Effect of atmosphere change paths on the induced chemical expansion

International audienceThis study presents the relevant aspects of the approach developed at Institut PRISME to model strain in the mixed ionic and electronic conductors (MIEC) membrane for reforming of methane into synthesis gas (H2/CO). This macroscopic approach is based on the assumption of strain partition and on the choice of oxygen activity as a state variable. It leads to a thermo-chemo-mechanical model taking into account oxygen diffusion as well as elastic, thermal and chemical expansion phenomena. A chemical expansion model is proposed. The kinetics of a macroscopic bulk diffusion model has been fitted by simulation to chemical dilatometry tests. The transient and the steady-state stress distribution in a membrane reactor for partial oxidation of methane (POM) have been simulated in various conditions

A MACROSCOPIC MODEL OF THE THERMO-CHEMO-MECHANICAL BEHAVIOUR OF MIXED IONIC AND ELECTRONIC CONDUCTORS

International audienceThis paper suggests a macroscopic model describing the thermo-chemo-mechanical behaviour of ceramic dense membrane for oxygen separation application. This work takes in account to oxygen permeation and strain induced by stoichiometry variation with working conditions. This model, developed within the traditional framework of phenomenological approach, is based on the assumption of strain partitions and requires only three state variables: oxygen activity, temperature and total strain. Oxygen bulk diffusion and surface exchanges are described thanks to the thermodynamic approach developed by Onsager. While many works focused on semi-permeation induced strain, the proposed model also includes the temperature effect on chemical expansion. Strains predicted by the proposed model are validated thanks to experimental test on La0.8Sr0.2Fe0.7Ga0.3O3-δ. Implemented in F.E.A code Abaqus, this model permits studying the design and the process management effects such as chemical shocks on the membrane reliability

MODELISATION DU TRANSPORT DE L'OXYGENE A TRAVERS UN OXYDE CONDUCTEUR MIXTE

National audienceLa production actuelle d'oxygène pure est réalisée essentiellement par cryogénie (-180 °C). Or de nombreux procédés industriels, comme le reformage du méthane, utilisent ce gaz à haute température (entre 650 et 1000 °C suivant le procédé). Il en résulte une perte énergétique importante. Une des solutions envisagées est la séparation de l'oxygène contenu dans l'air à haute température via une membrane céramique dense présentant des propriétés de conduction mixte. Ces membranes ont une structure pérovskite sous-stoechiométrique, qui induit la formation de lacune d'oxygène favorisant une conduction ionique d'oxygène. De plus, la structure pérovskite implique un nombre important de cations favorisant une conduction électrique. À haute température, lorsque la membrane est soumise à un gradient de pression partielle d'oxygène, les anions d'oxygène diffusent à travers celle-ci. Les électrons diffusent dans le sens opposé, afin d'assurer l'électroneutralité. Cela est dû à la propriété de semi-perméation de l'oxygène qui correspond à l'ensemble des mécanismes de transport à travers la membrane (en surface et en volume). La structure cristalline n'est toutefois pas modifiée par cette migration d'espèces. Pour la majorité des conducteurs mixtes, la semi-perméation induit des déformations dites chimiques du même ordre de grandeur que la dilatation thermique. Ainsi pour évaluer les contraintes que subit la membrane au sein d'un réacteur en fonctionnement, un modèle thermo-chimio-mécanique contenant une modélisation complète de la semi-perméation est indispensable. Après avoir décrit les phénomènes de la semi-perméation mis en jeu, plusieurs modèles d'échanges ioniques en surfaces seront étudiés. Finalement, un nouveau modèle sera proposé

Chemical expansion of La0.8Sr0.2Fe0.7Ga0.3O3-δ

International audienceThis paper deals with the chemical expansion measurements and modelling of La0.8Sr0.2Fe0.7Ga0.3O3-δ. The expansion behavior has been evaluated using a dilatometer and X-ray diffraction over a wide range of temperatures (RT to 1373 K) and oxygen partial pressures (10−21 to 1 atm). The material stoichiometry evolution with temperature and oxygen partial pressure has been measured using thermogravimetry analysis at different oxygen partial pressure, from 10−21 to 0.5 atm and from RT to 1473 K. Considering a typical defect model for lanthanum ferrite oxides, chemical expansion depends linearly on the Fe4+ concentration rather than on the oxygen vacancy concentration. A model of chemical expansion as a function of pO2 and temperature is then proposed. It helps to understand and anticipate the chemical expansion behavior exhibited by this material when used as Ionic Transport Membrane (ITM)

