Nanostructured Light Metal Hydrides Based on Li, Al, Na, B and N for Solid State Hydrogen Storage

The present work reports a study of the effects of the compositions, and various catalytic additives and nanostructuring by high-energy ball milling, on the hydrogen storage properties of LiBH4, NaBH4, LiNH2 and LiAlH4 complex hydrides and their composites. The composites of (NaBH4+2Mg(OH)2) and (LiBH4+2Mg(OH)2) without and with nanometric nickel (n-Ni) added as a potential catalyst were synthesized by ball milling. The effect of the addition of 5 wt.% nanometric Ni on the dehydrogenation behavior of both the NaBH4-and LiBH4-based composites is rather negligible. In the (LiNH2+nMgH2) system, the phase transformations occurring as a function of the ball milling energy injected into the hydride system (LiNH2+nMgH2), having molar ratios n=0.5 to 2.0, have been thoroughly studied. The milling energy is estimated by a semi-empirical method. The results show that for the molar ratios n<1.0 three new phases such as LiH, amorphous Mg(NH2)2 (a-Mg(NH2)2) and Li2Mg(NH)2 are formed during ball milling depending on the injected energy. For the molar ratios n≥1.0 the new phase of MgNH forms whose formation is accompanied by a profound release of hydrogen. Addition of 5 %wt. KH can improve desorption rate of the LiNH2+0.5 MgH2 system. Furthermore this hydride system can be nearly fully rehydrogenated at 200°C and 50 bar H2 pressure. LiAlH4 containing 5 wt.% of nanometric Fe and Ni shows a profound mechanical dehydrogenation by continuously desorbing hydrogen (H2) during ball milling. X-ray diffraction studies show that Fe and Ni ions dissolve in the lattice, replacing the Al ions and forming a substitutional solid solution. Both Fe and Ni decrease the activation energies of stage I and II , but stage I is more sensitive to the particle size . The addition of 5 wt.% nano-size “interstitial compound” (n-TiC, n-TiN and n-ZrC) shows a continuous desorption of H2 is observed during high energy milling. Mechanical dehydrogenation rate of the doped samples increases noticeably during high-energy ball milling in the order of TiN > TiC > ZrC. The interstitial compound additives are able to strongly reduce the activation energy of Stage II dehydrogenation but do not substantially affect the apparent activation energy of Stage I

The existence of only one haplotype of Leishmania major in the main and potential reservoir hosts of zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis using different molecular markers in a focal area in Iran

Introduction Leishmania major is the causative agent of zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis (ZCL), and great gerbils are the main reservoir hosts in Iran. Abarkouh in central Iran is an emerging focal point for which the reservoir hosts of ZCL are unclear. This research project was designed to detect any Leishmania parasites in different wild rodent species. Methods All rodents captured in 2011 and 2012 from Abarkouh district were identified based on morphological characteristics and by amplification of the rodent cytochrome b (Cyt b) gene. To detect Leishmania infection in rodents, deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) of each ear was extracted. Internal transcribed spacer-ribosomal deoxyribonucleic acid (ITS-rDNA), microsatellites, kinetoplast deoxyribonucleic acid (kDNA) and cytochrome b genes of Leishmania parasites were amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) and sequencing were employed to confirm the Leishmania identification. Results Of 68 captured rodents in the region, 55 Rhombomys opimus were identified and nine Leishmania infections (9/55) were found. In addition, eight Meriones libycus and two Tatera indica were sampled, and one of each was confirmed to be infected. Two Meriones persicus and one Mus musculus were sampled with no infection. Conclusions The results showed that all 11 unambiguously positive Leishmania infections were Leishmania major. Only one haplotype of L. major (GenBank access No. EF413075) was found and at least three rodents R. opimus, M. libycus and T. indica—appear to be the main and potential reservoir hosts in this ZCL focus. The reservoir hosts are variable and versatile in small ZCL focal locations

The existence of only one haplotype of Leishmania major in the main and potential reservoir hosts of zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis using different molecular markers in a focal area in Iran

Introduction Leishmania major is the causative agent of zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis (ZCL), and great gerbils are the main reservoir hosts in Iran. Abarkouh in central Iran is an emerging focal point for which the reservoir hosts of ZCL are unclear. This research project was designed to detect any Leishmania parasites in different wild rodent species. Methods All rodents captured in 2011 and 2012 from Abarkouh district were identified based on morphological characteristics and by amplification of the rodent cytochrome b (Cyt b) gene. To detect Leishmania infection in rodents, deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) of each ear was extracted. Internal transcribed spacer-ribosomal deoxyribonucleic acid (ITS-rDNA), microsatellites, kinetoplast deoxyribonucleic acid (kDNA) and cytochrome b genes of Leishmania parasites were amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) and sequencing were employed to confirm the Leishmania identification. Results Of 68 captured rodents in the region, 55 Rhombomys opimus were identified and nine Leishmania infections (9/55) were found. In addition, eight Meriones libycus and two Tatera indica were sampled, and one of each was confirmed to be infected. Two Meriones persicus and one Mus musculus were sampled with no infection. Conclusions The results showed that all 11 unambiguously positive Leishmania infections were Leishmania major. Only one haplotype of L. major (GenBank access No. EF413075) was found and at least three rodents R. opimus, M. libycus and T. indica—appear to be the main and potential reservoir hosts in this ZCL focus. The reservoir hosts are variable and versatile in small ZCL focal locations

Photocatalytic Activity of Hydrogenated TiO₂

Photocatalysis is a promising advanced water treatment technology, and recently the possibility of using hydrogenation to improve the photocatalytic efficiency of titanium dioxide has generated much research interest. Herein we report that the use of high-temperature hydrogenation to prepare black TiO₂ primarily results in the formation of bulk defects in the material without affecting its electronic band structure. The hydrogenated TiO₂ exhibited significantly worse photocatalytic activity under simulated sunlight compared to the unhydrogenated control, and thus we propose that high-temperature hydrogenation can be counterproductive to improving the photocatalytic activity of TiO₂, because of its propensity to form bulk vacancy defects