Suppressing Element Inhomogeneity Enables 14.9% Efficiency CZTSSe Solar Cells.

Kesterites, CuZnSn(SSe ) (CZTSSe), solar cells suffer from severe open-circuit voltage (V) loss due to the numerous secondary phases and defects. The prevailing notion attributes this issue to Sn-loss during the selenization. However, this work unveils that, instead of Sn-loss, elemental inhomogeneity caused by Cu-directional diffusion toward Mo(S,Se) layer is the critical factor in the formation of secondary phases and defects.

Regulating Hetero-Nucleation Enabling Over 14% Efficient Kesterite Solar Cells.

Developing well-crystallized light-absorbing layers remains a formidable challenge in the progression of kesterite CuZnSn(S,Se) (CZTSSe) solar cells. A critical aspect of optimizing CZTSSe lies in accurately governing the high-temperature selenization reaction. This process is intricate and demanding, with underlying mechanisms requiring further comprehension.

A zero energy-input nitrogen removal reactor based on a short-circuited microfluidic fuel cell.

Excessive discharge of ammonia nitrogen would deteriorate water quality. In this work, we designed an innovative microfluidic electrochemical nitrogen-removal reactor (MENR) based on a short-circuited ammonia-air microfluidic fuel cell (MFC). The MENR utilizes the laminar characteristics of two flows (an anolyte containing nitrogen-rich wastewater and a catholyte of acid electrolyte solution) in a microchannel to establish an efficient reactor system.

Retrieval of Au, Ag, Cu precious metals coupled with electric energy production via an unconventional coupled redox fuel cell reactor.

The recovery of heavy metals from aqueous solutions or e-wastes is of upmost importance. Retrieval of Au, Ag, and Cu with electricity generation through building an ethanol-metal coupled redox fuel cells (CRFCs) is demonstrated. The cell was uniquely assembled on PdNi/C anode the electro-oxidation of ethanol takes place to give electrons and then go through the external circuit reducing metal ions to metallic on the cathode, metals are recovered.

Elimination of ethanethiol released from municipal wastes by absorption sequencing electrochemical oxidation.

As a typical municipal waste landfill gas, ethanethiol can become an air pollutant because of its low odor threshold concentration and toxicity to human beings. A hybrid process of absorption combined with electrochemical oxidation to degrade ethanethiol was investigated. The ionic liquid 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate ([BMIM]BF) was employed as an absorbent to capture ethanethiol from the air stream.

Stabilization of carbon dioxide and chromium slag via carbonation.

As the main greenhouse gas, CO is considered as a threat in the context of global warming. Many available technologies to reduce CO emission was about CO separation from coal combustion and geological sequestration. However, how to deal with the cost-effective storage of CO has become a new challenge.

Assembly of coupled redox fuel cells using copper as electron acceptors to generate power and its in-situ retrieval.

Energy extraction from waste has attracted much interest nowadays. Herein, a coupled redox fuel cell (CRFC) device using heavy metals, such as copper, as an electron acceptor is assembled to testify the recoveries of both electricity and the precious metal without energy consumption. In this study, a NaBH4-Cu(II) CRFC was employed as an example to retrieve copper from a dilute solution with self-electricity production.

Self-powered denitration of landfill leachate through ammonia/nitrate coupled redox fuel cell reactor.

In order to explore the feasibility of energy-free denitrifying N-rich wastewater, a self-powered device was uniquely assembled, in which ammonia/nitrate coupled redox fuel cell (CRFC) reactor was served as removing nitrogen and harvesting electric energy simultaneously. Ammonia is oxidized at anodic compartment and nitrate is reduced at cathodic compartment spontaneously by electrocatalysis. In 7.

Heavy metal pollution in soils from abandoned Taizhou Chemical Industry Zone in Zhejiang province.

Heavy metal (HM) pollution in soils from an abandoned Taizhou Chemical Industry Zone (TCIZ) was investigated. By analysing soils, including sediments, collected from the study zone, the main pollutants were quantitatively identified and their spatial distribution patterns were clearly displayed. Eleven types of HM pollutants were obtained and the results indicated a significant correlation in most of the elements of the soil and sediment.

Elimination of sulphur odours at landfills by bioconversion and the corona discharge plasma technique.

Hydrogen sulphide (H2S) contributes a lot to odours at landfills, which is a threat to the environment and the health of the staff therein. To mitigate its emission, the bioconversion within landfill cover soils (LCSs) was introduced. H2S emission and concentration both in the field air above the landfill and in microcosm testing were surveyed.

Nickel-cobalt bimetallic anode catalysts for direct urea fuel cell.

Nickel is an ideal non-noble metal anode catalyst for direct urea fuel cell (DUFC) due to its high activity. However, there exists a large overpotential toward urea electrooxidation. Herein, NiCo/C bimetallic nanoparticles were prepared with various Co contents (0, 10, 20, 30 and 40 wt%) to improve the activity.