Etude et modélisation du comportement thermo‐chimio-­mécanique des oxydes conducteurs mixtes

National audienceLa séparation de l'oxygène de l'air est couramment réalisée par distillation cryogénique. Depuis un peu plus de 30 ans, les oxydes conducteurs mixtes semblent constituer une alternative intéressante pour la production d'oxygène ultra pur. L'oxygène est séparé de l'air, à haute température, par conduction ionique à travers une membrane céramique dense. Tous les procédés nécessitant de l'oxygène (oxycombustion, métallurgie, domaine médical, ...) sont des applications possibles de cette technologie. Les conducteurs mixtes sont des matériaux céramiques dans lesquels deux espèces chimiques se déplacent : une espèce ionique et une espèce électronique. Le rapport des conductivités électroniques et ioniques est tel que la neutralité électrique est conservée. Cette propriété est obtenue par dopage d'une céramique (le plus souvent de structure perovskite) qui génère la présence de défauts, notamment des lacunes d'oxygène. Le composé est alors qualifié de sous-stœchiométrique en oxygène. Les écarts à la stœchiométrie sont fonction de l'oxyde de départ, de la température et de l'activité chimique des composés. En service, la fluctuation de la stoéchiométrie, résultant du chargement thermique et du flux des ions oxygène à travers la membrane, occasionne des déformations du réseau cristallin qui se traduisent macroscopiquement par une déformation de la membrane et une modification (faible) des propriétés mécaniques. Afin de confirmer le rôle de ces déformations dites "chimiques" dans la rupture des membranes et d'étudier l'influence de paramètres telles que la géométrie (scellement céramique/métal) ou les conditions opératoires, un modèle macroscopique du comportement thermo-chimio-mécanique de ces céramiques a été développé et implémenté dans le logiciel Abaqus. La modélisation est relativement complète, tant du point de vue du comportement de la membrane que des sollicitations : la déformation chimique est prise en compte par l'intermédiaire d'un comportement thermomécanique dédié ; le transport ionique de l'oxygène est également reproduit via une loi de transport dédiée, en lien avec l'évolution du champ de température. La simulation d'essais de dilatométrie sous différentes atmosphères contrôlées permet d'illustrer les capacités actuelles du modèle ainsi que ses limites. Enfin, ce modèle a permis de simuler les différentes phases de fonctionnement d'un réacteur pilote, développé par Air Liquide. Les prévisions obtenues sont pertinentes et mettent en lumière l'origine de certaines des difficultés actuelles de transfert de la technologie à l'échelle industrielle

Cultivar Contributes to the Beneficial Effects of Bacillus subtilis PTA-271 and Trichoderma atroviride SC1 to Protect Grapevine Against Neofusicoccum parvum

[EN] Grapevine trunk diseases (GTDs) are a big threat for global viticulture. Without effective chemicals, biocontrol strategies are developed as alternatives to better cope with environmental concerns. A combination of biological control agents (BCAs) could even improve sustainable disease management through complementary ways of protection. In this study, we evaluated the combination of Bacillus subtilis (Bs) PTA-271 and Trichoderma atroviride (Ta) SC1 for the protection of Chardonnay and Tempranillo rootlings against Neofusicoccum parvum Bt67, an aggressive pathogen associated to Botryosphaeria dieback (BD). Indirect benefits offered by each BCA and their combination were then characterized in planta, as well as their direct benefits in vitro. Results provide evidence that (1) the cultivar contributes to the beneficial effects of Bs PTA-271 and Ta SC1 against N. parvum, and that (2) the in vitro BCA mutual antagonism switches to the strongest fungistatic effect toward Np-Bt67 in a three-way confrontation test. We also report for the first time the beneficial potential of a combination of BCA against Np-Bt67 especially in Tempranillo. Our findings highlight a common feature for both cultivars: salicylic acid (SA)-dependent defenses were strongly decreased in plants protected by the BCA, in contrast with symptomatic ones. We thus suggest that (1) the high basal expression of SA-dependent defenses in Tempranillo explains its highest susceptibility to N. parvum, and that (2) the cultivar-specific responses to the beneficial Bs PTA-271 and Ta SC1 remain to be further investigated.Funding This work was supported by a French Grant from the Region GRAND-EST France and the City of GRAND-REIMS France through the BIOVIGNE Ph.D. program, whose functioning is supported by BELCHIM Crop Protection France. DG was supported by the Ramon y Cajal program, Spanish Government (RyC-2017-23098).Leal, C.; Richet, N.; Guise, J.; Gramaje, D.; Armengol Fortí, J.; Fontaine, F.; Trotel-Aziz, P. (2021). Cultivar Contributes to the Beneficial Effects of Bacillus subtilis PTA-271 and Trichoderma atroviride SC1 to Protect Grapevine Against Neofusicoccum parvum. Frontiers in Microbiology. 12:1-17. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2021.726132S1171

