Pulsed titration sensors: Part 1: A breath-by-breath CO2 sensor

A novel electrochemical sensor for the determination of CO₂ in expired breath is described. The sensor works by generating from the reduction of O₂ in dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO) in a generating pulse. There is a rapid titration reaction between the and any CO₂ present. In the recovery pulse the amount of unreacted is determined. The larger the concentration of CO₂ the less is found in the recovery pulse. The solubilities and diffusion coefficients of O₂ and CO₂ in DMSO have been determined using rotating disc voltammetry and rotation speed step experiments. The stoichiometry, the product, and the rate constant of the titration reaction have been determined using ring—disc voltammetry and laser Raman spectroscopy. The operation and the effect of adventitious water on the sensor are described. Results are presented which show that the sensor can indeed measure the breath-by-breath rhythm of expired CO₂ from a human subject.     

Double electron transfer reactions of CO22+ ions

Time-of-flight techniques have been used to measure fast neutral CO₂ products from double electron transfer reactions of CO₂²⁺ ions with 4.0–7.0 keV impact energies. Double electron transfer cross sections have been determined to be in the range of (1.1–12.5) × 10^?16 cm² for reactions of CO₂²⁺ ions with CO₂, CO, N₂, Ar and O₂.     

Bioreactors for H2 Production by Purple Nonsulfur Bacteria

Two types of laboratory-scale bioreactors were designed for H₂ production by purple nonsulfur bacteria. The bioreactors employed a unique type of hydrogenase activity found in some photosynthetic bacteria that functions in darkness to shift CO (and H₂O) into H₂ (and CO₂). The mass transport of gaseous CO into an aqueous bacterial suspension was the rate-limiting step and the main challenge for bioreactor design. Hollow-fiber and bubble-train bioreactors employing immobilized and free-living bacteria have proven effective for enhancing the mass transfer of CO. The hollow-fiber bioreactor was designed so that both a growth medium and CO (10% in N₂) passed from the inside of the fibers to the outside within the bioreactor. Bacteria were immobilized on the outer surface of the hollow fibers. Hydrogen production from CO at an average rate of 125 ml g cdw⁻¹ h⁻¹ (maximum rate of 700 ml g cdw⁻¹ h⁻¹) was observed for more than 8 months. The bubble-train bioreactor was built using polyvinyl chloride (PVC) tubing, wound helically on a vertical cylindrical supporting structure. Small bubbles containing CO were injected continuously through a needle/septum connection from the gas reservoir (20% CO). Up to 140 ml g cdw⁻¹ h⁻¹ of H₂ production activity was observed using this bioreactor for more than 10 days. Dr. Paul Weaver is deceased.     

Infrared laser induced energy transfer studies in S18O2

Vibrational energy transfer has been studied in S¹⁸O₂, following pumping of the symmetric stretch (ν₁) by a Q-switched CO₂ laser. Fluorescence from the asymmetric stretch (ν₃) is monitored as a function of time following the laser pulse. This fluorescence rises with a rate constant of 74 ± 10 ms^?1 torr^?1, and then decays with a rate constant of 3.6 ± 0.1 ms^?1 torr^?1 for the S¹⁸O₂ itself. The effect of rare gases on the rise and fall rates was also studied. The results agree well with those on S¹⁶O₂ and are consistent with a double V-V picture in which the excitation is distributed rapidly between the stretches, but is shared with the bend much more slowly. This produces molecules in which the stretches are much “hotter” than the bend, giving rise to possibilities of laser action on the stretch-to-bend transitions and mode-selective vibrational enhancement of chemical reactions. Also, new results have been derived on the kinetics of V-V processes in mixtures. V-V transfer in various isotopic mixtures of SO₂ has been studied and the kinetic analysis indicates that S¹⁸O₂ and S¹⁶O₂ exhibit the same V-V rates.     

The Effects of CO2 Additional on Flame Characteristics in the CH4/N2/O2 Counterflow Diffusion Flame

The effects (chemical, thermal, transport, and radiative) of CO₂ added to the fuel side and oxidizer side on the flame temperature and the position of the flame front in a one-dimensional laminar counterflow diffusion flame of methane/N₂/O₂ were studied. Overall CO₂ resulted in a decrease in flame temperature whether on the fuel side or on the oxidizer side, with the negative effect being more obvious on the latter side. The prominent effects of CO₂ on the flame temperature were derived from its thermal properties on the fuel side and its radiative properties on the oxidizer side. The results also highlighted the differences in the four effects of CO₂ on the position of the flame front on different sides. In addition, an analysis of OH and H radicals and the heat release rate of the main reactions illustrated how CO₂ affects the flame temperature.     

