JOM: January
2011
VOLUME , NO. 01
ABOUT THIS ISSUE
THIS MONTH'S THEME: Energy and Environment
Topics this month include Energy Conservation, Nanomaterials for Renewable Energy, and Pyrometallurgy Process Management. Also included is a feature story on member views of materials news 2010.
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Issue
Topics: |
Energy Conservation
Nanomaterials for Renewable Energy
Pyrometallurgy Process Management |
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ENERGY CONSERVATION
Energy Conservation, CO2, and Other Greenhouse Gas Reduction [p. 22]
Author(s): Lifeng Zhang and Neale R. Neelameggham
Production of renewable energy and saving energy in metallurgical processing are two keys to energy conservation. This commentary introduces two papers that consider production and recycling of solar-grade silicon and its wastes, and three discuss how to utilize CO2 for metallurgical processes.
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Beneficial and Technological Analysis for the Recycling of Solar Grade Silicon Wastes [p. 23]
Author(s): Anping Dong, Lifeng Zhang, and Lucas N.W. Damoah
In the current paper, different kinds of silicon wastes during the production of SoG-Si were summarized and the beneficial analyses, such as financial value, energy value, CO2 emissions, and efficiency and energy payback time, were briefly discussed for the recycling of SoG-Si wastes. Possible technologies to recycle and purify SoG-Si wastes were reviewed: such as filtration, sedimentation, solidification control, electromagnetic separation, plasma oxidation, centrifugation, and high temperature remelting process, et al.
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Siemens and Siemens-like Processes for Producing Photovoltaics: Energy Payback Time and Lifetime Carbon Emissions [p. 28]
Author(s): Yubo Jiao, Alex Salce, Wade Ben, Feng Jiang, Xiaoyang Ji, Evan Morey, and David Lynch
Polysilicon photovoltaics will play a signifi ant role in meeting the world's shortfall in electrical energy this century. The photovoltaic industry relies on high-purity silicon produced in the Siemens process. New Siemens-like processes (which convert metallurgical silicon to trichlorosilane and deposit purified silicon through the decomposition of silane) and metallurgical processes for producing solar silicon are under development. Their energy payback time and lifetime carbon emissions are reviewed. The history of development of Siemens and Siemens-like processes is summarized.
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Concentrated Solar Energy for Thermochemically Producing Liquid Fuels from CO2 and H2O [p. 32]
Author(s): Peter G. Loutzenhiser, Anastasia Stamatiou, Willy Villasmil, Anton Meier, and Aldo Steinfeld
A two-step solar thermochemical cycle for producing syngas from H2O and CO2 via Zn/ZnO redox reactions is considered. The first, endothermic step is the thermolysis of ZnO to Zn and O2 using concentrated solar radiation as the source of process heat. The second, non-solar, exothermic step is the reaction of Zn with mixtures of H2O and CO2 yielding high-quality syngas (mainly H2 and CO) and ZnO; the latter is recycled to the first solar step, resulting in net reactions CO2 = CO+0.5O2 and H2O= H2 + 0.5O2. Syngas is further processed to liquid fuels via Fischer-Tropsch or other catalytic reforming processes. State-of-the-art reactor technologies and experimental results are provided for both steps of the cycle.
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CO2 Electrochemical Reduction via Adsorbed Halide Anions [p. 35]
Author(s): Kotaro Ogura and Maria D. Salazar-Villalpando
The electrochemical reduction of CO2 was studied utilizing halide ions as electrolytes, specifically, aqueous solutions of KCl, KBr, KI. Electrochemical experiments were carried out in a laboratory-made, divided H-type cell. The working electrode was a copper mesh, while the counter and reference electrodes were a Pt wire and an Ag/AgCl electrode, respectively. The results of our work suggest a reaction mechanism for the electrochemical reduction of CO2 where the presence of Cu-X as the catalytic layer facilitates the electron transfer from the electrode to CO2. Electron-transfer to CO2 may occur via the X–ad(Br–, Cl–, I–)-C bond, which is formed by the electron flow from the specifically adsorbed halide anion to the vacant orbital of CO2. The stronger the adsorption of the halide anion to the electrode, the more strongly CO2 is restrained, resulting in higher CO2 reduction current. Furthermore, it is suggested that specifically adsorbed halide anions could suppress the adsorption of protons; leading to a higher hydrogen overvoltage. These effects may synergistically mitigate the over potential necessary for CO2 reduction, and thus increase the rate of electrochemical CO2 reduction.
