Nine non-noble-metal catalysts (NNMCs) from five different laboratories were investigated for the catalysis of O(2) electroreduction in an acidic medium. The catalyst precursors were synthesized by wet impregnation, planetary ball milling, a foaming-agent technique, or a templating method. All catalyst precursors were subjected to one or more heat treatments at 700-1050 degrees C in an inert or reactive atmosphere. These catalysts underwent an identical set of electrochemical characterizations, including rotating-disk-electrode and polymer-electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) tests and voltammetry under N(2). Ex situ characterization was comprised of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, neutron activation analysis, scanning electron microscopy, and N(2) adsorption and its analysis with an advanced model for carbonaceous powders. In PEMFC, several NNMCs display mass activities of 10-20 A g(-1) at 0.8 V versus a reversible hydrogen electrode, and one shows 80 A g(-1). The latter value corresponds to a volumetric activity of 19 A cm(-3) under reference conditions and represents one-seventh of the target defined by the U.S. Department of Energy for 2010 (130 A cm(-3)). The activity of all NNMCs is mainly governed by the microporous surface area, and active sites seem to be hosted in pore sizes of 5-15 A. The nitrogen and metal (iron or cobalt) seem to be present in sufficient amounts in the NNMCs and do not limit activity. The paper discusses probable directions for synthesizing more active NNMCs. This could be achieved through multiple pyrolysis steps, ball-milling steps, and control of the powder morphology by the addition of foaming agents and/or sulfur.

Highly porous N-doped activated carbon monoliths (ACMs) are fabricated by carbonization and physical activation of mesoporous polyacrylonitrile (PAN) monoliths in the presence of CO(2). The monoliths exhibit exceptionally high CO(2) uptake; 5.14 mmol g(-1) at ambient pressure and temperature and 11.51 mmol g(-1) at ambient pressure and 273 K.

Mesoporous polyacrylonitrile (PAN) monolith has been fabricated by a template-free approach using the unique affinity of PAN towards a water/dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) mixture. A newly developed Thermally Induced Phase Separation Technique (TIPS) has been used to obtain the polymer monoliths and their microstructures have been controlled by optimizing the concentration and cooling temperature.

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The amount of platinum in the catalyst for the electrodes of polymer electrolyte fuel cells must be minimized to widely substitute this new energy system for conventional ones. In this study, a platinum-free catalyst for the cathodic oxygen reduction was formed from a natural organic compound, catalase. We carbonized catalase to produce a catalyst active in the superacidic atmosphere of the polymer electrolyte. Nitrogen adsorption onto the carbonized material revealed that the material had highly developed internal nanospaces, which were essential for exposing active sites to oxygen reduction on the pore surface. The carbonized material was also characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and Mössbauer spectroscopy. The activity for oxygen reduction was evaluated using rotating disk electrodes, forming a catalyst layer from the carbonized material and the polymer electrolyte on the electrode surface and immersing the layer in oxygen-saturated perchloric acid. The activity increased with the increase in the specific surface area and possibly the increase in the activity of the respective active sites. A preliminary fuel cell test using the material in the cathode confirmed the electricity generation, although the performance was inferior to a Pt-based fuel cell.

Background The prevalence of extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR) in patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) has been increasing rapidly worldwide. However, guidelines or clinical studies do not provide sufficient data on ECPR practice. The aim of this study was to provide real-world data on ECPR for patients with OHCA, including details of complications. Methods We did a retrospective database analysis of observational multicenter cohort study in Japan. Adult patients with OHCA of presumed cardiac etiology who received ECPR between 2013 and 2018 were included. The primary outcome was favorable neurological outcome at hospital discharge, defined as a cerebral performance category of 1 or 2. Results A total of 1644 patients with OHCA were included in this study. The patient age was 18–93 years (median: 60 years). Shockable rhythm in the initial cardiac rhythm at the scene was 69.4%. The median estimated low flow time was 55 min (interquartile range: 45–66 min). Favorable neurological outcome at hospital discharge was observed in 14.1% of patients, and the rate of survival to hospital discharge was 27.2%. The proportions of favorable neurological outcome at hospital discharge in terms of shockable rhythm, pulseless electrical activity, and asystole were 16.7%, 9.2%, and 3.9%, respectively. Complications were observed during ECPR in 32.7% of patients, and the most common complication was bleeding, with the rates of cannulation site bleeding and other types of hemorrhage at 16.4% and 8.5%, respectively. Conclusions In this large cohort, data on the ECPR of 1644 patients with OHCA show that the proportion of favorable neurological outcomes at hospital discharge was 14.1%, survival rate at hospital discharge was 27.2%, and complications were observed during ECPR in 32.7%.

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Raw materials for producing polymer electrolyte fuel cells should be inexpensive and abundant in their resource in order to widely substitute this new energy system for conventional ones. In this study, a catalyst for the cathodic oxygen reduction was formed from hemoglobin, a large amount of which would be always available. The heat treatment in an inert atmosphere around 800°C produced a carbonized material with highly developed nanospaces. The specific surface area reached 1005 m 2 g -1 at the optimized carbonization conditions. The fundamental electrochemical properties were evaluated using rotating disk electrodes, forming a catalyst layer from the carbonized material with the polymer electrolyte on the electrode surface and immersing the layer in oxygen-saturated perchloric acid. We found that the carbonized materials were active toward oxygen reduction and the activity increased with the nanospace development, essential for exposing the active sites on the pore surface. The oxygen reduction behavior reflected the pore structure and iron content. A preliminary fuel cell test using the material in the cathode confirmed the current generation. Although the performance was inferior to a Pt-based fuel cell, the result suggested that it could be improved by structure modification and surface treatment of the material.