8,331 research outputs found
Oxidation of GaN: An ab initio thermodynamic approach
GaN is a wide-bandgap semiconductor used in high-efficiency LEDs and solar
cells. The solid is produced industrially at high chemical purities by
deposition from a vapour phase, and oxygen may be included at this stage.
Oxidation represents a potential path for tuning its properties without
introducing more exotic elements or extreme processing conditions. In this
work, ab initio computational methods are used to examine the energy potentials
and electronic properties of different extents of oxidation in GaN. Solid-state
vibrational properties of Ga, GaN, Ga2O3 and a single substitutional oxygen
defect have been studied using the harmonic approximation with supercells. A
thermodynamic model is outlined which combines the results of ab initio
calculations with data from experimental literature. This model allows free
energies to be predicted for arbitrary reaction conditions within a wide
process envelope. It is shown that complete oxidation is favourable for all
industrially-relevant conditions, while the formation of defects can be opposed
by the use of high temperatures and a high N2:O2 ratio
The automorphism group of the free group of rank two is a CAT(0) group
We prove that the automorphism group of the braid group on four strands acts
faithfully and geometrically on a CAT(0) 2-complex. This implies that the
automorphism group of the free group of rank two acts faithfully and
geometrically on a CAT(0) 2-complex, in contrast to the situation for rank
three and above.Comment: 7 pages, 2 figures. The manuscript has been modified in minor ways in
accordance with a referee's recommendations, and a misattribution of the
result "Aut F_2 is biautomatic" has been correcte
A universal chemical potential for sulfur vapours
The unusual chemistry of sulfur is illustrated by the tendency for
catenation. Sulfur forms a range of open and closed S species in the gas
phase, which has led to speculation on the composition of sulfur vapours as a
function of temperature and pressure for over a century. Unlike elemental gases
such as O and N, there is no widely accepted thermodynamic potential
for sulfur. Here we combine a first-principles global structure search for the
low energy clusters from S to S with a thermodynamic model for the
mixed-allotrope system, including the Gibbs free energy for all gas-phase
sulfur on an atomic basis. A strongly pressure-dependent transition from a
mixture dominant in S to S is identified. A universal chemical
potential function, , is proposed with wide utility in
modelling sulfurisation processes including the formation of metal chalcogenide
semiconductors.Comment: 12 pages, 9 figures. Supporting code and data is available at
https://github.com/WMD-Bath/sulfur-model [snapshot DOI:
10.5281/zenodo.28536]. Further data will be available from
DOI:10.6084/m9.figshare.1513736 and DOI:10.6084/m9.figshare.1513833 following
peer-revie
Carbon Free Boston: Waste Technical Report
Part of a series of reports that includes:
Carbon Free Boston: Summary Report;
Carbon Free Boston: Social Equity Report;
Carbon Free Boston: Technical Summary;
Carbon Free Boston: Buildings Technical Report;
Carbon Free Boston: Transportation Technical Report;
Carbon Free Boston: Energy Technical Report;
Carbon Free Boston: Offsets Technical Report;
Available at http://sites.bu.edu/cfb/OVERVIEW:
For many people, their most perceptible interaction with their environmental footprint is through the
waste that they generate. On a daily basis people have numerous opportunities to decide whether to
recycle, compost or throwaway. In many cases, such options may not be present or apparent. Even
when such options are available, many lack the knowledge of how to correctly dispose of their waste,
leading to contamination of valuable recycling or compost streams. Once collected, people give little
thought to how their waste is treated. For Boston’s waste, plastic in the disposal stream acts becomes a
fossil fuel used to generate electricity. Organics in the waste stream have the potential to be used to
generate valuable renewable energy, while metals and electronics can be recycled to offset virgin
materials. However, challenges in global recycling markets are burdening municipalities, which are
experiencing higher costs to maintain their recycling.
The disposal of solid waste and wastewater both account for a large and visible anthropogenic impact
on human health and the environment. In terms of climate change, landfilling of solid waste and
wastewater treatment generated emissions of 131.5 Mt CO2e in 2016 or about two percent of total
United States GHG emissions that year. The combustion of solid waste contributed an additional 11.0 Mt
CO2e, over half of which (5.9 Mt CO2e) is attributable to the combustion of plastic [1]. In Massachusetts,
the GHG emissions from landfills (0.4 Mt CO2e), waste combustion (1.2 Mt CO2e), and wastewater (0.5
Mt CO2e) accounted for about 2.7 percent of the state’s gross GHG emissions in 2014 [2].
The City of Boston has begun exploring pathways to Zero Waste, a goal that seeks to systematically
redesign our waste management system that can simultaneously lead to a drastic reduction in emissions
from waste. The easiest way to achieve zero waste is to not generate it in the first place. This can start at
the source with the decision whether or not to consume a product. This is the intent behind banning
disposable items such as plastic bags that have more sustainable substitutes. When consumption occurs,
products must be designed in such a way that their lifecycle impacts and waste footprint are considered.
This includes making durable products, limiting the use of packaging or using organic packaging
materials, taking back goods at the end of their life, and designing products to ensure compatibility with
recycling systems. When reducing waste is unavoidable, efforts to increase recycling and organics
diversion becomes essential for achieving zero waste. [TRUNCATED]Published versio
Carbon Free Boston: Energy Technical Report
Part of a series of reports that includes:
Carbon Free Boston: Summary Report;
Carbon Free Boston: Social Equity Report;
Carbon Free Boston: Technical Summary;
Carbon Free Boston: Buildings Technical Report;
Carbon Free Boston: Transportation Technical Report;
Carbon Free Boston: Waste Technical Report;
Carbon Free Boston: Offsets Technical Report;
Available at http://sites.bu.edu/cfb/INTRODUCTION:
The adoption of clean energy in Boston’s buildings and transportation systems will produce sweeping
changes in the quantity and composition of the city’s demand for fuel and electricity. The demand for
electricity is expected to increase by 2050, while the demand for petroleum-based liquid fuels and
natural gas within the city is projected to decline significantly. The city must meet future energy demand
with clean energy sources in order to meet its carbon mitigation targets. That clean energy must be
procured in a way that supports the City’s goals for economic development, social equity, environmental
sustainability, and overall quality of life. This chapter examines the strategies to accomplish these goals.
Improved energy efficiency, district energy, and in-boundary generation of clean energy (rooftop PV)
will reduce net electric power and natural gas demand substantially, but these measures will not
eliminate the need for electricity and gas (or its replacement fuel) delivered into Boston. Broadly
speaking, to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, the city must therefore (1) reduce its use of fossil fuels
to heat and cool buildings through cost-effective energy efficiency measures and electrification of
building thermal services where feasible; and (2) over time, increase the amount of carbon-free
electricity delivered to the city. Reducing energy demand though cost effective energy conservation
measures will be necessary to reduce the challenges associated with expanding the electricity delivery
system and sustainably sourcing renewable fuels.Published versio
Father\u27s impact on the dietary and physical activity behaviours of children aged 0-5 years
This thesis describes the relationships between fathers’ and young children’s obesity-related behaviours. The findings illustrate the importance of fathers in the obesity-related behaviours of young children and underscore the necessity of paternal involvement in family-based research to reduce the negative consequences of poor child health behaviours in later life
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