Zarządzanie zasobami ludzkimi w instytucji publicznej : studium przypadku

In the article one took an attempt to evaluate management of human resources in Częstochowa District Office. In order to analyse this issue properly, the author conducted a survey among the District Office workers. The results presented in the following article show that human resources in the office are managed more effectively and efficiently.W artykule podjęto próbę oceny zarządzania zasobami ludzkimi w Starostwie Powiatowym w Częstochowie. Do analizy tej tematyki posłużono się ankietą przeprowadzoną wśród pracowników urzędu. W niniejszym artykule przedstawione wnioski świadczą o coraz efektywniejszym, sprawniejszym zarządzaniu zasobami ludzkimi przez urząd

Preparation and characterization of nanostructured cathode materials LiMn2-xNixO4-ySy for high capacity lithium batteries.

Rynek akumulatorów litowo-jonowych (Li-ion) rozwija się obecnie bardzo prężnie, głównie dzięki zastosowaniu ich w urządzeniach mobilnych. Akumulatory Li-ion, charakteryzują się wysoką gęstością energii, pojemnością i potencjałem pracy. Nie wykazują efektu pamięci, mają bardzo dobrą powtarzalność cykliczną i niewielkie samorozładowanie. Wśród materiałów katodowych badanych pod kątem wykorzystania w akumulatorach Li-ion, jednym z najbardziej atrakcyjnych, jest spinel LiMn2O4, gdzie atomy manganu są częściowo podstawione jonami niklu lub innymi metalami przejściowymi i/lub domieszkowane niemetalami m.in. siarą. Udowodniono, że elektrody powstałe z tych materiałów wykazują większą pojemność, napięcie oraz znaczną poprawę żywotności w porównaniu z katodą LiMn2O4. Celem pracy było zsyntezowanie materiałów katodowych LiMn2-xNixO4-ySy (gdzie 0 ≤ x ≤ 0,5, y = 0,01 lub 0,05) metodą zol-żel. Otrzymane układy zbadano stosując następujące metody: XRD, TG, DTG, EGA-QMS, DSC, N2-BET, EC. Z uzyskanych materiałów złożono ogniwa i przeprowadzono na nich pomiary elektrochemiczne (CELL TEST, EIS). Dowiedziono, że domieszkowanie niklem i siarką minimalizuję przemianę fazową i poprawia stabilność strukturalną spineli.The market of lithium-ion batteries (Li-Ion) is growing very rapidly, mostly thanks to the application in mobile devices. Li-ion batteries are characterized by the high: energy density, capacity and potential. They don’t show memory effect. Also they have good repeatability to charge/discharge cycles and low self-discharge. Among the cathode materials, which are tested for use in Li-ion batteries, one of the most attractive is spinel LiMn2O4, where the manganese atoms are partially substituted by nickel ions or other transition metals and/or co-doped by non-metals like sulfur. It has been proven that the electrodes which are based on these materials have a greater capacity and voltage. Moreover, they can be characterized by high voltage and they show longer cycle life and better capacity maintenance as compared with LiMn2O4 cathode. The aim of the work was to synthesize by a sol-gel method, cathode materials: LiMn2-xNixO4-ySy (where 0≤x≤0.5, y = 0.01 or 0.05). The spinels were examined using the following test methods: XRD, TG, DTG, EGA-QMS, DSC, N2-BET, EC. The obtained materials were used to cells assembling Li/Li+/LiMn2-xNixO4-ySy and next electrochemically tested (CELL TEST, EIS). It was found that nickel and sulfur doping suppress the phase transition and improve it structural stability

From harmonisation to better, smart and fit food law

As the European Union (EU) approaches its 60th anniversary, it is worth assessing progress towards a key objective – the abolition of barriers to the marketing of food in the EU. Food has always created particular problems for the EU as national differences in diets, culture and geography make standardisation impossible. Early attempts focussed on direct measures to harmonise requirements or, later, to create an ‘internal market’. Subsequently a changed emphasis brought about the need to focus more clearly on the harmonisation of food safety. More widely, the recent recognition that too much legislation can itself create barriers has led legislators to attempt to consider more carefully the impact of their efforts. This paper reflects on the various stages in the creation of harmonised food controls and considers how case law has impacted the process. Today there are still differences and complete barrier-free trade seems some way off

Non-Wetting and Non-Reactive Behavior of Liquid Pure Magnesium on Pure Tungsten Substrates

