1,763 research outputs found
Engineering Nanomaterials for Environmental Remediation and Energy Conversion
No full textPollution and energy crisis - these are words we hear almost every day. But this is exactly what our world is facing today. Change and a solution are needed. Nanotechnology, with its ability to manipulate materials at the nanometric scale, can offer promising solutions to these global problems.
This thesis presents an in-depth exploration of selected nanomaterials, focusing on their applications in environmental remediation and sustainable energy
production. Specifically, the research will investigate the design, synthesis, engineering of photocatalytic and electrocatalytic nanostructures to address critical challenges in wastewater remediation and green hydrogen production.
The first part of this thesis examines the theory and application of photocatalytic materials for water remediation. Through the surface engineering of hollow spheres of TiO2 and the morphology engineering of nanocubes of Ni-HCF, which are environmentally friendly and inexpensive materials, significant improvements in the photocatalytic degradation of pollutants such as ciprofloxacin and metronidazole were achieved.
The second part of the thesis explores theoretical and experimental studies of nanomaterials for energy applications, particularly in the context of electrochemical water splitting for hydrogen production. The research involves doping engineering of Ru-Fe2TiO5 electrocatalysts and exploiting the catalytic confinement of Ni(OH)2 and Ru within van der Waals gaps of layered materials such as SnS2 and MnPSe3. These approaches resulted in higher catalytic efficiency for water-splitting reactions.
These results demonstrate the potential of these nanostructures in various applications and the importance of engineering at the nanoscale to optimise current systems. Thanks to these, it is possible to address pressing global challenges, offering a potential effective pathway towards more efficient catalysis.Pollution and energy crisis - these are words we hear almost every day. But this is exactly what our world is facing today. Change and a solution are needed. Nanotechnology, with its ability to manipulate materials at the nanometric scale, can offer promising solutions to these global problems.
This thesis presents an in-depth exploration of selected nanomaterials, focusing on their applications in environmental remediation and sustainable energy
production. Specifically, the research will investigate the design, synthesis, engineering of photocatalytic and electrocatalytic nanostructures to address critical challenges in wastewater remediation and green hydrogen production.
The first part of this thesis examines the theory and application of photocatalytic materials for water remediation. Through the surface engineering of hollow spheres of TiO2 and the morphology engineering of nanocubes of Ni-HCF, which are environmentally friendly and inexpensive materials, significant improvements in the photocatalytic degradation of pollutants such as ciprofloxacin and metronidazole were achieved.
The second part of the thesis explores theoretical and experimental studies of nanomaterials for energy applications, particularly in the context of electrochemical water splitting for hydrogen production. The research involves doping engineering of Ru-Fe2TiO5 electrocatalysts and exploiting the catalytic confinement of Ni(OH)2 and Ru within van der Waals gaps of layered materials such as SnS2 and MnPSe3. These approaches resulted in higher catalytic efficiency for water-splitting reactions.
These results demonstrate the potential of these nanostructures in various applications and the importance of engineering at the nanoscale to optimise current systems. Thanks to these, it is possible to address pressing global challenges, offering a potential effective pathway towards more efficient catalysis
(Invited) Design of Photoactive Inorganic Nanomaterials for Environmental Challenges
No full textNowadays, one of the main technological challenges that we are facing is the ability to provide a sustainable supply of clean energy and, among all renewable sources, solar energy displays the greatest potential. Recently, the development of novel synthetic strategies has led to the preparation of nanostructured materials displaying unique properties compared to the bulk counterpart systems, with controlled and tunable morphologies able to enhance the activity and selectivity of a catalytic process. In particular, nanostructured materials synthesized via the bottom–up approach present an opportunity for future generation manufacturing of devices.
This talk will focus on the importance of tuning the morphological features of a catalyst as a strategy to improve its optical and photocatalytic properties, focusing on how rationally designing inorganic materials at the nanoscale can lead to morphologies and structures suitable to enhance the performance of industrially and environmentally important processes. The talk will discuss some environmental applications that can be addressed by photoactive multi-component oxide systems synthesized via the bottom–up approach, highlighting their structure-reactivity relationship. Water contamination, in particular, is one of the upfront issues to be solved and complex organic molecules and pharmaceuticals, including antibiotics, are gaining attention due to their abuse and their low degradability. Photocatalytic drugs degradation will be presented as a successful case history [1-3] to provide inspiration to produce cheap, environmentally friendly, stable, and efficient photocatalysts, which hold a great potential for the development of new technologies not only for water remediation applications but also for energy applications in the field of solar fuel production
TUTELA DEL LAVORO E LIBERTA' D'IMPRESA NEI PROCESSI DI ESTERNALIZZAZIONE
No full textL’elaborato analizza le conseguenze lavoristiche della successione fra imprenditori, muovendo da una ricognizione delle varie tipologie di esternalizzazione con le relative esigenze e principali criticità.
