Electrochemical Impedance Analysis for Corrosion Rate Monitoring of Sol-Gel Protective Coatings in Contact with Nitrate Molten Salts for CSP Applications.

The protective behaviour of ZrO2-3%molY2O3 sol-gel coatings, deposited with an immersion coating technique on 9Cr-1Mo P91 steel, was evaluated with corrosion monitoring sensors using the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy technique. The tests were carried out in contact with solar salt at 500 °C for a maximum of 2000 h. The results showed the highly protective behaviour of the coating, with the corrosion process in the coated system being controlled by the diffusion of charged particles through the protective layer. The coating acts by limiting the transport of ions and slowing down the corrosive process. The system allowed a reduction in the corrosion rate of uncoated P91 steel. The estimated corrosion rate of 22.62 µm·year-1 is lower than that accepted for in-service operations. The proposed ZrO2-3%molY2O3 sol-gel coatings are an option to mitigate the corrosion processes caused by the molten salts in concentrated solar power plants.

Influence of chemical composition, porosity and fractal dimension on the electrical conductivity of carbon blacks.

Carbonaceous materials analyzed in this investigation were six nanometric particle size carbon blacks. Carbons were texturally characterized by gas adsorption (N2, 77 K), helium and mercury density and mercury porosimetry measurements. Electrical conductivity was determinated by impedance spectroscopy, at room temperature. Several works related to the electrical conductivity and to textural parameters of carbon blacks, such as: porosity, specific surface area, etc., have been carried out. However, there are a type of parameters, such as the fractal dimension, the percentage of macropores, the particle size, or the packing density, that are also related to the electrical conductivity, but they have not been previously investigated. In this work, it has been researched how the increase in interparticle/intraparticle porosity decreases the electrical conductivity of the samples studied. Therefore, it is possible to conclude that in this study a complete research work on electrical conductivity has been carried out.

Study of the adsorption and electroadsorption process of Cu (II) ions within thermally and chemically modified activated carbon.

The aim of this work is to modify the porous texture and superficial groups of a commercial activated carbon through chemical and thermal treatment and subsequently study the kinetics of adsorption and electroadsorption of Cu (II) ion for these carbons. Samples of three activated carbons were used. These were a commercial activated carbon, commercial activated carbon modified thermically (C-N2-900) and finally commercial activated carbon modified chemically C-SO2-H2S-200. The activated carbons were characterized chemically and texturally and the electrical conductivity of them determined. Different kinetic models were applied. The kinetics of the adsorption and electroadsorption process of the Cu (II) ion fits a pseudo second order model and the most likely mechanism takes place in two stages. A first step through transfer of the metal mass through the boundary layer of the adsorbent and distribution of the Cu (II) on the external surface of the activated carbon and a second step that represents intraparticle diffusion and joining of the Cu (II) with the active centres of the activated carbon. Finally, the kinetics of the adsorption process are faster than the kinetics of the electroadsorption but the percentage of the Cu (II) ion retained is much higher in the electroadsorption process.

Electrical conductivity of activated carbon-metal oxide nanocomposites under compression: a comparison study.

From a granular commercial activated carbon (AC) and six metal oxide (Al2O3, Fe2O3, SnO2, TiO2, WO3 and ZnO) precursors, two series of AC-metal oxide nanocomposites were prepared by wet impregnation, oven-drying at 120 °C, and subsequent heat treatment at 200 or 850 °C in an inert atmosphere. Here, the electrical conductivity of the resulting products was studied under moderate compression. The influence of the applied pressure, sample volume, mechanical work, and density of the hybrid materials was thoroughly investigated. The DC electrical conductivity of the compressed samples was measured at room temperature by the four-probe method. Compaction assays suggest that the mechanical properties of the nanocomposites are largely determined by the carbon matrix. Both the decrease in volume and the increase in density were relatively small and only significant at pressures lower than 100 kPa for AC and most nanocomposites. In contrast, the bulk electrical conductivity of the hybrid materials was strongly influenced by the intrinsic conductivity, mean crystallite size, content and chemical nature of the supported phases, which ultimately depend on the metal oxide precursor and heat treatment temperature. The supported nanoparticles may be considered to act as electrical switches either hindering or favouring the effective electron transport between the AC cores of neighbouring composite particles in contact under compression. Conductivity values as a rule were lower for the nanocomposites than for the raw AC, all of them falling in the range of semiconductor materials. With the increase in heat treatment temperature, the trend is toward the improvement of conductivity due to the increase in the crystallite size and, in some cases, to the formation of metals in the elemental state and even metal carbides. The patterns of variation of the electrical conductivity with pressure and mechanical work were slightly similar, thus suggesting the predominance of the pressure effects rather than the volume ones.

Determination of the energy potential of gases produced in the pyrolysis processes of the vegetal carbon manufacture industry.