Ab initio computation of vibrational relaxation rate coefficients for the collisions of CO2 with helium and neon atoms

Ab initio calculations of rate coefficients are reported for the vibrational relaxation of CO₂ molecules in collision with helium and neon atoms. Self consistent-field computations have been performed to parameterise simple three-dimensional potential energy functions which have been used in vibrational close-coupling, rotational infinite-order-sudden calculations of rate coefficients. Excellent agreement is obtained between the calculated and experimental rate coefficients for the deactivation of the (01₁0) vibrational level in the He + CO₂ system at temperatures of 300 K and above. The ab initio predictions of rate coefficients for relaxation of CO₂ vibrational levels such as (10⁰0) and (02⁰0) should be useful in computer simulations of CO₂ lasers.     

Gas permeability of combined membrane systems with mobile liquid carrier

Gas transfer in a membrane system called a selective membrane valve (SMV) is studied. The SMV is a system consisting of two mobile gas phases, one mobile liquid phase, and two membranes acting as interfaces between gas and liquid. Such a membrane system has supplementary variable parameters and is designated for the separation of multicomponent gas mixtures. System permeability for individual gases (CO₂, O₂, and H₂) and its dependence on a flow rate of a liquid phase are studied. Time dependences of the non-steady state transfer of CO₂ through the immobile layer of chemisorbent (aqueous K₂CO₃ solution) at its different concentrations are studied for the first time. Two theoretical models are developed: the model of gas transfer through a selective membrane valve system with a mobile liquid absorbent (in the absence of chemical interaction) and the model of a non-steady-state transfer of CO₂ through the immobile layer of aqueous potassium carbonate solution. The first model makes it possible to determine gas-to-liquid diffusion coefficients; the second model permits us to plot kinetic permeability curves and to calculate system permeability with allowance for the CO₂ transfer accompanied by reversible chemical reaction with the carrier. The model dependences agree well with the experimental data.     

含O2高温高压CO2环境中3Cr钢腐蚀产物膜特征

采用高温高压反应釜分别开展3Cr钢在CO2和O2共存、单独CO2和单独O2三种气体条件下的腐蚀实验,利用X射线衍射仪(XRD)、扫描电子显微镜(SEM)、能量色散X射线能谱(EDS)和电化学方法研究了3Cr钢在高温高压含有O2的CO2环境中的腐蚀产物膜特征.结果表明,在含有O2的CO2的条件下,3Cr钢表面腐蚀产物膜疏松多孔,主要成分为FeCO3、Fe3O4和Fe2O3,腐蚀产物中未见明显Cr元素富集,3Cr钢表现出点蚀的腐蚀形态.3Cr钢在高温高压含O2的CO2腐蚀条件下内外膜层电阻(Rf1、Rf2)和电荷传递电阻Rt均比仅含有CO2腐蚀环境的低,双电层电容(Cdl)和内外膜层电容(Cf1、Cf2)均比仅含有CO2腐蚀环境的高.含有O2的CO2条件下,其保护性显著低于单一CO2条件下形成的腐蚀产物膜.提出了在含O2的CO2气体条件下,3Cr钢表面存在由多种物质组成的腐蚀产物,这导致腐蚀产物疏松多孔,不会形成单一CO2条件下存在的显著提高腐蚀产物膜保护性的Cr(OH)3层,从而促进了3Cr钢的析氢腐蚀和酸性介质中的吸氧腐蚀的机理.     

An ab initio study of O2 and CO2 transport by perfluorocarbons

Fluorocarbons have been successfully applied as oxygen carriers replacing blood. In order to understand the nature of the interaction between fluorocarbons and hydrocarbons on the one hand and O₂, N₂ and CO₂ on the other, STO-3G calculations have been performed on their complexes. The very slight energies of interaction that were obtained seem to substantiate the contention that O₂, N₂ and CO₂ are physically dissolved in fluorocarbons. This energy of interaction is, however, distinctly larger for fluorocarbons than for hydrocarbons. Electrostatic potentials have been computed around several fluorocarbons. They make it possible to predict the geometries of the complexes that are formed.     

Sulfur evolution from coal combustion in O2/CO2 mixture

O₂/CO₂ coal combustion technology is considered as one of the most promising technologies for CO₂ sequestration due to its economical advantages and technical feasibility. It is significant to study the sulfur transfer behavior of coal in O₂/CO₂ atmosphere for organizing combustion properly and controlling SO₂ emission effectively. To clarify the effect of atmosphere on the sulfur transfer behavior, thermogravimetry coupled with Fourier Transform Infrared (TG-FTIR) system was employed to study the formation behavior of sulfur-containing gas species from Xuzhou bituminous coal pyrolysis in CO₂ atmosphere compared with that in N₂ atmosphere. Also the SO₂ formation behaviors during Xuzhou bituminous coal combustion in O₂/N₂ and O₂/CO₂ atmospheres were investigated. Results show that COS is preferentially formed during the coal pyrolysis process in CO₂ atmosphere rather than in N₂ atmosphere. When temperature is above 1000 K, sulfate in the CO₂ atmosphere begins to decompose due to the reduction effect of CO, which comes from the CO₂ gasification. During coal combustion process, replacing N₂ with CO₂ enhances the SO₂ releasing rate. SO₂ emission increases first and then decreases as O₂ fraction increases in the O₂/CO₂ mixture. XPS result of the ash after combustion indicates that higher O₂ concentration elevates the sulfur retention ability of the mineral matter in the coal.     

