Comparative Life Cycle Assessment of Battery Storage Systems for Stationary Applications

This paper presents a comparative life cycle assessment of cumulative energy demand (CED) and global warming potential (GWP) of four stationary battery technologies: lithium-ion, lead-acid, sodium–sulfur, and vanadium-redox-flow. The analyses were carried out for a complete utilization of their cycle life and for six different stationary applications. Due to its lower CED and GWP impacts, a qualitative analysis of lithium-ion was carried out to assess the impacts of its process chains on 17 midpoint impact categories using ReCiPe-2008 methodology. It was found that in general the use stage of batteries dominates their life cycle impacts significantly. It is therefore misleading to compare the environmental performance of batteries only on a mass or capacity basis at the manufacturing outlet (“cradle-to-gate analyses”) while neglecting their use stage impacts, especially when they have different characteristic parameters. Furthermore, the relative ranking of batteries does not show a significant dependency on the investigated stationary application scenarios in most cases. Based on the results obtained, the authors go on to recommend the deployment of batteries with higher round-trip efficiency, such as lithium-ion, for stationary grid operation in the first instance

Monovalent Cation-Exchanged Natrolites and Their Behavior under Pressure. A Computational Study

Recently natrolite was shown to be an auxetic material that is able to exchange extra-framework Na⁺ cations with other mono-, di-, and trivalent cations. Under pressure up to several GPa, these cation-exchanged natrolites undergo superhydration and/or phase transformations in the cation–water arrangement. Using density functional theory we studied in silico the ion exchange in natrolites. First we optimized the structures of Li⁺-, Na⁺-, K⁺-, Rb⁺-, and Cs⁺-exchanged natrolites at ambient conditions and compared the resulting lattice energies to that of the hypothetical H-form of natrolite. Of all natrolites, the smallest formal exchange energy was found for Na-NAT, in agreement with the natural occurrence of this material. Then we modeled the effect of pressure on Na-, Rb-, and Cs-natrolites, addressing (<i>i</i>) the incorporation of water ligands into the zeolite framework, accompanied by an increase in volume; and (<i>ii</i>) the changes in the cation–water arrangement within the zeolite pores. The computational models reproduce reasonably well the critical pressure, at which these phenomena occur, and, in the case of Cs-NAT, point toward a cation displacement model for its structural transition under pressure

Potassium-Exchanged Natrolite Under Pressure. Computational Study vs Experiment

Using density functional theory we modeled the effects of pressure on K-exchanged natrolite, K-NAT, including superhydration and the experimentally observed structural phase transition. Natrolites are composed of T₅O₁₀ secondary building units (T = Si, Al) linking two Al- and three Si-based TO₄ tetrahedra which in projection have an average chain rotation angle ψ with respect to the crystallographic <i>a</i>- and <i>b</i>-axes. Besides an isomer with pore axes orientations characterized by a negative chain rotation angle, found experimentally at moderate pressure, we also examined a superhydrated isomer with pore axes orientations resulting from positive chain rotation angles in the pressure range 1–2.5 GPa. We estimated the critical pressure for possible transformations between various isomers, but we were unable to identify any specific energetic preference for a superhydrated structure with a negative chain rotation angle. Therefore, our computational results suggest that both isomers coexist in the same pressure range and transform into a more compact structure near 4 GPa. We also modeled the pathways for this latter phase transition and found rather similar barrier heights, 43–44 kJ mol^–1 per K⁺ ion for both isomers, but distinct energy profiles. Thus, based on the modeling results, the isomers of superhydrated K-NAT, with either positive or negative chain rotation angles, may coexist at moderate pressures, calling for new experiments

Monovalent Cation-Exchanged Natrolites and Their Behavior under Pressure. A Computational Study

