox cycling techniques for electrochemical detection

During the last two decades, redox cycling techniques have evolved as a promising technique for the electrochemical detection of molecules that can undergo subsequent redox reactions. In particular, chip-based techniques received growing attention due to the option of parallel fabrication and easy integration into lab-on-a-chip devices. In here, we provide a review on current implementations of on-chip redox cycling sensors. Advantages and limitations of various approaches are discussed with regard to their fabrication process and performance

Nanoparticles in sensing applications: on what timescale do analyte species adsorb on the particle surface?

The recent decade saw much interest in sensors based on nanoparticles. Such sensors typically employ sensing mechanisms that utilise the adsorption of analyte species on the nanoparticle surfaces, while adsorption induces changes in the physical properties of the nanoparticles. In this work, we introduce an analytical model for the rate of adsorption of analyte species on the nanoparticle surface. Expressions for the fractional surface coverage and the number of adsorbed molecules as a function of time are derived assuming spherical nanoparticles. Moreover, we provide values for common experimental conditions and show that for small nanoparticles (r < 10 nm) a surface coverages of 30% can be reached in less than 1 s at adsorbent concentrations as low as 50 nM