The atomic structure of the phage Tuc2009 baseplate tripod suggests that host recognition involves two different carbohydrate binding modules

The Gram-positive bacterium Lactococcus lactis, used for the production of cheeses and other fermented dairy products, falls victim frequently to fortuitous infection by tailed phages. The accompanying risk of dairy fermentation failures in industrial facilities has prompted in-depth investigations of these phages. Lactococcal phage Tuc2009 possesses extensive genomic homology to phage TP901-1. However, striking differences in the baseplate-encoding genes stimulated our interest in solving the structure of this host’s adhesion device. We report here the X-ray structures of phage Tuc2009 receptor binding protein (RBP) and of a “tripod” assembly of three baseplate components, BppU, BppA, and BppL (the RBP). These structures made it possible to generate a realistic atomic model of the complete Tuc2009 baseplate that consists of an 84-protein complex: 18 BppU, 12 BppA, and 54 BppL proteins. The RBP head domain possesses a different fold than those of phages p2, TP901-1, and 1358, while the so-called “stem” and “neck” domains share structural features with their equivalents in phage TP901-1. The BppA module interacts strongly with the BppU N-terminal domain. Unlike other characterized lactococcal phages, Tuc2009 baseplate harbors two different carbohydrate recognition sites: one in the bona fide RBP head domain and the other in BppA. These findings represent a major step forward in deciphering the molecular mechanism by which Tuc2009 recognizes its saccharidic receptor(s) on its host

Structural insight into how the human helicase subunit MCM2 may act as a histone chaperone together with ASF1 at the replication fork

International audienceMCM2 is a subunit of the replicative helicase machinery shown to interact with histones H3 and H4 during the replication process through its N-terminal domain. During replication, this interaction has been proposed to assist disassembly and assembly of nu-cleosomes on DNA. However, how this interaction participates in crosstalk with histone chaperones at the replication fork remains to be elucidated. Here, we solved the crystal structure of the ternary complex between the histone-binding domain of Mcm2 and the histones H3-H4 at 2.9 ˚ A resolution. Histones H3 and H4 assemble as a tetramer in the crystal structure , but MCM2 interacts only with a single molecule of H3-H4. The latter interaction exploits binding surfaces that contact either DNA or H2B when H3-H4 dimers are incorporated in the nucleosome core particle. Upon binding of the ternary complex with the histone chaperone ASF1, the histone tetramer dissociates and both MCM2 and ASF1 interact simultaneously with the histones forming a 1:1:1:1 het-eromeric complex. Thermodynamic analysis of the quaternary complex together with structural model-ing support that ASF1 and MCM2 could form a chaperoning module for histones H3 and H4 protecting them from promiscuous interactions. This suggests an additional function for MCM2 outside its helicase function as a proper histone chaperone connected to the replication pathway

Cellulose and lignin biosynthesis is altered by ozone in wood of hybrid poplar (Populus tremula×alba)

Wood formation in trees is a dynamic process that is strongly affected by environmental factors. However, the impact of ozone on wood is poorly documented. The objective of this study was to assess the effects of ozone on wood formation by focusing on the two major wood components, cellulose and lignin, and analysing any anatomical modifications. Young hybrid poplars (Populus tremula×alba) were cultivated under different ozone concentrations (50, 100, 200, and 300 nl l−1). As upright poplars usually develop tension wood in a non-set pattern, the trees were bent in order to induce tension wood formation on the upper side of the stem and normal or opposite wood on the lower side. Biosynthesis of cellulose and lignin (enzymes and RNA levels), together with cambial growth, decreased in response to ozone exposure. The cellulose to lignin ratio was reduced, suggesting that cellulose biosynthesis was more affected than that of lignin. Tension wood was generally more altered than opposite wood, especially at the anatomical level. Tension wood may be more susceptible to reduced carbon allocation to the stems under ozone exposure. These results suggested a coordinated regulation of cellulose and lignin deposition to sustain mechanical strength under ozone. The modifications of the cellulose to lignin ratio and wood anatomy could allow the tree to maintain radial growth while minimizing carbon cost