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Low-temperature heterogeneous catalytic reaction in an electric field is anticipated as a novel approach for on-demand and small-scale catalytic processes.

SUMMARYObjective: Some patients with Sturge-Weber syndrome (SWS) need epilepsy surgery for adequate seizure control and prevention of psychomotor deterioration. The majority of patients with SWS have leptomeningeal angioma located over the temporal, parietal, and occipital lobes. We applied posterior quadrant disconnection surgery for this type of SWS with intractable seizure. We evaluated the efficacy of this procedure in seizure control and psychomotor development. Methods: Ten patients who were surgically treated using the posterior quadrantectomy (PQT) were enrolled in this study. Surgical outcome was analyzed as seizure-free or not at 2 years after surgery. Psychomotor development was evaluated by the scores of mental developmental index (MDI) and psychomotor developmental index (PDI) in the Bayley Scales of Infant Development II preoperatively, and at 6 and 12 months after the PQT. Results: Eight of 10 patients were seizure-free. Patients without complete elimination of the angiomatous areas had residual seizures. Average MDI and PDI scores before the surgery were 64.8 and 71.6, respectively. Scores of MDI at 6 and 12 months after the PQT in seizure-free patients were 80.5 and 84.5, respectively (p < 0.01). PDI scores at these postoperative intervals were 87.3 and 86.4, respectively (p < 0.05). Patients with residual seizures did not improve in either MDI or PDI. Significance: The PQT achieved good seizure control and improved psychomotor development in patients with SWS. The complete deafferentation of angiomatous areas is required for seizure-free results and psychomotor developmental improvement.

Efficient ammonia synthesis at low temperatures is anticipated for establishing a hydrogen carrier system. We reported earlier that application of an electric field on the Cs/Ru/SrZrO3 catalyst enhanced catalytic ammonia synthesis activity. It is now clear that N2 dissociation is activated by hopping protons in the electric field. Efficient ammonia synthesis proceeds by an “associative mechanism” in which N2 dissociates via an N2H intermediate, even at low temperatures. The governing factor of ammonia synthesis activity in an electric field for active metals differed from that in the conventional mechanism. Also, N2H formation energy played an important role. The effects of dopants (Al, Y, Ba, and Ca) on this mechanism were investigated using activity tests and density functional theory calculations to gain insights into the support role in the electric field. Ba and Ca addition showed positive effects on N2H formation energy, leading to high ammonia synthesis activity. The coexistence of proton-donating and electron-donating abilities is necessary for efficient N2H formation at the Ru–support interface.

Considering the expansion of the use of renewable energy in the future, the technology to store and transport hydrogen will be important. Hydrogen is gaseous at an ambient condition, diffuses easily, and its energy density is low. So liquid organic hydrogen carriers (LOHCs) have been proposed as a way to store hydrogen in high density. LOHC can store, transport, and use hydrogen at high density by hydrogenation and dehydrogenation cycles. In this review, we will focus on typical LOHCs, methylcyclohexane (MCH), 18H-dibenzyltoluene (DBT), and 12H-N-ethylcarbazole (NECZ), and summarize recent developments in dehydrogenation catalytic processes, which are key in this cycle.