Particle suspension reactors and materials for solar-driven water splitting

Reactors based on particle suspensions for the capture, conversion, storage, and use of solar energy as H_2 are projected to be cost-competitive with fossil fuels. In light of this, this review paper summarizes state-of-the-art particle light absorbers and cocatalysts as suspensions (photocatalysts) that demonstrate visible-light-driven water splitting on the laboratory scale. Also presented are reactor descriptions, theoretical considerations particular to particle suspension reactors, and efficiency and performance characterization metrics. Opportunities for targeted research, analysis, and development of reactor designs are highlighted

Ions Dynamics and Diffusion in Self-Healing Chemical Gel Electrolytes for Li-ion Batteries

A successful strategy for improving the safety issues of new-generation lithium-ion batteries is to replace liquid electrolytes with solid or quasi-solid membranes, a procedure that ensures adequate ionic conductions and are mechanical strengths

How the morphology of nafion-based membranes affects proton transport

This work represents a systematic and in-depth study of how Nafion 1100 membrane preparation procedures affect both the morphology of the polymeric film and the proton transport properties of the electrolyte. The membrane preparation procedure has non-negligible conse-quences on the performance of the proton-exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC) that operate within a wide temperature range (up to 120 °C). A comparison between commercial membranes (Nafion 117 and Nafion 212) and Nafion membranes prepared by three different procedures, namely (a) Nafion-recast, (b) Nafion uncrystallized, and (c) Nafion 117-oriented, was conducted. Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) and Pulsed-field gradient nuclear magnetic reso-nance (PFG-NMR) investigations indicated that an anisotropic morphology could be achieved when a Nafion 117 membrane was forced to expand between two fixed and nondeformable surfaces. This anisotropy increased from ~20% in the commercial membrane up to 106% in the pressed membrane, where the ionic clusters were averagely oriented (Nafion 117-oriented) parallel to the surface, lead-ing to a strong directionality in proton transport. Among the membranes obtained by solution-cast, which generally exhibited isotropic proton transport behavior, the Nafion uncrystallized membrane showed the lowest water diffusion coefficients and conductivities, highlighting the correlation between low crystallinity and a more branched and tortuous structure of hydrophilic channels. Fi-nally, the dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) tests demonstrated the poor elastic modulus for both uncrystallized and oriented membranes, which should be avoided in high-temperature fuel cells

Local anesthesic activity of three derivates of benzhydrylamine

Se estudió la actividad anestésica local y el grado de irritación tisular de los clorhidratos de N-metilbencidrilamina (AB10), N,N-dimetilbencidrilamina (AB4) y N,N-dietilbencidrilamina (AB4), junto a procaína y lidocaína. Ensayado en las técnicas de bloqueo del nervio ciático y habón intradérmico de cobayo, AB10 mostró rápida inducción, buena frecuencia y duración intermedia de anestesia. Los derivados AB4, y AR7, no produjeron bloqueo del nervio ciático. El ensayo de irritación indicó que AB10 es menos irritante que AB4 y éste menos que AR7. Estos resultados indican que por la introducción de un grupo metilo en el nitrógeno de la bencidrilamna se obtiene una mejor acción anestésica local que por la introducción de dos grupos metilos o etilos.The local anesthesic activity and the degree of tissue irritation of the N-methylb enzhydrylamine (AB10), N,N-dimethylbenzhydrylamine (AB10) and N,N-diethylbenzhydrylamine (AB7) hydrochlorides have been studied together with procaine and lidocaine. When they were tested on blockaded sciatic nerve and guinea pig introdermal wheal, AB10 showed quick introduction, goog frequency and intertmediate duration of anesthesia. AB14 and AB7 did not blockade the sciatic nerve. The irritation test showed that AB10 is less irritant than AB4 and this one less than AB7. The introduction of a methyl group into the benzhydrylamine nitrogen produce a better local anesthesic action thian the introduction of either two methyl or two ethyl groupsColegio de Farmacéuticos de la Provincia de Buenos Aire

Local anesthesic activity of three derivates of benzhydrylamine

Se estudió la actividad anestésica local y el grado de irritación tisular de los clorhidratos de N-metilbencidrilamina (AB10), N,N-dimetilbencidrilamina (AB4) y N,N-dietilbencidrilamina (AB4), junto a procaína y lidocaína. Ensayado en las técnicas de bloqueo del nervio ciático y habón intradérmico de cobayo, AB10 mostró rápida inducción, buena frecuencia y duración intermedia de anestesia. Los derivados AB4, y AR7, no produjeron bloqueo del nervio ciático. El ensayo de irritación indicó que AB10 es menos irritante que AB4 y éste menos que AR7. Estos resultados indican que por la introducción de un grupo metilo en el nitrógeno de la bencidrilamna se obtiene una mejor acción anestésica local que por la introducción de dos grupos metilos o etilos.The local anesthesic activity and the degree of tissue irritation of the N-methylb enzhydrylamine (AB10), N,N-dimethylbenzhydrylamine (AB10) and N,N-diethylbenzhydrylamine (AB7) hydrochlorides have been studied together with procaine and lidocaine. When they were tested on blockaded sciatic nerve and guinea pig introdermal wheal, AB10 showed quick introduction, goog frequency and intertmediate duration of anesthesia. AB14 and AB7 did not blockade the sciatic nerve. The irritation test showed that AB10 is less irritant than AB4 and this one less than AB7. The introduction of a methyl group into the benzhydrylamine nitrogen produce a better local anesthesic action thian the introduction of either two methyl or two ethyl groupsColegio de Farmacéuticos de la Provincia de Buenos Aire

Graphene Doped Carbon-Gels and MnO<inf>2</inf> for Next Generation of Solid-State Asymmetric Supercapacitors

Supercapacitors are playing a very relevant role in many applications due to their capability to supply high power density and long durability. However, there is a growing demand to increase their energy density, in gravimetric and volumetric basis. There are different strategies to increase supercapacitor performance by improving the active materials used in the electrodes, the type of electrolyte used or even the configuration employed in the cell. In this work, a combination of these strategies is presented with the use of different active materials, electrolytes, and symmetric vs. asymmetric configuration. The supercapacitor with asymmetric configuration using the graphene-doped carbon xerogel in the negative electrode and the manganese oxide in the positive electrode, along with the use of Na+-form Aquivion electrolyte membrane as solid electrolyte, seems to be a promising combination to obtain a substantial enhancement of both gravimetric and volumetric capacitance. Furthermore, the device presents great stability in a wide operational voltage window from 0 to 1.8 V and with a neutral pH polymer electrolyte which contributes to improve the performance, safety, and long cycle life of the device.This research was possible thanks to the grants PID2020-113001RB-I00 and PCI2020-112039 funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and by the European Union NextGeneration EU/PRTR. Authors also acknowledge the financial support from EU Network M-ERA.NET through INNENERMAT project, and the financial support of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Bulgaria under the National Program “European Scientific Networks” (Agreement D01-286/07. 10. 2020). NRR and SLFL also thank to MSCA and Principado de Asturias “Severo Ochoa” program, respectively.Peer reviewe