Knowledge database

You are in the right place if you want to get to know the 3W world better. Here you can find:

interesting articles on water, hydrogen and carbon initiatives;
important documents and legal regulations;
links to research papers on water, hydrogen and innovative carbon related technologies.

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Aluminum Nanoparticles from a Ga–Al Composite for Water Splitting and Hydrogen Generation We report the use of a gallium (Ga)-rich aluminum (Al) composite to enhance the formation of Al nanoparticles and to facilitate its ability to split water to generate hydrogen at ambient conditions. The synthesis of this Ga–Al composite occurs without the need of an inert atmosphere or mechanical aid. Commercial Al can be used, including postconsumer aluminum foil that is usually discarded. Characterization of the Ga–Al composite with scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and powder X-ray diffraction illustrates that the Ga acts to dissolve the aluminum oxide coating of the Al nanoparticles. The pristine nanoparticles are then available for continuous water splitting and on-demand hydrogen generation through the Grotthuss mechanism. The water-splitting reaction does not require an applied potential and functions at ambient conditions and neutral pH to rapidly generate 130 mL (5.4 mmol) of hydrogen per gram of alloy. Any available source of water can be used including wastewater, commercial beverages, or even ocean water, with no generation of chlorine gas, as confirmed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. In addition, Ga remains intact, allowing it to be collected and reused indefinitely. The Ga–Al alloy is stable under cyclohexane for at least 3 months so it can be preprepared for a later use. As an initial example of the application of evolved hydrogen, we show a hydrogenation reaction.

The super material reinforcing rinks, cars and buildings It looked like normal concrete. It poured like normal concrete. But it had a super power.

Mountain glaciers may hold less ice than previously thought – here’s what that means for 2 billion downstream water users and sea level rise Mountain glaciers are essential water sources for nearly a quarter of the global population. But figuring out just how much ice they hold – and how much water will be available as glaciers shrink in a warming world – has been notoriously difficult.

Hydrogen in the power sector The article describes the role of hydrogen as a new global energy source. It summarizes current European Union climate policy and presents the role hydrogen is expected to play in it. In addition, it discusses the development of hydrogen technology, the cost of producing green hydrogen, applications of hydrogen as an energy carrier, and existing barriers to the use of hydrogen on a mass scale.

Storage of hydrogen in geological structures Hydrogen economy became one of the main directions in EU’s Green Deal for making Europe climate neutral in 2050. Hydrogen will be produced with the use of renewable energy sources or it will be obtained from coking plants and chemical companies. It will be applied as ecological fuel for cars and as a mix with methane in gas distribution networks. Works connected with all aspects of hydrogen infrastructure are conducted in Poland. The key problem in creating a hydrogen system is hydrogen storage. They ought to be underground (RES) because of their potential volume. Three types of underground storages are taken into account. There are salt caverns, exploited gas reservoirs and aquifers. Salt caverns were built in Poland and now they are fully operational methane storages. Oli and Gas Institute – National Research Institute has been collaborating with the Polish Oil and Gas Company since 1998. Salt cavern storage exists and is used as methane storages. Now it is possible to use them as methane-hydrogen mixtures storages with full control of all operational parameters (appropriate algorithms are established). Extensive study works were carried out in relation to depleted gas reservoirs/aquifers: from laboratory investigations to numerical modelling. The consortium with Silesian University of Technology was created, capable of carrying out all possible projects in this field. The consortium is already able to undertake the project of adapting the depleted field to a methane-hydrogen storage or, depending on the needs, to a hydrogen storage. All types of investigations of reservoir rocks and reservoir fluids will be taken into consideration.

Problems connected with utilization of polymer composite products and waste materials Part I. Production volume, utilization of composites with carbon fibres, legislative aspects, industrial recycling The paper presents current production volume of polymer composites reinforced with carbon or glass fibers in Europe as well as trends in the methods of their manufacture. The ways to solve the problems connected with effective recycling of carbon fiber reinforced composites, which has become a growing challenge, as well as the existing European Community regulations in this area have been discussed.

Innovative Solutions for Modern Drainage Infrastructure Urbanization and urban development drive the expansion of sealed surfaces into the areas that were previously sparsely developed and covered with vegetation. This increases the intensity of outflow of rainwater, adversely affecting the functioning of urban infrastructure and water recipients. The problem of periodical excess of water requires a number of actions aimed at its management, and in the case of water contamination, also its disposal.

Toxicity studies of carbon nano-structures and their applications in medicine By carrying out research and experiments, it is possible to know the characteristics of nano-materials very precisely and to characterize them for use in a specific medical application. Materials used in medicine should first and foremost follow the principle of safety. The side effects of using such materials should be eliminated entirely or minimized as much as possible. For carbon materials, they must be biocompatible with human tissue and compatible with blood. There is a lot of research being done on the toxicity of carbon nano-structures, which is very important to understand the toxicity profile of a material as accurately as possible.

Opportunities for using carbon nano-tubes in the General Aviation area The General Aviation, like any other field of aviation, is constantly striving at the reduction of aircraft manufacturing and operating costs while retaining consistent safety and reliability parameters. The systems used in e.g. civil aviation dealing with the haulage of passengers, freight and goods are usually not applied to the General Aviation (GA) area precisely because of their cost. An example is the anti-icing system used on passenger aircraft, which cannot be used on GA area aircraft due to cost and additional structural load. Carbon nano-tubes exhibit very good hydrophobic properties, which could make them an excellent substitute for systems in the area of communication aviation. This paper presents a consideration of the applicability of particular properties of carbon nano-tubes in the area of general aviation.