AER/I Seminar
About the event
Group: Guo Group
Title: Study of Anion Bearing Sodalites for Radioisotope Immobilization
Abstract:
This study delves into the versatile applications of sodalite family, a porous mineral characterized by its β-cage structure, in various fields, particularly in the realm of radioactive isotope containment in geological repository for waste management. Through a comprehensive exploration of sodalite synthesis methods and its unique vibrational features, researchers have gained valuable insights into its structural properties and potential applications. The relationship between sodalite vibrational features and the size of anions hosted within its β-cage has been extensively examined, providing a basis for predicting mixed anions selectivity and understanding sodalite’s structural behavior. Additionally, different analysis techniques have been employed to study the thermal stability and phase transitions of sodalite-based materials, providing deeper insights into their characteristics and properties. These findings have significant implications for the design of sodalite-based materials for radioactive waste immobilization and environmental remediation. By leveraging thermal data, spectroscopic signatures and empirical relationships, researchers can predict and control the behavior of anions bearing sodalites with diverse compositions, paving the way for advancements in materials science and engineering. The predictive power of these spectroscopic signatures holds promise for improving the efficiency and reliability of sodalite-based materials in radioactive waste containment and other applications, ultimately contributing to the sustainable management of nuclear waste and environmental protection.
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Speaker: Raphael Adewale
Group: Moreau Group
Title: The production of hydrogen via a two-step thermochemical cycle based on metal oxides
Abstract:
The production of hydrogen via a two-step thermochemical cycle has recently attracted a lot of research interest. This is majorly because it utilizes the heat of the high temperature reactor which eliminates the need to generate power for the process, thereby increasing energy efficiency. An advantage of this process is that it only requires the input of heat and water to continuously regenerate hydrogen and oxygen, which has almost no negative impact on the environment and has the potential for sustainable development. The thermochemical cycle uses a metal oxide as a catalyst and involves two steps: thermal reduction and water splitting. This review studies magnesium-based oxides, ceria-based oxides, calcium-based oxides, and manganese-cobalt mixed oxides. Among them, doped-ceria-based oxides, which have high redox activities and cycle stabilities, are considered to be the most promising materials. Also, magnesium oxide showed a solar to fuel energy conversion efficiency of 47.7% which seems promising. The study also investigates variables affecting the equilibrium like the inert gas/solid ratio. Finally, the possibility of using this process for large-scale industrial production and the perspective on future material development were also analyzed.