Nanosieves Save Energy In Biofuel Production

Daily Science Journal (Feb. 13, 2008) — A new type of membrane, developed by scientists of the University of Twente in The Netherlands, can stand high temperatures for a long period of time. This ‘molecular sieve’ is capable of removing water out of e.g. solvents and biofuels. It is a very energy efficient alternative to existing techniques like distillation.

The cylinder is the carrier of a hybrid membrane: a layer of about 100 nanometer thickness. The insert shows a close-up of the layer showing the organic links and pores. From the left of the tube, only water molecules leave the sieve. (Credit: Image courtesy of University of Twente)

Even after testing during 18 months, the new membranes prove to be highly effective, while having continuously been exposed to a temperature of 150 ºC. Existing ceramic and polymer membranes will last considerably shorter periods of time, when exposed to the combination of water and high temperatures. The scientists managed to do this using a new ‘hybrid’ type of material combining the best of both worlds of polymer and ceramic membranes. The result is a membrane with pores sufficiently small to let only the smallest molecules pass through.

Ceramic membranes, made of silica, degrade because they react with water and steam. In the new membrane, part of the ceramic links is therefore replaced by organic links. By doing this, water doesn’t have the chance to ‘attack’ the membranes. Manufacturing the new hybrid membranes is simpler than that of ceramic membranes, because the material is flexible and will not show cracks. What they have in common with ceramic membranes is the rapid flow: an advantage of this is that the membrane surface can be kept small.

The hybrid membranes are suitable for ‘drying’ solvents and biofuels, an application for which there is a large potential market worldwide. The main advantage of membrane technology is that it consumes far less energy than common distillation techniques.

The scientists also foresee opportunities in separating hydrogen gas from gas mixtures. This implies a broad range of applications in sustainable energy. Apart from that, the hybrid membranes are suitable for desalinating water. Using a hybrid membrane that is much smaller than the current polymer membranes, the same result can be achieved.

The results have been achieved in a close cooperation of scientists from the Inorganic Materials Science Group of the MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology (UT), the Energy Efficiency in Industry department of ECN and the University of Amsterdam. The invention has been patented worldwide.

The article ‘Hybrid ceramic nanosieves: stabilizing nanopores with organic links’ by Hessel Castricum, Ashima Sah, Robert Kreiter, Dave Blank, Jaap Vente and André ten Elshof has been published in Chemical Communications (ChemComm) of the Royal Society of Chemistry in de UK.

Adapted from materials provided by University of Twente.

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Cluster Hits The Magnetic Bull's-eye

Daily Science Journal (Jul. 19, 2006) — The European Space Agency's spacecraft constellation Cluster has hit the magnetic bull's-eye. The four spacecraft surrounded a region within which the Earth’s magnetic field was spontaneously reconfiguring itself.

This artist's impression shows the four Cluster spacecraft encompassing a 'magnetic null' region. A magnetic null region is a three dimensional zone where the magnetic fields break and reconnect. (Credits: Dr. Xiao/Chinese Academy of Sciences (Beijing))

This is the first time such an observation has been made and gives astronomers a unique insight into the physical process responsible for the most powerful explosions that can occur in the Solar System: the magnetic reconnection.

When looking at the static pattern of iron filings around a bar magnet, it is difficult to imagine how changeable and violent magnetic fields can be in other situations.

In space, different regions of magnetism behave somewhat like large magnetic bubbles, each containing electrified gas known as plasma. When the bubbles meet and are pushed together, their magnetic fields can break and reconnect, forming a more stable magnetic configuration. This reconnection of magnetic fields generates jets of particles and heats the plasma.

At the very heart of a reconnection event, there must be a three dimensional zone where the magnetic fields break and reconnect. Scientists call this region the null point but, until now, have never been able to positively identify one, as it requires at least four simultaneous points of measurements.

On 15 September 2001, the four Cluster spacecraft were passing behind the Earth. They were flying in a tetrahedral formation with separations between the spacecraft of over 1 000 kilometres. As they flew through the Earth’s magnetotail, which stretches out behind the night-time side of our planet, they surrounded one of the suspected null points.

The data returned by the spacecraft have been extensively analysed by an international team of scientists led by Dr. C. Xiao from Chinese Academy of Sciences, Prof. Pu from Peking University, Prof. Wang from Dalian University of Technogy. Xiao and his colleagues used the Cluster data to deduce the three-dimensional structure and size of the null point, revealing a surprise.

The null point exists in an unexpected vortex structure about 500 kilometres across. "This characteristic size has never been reported before in observations, theory or simulations," say Xiao, Pu and Wang.

