Abstract: A method is disclosed for the generation of hydrogen and oxygen from a liquid feed stream comprising water. The method includes passing an electric current through an aqueous electrolyte solution. Water is fed to the aqueous electrolyte solution by forward osmosis, wherein the aqueous electrolyte solution is brought into contact with a first side of a forward osmosis membrane and the liquid feed stream comprising water is brought into contact with a second side of the forward osmosis membrane. Water permeates through the forward osmosis membrane from the second side to the first side by a difference in osmotic pressure between the liquid feed stream and the aqueous electrolyte solution. Further, a device is disclosed for carrying out the above method.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a nanofiltration membrane and a method of manufacturing a nanofiltration membrane. The method includes providing a support structure having a first mesoporous layer made of TiO2 and/or ZrO2 and a second porous layer adjacent to the mesoporous layer made of aluminum oxide. The method further includes grafting an anchoring group within pores of the first mesoporous layer, wherein the second layer is inert to the grafting step. An initiator for a surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (SI-ATRP) reaction is covalently bonded to the anchoring group. The support structure is impregnated with a monomer and a solvent, and a polymerization reaction is performed, which includes passing a catalyst through the mesoporous layer, the monomer being configured to start the polymerization reaction by grafting from the initiator in the presence of the catalyst.

Abstract: A method and system for manufacturing a three-dimensional porous structure. Filaments are deposited in a predetermined interconnected arrangement in a plurality of stacked layers for forming a porous structure with interconnected pores. A pressure value indicative of a pressure being applied on the build material in the build material reservoir of a nozzle used for deposition is monitored during deposition of the filaments. The processing unit is configured to adjust at least one extrusion parameter in order to compensate for the irregular rising and/or falling of the pressure value.

Abstract: A method and system for manufacturing one or more three-dimensional porous structures (10). Filaments (2) are deposited on a support in a predetermined interconnected arrangement in a plurality of stacked layers (11) for forming one or more porous structure with interconnected pores (15). A nozzle head (30) with a plurality of nozzles (20) is used for depositing filaments. The plurality of nozzles are spaced apart from each other with a predetermined spacing therebetween. Each nozzle has an opening area through which filaments are dispensed as the nozzle head is moved relative to the support. Multiple 3D porous structures are manufactured in parallel, using a subset of nozzles for each porous structure, each subset of nozzles including at least one nozzle. Neighboring subsets of nozzles are distanced in order to provide a working area on which the relevant porous structure of the plurality of porous structures is manufactured.

Abstract: A method and a device are disclosed for converting at least one reactant into a reaction product and separating the at least one reactant. The device includes a vessel with a vessel inner volume and a confinement, submerged in the vessel inner volume, that provides a confinement inner volume in fluid connection with the vessel inner volume. First and seconds fluids, with a respective, higher first density and a lower, second density form respective lower and upper phases in the vessel inner volume. A third fluid with a third density higher than that of the second fluid forms a lower layer in the confinement inner volume, relative to an upper layer formed by the second fluid. The third fluid may be the same as or different from, and is physically separated from, the first fluid. At least one of the first, second, and third fluids is at most partly miscible with the other two, but preferably immiscible.

Abstract: A method and system for manufacturing three-dimensional porous structures. Filaments are deposited in a predetermined interconnected arrangement in a plurality of stacked layers for forming a porous structure with interconnected pores. Furthermore, the porous structure is subjected to a heat treatment in a heat chamber in order to reduce a moisture, solvent and/or organic material, solvent or organic material content (drying and/or calcination) of the porous structure by irradiating microwave energy through said porous structure. The applied microwave energy is selected based on the structural interconnected arrangement of the deposited filaments defining the shape and size of the pores of the three-dimensional porous structure.

Abstract: In general, the present invention relates to lignin-derived monomers, as well as polymers prepared with these lignin-derived monomers. Furthermore, the invention relates to methods to prepare these monomers from feedstock rich in lignin, such as lignocellulosic biomass, as well as methods to prepare polymers with the obtained monomers.

Abstract: The invention relates to a daisy chain connected master-slave communication system, and a method of operating thereof. The system comprises a master and a concatenation of N slaves linked in a chain, wherein the master is connected to each of the N slaves through a communication line, wherein the system is configured to use the communication line for serial data communication from the master to the N slaves, wherein a n-th slave is connected with a (n+1)-th slave through a chain line, n being an integer of 1 or more and less than N, wherein the master comprises a communication port which is connected to a first slave of the N slaves through a first chain line, and wherein the system is configured to employ the chain lines for serial data communication from the slaves to the communication port of the master.

Abstract: The invention is directed to polyesters comprising the following repeating unit of formula (I) wherein: R1 and R2 independently represent H or CH3, R3 and R4 independently represent H or OCH3, R5 independently represents C1-16alkyl-O(C?O)R7(C?O); C1-16alkyl(C?O); (C?O)R7(C?O); C1-16alkyl(C?O)OR7O(C?O)C1-16alkyl; C1-16alkyl(C?O)OR7 or (C?O)C2-3alkyl(C?O)OR7O(C?O)C2-3alkyl, R7 independently represents C1-20alkyl; benzene or furan, R6 represents CH2 or (C?O), n=0-3, m?10. The invention is also directed to a process for the preparation of these polyesters, wherein a monomer or monomer mixture is heated in the presence of a catalyst to a temperature of 100-300° C. under a pressure below 10 kPa.