In this work, a pyrolysis plant located in Valverde de Leganes, Badajoz (SW Spain) was studied. At present, only the solid phase obtained by pyrolysis finds an application as domestic fuel. In order to analyze the feasibility of a further energetic exploitation of the plant under study, the gases flowing through the chimneys were collected at different times throughout the pyrolysis process. Next, they were characterized and quantified by gas chromatography, the energy potential of each of the gases being determined. According to the results obtained in this study, a total energy potential of 5.6 x 10(7) MJ (i.e., 1.78 MW(t)) might be generated yearly. Hence, considering an overall process yield equal to 20%, up to 358 KW(e) would be produced. This power would supply enough electric energy to the industry, the remaining being added to the common electric network.

Adsorption of mercury by carbonaceous adsorbents prepared from rubber of tyre wastes.

Rubber from tyre wastes has been used to prepare carbonaceous adsorbents and the products obtained have been tested as adsorbents for mercury in aqueous solution. The adsorbents have been prepared by applying thermal, chemical and combined (thermal and chemical or vice versa) treatments. Tyre rubber has been: heated at 400 or 900 degrees C for 2 h in N2, chemically-treated with H2SO4, HNO3 or H2SO4/HNO3 solution for 24 h, and in two successive steps first heated at 400 degrees C for 2h in N2 and then treated with a H2SO4/HNO3 solution for 24 h, or vice versa. Resultant products have been characterised in terms of elementary composition and textural properties. The adsorption of mercury has been studied from kinetic and equilibrium standpoints. The treatments effected to tyre rubber decrease the carbon content and the hydrogen content. The oxygen content and the nitrogen content increase for the chemically-treated products. The heat treatment of tyre rubber results in a larger development of surface area, microporosity, and mesoporosity than the chemical treatments. These treatments, however, produce a great creation of macropores. In comparison to the starting rubber, the adsorption process of mercury is faster when the material is heated or treated with the H2SO4, HNO3 or 1:3 H2SO4/HNO3 solution. These adsorbents are either a non-porous solid or possess a high mesopore volume or a wide pore size distribution in the macropore range. The adsorption capacity is larger for products prepared by heat, chemical and combined treatments of the rubber. A common textural characteristic of these adsorbents is their better developed microporosity. The ability to adsorb mercury is higher for the heated products than for the chemically-treated ones. The maximum adsorption of mercury is 211 mg g(-1). The constant Kf of the Freundlich equation is as high as 108.9 mg g(-1).

Development of activated carbon using vine shoots (Vitis vinifera) and its use for wine treatment.

An abundant and low-cost agricultural waste such as vine shoots (Vitis vinifera) (VS), which is generated by the annual pruning of vineyards, has been used as raw material in the preparation of powder activated carbon (AC) with a view to develop a new fining agent for white wines. A commercial activated carbon, S5X-Agrovin, was used for comparison purposes. From VS size-reduced pieces, AC was prepared using phosphoric acid as activating agent. The concentration of the H(3)PO(4) solution, the impregnation temperature, and the carbonization conditions were controlled. The carbons were texturally characterized by gas adsorption (N(2), -196 degrees C), mercury porosimetry, and density measurements. FT-IR spectroscopy was used in the analysis of the surface functional groups and structures of the carbons. Three varieties of white wine (i.e., cv. Cayetana, cv. Macabeo, and cv. Sauvignon Blanc) were treated with the activated carbons. Color changes were monitored by UV-vis spectrometry. Significant differences in the degree of uptake of polyphenols were observed depending on the wine variety and on the method of preparation of activated carbon. The carbon prepared by first impregnation of VS with the 60 vol% H(3)PO(4) solution at 50 degrees C and by then carbonization of the resultant product at 400 degrees C for 2 h presents a higher ability to discolor the white wines. The action of this carbon is comparable to that shown by the commercial product. Both carbons possess a well-developed porosity in the macropore range.

Adsorption of cadmium by sulphur dioxide treated activated carbon.

Merck carbon (1.5 mm) was treated in three ways: heating from ambient temperature to 900 degrees C in SO(2); treatment at ambient temperature in SO(2); or successive treatments in SO(2) and H(2)S at ambient temperature. All samples were then characterised and tested as adsorbents of Cd(2+) from aqueous solution. The characterisation was in terms of composition by effecting ultimate and proximate analyses and also of textural properties by N(2) adsorption at -196 degrees C. Kinetics and extent of the adsorption process of Cd(2+) were studied at 25 and 45 degrees C at pH of the Cd(2+) solution (i.e., 6.2) and at 25 degrees C also at pH 2.0. The various treatments of the starting carbon had no significant effect on the kinetics of the adsorption of Cd(2+), but increased its adsorption capacity. The most effective treatment was heating to 900 degrees C, the adsorption in this case being 70.3% more than that of the starting carbon. The adsorption increased at 45 degrees C but decreased at pH 2.0 when compared to adsorption at 25 degrees C and pH 6.2, respectively.