Damian K. Chlebda

Structure Effects on Activity of Plasma Deposited Cobalt Oxide Catalysts for VOC Combustion

The aim of this study was to obtain and characterise the series of cobalt based structured catalysts prepared by non-equilibrium plasma deposition. The catalysts were obtained under oxygen-rich and oxygen-free conditions. The catalysts were characterised by using spectroscopic and microscopic methods including AFM, SEM, EDS, in situ μRaman and XPS. The catalytic activity of prepared catalysts was measured under n-nonane catalytic combustion reaction. The correlation of catalytic activity with the catalysts characterisation results showed that the active cobalt form of the catalysts in catalytic combustion is spinel structure and is not correlated with the particle size.

2D-COS of in situ μ-Raman and in situ IR spectra for structure evolution characterisation of NEP-deposited cobalt oxide catalyst during n-nonane combustion

New catalytic systems are still in development to meet the challenge of regulations concerning the emission of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). This is because such compounds have a significant impact on air quality and some of them are toxic to the environment and human beings. The catalytic combustion process of VOCs over non-noble metal catalysts is of great interest to researchers. The high conversion parameters and cost effective preparation makes them a valuable alternative to monoliths and noble metal catalysts. In this study, the cobalt catalyst was prepared by non-equilibrium plasma deposition of organic precursor on calcined kanthal steel. Thus prepared, cobalt oxide based microstructural short-channel reactors were tested for n-nonane combustion and the catalyst surfaces were examined by in situ μ-Raman spectroscopy and in situ infrared spectroscopy. The spectra collected at various temperatures were used in generalised two-dimensional correlation analysis to establish the sequential order of spectral intensity changes and correlate the simultaneous changes in bands selectively coupled by different interaction mechanisms. The 2D synchronous and asynchronous contour maps were proved to be a valuable extension to the standard analysis of the temperature dependent 1D spectra.

Hyperspectral imaging coupled with chemometric analysis for non-invasive differentiation of black pens

Abstract Differentiation of the written text can be performed with a non-invasive and non-contact tool that connects conventional imaging methods with spectroscopy. Hyperspectral imaging (HSI) is a relatively new and rapid analytical technique that can be applied in forensic science disciplines. It allows an image of the sample to be acquired, with full spectral information within every pixel. For this paper, HSI and three statistical methods (hierarchical cluster analysis, principal component analysis, and spectral angle mapper) were used to distinguish between traces of modern black gel pen inks. Non-invasiveness and high efficiency are among the unquestionable advantages of ink differentiation using HSI. It is also less time-consuming than traditional methods such as chromatography. In this study, a set of 45 modern gel pen ink marks deposited on a paper sheet were registered. The spectral characteristics embodied in every pixel were extracted from an image and analysed using statistical methods, externally and directly on the hypercube. As a result, different black gel inks deposited on paper can be distinguished and classified into several groups, in a non-invasive manner.

Influence of alkali metal cations/type of activator on the structure of alkali-activated fly ash – ATR-FTIR studies

Coal fly ash as a secondary aluminosiliceous raw material that is commonly used in the so-called geopolymerization process has been activated with different alkali hydroxides solutions: LiOH, NaOH and KOH. Changes in the aluminosilicate structure of the material during alkali-activation have been analyzed in detail on the basis of ATR/FT-IR spectra. These changes mainly affect both the integral intensity and FWHM of bands in the range of 1200-950cm-1, however dehydration and carbonation process can be also analyzed based on obtaining results.

DeNOx Abatement over Sonically Prepared Iron-Substituted Y, USY and MFI Zeolite Catalysts in Lean Exhaust Gas Conditions

Iron-substituted MFI, Y and USY zeolites prepared by two preparation routes—classical ion exchange and the ultrasound modified ion-exchange method—were characterised by micro-Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and ultraviolet (UV)/visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV/Vis DRS). Ultrasound irradiation, a new technique for the preparation of the metal salt suspension before incorporation to the zeolite structure, was employed. An experimental study of selective catalytic reduction (SCR) of NO with NH3 on both iron-substituted reference zeolite catalysts and those prepared through the application of ultrasound conducted during an ion-exchange process is presented. The prepared zeolite catalysts show high activity and selectivity in SCR deNOx abatement. The MFI-based iron catalysts, especially those prepared via the sonochemical method, revealed superior activity in the deNOx process, with almost 100% selectivity towards N2. The hydrothermal stability test confirmed high stability and activity of MFI-based catalysts in water-rich conditions during the deNOx reaction at 450 °C.