The wetting behavior of liquid magnesium drop on pure tungsten substrates was investigated, for the first time, with the sessile drop method combined with non-contact heating and capillary purification of a Mg drop from a native oxide film. A specially designed apparatus dedicated to the investigation of the high-temperature interaction of dissimilar materials was used. The comparative experiments were performed under isothermal conditions at temperatures of 700 °C and 740 °C using two atmospheres: Ar + 5 wt.% H2 and pure Ar, respectively. During high-temperature tests for 180 s, the images of the Mg/W couples were recorded with CCD cameras (57 fps) from two directions of observation. The solidified drop/substrate couples were subjected to structural characterization using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). Under the applied measurement conditions, liquid Mg revealed non-wetting behavior on W substrates (a contact angle θ > 90°). The average value of the contact angle under the flowing Ar atmosphere at 740 °C was θav = 115°, whereas it was higher under the flowing Ar + 5 wt.%. H2 atmosphere at a lower temperature of 700 °C, showing θav = 122°. Independently on employed atmosphere and temperature, SEM + EDS analysis of solidified sessile drop couples did not display any new phases and mass transfer between the Mg drop and the W substrate, whereas the presence of discontinuities at the Mg/W interface of cross-sectioned couples were well-distinguished. Non-wetting and a lack of permanent bonding between the Mg drop and W substrates have a good agreement with the Mg–W phase diagram calculated with the help of FactSage software and FTlite database, i.e., the non-reactive nature of the Mg/W couple because W does not dissolve in liquid Mg and it does not form any compounds with Mg. These findings allow for the recommendation of tungsten as a suitable refractory material for long-time contact with liquid Mg in different container-assisted methods of materials characterization as well as in liquid-assisted processing of Mg components

Modifications and Improvements to the Collector Metal Method Using an mhd Pump for Recovering Platinum from Used Car Catalysts

Today recovery of platinum from used auto catalysts has become a necessity due to great demand for this catalytic metal. There are many methods of recovering platinum from used catalysts on the market, one of them is the original collector metal method using the magneto-hydrodynamic (mhd) pump. This method is based on the continuous flow of the collector metal (lead) in the channel of the device, which can be obtained by using the mhd pump at the device operating temperature of 673 K. Proper selection of process parameters such as power frequency (25–100 Hz), inductor current density (20 A, 40 A, 60 A), gaps between the inductor and the liquid metal channel (2,4,8), flow velocity, secondary voltage (19 V, 40 V, 60 V) ensures proper efficiency of the device. Some parameters were selected on the basis of numerical simulations, others were experimentally verified—the tests were carried out for different washing out times (600 s to 3600 s), and different secondary voltage and inductor supply frequency (25 Hz to 45 Hz). Platinum washing out efficiency of up to 98% was obtained with a relatively short washing out time and low values of secondary voltage and inductor frequency. To improve the efficiency of the process, the thermal efficiency of the device was increased by 8% by insulating the cover of the device. Further modifications to the process include changing the collector metal—preliminary studies show that the addition of lithium increases the extraction of platinum from thin catalytic layers as a result of reduced surface tension of the extraction liquid. The preliminary results of the PbLi alloy spread on platinum coated surface seem to be very promising

Hydrogen Sorption Behavior of Cast Ag-Mg Alloys

In this paper, the hydrogen sorption properties of casted Ag-Mg alloys were investigated. The obtained alloys were structurally analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The study was carried out for four alloys from the two-phase region (Mg) + γ′ (AgMg4) with nominal concentrations of 5 wt. %, 10 wt. %, 15 wt. %, and 20 wt. % Ag, four alloys with nominal compositions equivalent to intermetallic phases: AgMg4, AgMg3, AgMg, and Ag3Mg, one alloy from the two-phase region AgMg + Ag3Mg (Ag60Mg40), and one alloy from the two-phase region AgMg + AgMg3 (Ag40Mg60). The hydrogenation process was performed using a Sievert-type sorption analyzer. The hydride decomposition temperature and kinetic properties of the synthesized hydrides were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) coupled with thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Samples with high magnesium content were found to readily absorb significant amounts of hydrogen, while hydrogen absorption was not observed for samples with silver concentrations higher than 50 at. % (AgMg intermetallic phase)

Modelling of the Flow in the Process of Washing Out Automotive Catalyst Carriers with the PbLi Alloy

The process of platinum recovery from used car catalysts is highly desirable for both economic and environmental reasons. From the many available methods of processing used car catalysts, the article conducted both numerical and experimental studies using a device based on the collector metal method with lead as a modified medium through a magnetohydrodynamic pump for washing platinum from the channels of the ceramic catalyst carrier. It was assumed that lead alloys with the addition of lithium increase the extraction of platinum from thin catalytic layers and accelerate the platinum dissolution reaction in the Pb-Li alloy, which is the result of a greater affinity of lithium for platinum compared to lead. This assumption was verified by numerical simulations as well as laboratory tests. Tests were carried out for the secondary supply voltage range between 40 and 60 V and the catalyst flushing time between 240 and 480 s. Graphical results of the research were discussed