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The Alkali Roasting of Complex Oxide Minerals for High Purity Chemicals—Beyond the Le Chatelier Era into the 21st Century [p. 39]
Author(s): Animesh Jha
A discussion of a 19th century process of solubilizing alumina from bauxite by Louise Le Chatelier is made here to see whether their contributions to the industrial chemistry is worthy of revisiting for developing “cleaner and greener” processing of minerals and industrial inorganic chemicals. The high-temperature process reduces waste by producing co-products such ilmenite, magnetite, and sodium silicate. The CO2 generated from alkali decomposition is recycled in the process for regenerating NaHCO3.
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NANOMATERIALS FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY
Thermodynamics of Nanoscale Materials [p. 44]
Author(s): M. Ramachandran and R.G. Reddy
Nanoscale materials have been considered for and been in use in a variety of industrial engineering applications. The surface tension of silver and copper were calculated at various temperatures using non-ideal or real solution characteristics. The surface concentration of individual components was also calculated. The surface concentration of silver in a binary silver copper system is higher in spite of its lower surface tension as a pure component. It is also shown that the melting temperature of individual elements decrease with decrease in particle size. This trend is true for most metallic elements and is pronounced below a particle size of 20 nm.
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 Carbon Nanotube Nanostructured Hybrid Materials Systems for Renewable Energy Applications [p. 48]
Author(s): Fernand D.S. Marquis
Global energy demand is growing at an alarming and unsustainable rate, drawing mainly on the use of fossil fuels. These reserves are decreasing rapidly and becoming increasingly expensive. The associated emissions of greenhouse gases and other toxic pollutants are becoming environmentally unacceptable. Energy security has become a major issue as fossil fuels are confined to few areas in the world and their availability is controlled by political, economic, and ecological factors. A global coherent energy strategy that encompasses the entire energy life cycle is required in order to address all the forms of energy harvesting, storage, conversion, transmission, and distribution. Hybrid nanomaterial systems hold the key to fundamental advances in direct renewable energy and energy storage and conversion which are needed to enable renewable energy and meet the general energy challenges and associated environmental effects. This paper presents new approaches and methodologies used to design and develop carbon nanotube nanostructured hybrid nanomaterial systems incorporating structural and light-absorbing electron donor polymers, inorganic semiconductors, metallic and ceramic nanoparticles as energy harvesting and storage systems.
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Nanostructured Manganese Oxide Thin Films as Electrode Material for Supercapacitors [p. 54]
Author(s): Hui Xia, Man On Lai, and Li Lu
Electrochemical capacitors, also called supercapacitors, are alternative energy storage devices, particularly for applications requiring high power densities. Recently, manganese oxides have been extensively evaluated as electrode materials for supercapacitors due to their low cost, environmental benignity, and promising supercapacitive performance. In order to maximize the utilization of manganese oxides as the electrode material for the supercapacitors and improve their supercapacitive performance, the nanostructured manganese oxides have therefore been developed. This paper reviews the synthesis of the nanostructured manganese oxide thin films by different methods and the supercapacitive performance of different nanostructures.
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Hydrogen Generation from the H2O/H2O2/MnMoO4 System [p. 60]
Author(s): H.Y. He
Hydrogen gas as a clean energy resource was found to be largely bubbled from the H2O/H2O2/MnMoO4 system. The MnMoO4 powder was synthesized by a sol-gel method and was characterized with x-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and x-ray photoelectron spectrometry. The efficiency of the hydrogen generation increases with increasing H2O2 proportion, amount of MnMoO4 powder, and intensity of light resource. A mechanism is suggested for hydrogen generation from the H2O/H2O2/MnMoO4 system.
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PYROMETALLURGICAL PROCESS MANAGEMENT
Advanced Process Modeling at the BCL Smelter: Improving Economic and Environmental Performance [p. 63]
Author(s): Nagendra Tripathi, Edgar Peek, and Milton Stroud
Since 1973 Bamangwato Concessions Limited (BCL) has operated a nickel-copper smelter in Selebi-Phikwe, Botswana. The smelter treats concentrates from local mines and various custom feed concentrates. The nickel throughput capacity of this smelter is constrained by a low nickel feed grade in its primary BCL concentrate. BCL contracted Xstrata Process Support (XPS) to assist in identifying key economic drivers to maximize revenue-generating opportunities. After the disclosure of essential BCL plant performance data XPS developed and utilized advanced metallurgical modeling techniques to identify production bottlenecks, calculate Ni, Cu, and Co recoveries, manage the slag volumes, increase the custom feed capacity, and perform various feasibility analyses for key unit process operations in the BCL smelter. The methodology for developing the process model and its application in contributing to the economic bottom line are outlined in this paper.
