Detection of genetic variability using random amplified polymorphic DNA markers in some accessions of moringa oleifera Lam. from northern Nigeria

To investigate genetic variability in Moringa oleifera Lam., 75 accessions from the Sudan and Guinea savanna zones in Nigeria were taxonomically analysed using Random Amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers. The electrophoresis bands were analysed using NTSYSpc software and the result of their matrices indicated different variability in the accessions. High degrees of polymorphism (74%) among the accessions were observed in terms of genetic relationship and were grouped into five clusters. This high variability can be utilised for mapping out breeding strategies in the production of cultivars with better yield of M. oleifera to meet the pressing needs of these multi-purpose crop to our growing populations

Carbon nanotube-reduced graphene oxide composites for thermal energy harvesting applications

By controlling the SWNT-rGO electrode composition and thickness to attain the appropriate porosity and tortuosity, the electroactive surface area is maximized while rapid diffusion of the electrolyte through the electrode is maintained. This leads to an increase in exchange current density between the electrode and electrolyte which results in enhanced thermocell performance

Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)-Tosylate (PEDOT-Tos) electrode in Thermogalvanic Cells

The interest in thermogalvanic cells (TGCs) has grown because it is a candidate technology for harvesting electricity from natural and waste heat. However, the cost of TGCs has a major component due to the use of the platinum electrode. Here, we investigate new alternative electrode material based on conducting polymers, more especially poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)-Tosylate (PEDOT-Tos) together with the Ferro/Ferricyanide redox electrolyte. The power generated by the PEDOT-Tos based TGCs increases with the conducting polymer thickness/multilayer and reaches values similar to the flat platinum electrode based TGCs. The physics and chemistry behind this exciting result as well as the identification of the limiting phenomena are investigated by various electrochemical techniques. Furthermore, a preliminary study is provided for the stability of the PEDOT-Tos based TGCs.Funding agencies: European Research Council (ERC) [307596]</p

Novel carbon materials for thermal energy harvesting

To decrease the consumption of fossil fuels, research has been done on utilizing low grade heat, sourced from industrial waste streams. One promising thermoenergy conversion system is a thermogalvanic cell; it consists of two identical electrodes held at different temperatures that are placed in contact with a redox-based electrolyte [1, 2]. The temperature dependence of the direction of redox reactions allows power to be extracted from the cell [3, 4]. This study aims to increase the power conversion efficiency and reduce the cost of thermogalvanic cells by optimizing the electrolyte and utilizing a carbon based electromaterial, reduced graphene oxide, as electrodes. Thermal conductivity measurements of the K3Fe(CN)6/K4Fe(CN)6 solutions used, indicate that the thermal conductivity decreases from 0.591 to 0.547 W/m K as the concentration is increased from 0.1 to 0.4 M. The lower thermal conductivity allowed a larger temperature gradient to be maintained in the cell. Increasing the electrolyte concentration also resulted in higher power densities, brought about by a decrease in the ohmic overpotential of the cell, which allowed higher values of short circuit current to be generated. The concentration of 0.4 MK3Fe(CN)6/K4Fe(CN)6 is optimal for thermal harvesting applications using R-GO electrodes due to the synergistic effect of the reduction in thermal flux across the cell and the enhancement of power output, on the overall power conversion efficiency. The maximum mass power density obtained using R-GO electrodes was 25.51 W/kg (three orders of magnitude higher than platinum) at a temperature difference of 60 _C and a K3Fe(CN)6/K4Fe(CN)6 concentration of 0.4 M