Recently natrolite was shown to be an auxetic material that is able to exchange extra-framework Na⁺ cations with other mono-, di-, and trivalent cations. Under pressure up to several GPa, these cation-exchanged natrolites undergo superhydration and/or phase transformations in the cation–water arrangement. Using density functional theory we studied in silico the ion exchange in natrolites. First we optimized the structures of Li⁺-, Na⁺-, K⁺-, Rb⁺-, and Cs⁺-exchanged natrolites at ambient conditions and compared the resulting lattice energies to that of the hypothetical H-form of natrolite. Of all natrolites, the smallest formal exchange energy was found for Na-NAT, in agreement with the natural occurrence of this material. Then we modeled the effect of pressure on Na-, Rb-, and Cs-natrolites, addressing (<i>i</i>) the incorporation of water ligands into the zeolite framework, accompanied by an increase in volume; and (<i>ii</i>) the changes in the cation–water arrangement within the zeolite pores. The computational models reproduce reasonably well the critical pressure, at which these phenomena occur, and, in the case of Cs-NAT, point toward a cation displacement model for its structural transition under pressure

HPV-47-Induced and Tattoo-associated Verrucae Planae: Report of a Case and Review of the Literature

<p><b>Article full text</b></p> <p><br></p> <p>The full text of this article can be found here<b>. </b><a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13555-017-0197-y">https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13555-017-0197-y</a></p><p></p> <p><br></p> <p><b>Provide enhanced content for this article</b></p> <p><br></p> <p>If you are an author of this publication and would like to provide additional enhanced content for your article then please contact <a href="http://www.medengine.com/Redeem/”mailto:[email protected]”"><b>[email protected]</b></a>.</p> <p><br></p> <p>The journal offers a range of additional features designed to increase visibility and readership. All features will be thoroughly peer reviewed to ensure the content is of the highest scientific standard and all features are marked as ‘peer reviewed’ to ensure readers are aware that the content has been reviewed to the same level as the articles they are being presented alongside. Moreover, all sponsorship and disclosure information is included to provide complete transparency and adherence to good publication practices. This ensures that however the content is reached the reader has a full understanding of its origin. No fees are charged for hosting additional open access content.</p> <p><br></p> <p>Other enhanced features include, but are not limited to:</p> <p><br></p> <p>• Slide decks</p> <p>• Videos and animations</p> <p>• Audio abstracts</p> <p>• Audio slides</p

A Slowly Growing Orange Patch on the Cheek: Diagnosis of Lupus Vulgaris 20 Years After Onset of First Skin Changes

<p><b>Article full text</b></p> <p><br></p> <p>The full text of this article can be found here<b>. </b><a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13555-016-0158-x">https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13555-016-0158-x</a></p><p></p> <p><br></p> <p><b>Provide enhanced content for this article</b></p> <p><br></p> <p>If you are an author of this publication and would like to provide additional enhanced content for your article then please contact <a href="http://www.medengine.com/Redeem/”mailto:[email protected]”"><b>[email protected]</b></a>.</p> <p><br></p> <p>The journal offers a range of additional features designed to increase visibility and readership. All features will be thoroughly peer reviewed to ensure the content is of the highest scientific standard and all features are marked as ‘peer reviewed’ to ensure readers are aware that the content has been reviewed to the same level as the articles they are being presented alongside. Moreover, all sponsorship and disclosure information is included to provide complete transparency and adherence to good publication practices. This ensures that however the content is reached the reader has a full understanding of its origin. No fees are charged for hosting additional open access content.</p> <p><br></p> <p>Other enhanced features include, but are not limited to:</p> <p><br></p> <p>• Slide decks</p> <p>• Videos and animations</p> <p>• Audio abstracts</p> <p>• Audio slides</p

High-Pressure Chemistry of a Zeolitic Imidazolate Framework Compound in the Presence of Different Fluids

