We show that localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) can enhance the catalytic activities of different oxide-supported Au catalysts for the reverse water gas shift (RWGS) reaction. Oxide-supported Au catalysts showed 30 to 1300% higher activity for RWGS under visible light compared to dark conditions. Au/TiO 2 catalyst prepared by deposition-precipitation (DP) method with 3.5 nm average Au particle size showed the highest activity for the RWGS reaction. Visible light is converted into chemical energy for this reaction with up to a 5 % overall efficiency. A shift in the apparent activation energy (from 47 kJ/mol in dark to 35 kJ/mol in light) and apparent reaction order with respect to CO 2 (from 0.5 in dark to 1.0 in light) occurs due to the LSPR. Our kinetic results indicate that the LSPR increases the rate of either the hydroxyl hydrogenation or carboxyl decomposition more than any other steps in the reaction network.
Aims: To understand factors that impact solar‐powered electricity generation by Rhodobacter sphaeroides in a single‐chamber microbial fuel cell (MFC).
Methods and Results: The MFC used submerged platinum‐coated carbon paper anodes and cathodes of the same material, in contact with atmospheric oxygen. Power was measured by monitoring voltage drop across an external resistance. Biohydrogen production and in situ hydrogen oxidation were identified as the main mechanisms for electron transfer to the MFC circuit. The nitrogen source affected MFC performance, with glutamate and nitrate‐enhancing power production over ammonium.
Conclusions: Power generation depended on the nature of the nitrogen source and on the availability of light. With light, the maximum point power density was 790 mW m−2 (2·9 W m−3). In the dark, power output was less than 0·5 mW m−2 (0·008 W m−3). Also, sustainable electrochemical activity was possible in cultures that did not receive a nitrogen source.
Significance and Impact of the Study: We show conditions at which solar energy can serve as an alternative energy source for MFC operation. Power densities obtained with these one‐chamber solar‐driven MFC were comparable with densities reported in nonphotosynthetic MFC and sustainable for longer times than with previous work on two‐chamber systems using photosynthetic bacteria.
Conventional filtration was designed to achieve high levels of particle and pathogen removal. Previous studies have examined the possibility of modifying filtration media to improve their ability to remove microorganisms and viruses. Although these studies have evaluated filter media coatings for this purpose, none have evaluated nanoscale particle suspensions as coating materials. The overall goal of this paper is to describe the preliminary test results of nanoporous aluminium oxide coated media that can be used to enhance filtration of nano and microparticles. Filtration tests were carried out using columns packed with uncoated and coated forms of granular anthracite or granular activated carbon. A positive correlation between isoelectric pH of filter media and particle removal was observed. The modified filter media with a higher isoelectric pH facilitated better removal of bacteriophage MS2 and 3 microm latex microspheres, possibly due to increased favorable electrostatic interactions.
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