Investigating Ni nanoparticles on CeO for methane dissociation: a comparative study of theoretical calculations and experimental insights.

CeO supported with Ni nanoparticles has emerged as a promising catalyst for enhancing the efficiency of dry reforming of methane (DRM) reaction. Methane dissociation (CH → CH + H) was reported as one of the rate-determining steps in the DRM reaction. We elucidated the reaction mechanism and explored methods for reducing the activation energy using density functional theory (DFT) calculations, where the activation energy of methane dissociation was determined at multiple Ni cluster sites on CeO.

Density functional theory analysis for HS adsorption on pyridinic N- and oxidized N-doped graphenes.

Biomass discharged from primary industries can be converted into methane by fermentation. This methane is used for generating electricity with solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs). This methane fermentation provides HS, which reduces the efficiency of SOFCs even at a level as low as a few parts per million.

Rapid thermal annealing of Si paste film and pn-junction formation.

A Si nanoparticle paste has been studied to form a Si film on a substrate. Rapid thermal annealing (RTA) was conducted in order to recrystallize the Si paste which were prepared by a planetary ball milling grinding n-doped or p-doped Si chips. It was possible to minimize the oxidation during the melting process of Si nanoparticles with this RTA even at 1200 °C in 1 s.