Open Access

In diesem Beitrag wird der Einfluss des Aktivkohleprodukts auf die Adsorption von Spurenstoffen aus Kläranlagenablauf gezeigt und diskutiert. Im zweiten Teil wird das Material Aktivkohle analytisch charakterisiert und die Eigenschaften systematisiert. Die gewonnenen Erkenntnisse werden mit Bezug zu Praxislösungen zusammengefasst.

Water treatment with activated carbon (AC) is an established method for the removal of organic micropollutants and natu ral organic matter. However, it is not yet possible to predict the removal of individual pollutants. An appropriate material characterization, matching adsorption processes in water, might be the missing piece in the puzzle. To this end, this study examined 25 diferent commercially available ACs to evaluate their material properties. Frequently reported analyses, including N2 adsorption/desorption, CHNS(O), point of zero charge (PZC) analysis, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, were conducted on a selected subset of powdered ACs. Inorganic elements examined using X-ray fuorescence and X-ray difraction spectroscopy revealed that relative elemental contents were distinctive to the individual AC’s raw material and activation procedure. This study also is the frst to use thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) coupled to Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) to conduct quantitative analyses of functional surface oxygen groups (SOGs: carboxylic acid, anhydride, lactone, phenol, carbonyl, and pyrone groups) on such a large number of ACs. The comparably economical TGA method was found to provide good surrogates for the PZC by pyrolytic mass loss up to 600 ◦C (ML600), for the oxygen content by ML1000 and for the carbon content by oxidation. Mass loss profles depict the AC’s chemistry like fngerprints. Furthermore, we found that SOG contents determined by TGA-FTIR covered a wide individual range and depended on the raw material and production process of the AC. TGA and TGA-FTIR might therefore be used to identify the suitability of a particular AC for a variety of target substances in diferent target waters. This can help practitioners to control AC use in waterworks or wastewater treatment plants.

Future lunar exploration can benefit greatly from In-Situ Resource Utilization. Accordingly, the in-Situ Resource Utilization approach highlights the need for detailed analysis of lunar regolith. In this study, JSC-2A Simulant was studied regarding its sintering and melting behaviour using Differential Thermal Analysis under ambient and inert conditions. The minerals at the crystalline peaks were determined using X-Ray Diffraction analysis. Moreover, melting droplet shape and wetting behaviour of pressed regolith samples of different particle size distributions were studied by Hot Stage Microscopy technique. Hot Stage Microscopy experiments were performed at different heating rates under ambient conditions. Bloating effects within the solidified samples were then qualitatively examined by X-ray tomography. Lastly, the optimization of processing strategies for the Additive Manufacturing of lunar regolith is discussed.

Lithium isotopic fractionation is well-established in dynamic geochemical systems; however, its role in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) remains uninvestigated. Herein, we report the first depth-resolved demonstration that isotopic separation occurs during Li-ion cell operation whose magnitude depends on the cycling history. Using depth-resolved glow discharge mass spectrometry, we monitored the 7Li/6Li ratio in LiNi0.333Mn0.333Co0.333O2 (NMC111)||graphite coin cell electrodes at defined life-cycle stages. Different charging rates were examined to get mechanistic insight into kinetic and thermodynamic control in the fractionation process. Although pristine electrodes exhibit a uniform isotopic ratio, cycled electrodes show a distinct 7Li enrichment in the positive electrode and a corresponding accumulation of 6Li at the surface of the negative electrode. The degree of isotopic separation varies with the charging rate. Isotopic signatures correlate with capacity fading, indicating lithium isotope mapping as a sensitive diagnostic tool for tracking electrode degradation and the evolution of the electrode–electrolyte interphases in LIBs.

Mechanochemistry offers a unique opportunity to modify and manipulate crystal forms, often providing new products as compared with conventional solution methods. While promising, there is little known about how to control the solid form through mechanochemical means, demanding dedicated investigations. Using a model organic cocrystal system (isonicotinamide:glutaric acid), we here demonstrate that with mechanochemistry, polymorphism can be induced in molecular solids under conditions seemingly different to their conventional thermodynamic (thermal) transition point. Whereas Form II converts to Form I upon heating to 363 K, the same transition can be initiated under ball milling conditions at markedly lower temperatures (348 K). Our results indicate that mechanochemical techniques can help to reduce the energy barriers to solid form transitions, offering new insights into controlling polymorphic forms. Moreover, our results suggest that the nature of mechanochemical transformations could make it difficult to interpret mechanochemical solid form landscapes using conventional equilibrium-based tools.