Evaluation of a membrane-sparged helical tubular photobioreactor for carbon dioxide biofixation by Chlorella vulgaris

A membrane-sparged helical tubular photobioreactor (MSTR) with a cultivation volume of 800 ml was designed in this study. It consisted of a cylindrical-shaped light receiver and a mass transfer system. A helical tube was used to ensure good light regime, and hollow fiber membranes were uniformly fitted inside the reactor, which functioned as a gas sparger and produced small bubbles. Mass transfer coefficients, mixing intensities and capabilities of CO₂ biofixation through the photosynthesis of Chlorella vulgaris in MSTR under different gas, liquid flow rates and light intensities were compared with two other photobioreactors (BCTR and MCTR). BCTR took a perforated pipe as sparger, while MCTR employed a membrane contactor as the whole mass transfer system. To establish if the limitation of CO₂ removal was improved in MSTR, pH, dissolved oxygen, cell damage, and characteristic times for mixing, mass transfer and CO₂ consumption were analyzed during batch culture.     

The quenching of vibrationally excited N 2 + ions by various neutrals

Using a selected ion flow tube, the quenching of the vibrational excitation of N ₂ ⁺ (X, v0) by Ne, N₂, O₂, NO, and CO₂ was investigated, and the following thermal quenching rate coefficients, k_q, were obtained respectively (all in units of 10^–10 cm³ sec^–1): 0.045, 5, 1.2, 0.3, 1. For the charge transfer of N ₂ ⁺ with O₂, NO, and CO₂, the respective rate coefficients (in units of 10^–10 cm³ sec^–1) 0.5, 3, and 7 were obtained independently of whether N ₂ ⁺ (X) was vibrationally excited or not.     

2D/2D atomic double-layer WS2/Nb2O5 shell/core nanosheets with ultrafast interfacial charge transfer for boosting photocatalytic H2 evolution

Low-efficiency charge transfer is a critical factor to limit the photocatalytic H₂ evolution activity of semiconductor photocatalysts. The interface design is a promising approach to achieve high charge-transfer efficiency for photocatalysts. Herein, a new 2D/2D atomic double-layer WS₂/Nb₂O₅ shell/core photocatalyst (DLWS/Nb₂O₅) is designed. The atom-resolved HAADF-STEM results unravel the presence of an unusual 2D/2D shell/core interface in DLWS/Nb₂O₅. Taking advantage of the advanced femtosecond-resolved ultrafast TAS spectra, the average lifetime of charge carriers for DLWS/Nb₂O₅ (180.97 ps) is considerably shortened as compared to that of Nb₂O₅ (230.50 ps), strongly indicating that the 2D/2D shell/core interface enables DLWS/Nb₂O₅ to achieve ultrafast charge transfer from Nb₂O₅ to atomic double-layer WS₂, thus yielding a high photocatalytic H₂ evolution rate of 237.6 μmol/h, up to 10.8 times higher than that of pure Nb₂O₅ nanosheet. This study will open a new window for the development of high-efficient photocatalytic systems through the interface design.     

Semiclassical calculation of energy transfer in polyatomic molecules. XI. Cross sections and rate constants for Ar + CO2

Data from electron gas calculation on the short-range potential and theoretical van der Waals coefficients C_n (n = 6, 8) have been used to construct a potential surface for the Ar+CO₂ system. The surface has been used to calculate: second virial coefficient, viscosity and diffusion coefficient, rotational relaxation rates, rate constants for vibrational transitions in CO₂ and high-enery/small-angle differential cross sections.     

Rate‐Based Modeling of CO2 Absorption into Piperazine‐Activated Aqueous N‐Methyldiethanolamine Solution: Kinetic and Mass Transfer Analysis

