Interaction between plasma sprayed YBaCuO and nimonic substrates

The interaction of YBaCuO layers, deposited by atmospheric plasma spraying, with nimonic substrates at high temperature has been studied using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Auger electron spectroscopy (AES). Both the region at the YBaCuO/ nimonic interface and the surface of clean nimonic substrates after annealing in vacuum and oxygen have been studied in terms of chemical composition and peak shapes. Chromium was detected more than 20 ¿m deep in the YBaCuO layer. This is explained in terms of a chemical reaction of Cr3+ oxides from the nimonic with the YBaCuO. Depth profiling of the interface region combined with AES measurements reveals also an extensive migration of nickel oxides from the substrate into the YBaCuO

MEM-BRAIN gas separation membranes for zero-emission fossil power plants

The aim of the MEM-BRAIN project is the development and integration of gas separation membranes for zero-emission fossil power plants. This will be achieved by selective membranes with high permeability for CO2, O2 or H2, so that high-purity CO2 is obtained in a readily condensable form. The project is being implemented by the “MEM-BRAIN” Helmholtz Alliance consisting of research centres, universities and industrial partners.\ud \ud The MEM-BRAIN project focuses on the development, process engineering, system integration and energy systems analysis of different gas separation membranes for the different CO2 capture process routes in fossil power plants

Evaluation of phosphorus in thermally converted sewage sludge: P pools and availability to wheat

Aims: Dried sewage sludge (SS) and the by-products of four SS thermal conversion processes (pyrolysis, incineration and two types of gasification) were investigated for phosphorus (P) availability. Methods: A sequential extraction was used to determine the distribution of P among different P pools. After mixing materials with soil, availability of the P was determined with soil P extractions and in a growth experiment with wheat. Results: Thermally converted SS contained a greater proportion of P within recalcitrant pools than dried SS. Despite having very different P pool distributions, the incinerated and dried SS provided similar amounts of P to plants. Plant P supply from dried and incinerated SS was lower than the comparable soluble P treatment (50 mg P kg⁻¹), but higher than a soluble treatment at a lower rate (20 mg P kg⁻¹). Plant P uptake in gasified and pyrolysed treatments was only marginally greater than uptake in a control (no P) treatment. Plant P uptake correlated most closely with diffusive gradients in thin films (DGT) P analysis of soil-material mixes. Phosphorus availability in the dried and incinerated SS treatments increased over time. Conclusions: We propose that the dried and incinerated SS have potential as slow release P fertilisers in low pH soils.Jessica E. Mackay, Timothy R. Cavagnaro, Iver Jakobsen, Lynne M. Macdonald, Mette Grønlund, Tobias P. Thomsen, Dorette S. Müller-Stöve

TreeGraph 2: Combining and visualizing evidence from different phylogenetic analyses

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Today it is common to apply multiple potentially conflicting data sources to a given phylogenetic problem. At the same time, several different inference techniques are routinely employed instead of relying on just one. In view of both trends it is becoming increasingly important to be able to efficiently compare different sets of statistical values supporting (or conflicting with) the nodes of a given tree topology, and merging this into a meaningful representation. A tree editor supporting this should also allow for flexible editing operations and be able to produce ready-to-publish figures.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We developed TreeGraph 2, a GUI-based graphical editor for phylogenetic trees (available from <url>http://treegraph.bioinfweb.info</url>). It allows automatically combining information from different phylogenetic analyses of a given dataset (or from different subsets of the dataset), and helps to identify and graphically present incongruences. The program features versatile editing and formatting options, such as automatically setting line widths or colors according to the value of any of the unlimited number of variables that can be assigned to each node or branch. These node/branch data can be imported from spread sheets or other trees, be calculated from each other by specified mathematical expressions, filtered, copied from and to other internal variables, be kept invisible or set visible and then be freely formatted (individually or across the whole tree). Beyond typical editing operations such as tree rerooting and ladderizing or moving and collapsing of nodes, whole clades can be copied from other files and be inserted (along with all node/branch data and legends), but can also be manually added and, thus, whole trees can quickly be manually constructed de novo. TreeGraph 2 outputs various graphic formats such as SVG, PDF, or PNG, useful for tree figures in both publications and presentations.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>TreeGraph 2 is a user-friendly, fully documented application to produce ready-to-publish trees. It can display any number of annotations in several ways, and permits easily importing and combining them. Additionally, a great number of editing- and formatting-operations is available.</p