Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) offer high energy conversion, low noise, low pollutant emission, and low processing cost. Despite many advantages, SOFCs face a major challenge in competing with other types of fuel ce...Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) offer high energy conversion, low noise, low pollutant emission, and low processing cost. Despite many advantages, SOFCs face a major challenge in competing with other types of fuel cells because of their high operating temperature. The necessity to reduce the operational temperature of SOFCs has led to the development of research into the materials and fabrication technology of fuel cells. The use of composite cathodes significantly reduces the cathode polarization resistance and expands the triple phase boundary area available for oxygen reduction. Powder preparation and composite cathode fabrication also affect the overall performance of composite cathodes and fuel cells. Among many types of cathode materials, lanthanum-based materials such as lanthanum strontium cobalt ferrite (Lal_xSrxCOl_yFey03_~) have recently been discovered to offer great compatibility with ceria-based electrolytes in performing as composite cathode materials for intermediate- to low-temperature SOFCs (IT-LTSOFCs). This paper reviews various ceria-based composite cathodes for IT-LTSOFCs and focuses on the aspects of progress and challenges in materials technology.展开更多
A survey of 35 tree species (belonging to 28 genera in 19 families) in Aliyar, South India was carried out to ascertain their arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) and dark septate endophyte (DSE) fungal status. All the t...A survey of 35 tree species (belonging to 28 genera in 19 families) in Aliyar, South India was carried out to ascertain their arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) and dark septate endophyte (DSE) fungal status. All the tree species examined had AM association. AM and DSE coloni- zation is reported for the first time in 20 and 14 species respectively. Co- occurrence of AM and DSE was observed in 14 (40%) tree species. The extent of DSE colonization was inversely related to the extent of AM fungal colonization. Six tree species had Arum-type, 18 had intermediate- type and 11 had typical Paris-type AM morphology. AM fungal spore morphotypes belonging to 11 species in two genera were isolated from the rhizosphere soil. AM fungal spore numbers were not related to the ex- tent of AM colonization and Glomus dominated spore diversity. AM association individually and along with DSE were found respectively in the 63% and 44% of the economically important tree species. The occur- rence of AM and DSE fungal association in economically important indigenous tree species indicates the possibility of exploiting this asso- ciation in future conservation programmes of these species.展开更多
基金Project supported by the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (No. UKM-RF-07-FRGS0260-2010)the Malaysia Government for Research Sponsorship (No. OUP-2012-075)
文摘Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) offer high energy conversion, low noise, low pollutant emission, and low processing cost. Despite many advantages, SOFCs face a major challenge in competing with other types of fuel cells because of their high operating temperature. The necessity to reduce the operational temperature of SOFCs has led to the development of research into the materials and fabrication technology of fuel cells. The use of composite cathodes significantly reduces the cathode polarization resistance and expands the triple phase boundary area available for oxygen reduction. Powder preparation and composite cathode fabrication also affect the overall performance of composite cathodes and fuel cells. Among many types of cathode materials, lanthanum-based materials such as lanthanum strontium cobalt ferrite (Lal_xSrxCOl_yFey03_~) have recently been discovered to offer great compatibility with ceria-based electrolytes in performing as composite cathode materials for intermediate- to low-temperature SOFCs (IT-LTSOFCs). This paper reviews various ceria-based composite cathodes for IT-LTSOFCs and focuses on the aspects of progress and challenges in materials technology.
文摘A survey of 35 tree species (belonging to 28 genera in 19 families) in Aliyar, South India was carried out to ascertain their arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) and dark septate endophyte (DSE) fungal status. All the tree species examined had AM association. AM and DSE coloni- zation is reported for the first time in 20 and 14 species respectively. Co- occurrence of AM and DSE was observed in 14 (40%) tree species. The extent of DSE colonization was inversely related to the extent of AM fungal colonization. Six tree species had Arum-type, 18 had intermediate- type and 11 had typical Paris-type AM morphology. AM fungal spore morphotypes belonging to 11 species in two genera were isolated from the rhizosphere soil. AM fungal spore numbers were not related to the ex- tent of AM colonization and Glomus dominated spore diversity. AM association individually and along with DSE were found respectively in the 63% and 44% of the economically important tree species. The occur- rence of AM and DSE fungal association in economically important indigenous tree species indicates the possibility of exploiting this asso- ciation in future conservation programmes of these species.