Abstract: An energy storage system includes an energy storage string formed by rechargeable cells connected in series and an energy management device including a master control unit and at least a first local control unit associated to a first rechargeable cell. A storage string connecting circuit is coupling a positive string terminal with a negative string terminal and a cell connecting circuit is coupling a positive and a negative cell terminal of the first rechargeable cell. The storage string connecting circuit includes a first capacitor device forming with the energy storage string a first closed-loop LC-circuit, and/or the cell connecting circuit includes a second capacitor device forming with the first rechargeable cell a second closed-loop LC-circuit. A master AC signal generator and a local signal generator are configured for generating a first and a second AC pulse in respectively the storage string connecting circuit and the cell connecting circuit.

Abstract: The invention relates to methods for recovering a fluorinated surfactant molecule from an aqueous or mixed aqueous organic solution, comprising the step of contacting said solution containing a fluorinated surfactant with a zeolite that has pores delineated by rings that comprise between 10 to 14 tetrahedrally coordinated framework atoms (‘T’).

Abstract: A system and method for manufacturing three-dimensional structures is provided. The system includes plurality of printing stations and a robotic unit configured to interact with the plurality of printing stations, each of the plurality of printing stations being arranged to be accessible by the robotic unit. Each printing station includes a station controller for controlling at least one deposition control parameter. The system further includes a system controller configured to operate the robotic unit, and wherein the system controller is communicatively coupled to the plurality of printing stations for controlling at least an execution of printing tasks being performed on the plurality of printing stations.

Abstract: A system and method for manufacturing three-dimensional structures is provided. The system comprises a plurality of printing stations for performing parallel printing in an confined space enclosed by a housing, wherein each printing station comprises a carrier, a deposition unit with at least one nozzle arranged for dispensing filaments of build material paste through an opening area thereof and a station controller configured to operate the deposition unit for deposition of filaments of a build material paste on the carrier in an interconnected arrangement in a plurality of stacked layers in order to form one or more three-dimensional structures, the at least one nozzle and the detachable carrier being relatively moveable with respect to each other, wherein the deposition unit is coupled to a reservoir unit configured to house the build material paste, wherein the reservoir unit includes at least one reservoir arranged outside of the confined space.

Abstract: Provided herein is a method and system for determining an electromotive force curve of a battery for use in battery control applications. Measured data is received identifying an electromotive force for a plurality of state of charge values of the battery. A fitting processing is performed by using a curve fitting model for determining an electromotive force curve based on the measured data, the electromotive force curve indicating a continuous relationship between the electromotive force and a state of charge of the battery. The curve fitting model includes a fitting function consisting of only differentiable terms.

Abstract: A process prepares an oxygen carrier for a chemical looping process including providing a material A having a first transition metal and/or an oxide of the first transition metal. The first transition metal is selected from chemical element groups 6-11 of the Periodic System. Material A is subjected to a reaction with H2 to reduce the first transition metal and/or oxide to form a reduced material B. Material B is treated with a salt solution of a second transition metal selected to have a standard reduction potential larger than the first transition metal. A portion of the first transition metal in the reduced material B is replaced by the second transition metal. A molar ratio of the first transition metal with respect to the second transition metal in material B ranges between 2:1 and 100:1. An oxygen carrier is obtained with the method and is regenerated using steam.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the field of composite membranes. More specifically, the present invention relates to a composite filter membrane comprising: a filtration layer, a support layer comprising at least one through-hole; and an intermediate layer sandwiched between said filtration layer and said support layer.

Abstract: A process is described for recovering a non-ferrous metal from a first solid residue comprising iron. In this process, the first solid residue is mixed with a second solid residue including sulphur, thereby obtaining a particulate mixture. The particulate mixture is subjected to a roasting step at a temperature of at least 650° C. to obtain a roasted mixture, and the roasted mixture is subjected to leaching in a liquid at a pH of at least 5.5 to obtain a solution enriched with the non-ferrous metal.

Abstract: An energy storage system including an energy storage string formed by rechargeable cells connected in series and an energy management device including a master control unit and at least a first local control unit associated to a first rechargeable cell. A storage string connecting circuit is coupling a positive string terminal with a negative string terminal and a cell connecting circuit is coupling a positive and a negative cell terminal of the first rechargeable cell. The storage string connecting circuit includes a first capacitor device forming with the energy storage string a first closed-loop LC-circuit, and/or the cell connecting circuit includes a second capacitor device forming with the first rechargeable cell a second closed-loop LC-circuit. A master AC signal generator and a local signal generator are configured for generating a first and a second AC pulse in respectively the storage string connecting circuit and the cell connecting circuit.

Abstract: The present disclosure is related to a method for applying a functional compound on sulfur particles by means of an atmospheric pressure plasma discharge including a gas or an activated gas flow resulting from the atmospheric pressure plasma discharge. The coating composition includes an inorganic electrically conductive compound, an electrically conductive carbon compound, an organic precursor compound of a conjugated polymer, a precursor of a hybrid organic-inorganic compound, or a mixture, and the functional compound provides the sulfur particles with an electrically conductive surface.

Abstract: Apparatus for plasma processing of a continuous fiber, comprising a first and a second plasma torch. Each plasma torch comprises oppositely arranged electrodes to define a plasma discharge chamber between the electrodes. The plasma discharge chamber comprises an inlet and an outlet for passing a plasma forming gas between the electrodes. The apparatus further comprises an afterglow chamber in fluid communication with the outlets of the plasma discharge chambers, which comprises a substrate inlet and a substrate outlet arranged at opposite sides of the outlets of the plasma discharge chambers. A transport system is configured to continuously transport the fiber from the substrate inlet to the substrate outlet through the afterglow chamber. The substrate inlet comprises an aperture having a cross-sectional size substantially smaller than a cross-sectional size of the afterglow chamber. The outlets of the plasma torches face each other and exhaust plasma activated species into the afterglow chamber.