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Research teams from Ruhr-Universität Bochum (RUB) and the University of Copenhagen have therefore developed an approach that can predict the optimal composition and confirm its accuracy with high-throughput experiments. They report in the journal
Angewandte Chemie International Edition of 28. December 2020.
Much less expensive elements than previous catalysts
Many electrochemical reactions go through several steps. Each should be optimized on a catalyst surface if possible, but different requirements apply to each step. Since previous catalysts usually had only one optimized functionality, one could only make the best compromise possible, and energy losses could not be avoided, explains Professor Wolfgang Schuhmann from the Center for Electrochemistry at RUB. With complex solid solutions, several functionalities can be realized simultaneously on one catalyst surface, overcoming this limitation. However, this only happens when at least five different elements are comb
Credit: FEFU press office
Preparing regular concrete scientists replaced ordinary water with water concentrate of bacteria Bacillus cohnii, which survived in the pores of cement stone. The cured concrete was tested for compression until it cracked, then researchers observed how the bacteria fixed the gaps restoring the strength of the concrete. The engineers of the Polytechnic Institute of Far Eastern Federal University (FEFU), together with colleagues from Russia, India, and Saudi Arabia, reported the results in
Sustainability journal.
During the experiment, bacteria activated when gained access to oxygen and moisture, which occurred after the concrete cracked under the pressure of the setup. The awakened bacteria completely repaired fissures with a width of 0.2 to 0.6 mm within 28 days. That is due to microorganisms released a calcium carbonate (CaCO3), a product of their life that crystallized under the influence of moisture. After 28 days of self-healing experimental concr
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Swimming in indoor or outdoor pools is a healthy form of exercise and recreation for many people. However, studies have linked compounds that arise from chlorine disinfection of the pools to respiratory problems, including asthma, in avid swimmers. Now, researchers reporting in ACS
Environmental Science & Technology have found that using a complementary form of disinfection, known as copper-silver ionization (CSI), can decrease disinfection byproducts and cell toxicity of chlorinated swimming pool water.
Disinfecting swimming pool water is necessary to inactivate harmful pathogens. Although an effective disinfectant, chlorine can react with organic matter and compounds introduced by swimmers, such as those in sweat, urine, sunscreens and cosmetics, to produce disinfection byproducts (DBPs). Epidemiological studies have linked DBPs to health problems, including respiratory issues, bladder cancer, and pregnancy and birth complications. One way to reduce the amount of adde
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IMAGE: A map showing the location of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) and the sampling site against the radiation dose at 1 m above the ground as of November,. view more
Credit: Satoshi Utsunomiya et al.
The 10 year anniversary of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident occurs in March. Work just published in the Journal Science of the Total Environment documents new, large (> 300 micrometers), highly radioactive particles that were released from one of the damaged Fukushima reactors.
Particles containing radioactive cesium (134+137Cs) were released from the damaged reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) during the 2011 nuclear disaster. Small (micrometer-sized) particles (known as CsMPs) were widely distributed, reaching as far as Tokyo. CsMPs have been the subject of many studies in recent years. However, it recently became apparent that larger (>300 micrometers) Cs-containing particles, with much higher levels of
By using 3D aerosol jet-printing to put perovskites on graphene, scientists at EPFL have made X-ray detectors with record sensitivity that can greatly improve the efficiency and reduce the cost and health hazard of medical imaging devices.