Remediation of chromium-slag leakage with electricity cogeneration via a urea-Cr(VI) cell.

Chromium pollution has been historically widespread throughout the world. Most available remediation technologies often require energy consumption. This study is aimed to develop electrochemical remediation for Cr(VI) in chromium-slag leakage with self-generated electricity.

Preparation by low-temperature nonthermal plasma of graphite fiber and its characteristics for solid-phase microextraction.

Low-temperature nonthermal plasma has been used to prepare solid-phase microextraction (SPME) fibers with high adsorbability, long-term serviceability, and high reproducibility. Graphite rods serving as fiber precursors were treated by an air plasma discharged at 15.2-15.

Nitrification of human urine for its stabilization and nutrient recycling.

Nitrification of human urine performed for its stabilization, and culture of Spirulina platensis in the nitrified human urine were investigated for nutrient recovery. With daily adjusting to pH 8 and keeping high dissolved oxygen concentration, mean 95.0% of NH(4)-N in human urine can be finally stabilized and oxidized to NO(3)-N.

[Utilizing fereducer reaction to enhance DC corona radical shower for benzene treatment].

Fereducer reaction is introduced to enhance DC corona radicals shower for removal of benzene in air. In the presence of nozzle electrode gas containing Fereducer reagent, the enhanced decomposing efficiencies were 21% and 4.2% for benzene concentration of 953 mg/m3 and 63 mg/m3, respectively.

Culture of Spirulina platensis in human urine for biomass production and O(2) evolution.

Attempts were made to culture Spirulina platensis in human urine directly to achieve biomass production and O(2) evolution, for potential application to nutrient regeneration and air revitalization in life support system. The culture results showed that Spirulina platensis grows successfully in diluted human urine, and yields maximal biomass at urine dilution ratios of 140 approximately 240. Accumulation of lipid and decreasing of protein occurred due to N deficiency.

[Effect of flue gas conditions on NO oxidation process by DC corona radical shower].

Using an air-H2O DC corona radical shower system, the influences of reside time of flue gas in the reactor, velocity of flue gas and NO concentration on NO oxidation process were studied. The results show that the increasing velocity of flue gas can restrain corona development and the increasing NO concentration can make discharge more easy. The reside time of flue gas in the reactor has less effect on the NO oxidation.

Dechlorination by combined electrochemical reduction and oxidation.

Chlorophenols are typical priority pollutants listed by USEPA (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency).

A new configuration of membrane stack for retrieval of nickel absorbed in resins.

A new configuration integrated ion exchange effect system with both electro-migration and electrochemical reaction in a single cell was developed to effectively retrieve metal ions from simulated wastewater using ion exchange resins without additive chemicals. By simply assembling cation exchange resins and anion exchange resins separated by homogeneous membranes, we found that the system will always be acidic in the concentrate compartment so that ion exchange resins could be in-situ regenerated without hydroxide precipitation. Such a realizable design will be really suitable for wastewater purification.

Electrocatalytic degradation of phenol in acidic and saline wastewater.

The electrocatalytic degradation of low concentration of phenol (100 800mgL(-1)) as a model contaminant for wastewater treatment was studied on modified beta-PbO2 anode. Various affected factors such as current density (7.5-30 mAcm(-2)), reaction temperature (5-60 degrees C), pH (2-6), salinity of the electrolyte (0.

Degradation of chlorophenol by in-situ electrochemically generated oxidant.

A novel in-situ electrochemical oxidation method was applied to the degradation of wastewater containing chlorophenol. Under oxygen sparging, the strong oxidant, hydrogen dioxide, could be in-situ generated through the reduction of oxygen on the surface of the cathode. The removal rate of chlorophenol could be increased 149% when oxygen was induced in the electrochemical cell.

[Advanced electrochemical oxidation process for treatment of biorefractory wastewater containing typical aromatic compounds].

Biorefractory wastewater containing one kind of typical aromatic compounds, i.e., aniline, chlorobenzene, p-chlorophenol and p-nitrophenol, was investigated by Advanced Electrochemical Oxidation Process (AEOPs) on a novel beta-PbO2 anode modified by fluorine resin.

Synergetic effects of anodic-cathodic electrocatalysis for phenol degradation in the presence of iron(II).

A novel electrocatalysis method for phenol degradation was described using a beta-PbO2 anode modified with fluorine resin and a Ni-Cr-Ti alloy cathode. In case of air sparging at the cathodic zone, the techniques of anodic-cathodic electrocatalysis (ACEC) and ferrous ion catalyzed anodic-cathodic electrocatalysis (FACEC) in the presence of iron(II) were developed. Both of ACEC and FACEC were more effective than anodic electrocatalysis (AEC).