Search results for "ELECTRICITY"
showing 10 items of 1225 documents
The phase situation and ferroelectric properties in the mixed crystals [4-NH2PyH][SbCl4(1−x)Br4x]
2008
Abstract The group of mixed crystals of general formula: [4-APyH][SbCl4(1−x) Br4x] with x ranging from 0 to 1 was studied by means of differential scanning calorimetry, dilatometry and dielectric spectroscopy. The ferroelectric properties are preserved for mixed crystals with replacement fraction, x, less than 0.30. Moreover, such a substitution of the chlorine atoms by the bromine ones significantly lowers the temperature of the structural phase transition shifting it from 240 K for pure [4-APyH][SbCl4] to about 185 K for the mixed crystals richer in bromine. The dielectric relaxation process exhibited by the mixed crystal with x = 0.90 in the radio-frequency region was analyzed and the ac…
A pH-tunable nanofluidic diode: electrochemical rectification in a reconstituted single ion channel.
2006
We report pH-dependent electrochemical rectification in a protein ion channel (the bacterial porin OmpF) reconstituted on a planar phospholipid membrane. The measurements performed at single-channel level show that the electric current is controlled by the protein fixed charge and it can be tuned by adjusting the local pH. Under highly asymmetric pH conditions, the channel behaves like a liquid diode. Unlike other nanofluidic devices that display also asymmetric conductance, here the microscopic charge distribution of the system can be explored by using the available high-resolution (2.4 A) channel crystallographic structure. Continuum electrostatics calculations confirm the hypothesized bi…
Electromechanical Properties of Ba(1–x)SrxTiO3 Perovskite Solid Solutions from First-Principles Calculations
2017
Many thanks to M. Maček-Kržmanc, R. A. Evarestov, D. Gryaznov and D. Fuks for fruitful discussions. This study was supported by the ERA-NET HarvEnPiez project.
Calculations of F centers in KNbO 3 ferroelectric crystals
1997
Semi-empirical method of the intermediate neglect of the differential overlap (INDO) combined with the supercell model is applied to the calculations of the F center optical properties in ferroelectric KNbO 3 perovskite crystals. It is shown that two electrons of the defect are weakly localized inside the O vacancy, unlike similar defects in ionic alkali halides, but are considerably spread over two nearest Nb atoms. For the orthorhombic phase stable at room temperatures three absorption bands are predicted to be at 2.72 eV, 3.04 eV and 3.11 eV, respectively. The first energy is close to the band at 2.7 eV observed in electron- irradiated crystals. In the high temperature, cubic phase only …
An integrated approach based on Life Cycle Assessment and Thermoeconomics: Application to a water-cooled chiller for an air conditioning plant
2018
Abstract A large number of methods for energy systems analysis were developed in the last decades, aimed at acquiring an in-depth understanding of plant performances and enabling analysts to identify optimal design and operating conditions. In this work an integrated approach based on Life Cycle Assessment and Thermoeconomics is proposed as a method for assessing the exergo-environmental profile of energy systems. The procedure combines the capabilities of these two techniques, to account simultaneously for aspects related to thermodynamics of energy conversion processes and to the overall impacts along the plant life cycle related to other phases, i.e. from raw material extraction to the d…
Assessing the Energy-Saving Potential of a Dish-Stirling Concentrator Integrated into Energy Plants in the Tertiary Sector
2021
Energy consumed for air conditioning in residential and tertiary sectors accounts for a large share of global use. To reduce the environmental impacts burdening the covering of such demands, the adoption of renewable energy technologies is increasing. In this regard, this paper evaluates the energy and environmental benefits achievable by integrating a dish-Stirling concentrator into energy systems used for meeting the air conditioning demand of an office building. Two typical reference energy plants are assumed: (i) a natural gas boiler for heating purposes and air-cooled chillers for the cooling periods, and (ii) a reversible heat pump for both heating and cooling. For both systems, a dis…
A Validation Methodology for a Combined Heating Cooling and Power (CHCP) Pilot Plant
2004
A great number of variables significantly influence the energetic, environmental and economic results of CHP (Combined Heating and Power) and CHCP (Combined Heating Cooling and Power) plants operation, and as a consequence their project activity is rather complex. In order to select the best layout and properly size the machines, detailed data on hourly electric, thermal, and cooling demand are necessary, so that a series of plant life cycle simulations may have to be carried out. Unfortunately, such detailed data are rarely available, because energy consumptions data for existing buildings are usually derived from aggregated monthly or bimonthly gas and electricity bills. Even more difficu…
Characterization of cooling loads in the wine industry and novel seasonal indicator for reliable assessment of energy saving through retrofit of chil…
2020
Abstract The food sector is a major consumer of energy and growing efforts are being made in the search for solutions that will guarantee the efficient and sustainable use of energy resources. Among the different sectors, wineries are attracting particular interest due to the continuous growth of the global market and production. Surveys conducted in the winemaking sector have highlighted the importance of performing accurate energy audits and have identified the installation of efficient refrigeration systems as a promising solution in a variety of cases. Unfortunately, the savings achievable by efficient cooling technologies are often estimated using simplified approaches which do not tak…
Refinement of a structural model of a pigment-protein complex by accurate optical line shape theory and experiments.
2007
Time-local and time-nonlocal theories are used in combination with optical spectroscopy to characterize the water-soluble chlorophyll binding protein complex (WSCP) from cauliflower. The recombinant cauliflower WSCP complexes reconstituted with either chlorophyll b (Chl b) or Chl a/Chl b mixtures are characterized by absorption spectroscopy at 77 and 298 K and circular dichroism at 298 K. On the basis of the analysis of these spectra and spectra reported for recombinant WSCP reconstituted with Chl a only (Hughes, J. L.; Razeghifard, R.; Logue, M.; Oakley, A.; Wydrzynski, T.; Krausz, E. J. Am. Chem. Soc. U.S.A. 2006, 128, 3649), the "open-sandwich" model proposed for the structure of the pig…
Halloysite nanotubes-carbon dots hybrids multifunctional nanocarrier with positive cell target ability as a potential non-viral vector for oral gene …
2019
Abstract Hypothesis The use of non-viral vectors for gene therapy is hindered by their lower transfection efficiency and their lacking of self-track ability. Experiments This study aims to investigate the biological properties of halloysite nanotubes-carbon dots hybrid and its potential use as non-viral vector for oral gene therapy. The morphology and the chemical composition of the halloysite hybrid were investigated by means of high angle annular dark field scanning TEM and electron energy loss spectroscopy techniques, respectively. The cytotoxicity and the antioxidant activity were investigated by standard methods (MTS, DPPH and H2O2, respectively) using human cervical cancer HeLa cells …