Pressure-dependent structural and chemical changes of the zeolitic imid­azolate framework compound ZIF-8 have been investigated using different pressure transmitting media (PTM) up to 4 GPa. The unit cell of ZIF-8 expands and contracts under hydrostatic pressure depending on the solvent molecules used as PTM. When pressurized in water up to 2.2(1) GPa, the unit cell of ZIF-8 reveals a gradual contraction. In contrast, when alcohols are used as PTM, the ZIF-8 unit cell volume initially expands by 1.2% up to 0.3(1) GPa in methanol, and by 1.7% up to 0.6(1) GPa in ethanol. Further pressure increase then leads to a discontinuous second volume expansion by 1.9% at 1.4(1) GPa in methanol and by 0.3% at 2.3(1) GPa in ethanol. The continuous uptake of molecules under pressure, modeled by the residual electron density derived from Rietveld refinements of X-ray powder diffraction, reveals a saturation pressure near 2 GPa. In non-penetrating PTM (silicone oil), ZIF-8 becomes amorphous at 0.9(1) GPa. The structural changes observed in the ZIF-8-PTM system under pressure point to distinct molecular interactions within the pores

Direct Determination of Sulfur Species in Coals from the Argonne Premium Sample Program by Solid Sampling Electrothermal Vaporization Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry

A new direct solid sampling method for speciation of sulfur in coals by electrothermal vaporization inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ETV-ICP OES) is presented. On the basis of the controlled thermal decomposition of coal in an argon atmosphere, it is possible to determine the different sulfur species in addition to elemental sulfur in coals. For the assignment of the obtained peaks from the sulfur transient emission signal, several analytical techniques (reflected light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction) were used. The developed direct solid sampling method enables a good accuracy (relative standard deviation ≤ 6%), precision and was applied to determine the sulfur forms in the Argonne premium coals, varying in rank. The generated method is time- and cost-effective and well suited for the fast characterization of sulfur species in coal. It can be automated to a large extent and is applicable for process-accompanying analyses

Two-Step Pressure-Induced Superhydration in Small Pore Natrolite with Divalent Extra-Framework Cations

In situ high pressure X-ray powder diffraction studies of natrolite (NAT) containing the divalent extra-framework cations (EFC) Sr²⁺, Ca²⁺, Pb²⁺, and Cd²⁺ reveal that they can be superhydrated in the presence of water. In the case of Ca-NAT, Sr-NAT, and Pb-NAT pressure-induced hydration (PIH) inserts 40 H₂O/unit cell into the zeolite compared to 32 in superhydrated natrolites containing monovalent EFC. Cd-NAT is superhydrated in one step to a zeolite containing 32 H₂O/unit cell. PIH of Ca-NAT and Sr-NAT occurs in two steps. During PIH of Pb-NAT three distinct steps have been observed. The excess H₂O in natrolites with divalent EFC are accommodated on sites no longer required for charge compensation. Two distinct families with ordered and disordered EFC–water topologies have been found. Our work established the importance of both size and charge of the EFC in PIH

Serum 25(OH)D concentrations are associated with survival of melanoma patients.

<p>When dividing the cohort of melanoma patients according to their serum 25(OH)D concentrations into quartiles, a significant difference in survival from time of diagnosis between the 1^st (lowest serum 25(OH)D concentrations; 4–9.86 ng/ml) and 4^th (highest serum 25(OH)D concentrations; 24.4–59.6 ng/ml) quartiles is found (p = 0.049). Kaplan-Meier analysis shows a median OS of melanoma patients in the 1^st quartile (n = 81) of 80 months, while in contrast patients in the 4^th quartile (n = 81) have a median OS of 195 months. Age at time of venipuncture has no significant influence on OS (p = 0.2). Tumor stage has a significant influence on OS with p-values<10⁻³ and 0.002 for tumor stages 4 and 3, respectively. This finding may be due to a dependence of tumor stage on 25(OH)D level (3a). Comparing the survival of melanoma patients venipunctured in winter (Nov-Jan) (n = 57) and summer (May-Jul) (n = 92) with each other, no significant difference is observed. The median survival in the winter cohort is 62 months as compared to 57 months in the summer cohort (n = 149; p = 0.056) (3b). The female gender (195 month, n = 150) has a significant longer OS compared to the male gender (141 month, n = 174) (p = 0.003) (3c).</p