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The Recycling of Heavy-metal-containing Wastes: Mass Balances and Economical Estimations [p. 68]
Author(s): J. Antrekowitsch and S. Steinlechner
As environmental legislation has become stricter in recent decades, efforts for treating residues have also increased. The existing pyrometallurgical reprocessing methods for metal-containing wastes recover mainly only one valuable metal or produce low-grade byproducts. The aim of developing an economic process has to be the simultaneous recovery of more than one valuable metal and increased product quality. In the case of zinccontaining residues the goal has to be a high-quality zinc product. Moreover, the target is a nearly zero waste process and, accordingly, small amounts of generated residues. In this paper four possible secondary raw materials are compared regarding their mass and energy balance for a treatment in a carbon-containing metal bath. Furthermore, an evaluation of the economy is given for a neutral leaching residue, Waelz kiln slag, dust from secondary copper industry as well as an electro arc furnace dust from carbon steel production.
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Reducing Treatment of Copper-smelting Slag: Thermodynamic Analysis of Impurities Behavior [p. 73]
Author(s): Alexey Komkov and Rostislav Kamkin
A thermodynamic mathematical model, describing behavior of Pb, Zn, and As during reducing slag cleaning in the Vanyukov furnace has been developed. Using a developed model, the influence of different factors, such as temperature, oxygen partial pressure, the ratio of the formed phases on the behavior of impurities, was analyzed. It was found that arsenic can significantly move to the bottom phase, and zinс can be significantly vaporized under conditions in the Vanyukov furnace.
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FEATURES
TMS 2011 Annual Meeting: A Four Day Opportunity for Professional Rejuvenation [p. 12]
Author(s): George T. “Rusty” Gray III
The TMS 2011 Annual Meeting & Exhibition is a little more than a month away (February 27 through March 3, in the welcome warmth of San Diego, California), and I have every reason to expect that this year’s conference will be one of the best, most engaging, that I’ve attended. In fact, this year you’ll have more programming choices than ever, with more than 3,000 presentations in 70 symposia. Poster contributions, a popular alternative to the formal lectures, total 450 this year.
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Member Views of Materials News 2010 [p. 13]
Author(s): Lynne Robinson
Intertwined with many of the top headlines of 2010 was a materials story. To highlight the critical role that materials science and engineering (MSE) plays on both the world stage and in everyday lives, JOM asked an array of TMS members to comment on what they believe the most significant news or development was in 2010 from a materials perspective. We also encouraged them to offer predictions as to what might lie ahead for MSE in 2011 and beyond. Many of the individuals who responded are involved with TMS technical or general committees and their responses reflect those particular interests.
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2010 Engineering Salaries: AAES Tallies Industry Survey Results [p. 21]
Author(s): Maureen Byko
The combination of variables could be endless, but in the annual engineering salary survey conducted by the Engineering Workforce Commission (EWC) of the American Association of Engineering Societies (AAES), the focus is limited to certain key factors: degree and supervisory status, engineering discipline, years in the profession, geographic location, and size of employer. A summary of the 2010 survey is presented in this article.
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ALSO IN THIS ISSUE
In the Final Analysis [p. 02]
Author(s): James J. Robinson
A consideration of some recent inbox items from the publisher.
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News & Update [p. 03]
Author(s):
The TMS Integrated Computational Materials Engineering kicks off an ambitious year with a symposium at the TMS 2011 Annual Meeting; other annual meeting updates include details on several plenary sessions and continuing education opportunities.
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Your Member Connection [p. 10]
Author(s):
This feature provides background on JOM’s authors and advisors, and also a listing of every TMS member whose name appears in this issue.
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Upcoming Editorial Topics [p. 20]
Author(s):
Announcing May–December 2011 topics.
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Meetings Calendar [p. 77]
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A monthly round-up of soon-to-be-held meetings and upcoming calls for papers.
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Materials Resource Center: Jobs, Consultants, Marketplace [p. 78]
Author(s):
Positions and services available.
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End Notes: “Get Involved: Sai V. Raj, Symposium Organizer” [p. 80]
Author(s): Kelly Zappas
“Get Involved” is a recurring End Notes feature that spotlights the work of TMS volunteers and shows the wide range of activities available through TMS. This month, Sai V. Raj, a materials research engineer at NASA Glenn Research Center, discusses the challenges and opportunities that come with serving as a symposium organizer for the TMS 2011 Annual Meeting.
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INSERT
Member News [p. Insert]
Author(s):
Brent Fultz will be honored as the recipient of the 2010 TMS Electronic, Magnetic & Photonic Materials DivisionDistinguished Scientist/Engineer Award during two special sessions on vibrational properties and short-time dynamics in materials at the TMS 2011 Annual Meeting, February 27 through March 3 in San Diego. Other names in the news: Diran Apelian, Jeremy Busby, Pradeep Rohatgi, Lance Snead, and Alan Taub.
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Published monthly by The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society for its members, JOM is a technical journal devoted to exploring the many aspects of materials science and engineering.