A comprehensive two‐dimensional mathematical model based on surface renewal theory has been developed to analyze the CO₂ absorption into piperazine (PZ)‐activated aqueous N‐methyldiethanolamine (MDEA) solvent by taking into account the structured packed bed column hydraulics, mass transfer resistances, and chemical reactions. The modeling results have been validated with the experimental data reported in the literature, and they have been found to be in good agreement with the experimental results. The effects of amine concentration, liquid temperature, initial CO₂ partial pressure, liquid flow rate, and CO₂ loading on the mass transfer performance have been evaluated in terms of overall mass transfer coefficient (K _Ga_v). The overall mass transfer coefficient and absorption flux of CO₂ into aqueous MDEA+PZ blended solution have been calculated over the CO₂ partial pressure range of 4–16 kPa, temperature range of 298–333 K, and solvent concentration of 1–3 M. To evaluate the performance of different solvents on separation process, some common industrial chemical absorbents including monoethanolamine (MEA), diethanolamine (DEA), triethylamine (TEA), MDEA and PZ were compared with a MDEA+PZ blended solution. The results indicate that CO₂ absorption reaction with PZ is faster than that with MDEA, but also adding small amounts of PZ as a promoter to MDEA solvents improves significantly the absorption rate. The results show that CO₂ absorption reaction with the MDEA+PZ blended solution is faster than that with TEA and MDEA, also comparable with DEA, but slower than those with MEA and PZ. The modeling results illustrate that the K _Ga_v enhances with increasing the solvent concentration, liquid temperature, and liquid flow rate, but reduces with increasing the CO₂ loading and initial CO₂ partial pressure. In addition, the reaction kinetics in terms of enhancement factor was found to decrease as the CO₂ loading enhances and increase as the operating temperature rises.     

Analytical Expressions of Thermodynamic and Transport Properties of the Martian Atmosphere in a Wide Temperature and Pressure Range

Calculation of thermodynamic and transport properties of CO₂/N₂/O₂/Ar system (Martian atmosphere) have been performed in a wide pressure (0.01–100 bar) and temperature range (50–50,000 K). A self-consistent approach for the thermodynamic properties and higher order approximation of the Chapman–Enskog method for the transport coefficients have been used. Debye–Hückel corrections have been included in the calculation of thermodynamic properties while collision integrals derived following a phenomenological approach and accounting also for resonant processes contributions have been used. Moreover, charge–charge interactions have been obtained by using a screened Coulomb potential. Calculated values have been fitted by closed forms ready to be inserted in fluid dynamic codes in order to simulate plasma conditions for different technological applications. Comparison with data present in literature is also reported.     

Core-Shell-Type All-Inorganic Heterometallic Nanoclusters: Record High-Nuclearity Cobalt Polyoxoniobates for Visible-Light-Driven Photocatalytic CO2 Reduction

Only rarely have polyoxometalates been found to form core–shell nanoclusters. Here, we succeeded in isolating a series of rare giant and all-inorganic core–shell cobalt polyoxoniobates (Co−PONbs) with diverse shapes, nuclearities and original topologies, including 50-nuclearity {Co₁₂Nb₃₈O₁₃₂}, 54-nuclearity {Co₂₀Nb₃₄O₁₂₈}, 62-nuclearity {Co₂₆Nb₃₆O₁₄₀} and 87-nuclearity {Co₃₃Nb₅₄O₁₈₈}. They are the largest Co−PONbs and also the polyoxometalates containing the greatest number of Co ions and the largest cobalt clusters known thus far. These molecular Co−PONbs have intriguing and atomically precise core–shell architectures comprising unique cobalt oxide cores and niobate oxide shells. In particular, the encapsulated cobalt oxide cores with different nuclearities have identical compositions, structures and mixed-valence Co³⁺/Co²⁺ states as the different sized Co−O moieties of the bulk cubic-spinel Co₃O₄, suggesting that they can serve as various molecular models of the cubic-spinel Co₃O₄. The successful construction of the series of the Co−PONbs reveals a feasible and versatile synthetic method for making rare core–shell heterometallic PONbs. Further, these new-type core–shell bimetal species are promising cluster molecular catalysts for visible-light-driven CO₂ reduction.     

High-pressure range of the recombination O + O2 → O3

The recombination reaction O + O₂ → O₃ was studied by laser flash photolysis of pure O₂ in the pressure range 3–20 atm, and of N₂O? O₂ mixtures in the bath gases Ar, N₂, (CO₂, and SF₆) in the pressure range 3–200 atm. Fall-off curves of the reaction have been derived. Low-pressure rate coefficients were found to agree well with literature data. A high-pressure rate coefficient of k_∞ = (2.8 ± 1.0) × 10^?12 cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1 was obtained by extrapolation.     

Vibrational relaxation of CO2(00°1) and N2O(00°1) by NO

The far-from-resonance transfers and the de-excitation processes in CO₂-NO and N₂O-NO systems have been studied by measuring fluorescence decay rate constants of CO₂ or N₂O excited to the (00°1) level by laser radiation. The diagrams giving the variations of these rate constants versus the molar fraction of CO₂ or N₂O have been set out. From these diagrams, the relative importance of the V-V transfer and V-T de-excitation rate constants is discussed. The transfer rate constants have been calculated from a semiclassical theory in which the interaction potential is a sum of four atom-atom Morse potentials. The disagreement observed between calculated and experimental values probably results from the attractive multipolar forces which the theory does not take into account.