L’indagine si concentra in primo luogo sul trasferimento d’azienda, esaminando la normativa e la giurisprudenza europee per passare poi alla disciplina di diritto interno, alle procedure sindacali e a uno specifico focus sul trasferimento delle aziende in crisi.
Successivamente l’autore si sofferma sull’appalto, prendendone in particolare considerazione gli indici di genuinità, i criteri di distinzione dalla somministrazione illecita di manodopera e la tutela delle maestranze in caso di avvicendamento fra imprese.
Da ultimo, la ricerca approfondisce le c.d. “clausole sociali”, sia di prima che di seconda generazione, valutandone la compatibilità con il diritto eurounitario e con la costituzione nonché riflettendo sui possibili rimedi in caso di loro violazione.The author analyzes the labour consequences of the succession between entrepreneurs, starting from a recognition of the various types of outsourcing with the related needs and main critical issues.
The survey focuses primarily on the transfer of businesses, examining European legislation and case-law and then moving on to internal legislation, trade union procedures and a specific focus on the transfer of companies in crisis.
The author then dwells on the contract, taking into account in particular the indications of authenticity, the criteria of distinction from the illicit administration of labour and the protection of workers in the event of turnover between companies.
Finally, the research deepens the "social clauses", both first and second generation, assessing their compatibility with European law and with the constitution and reflecting on possible remedies in case of their violation
Autonomous Driving From the Sky: Design and End-to-End Performance Evaluation
No full textFor autonomous vehicles to operate without human intervention, information
sharing from local sensors plays a fundamental role. This can be challenging to
handle with bandwidth-constrained communication systems, which calls for the
adoption of new wireless technologies, like in the mmwave bands, to solve
capacity issues. Another approach is to exploit uav, able to provide human
users and their cars with an aerial bird's-eye view of the scene otherwise
unavailable, thus offering broader and more centralized observations. In this
article we combine both aspects and design a novel framework in which uav,
operating at mmwave, broadcast sensory information to the ground as a means to
extend the (local) perception range of vehicles. To do so, we conduct a
full-stack end-to-end simulation campaign with ns-3 considering real UAV data
from the Stanford Drone Dataset, and study four scenarios representing
different uav-to-ground communication strategies. Our results focus on the
trade-off between centralized data processing in the sky vs. distributed local
processing on the ground, with considerations related to the throughput,
latency and reliability of the communication process
Enhancing Hydrogen Production Efficiency: Mo Confinement within the Van der Waals Gap of Se-Enriched MnPSe3
No full textWater splitting stands out as a highly promising avenue for powering our planet without the risk of environmental pollution. Despite its potential, the process faces a thermodynamic uphill battle. Researchers are actively addressing this challenge to enhance energy efficiency by focusing on the development of catalysts that can efficiently drive the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen evolution reactions (OER) [1].
In this regard, 2D layered materials such as transition metal phosphorus trichalcogenides (MPX3; X=S, Se) have recently got copious attention. Their remarkable properties, including atomic-scale thickness, a direct band gap, cost-effective synthesis, and exceptional electronic and mechanical properties, position them as promising candidates for diverse fundamental studies such as electrocatalysis, photocatalysis and hydrogen storage [2].
In this presentation, we will discuss two impactful strategies aimed at boosting the efficiency of our innovative catalyst: i) Confinement and ii) controllable selenium enrichment. Confinement ensures selectivity and stability by averting surface deterioration and particle aggregation of the catalyst [3]. Furthermore, incorporating additional active sites within the 2D layer of the catalyst can favour the overall water splitting mechanism, amplifying the system's performance. Then, controllable Se enrichment on the surface of a catalyst enhances the charge transfer process during HER and optimize the catalyst surface to become thermodynamically/kinetically favourable to produce H2 gas [4].