This result is a major achievement for the Cluster mission as it gives scientists their first look at the very heart of the reconnection process.

Throughout the Universe, magnetic reconnection is thought to be a fundamental process that drives many powerful phenomena, such as the jets of radiation seen escaping from distant black holes, and the powerful solar flares in our own Solar system that can release more energy than a billion atomic bombs.

On a smaller scale, reconnection at the dayside boundary of the Earth’s magnetic field allows solar gas through, triggering a specific type of aurora called 'proton aurora'.

Understanding what sparks magnetic reconnection will also help scientists trying to harness nuclear fusion for energy production. In tokamak fusion reactors, spontaneous magnetic reconfigurations rob the process of its controllability. By understanding how magnetic fields reconnect, fusion scientists hope to be able to design better reactors that prevent this from taking place.

Having identified one null point, the team now hopes to score future bull’s-eyes to compare nulls and see whether their first detection possessed a configuration that is rare or common.

Adapted from materials provided by European Space Agency.

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Pioneering 3D View Of Near-Earth Magnetic 'Dance'

Daily Science Journal (Jul. 1, 2007) — Scientists have obtained the first-ever 3D picture of interconnected magnetic ‘dances’ in near-Earth space, known as magnetic reconnection events.

A diagram illustrating the null-null line observed by Cluster's four spacecraft in the Earth's magnetotail on 1 October 2001. (Credit: Inset: Chinese Academy of Sciences (C. Xiao), background: NASA)

The data from ESA’s Cluster satellites will help to understand better magnetic reconnection, a process related to star formation, solar explosions and the entry of solar wind energy into the near-Earth environment.

Magnetic reconnection is the process whereby magnetic field lines from different magnetic domains collide and reconnect, mixing previously separated plasma. Plasma is a gas composed of ions and electrons but is electrically neutral, spread over large distances in space and guided by the action of magnetic and electric fields.

Magnetic reconnection converts the energy of the magnetic field into particle energy, generating jets and heating the plasma.

This affects us here on Earth because it can possibly affect telecom satellites and prevent the efficient production of electricity in controlled fusion reactors, potential sources of electricity for the future. On Earth, we can also see the effect in more intense displays of the Northern lights.

On 1 October 2001, the four Cluster spacecraft were flying in formation at approximately 110 000 km from Earth in the magnetotail, a long-tail-like structure on the night-side of Earth’s magnetic field. The satellites meandered around a reconnection region over a period of nearly 15 minutes.

During reconnection, the geometry of the magnetic field forms an X-shape, also called a ‘magnetic null’. Analysed in 2D, the magnetic field, plasma density and flow velocity data collected during this event showed that only one reconnection region with an X-shape, or a magnetic null, was seen by the satellites.

An international team of scientists led by Chinese researchers challenged this result, suggesting that it could be seen in 3D.

The researchers tested theoretical results published 20 years ago, which predicted that any small perturbation to such a reconnection site would produce not one, but two magnetically linked reconnection sites, a pair of magnetic nulls and magnetically linked reconnection geometry.

By analysing a subset of the same data in 3D with a higher temporal resolution, they found what they were looking for. Two magnetic reconnection sites jumped out, along with the null-null line which connects two magnetic nulls, a previously unobserved phenomenon.

The situation can be compared to viewing a cross section of a 3D volume in space. It is not possible, when looking into only one plane, to tell whether or not something is going on in another plane, in the same volume of space.

Only when seen in 3D, with Cluster’s multi-satellite viewpoints, could scientists determine that there actually were two, interlinked events occurring simultaneously.

When reduced to two dimensions, this complex 3D magnetic geometry is still consistent with past results obtained under the 2D assumption where the null-null line is seen as one X-point. It is also in agreement with past results found in the laboratory and by Cluster in space.

"For the first time, the link between two sites of magnetic reconnection has been observed in-situ, in 3-D. This result is another major scientific achievement of Cluster obtained owing to fruitful scientific collaborations between Chinese, American and European scientists", said Philippe Escoubet, Cluster and Double Star project scientist of the European Space Agency.

Notes for editors:

The article “Satellite Observations of Separator Line Geometry of Three-Dimensional Magnetic Reconnection” by C. Xiao, X. Wang, Z. Pu, Z. Ma, H. Zhao, G. Zhou, J. Wang, M. Kivelson, S. Fu, Z. Liu, Q. Zong, M. Dunlop, K-H. Glassmeier, E. Lucek, H. Rème, I. Dandouras, C. Escoubet appeared on 24 June 2007 in the advance online publication of Nature Physics.

Adapted from materials provided by European Space Agency.

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