Non-Noble Metal Oxide Catalysts for Methane Catalytic Combustion: Sonochemical Synthesis and Characterisation

The aim of this study was to obtain nanocrystalline mixed metal-oxide–ZrO2 catalysts via a sonochemically-induced preparation method. The effect of a stabiliser’s addition on the catalyst parameters was investigated by several characterisation methods including X-ray Diffraction (XRD), nitrogen adsorption, X-ray fluorescence (XRF), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) equipped with energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer (EDS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and µRaman. The sonochemical preparation method allowed us to manufacture the catalysts with uniformly dispersed metal-oxide nanoparticles at the support surface. The catalytic activity was tested in a methane combustion reaction. The activity of the catalysts prepared by the sonochemical method was higher than that of the reference catalysts prepared by the incipient wetness method without ultrasonic irradiation. The cobalt and chromium mixed zirconia catalysts revealed their high activities, which are comparable with those presented in the literature.

Antimicrobial Properties of Silver Cations Substituted to Faujasite Mineral

A goal of our study was to find an alternative to nano-silver-based antimicrobial materials which would contain active silver immobilized in a solid matrix that prevents its migration into the surrounding environment. In this study, we investigated whether silver cations dispersed in an atomic form and trapped in an ion-exchanged zeolite show comparable antimicrobial activity to silver nanoparticles (NPs). The biocidal active material was prepared from the sodium form of faujasite type zeolite in two steps: (1) exchange with silver cations, (2) removal of the external silver oxide NPs by elution with Na2EDTA solution. The modified biocidal zeolite was then added to paper pulp to obtain sheets. The zeolite paper samples and reference samples containing silver NPs were tested in terms of biocidal activity against an array of fungi and bacteria strains, including Escherichia coli, Serratia marcescens, Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus megaterium, Trichoderma viride, Chaetomium globosum, Aspergillus niger, Cladosporium cladosporioides, and Mortierella alpina. The paper with the modified faujasite additive showed higher or similar antibacterial and antifungal activities towards the majority of tested microbes in comparison with the silver NP-filled paper. A reverse effect was observed for the Mortierella alpina strain.

Tuning of the Seebeck Coefficient and the Electrical and Thermal Conductivity of Hybrid Materials Based on Polypyrrole and Bismuth Nanowires

The growing demand for clean energy catalyzes the development of new devices capable of generating electricity from renewable energy resources. One of the possible approaches focuses on the use of thermoelectric materials (TE), which may utilize waste heat, water, and solar thermal energy to generate electrical power. An improvement of the performance of such devices may be achieved through the development of composites made of an organic matrix filled with nanostructured thermoelectric materials working in a synergetic way. The first step towards such designs requires a better understanding of the fundamental interactions between available materials. In this paper, this matter is investigated and the questions regarding the change of electrical and thermal properties of nanocomposites based on low-conductive polypyrrole enriched with bismuth nanowires of well-defined geometry and morphology is answered. It is clearly demonstrated that the electrical conductivity and the Seebeck coefficient may be tuned either simultaneously or separately within particular Bi NWs content ranges, and that both parameters may be increased at the same time.

Paper material containing Ag cations immobilised in faujasite: synthesis, characterisation and antibacterial effects

The study is devoted to manufacturing and characterising a new paper material with antimicrobial properties, as an alternative to paper containing silver nanoparticles (NPs) which are claimed to be harmful to the ecosphere. In place of silver NPs, the new material contains faujasite mineral (from the faujasite group) exchanged with silver cations which are firmly attached to the material’s lattice. The material was obtained by typical ion exchange and additional elution with EDTA salt to dispose of the remaining silver oxide NPs. Thus, modified faujasite was then added to paper pulp. The new, modified paper showed better quality in terms of acidity, tensile strength and cellulose degree of polymerisation compared to paper containing Ag NPs. The visual quality of the paper is also better than that containing Ag NPs. The new material shows high potential for use in food and pharmaceutics packaging.

Assessment of hyperspectral imaging system for colour measurement

A novel technique of reflective spectroscopy, hyperspectral imaging (HSI), was used to develop a methodology for colour measurement, which is very important in the field of art conservation - especially in the analysis of documents. The major focus of this work is an examination of the repeatability and reproducibility of colour parameters calculated from the hyperspectral data. The study was performed with commercial colour standards and pen ink lines, corresponding to large and small-scale colour areas, respectively. In some cases, the error of parameter determination indicated significant differences between the examined sample sets, which may be attributed to the low population of pixels from which the colour data were obtained. Our study allowed the development of an optimal hyperspectral image acquisition method for applications requiring accurate determination of the objects spectral characteristics. Besides determining the proper measurement procedure and the colour accuracy of the HSI, our study is also used to test this method for colour change monitoring of a real-life sample - a document treated with low-temperature plasma as a cleaning agent. The results proved that, by using hyperspectral imaging, colour change can be precisely determined and monitored within a selected area on the object. The application of HSI presented in our study was found to be an important alternative to conventional colorimeters.