Hydrogen can be easily produced from the catalytic hydrolysis of sodium borohydride (NaBH 4 ), with sodium metaborate (NaBO 2 ) being the co-product. If NaBO 2 can be economically recycled in the process, NaBH 4 could be considered as a promising hydrogen carrier in fuel cells because of its high hydrogen content. In this paper, we report our investigation into the synthesis of NaBH 4 from NaBO 2 via ball milling. The starting materials for the synthesis were NaBO 2 and magnesium hydride (MgH 2 ). After ball milling at ambient temperature in inert gas, NaBH 4 and magnesium oxide (MgO) were produced. The synthesized NaBH 4 was extracted from the admixture by isopropylamine. Our results indicated that the yield of NaBH 4 from this process was 71 wt % when the MgH 2 /NaBO 2 mole ratio, ball/powder ratio (BPR), inert gas (argon) pressure, and milling time were 2.07:1, 50:1, 200 kPa, and 2 h, respectively. The mole ratio of the reactants (MgH 2 and NaBO 2 ), ball-milling time, BPR, and milling atmosphere were found to have significant influence over NaBH 4 synthesis. We present the results and discuss the effects of these key parameters in this paper.

Abstract:Since China first joined the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 2001, many countries around the world have sought to capitalize on lower tariff rates and China's increasing demand for high quality agricultural products. However, as competitive pressures in its agricultural sector have intensified, the Chinese government has implemented other forms of protectionist measures. Known as non-tariff measures (NTMs), these policy initiatives have added another dimension to international trade activities that needs to be better understood. Using a set of variables clearly identified in academic literature, our paper analyzes the effect that sanitary and phytosanitary measures (SPS) have on New Zealand, U.S., Korean, and Japanese agricultural exports to China. To measure the effect that NTMs have on exports, we use an adapted version of the gravity model and the Poisson pseudo maximum likelihood method. The key findings from the empirical projection show that Chinese SPS measures have a negative, albeit insignificant effect on the sample as a whole. However, when looking at the individual countries, the SPS measures were seen to have a negative effect on Japan and the U.S., while from a Korean perspective, their impact was positive and significant. As part of a secondary analysis, it was interesting to note that the SPS measures had a positive effect on New Zealand's exports before its free trade agreements (FTA) with China came into force. However, in the years since then, they were seen to have a negative impact.

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(1) Background: As countries with troubled histories, China, Japan, and Korea have, in recent times, attempted to overcome political and economic differences in a bid to forge strong trade relationships. However, Non-Tariff Measures (NTMs) have emerged in recent times, which has the potential to complicate matters. (2) Method: Our study analyzes the impact that two forms of NTM, technical barriers to trade (TBT) and sanitary and phytosanitary measures (SPS), have on Japanese and Korean exports to China. In order to effectively measure their impact, we utilize a modified version of the Gravity model and the Poisson Pseudo Maximum Likelihood method (PPML). Using three measures (coverage ratio, frequency index, and the dummy variable) to determine their impact, our study displayed a range of findings. (3) Results: The key results from our study showed that from a coverage ratio perspective, our research clearly demonstrates that Chinese TBT measures, reduce Japan and Korea’s manufacturing and total exports as a whole, while Chinese SPS measures encourage Korean agricultural exports. Moreover, the frequency index results and dummy variable estimations in the main also supported the coverage ratio findings with SPS measures promoting Korean agricultural goods exports. (4) Conclusions: Our research highlights the important role the TBT measures have played to shelter China’s emerging industrial sector from the rigors of highly competitive Korean and Japanese exporters. In doing so, the Chinese government is able to actively pursue some of its key sustainable development strategies such as “Made in China 2025” and “Industrial 4.0”.

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Novel protonated palygorskite/chitosan resin microspheres (p-PCRM) were prepared and applied as adsorbents for the removal of tannic acid (TA) from aqueous solution. The effects of palygorskite (PAL) content, the initial pH value of the TA solution, and contact time and temperature on adsorption capacity of the microspheres were investigated. The adsorption process was found to be pH dependant with an optimum activity at pH 8.0. In comparison with protonated chitosan microspheres (224 mg g À1 ), the p-PCRM with 20 wt % PAL content exhibited higher adsorption capacity (455 mg g À1 ) for TA at the same adsorption conditions. This may be attributed to the hydrogen bonding between adsorbents and adsorbates, and the porous structure formed by the introduction of PAL, which were confirmed by Fourier transform infrared and the pore parameters analysis. The study of adsorption kinetics and isotherms showed that the sorption processes were better fitted by pseudo-second-order equation and the Langmuir equation, respectively. Furthermore, the desorption study implied that the p-PCRM were recyclable when 0.1M HCl was used as eluents.

Since diplomatic relations were established between China and Korea, the two countries have expanded their relationships, especially in trading commodities and services. However, in recent years, as tariff levels have fallen, China has sought to implement other protectionist mechanisms. The use of non-tariff measures has added another dimension to international trade activities that need to be better understood. The paper analyses the impacts that two forms of non-tariff measures, technical barriers to trade (TBT) and sanitary and phytosanitary measures, have on Korean exports to China. To measure the impacts, we use an adapted version of the gravity model and the Poisson pseudo-maximum likelihood method. The results show that Chinese sanitary and phytosanitary measures, estimated using both the coverage ratio and the frequency index, have positive correlations with Korean agricultural exports; however, Chinese TBT measures, when estimated by the coverage ratio, were found to depress Korean manufacturing exports and exports as a whole. However, using the frequency index, Chinese TBT measures were found to have a statistically insignificant negative impact on Korean exports to China.