In this comprehensive exploration, we delve into the development of a versatile array of Mo-confined Se-enriched manganese-based 2D structures. From MnPSe3 to Ex-MnPSe3 (exfoliated MnPSe3), Mo-Se-MnPS3 (Mo-confined Se-enriched MnPS3), and Mo-MnPS3 (Mo confined MnPSe3) our research unfolds the potential of these structures for applications in the field of energy conversion. Extensive chemical-physical and optical characterisation was carried out. SEM and HR-TEM, XRD, EDX, Raman, and Synchrotron based XPS analyses provide a detailed understanding of these innovative structures.
Beyond characterization, our research highlights the exceptional electrocatalytic properties of these materials in the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) via electrochemical water splitting, as evidenced by their high electroactive surface area, low Tafel slope and impressive performance in linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) measurements. This samples also exhibit robust results in stability test performed by cyclic voltammetry.
These results allowed us to state that by using confined catalysis it is possible to increase the performance and stability of a system by increasing its current delivery and the resulting production of green hydrogen. Moreover, the controllable Se-enrichment enhances the efficient conversion of H+ into H2, offering an exciting avenue for energy conversion.
This study significantly contributes to advancing the understanding of MPX3 nanomaterials and confined catalysis, offering transformative insights for future applications in the field of energy conversion and green hydrogen production
Correctness by Construction for High-Integrity Real-Time Systems: a Metamodel-driven Approach
No full textCurrent trends in software engineering promote the contention that the use of model-driven approaches should prove as beneficial to high-integrity systems as they have to business applications. Unfortunately, model-driven approaches as they presently stand focus more on attaining greater extents of automation than on warranting absolute end-to-end correctness for the target development process. This paper presents some elements of a novel approach that centres on a correctness-by-construction philosophy rooted on a domain-specific metamodel designed to formally define and constrain the design space and prove the allowable model transformations down to automated code generation
Ultra Low Carbon Vehicles: New Parameters for Automotive Design
No full textAs the influence of vehicle emissions on our environment has become better understood, the UK government has recently placed urgent emphasis on the implementation of low carbon
technologies in the automotive industry through: the UK Low Carbon Industrial Strategy. The overall objective is to offer big incentives to consumers and support for the development of infrastructure and engineering solutions. This scheme however does not consider how the development of functional and experiential user value might drive consumer demand, contributing to the adoption of low carbon vehicles (LCVs) in the mass market.
With the emergence of the North East of England as the UK’s first specialised region for the development of ultra-low carbon vehicles (ULCVs), ONE North East, as a development agency for the region's economic and business development, and Northumbria University Ideas-lab have supported a project to facilitate innovation through the collaboration of technology, research and development (R&D) and business. The High Value Low Carbon (HVLC) project aims to envisage
new user value made possible by the integration of low carbon vehicle platforms with new process and network technologies. The HVLC consortium represents vehicle manufacturers and their suppliers as well as technology based companies and through an ongoing process of design concept generation the project offers a hub for innovation led enterprise.
Whilst new technological developments in areas such as power generation, nano materials, hydrogen fuel cells, printed electronics and networked communications will all impact on future automotive design, the mass adoption of low carbon technologies represents a paradigm shift for the motorist. This paper aims to describe how the mapping of new parameters will lead to new transport scenarios that will create the space for new collaborative research on user experiences supported by innovative technologies and related services
Real-Time Java from an Automated Code Generation Perspective
No full textIn this paper we investigate the fitness criteria of programming languages used as the target platform in a model-driven engineering process that includes automated code generation. We are in particular interested in the fitness of the Real-Time Specification for Java, which combines the Java object-oriented semantics with a fairly rich concurrency model. We contend that the impact of the target programming language for the development of highly-critical real-time systems is becoming smaller and smaller as new model-driven engineering frameworks emerge
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Matteo Maria Boiardo (1441-1494)
No full textMatteo Maria Boiardo – contemporary of Sir Thomas Malory and forerunner of Shakespeare, Spenser, Milton, Cervantes, Tolkien, and C.S. Lewis – is best known as the author of the Orlando Innamorato [Orlando in Love], a poem in ottava rima organically merging Carolingian epic and Arthurian romance. He was also a lyric and pastoral poet, playwright, and translator of classical texts into the Italian vernacular. Matteo was active in Italy during the years of 1463 throughout 1494, the year of his death
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