Electroadsorption of Bromide from Natural Water in Granular Activated Carbon

The adsorption and electroadsorption of bromide from natural water has been studied in a filter-press electrochemical cell using a commercial granular activated carbon as the adsorbent. During electroadsorption experiments, different voltages were applied (2 V, 3 V and 4 V) under anodic conditions. The presence of the electric field improves the adsorption capacity of the activated carbon. The decrease in bromide concentration observed at high potentials (3 V or 4 V) may be due to the electrochemical transformation of bromide to Br2. The anodic treatment produces a higher decrease in the concentration of bromide in the case of cathodic electroadsorption. Moreover, in this anodic electroadsorption, if the system is again put under open circuit conditions, no desorption of the bromide is produced. In the case of anodic treatment in the following adsorption process after 24 h of treatment at 3 V, a new decrease in the bromide concentration is observed as a consequence of the decrease in bromide concentration after the electrochemical stage. It can be concluded that the electroadsorption process is effective against the elimination of bromide and total bromine in water, with a content of 345 and 470 µg L−1, respectively, reaching elimination values of 46% in a single-stage electroadsorption process in bromide and total bromine. The application of the electric field to the activated carbon with a positive polarization (anodic electroadsorption) increases the adsorption capacity of the activated carbon significantly, achieving a reduction of up to 220 µg L−1 after 1 h of contact with water. The two stage process in which a previous electrochemical oxidation is incorporated before the electroadsorption stage significantly increased the efficiency from 46% in a single electroadsorption step at 3 V, to 59% in two stages.

The Umov effect in cosmic dust analogue fluffy aggregates

ABSTRACT We investigate the effect of porosity in the Umov effect for the first time using the aggregate dust model. The Umov effect is an inverse correlation between the reflectivity (or geometric albedo) of an object and the degree of linear polarization of light scattered by it. Three different types of fractal aggregates: ballistic agglomeration (BA), ballistic agglomeration with one migration (BAM1), and ballistic agglomeration with two migrations (BAM2) having porosities 0.87, 0.74, and 0.64, respectively (which have the same characteristic radius ∼1 μm), are considered in our simulations. Using the multisphere T-matrix (mstm) code, maximum positive polarization (Pmax) and geometric albedo (A) are calculated for three different fractal aggregated structures considering amorphous silicate composition. Then Pmax and A are plotted against each other in logarithmic scale that shows a linear inverse correlation and a strong porosity dependence. This study shows that the porosity of the aggregates plays a crucial role in the Umov-law diagram. Further, we explore the effect of aggregate size parameter and the effect of composition in the Umov diagram for particles larger than the wavelength of incident radiation. A systematic study is presented in this paper.

DFT insight into the effect of Cu atoms on adsorption and dissociation of CO2 over a Pd8/ TiO2(101) surface

The Cu atom provides the positive polarization charge center to enhance CO2 adsorption and up-shifts its d-band center to improve the activation of CO2.

Monitoring polarization in comet 46P/Wirtanen

ABSTRACT We measure the degree of linear polarization of comet 46P/Wirtanen during two months, embracing the perihelion passage in 2018 December with phase angles ranging from α = 18.1° to 46.4°. The polarimetric response PQ obtained resembles what was previously found in comet C/1975 V1 (West). This suggests 46P/Wirtanen belongs to a group of comets with high maximum positive polarization. In the first half of 2019 February, we conducted BVRI photometry of 46P/Wirtanen and found either neutral or blue colour of its dust, which is in good accordance with measurements of C/1975 V1 (West). While aperture-averaged polarimetry of 46P/Wirtanen reveals a nearly zero polarization PQ at the lowest phase angle α = 18.1°, simultaneous imaging polarimetry suggests that the negative polarization (PQ < 0) arises in a region of within 5000 km of the nucleus, where the negative polarization could be as strong as PQ = −(1.44 ± 0.15) per cent. This observation suggests the existence of the circumnucleus halo and that the coma is populated by at least two types of dust particles. One of those reveals a low positive polarization at side scattering and high negative polarization near backscattering. Both polarimetric features are simultaneously produced by weakly absorbing Mg-rich silicate particles. Another type of dust produces solely positive polarization that could be attributed to carbonaceous particles. This composition of 46P/Wirtanen coma appears to be similar with what was previously found in comet C/1975 V1 (West).

Every Way Out

The prominence of foreign policy—specifically the Vietnam War—during the 1968 presidential election has long been recognized by scholars. This chapter examines the campaigns of the three presidential candidates and argues that Richard Nixon framed his foreign policies in terms of widely shared concepts of American national identity. Unlike Hubert Humphrey, Nixon actively utilized positive polarization and framed the Vietnam War as an American domestic struggle rather than as an international one. During the final weeks of the campaign, Nixon’s message on foreign policy and his championing of law and order were thereby reconciled. This campaigning style redefined the function of foreign policy during presidential elections and presented Nixon with a far greater ideological triumph than his narrow victory would suggest.

Design and Optimization of AlGaN Solar-Blind Double Heterojunction Ultraviolet Phototransistor

The n-p-i-n AlGaN solar-blind ultraviolet double heterojunction phototransistor (DHPT) with internal gain is proposed and optimized in this paper. The dependences of spectral responsivity and quantum gain on structure parameters of the AlGaN DHPT are simulated in detail. Then, the polarization effect of AlGaN heterojunction on the performance of AlGaN DHPT is also investigated. Results show that positive polarization charge would enhance the photoresponse of the device, whereas the negative polarization charge would reduce the photoresponse significantly. The reasons for the polarization effect on performance of AlGaN DHPT are discussed.

Evaluation of electron overflow in nitride-based LEDs influenced by polarization charges at electron blocking layers

ABSTRACTWe have investigated an influence of positive polarization charges generated at an interface between GaN barrier/p-AlGaN EB (Electron Blocking) layer in a blue-LED. Simulation results suggested that such polarization charges caused an electron overflow from QWs. The simulation results also indicated that sufficient acceptor doping at the interface could neutralize the positive polarization charges and suppress the electron overflow. We then demonstrated the electron overflow caused by the positive polarization charges and its suppression with sufficient Mg doping at the interface by monitoring emissions from an additional second QW inserted between the p-EB layer and the p-GaN layer. Finally we conclude that the contribution of the electron overflow is not significant for the efficiency droop in blue-LEDs.

Molecular Photodiode and Two-channel Optoelectronic Demultiplexer based on the [60]Fullerene-porphyrin Tetrad

Photoelectrodes containing Langmuir–Blodget layers of [60]fullerene-porphyrin tetrad behave like photodiodes. Upon excitation within the whole absorption spectrum of the molecule they generate photocurrent, the direction of which depends on the conducting substrate potential. At negative polarization high intensity cathodic photocurrent are observed, while at positive polarization much weaker anodic photocurrents are observed. The forward-bias to reverse-bias current ratio amounts 5:1. Therefore the [60]fullerene-porphyrin tetrad is closely related to semiconductors showing photoelectrochemical photocurrent switching effect and is a promising material for molecular optoelectronics. It can be used as a simple molecular photodiode. Assignment of logic values to polarization of the photoelectrode and to light and photocurrent pulses results in a very efficient two-channel optoelectronic demultiplexer.