Search Results
Surviving the surf: The tribomechanical properties of the periostracum of Mytilus sp
We investigated the friction and wear behavior as well as the mechanical properties of the periostracum of Mytilus sp. Tribological properties were determined with a reciprocal sliding microtribometer, while mechanical characterization was performed using a nanoindenter. Measurements were performed in dry and wet conditions. On the dry periostracum we found a low friction coefficient of 0.078 ± 0.007 on the young parts and a higher one of 0.63 ± 0.02 on the old parts of the shell. Under wet, saline, conditions we only observed one average coefficient of friction of 0.37 ± 0.01. Microscopic ex situ analysis indicated that dry periostracum wore rather rapidly by plowing and fatigue, while it exhibited a high wear resistance when immersed in salt water. The Young’s modulus and hardness of the periostracum were also investigated in both dry and wet conditions. Under dry conditions the Young’s modulus of the periostracum was 8 ± 3 GPa, while under wet conditions it was 0.21 ± 0.05 GPa. The hardness of dry periostracum samples was 353 ± 127 MPa, whereas the hardness of wet samples was 5 ± 2 MPa. It was found that, in the wet state, viscous behavior plays a significant role in the mechanical response of the periostracum. Our results strongly indicate that the periostracum can provide an important contribution to the overall wear resistance of Mytilus sp. shell.
On the process of co-deformation and phase dissolution in a hard-soft immiscible CuCo alloy system during high-pressure torsion deformation
In this study, dual phase Cusingle bondCo composites with a total immiscibility in the solid state and a very different initial phase strength are deformed by severe plastic deformation. Nanocrystalline supersaturated solid solutions are reached in all Cusingle bondCo composites independent of the initial composition. The deformation and mechanical mixing process is studied thoroughly by combining scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, three-dimensional atom probe tomography and nanoindentation. The indentation hardness of the Cu and Co phase and its evolution as a function of the applied strain is linked to deformation and mechanical mixing process to gain a better understanding how the phase strength mismatch of the Cu and Co phase effects the amount of co-deformation and deformation-induced mixing. Our results show that co-deformation is not a necessary requirement to achieve mechanical mixing.
Challenges and opportunities in mapping land use intensity globally
Future increases in land-based production will need to focus more on sustainably intensifying existing production systems. Unfortunately, our understanding of the global patterns of land use intensity is weak, partly because land use intensity is a complex, multidimensional term, and partly because we lack appropriate datasets to assess land use intensity across broad geographic extents. Here, we review the state of the art regarding approaches for mapping land use intensity and provide a comprehensive overview of available global-scale datasets on land use intensity. We also outline major challenges and opportunities for mapping land use intensity for cropland, grazing, and forestry systems, and identify key issues for future research.
Enzyme-based lignocellulose hydrolyzation – Brief data survey for cellulase performance characterization on behalf of the Sauter mean diameter of raw material particles
The data presented here supports the informational background of enzyme-based lignocellulose hydrolyzation, cellulase characterization, and sugar yield prediction for the work “Enzyme-based lignocellulose hydrolyzation – Sauter mean diameter of raw materials as a basis for cellulase performance characterization and yield prediction” by Glaser [1]. Glucose yields from the enzymatic hydrolysis of the raw materials were shown as a function of cellulase enzyme loading as well as of particle size with different solid loading. The data for the proposed methods of the determination of enzyme activity in inhomogeneous samples of lignocellulosic raw materials are presented. The data of the empirical model that was developed for the prediction of hydrolysis yields for different enzyme concentrations, substrate specific particle size, and solid loadings, are given. Data are also given in relation of terms of scale-up opportunities.
Hydrothermal carbonization (HTC): Near infrared spectroscopy and partial least-squares regression for determination of selective components in HTC solid and liquid products derived from maize silage
Near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy was evaluated as a rapid method of predicting fiber components (hemicellulose, cellulose, lignin, and ash) and selective compounds of hydrochar and corresponding process liquor produced by hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) of maize silage. Several HTC reaction times and temperatures were applied and NIR spectra of both HTC solids and liquids were obtained and correlated with concentration determined from van-Soest fiber analysis, IC, and UHPLC. Partial least-squares regression was applied to calculate models for the prediction of selective substances. The model developed with the spectra had the best performance in 3–7 factors with a correlation coefficient, which varied between 0.9275–0.9880 and 0.9364–0.9957 for compounds in solid and liquid, respectively. Calculated root mean square errors of prediction (RMSEP) were 0.42–5.06 mg/kg. The preliminary results indicate that NIR, a widely applied technique, might be applied to determine chemical compounds in HTC solid and liquid.
The MiLA tool: Modeling greenhouse gas emissions and cumulative energy demand of energy crop cultivation in rotation
Crop rotations are part of current agricultural practice, since they and their effects can contribute to a sustainable agricultural cropping system. However, in current Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) studies, crop rotation effects are insufficiently considered, since these effects are difficult to measure. LCA studies from crop production typically take only one vegetation period into account. As a result, the consideration of how the assessed crop is influenced by the previous crop (crop rotation effects) including: (1) nutrient carryover, (2) reduction in operational requirements and (3) different intensity and timing of farming activities, is outside of the system boundary. However, ignoring these effects may lead to incorrect interpretation of LCA results and consequently to poor agricultural management as well as poor policy decisions. A new LCA tool called the “Model for integrative Life Cycle Assessment in Agriculture (MiLA)” is presented in this work. MiLA has been developed to assess GHG emissions and cumulative energy demands (CED) of cropping systems by taking the characteristics of crop cultivation in rotation into account. This tool enables the user to analyze cropping systems at farm level in order to identify GHG mitigation options and energy-efficient cropping systems. The tool was applied to a case study, including two crop rotations in two different regions in Germany with the goal of demonstrating the effectiveness of this tool on LCA results. Results show that including crop rotation effects can influence the GHG emission result of the individual crop by − 34% up to + 99% and the CED by − 16 up to + 89%. Expanding the system boundary by taking the whole crop rotation into account as well as providing the results based on different functional units improves LCA of energy crop production and helps those making the assessment to draw a more realistic picture of the interactions between crops while increasing the reliability of the LCA results.
A conceptual framework for analysing and measuring land-use intensity
Large knowledge gaps currently exist that limit our ability to understand and characterise dynamics and patterns of land-use intensity: in particular, a comprehensive conceptual framework and a system of measurement are lacking. This situation hampers the development of a sound understanding of the mechanisms, determinants, and constraints underlying changes in land-use intensity. On the basis of a review of approaches for studying land-use intensity, we propose a conceptual framework to quantify and analyse land-use intensity. This framework integrates three dimensions: (a) input intensity, (b) output intensity, and (c) the associated system-level impacts of land- based production (e.g. changes in carbon storage or biodiversity). The systematic development of indicators across these dimensions would provide opportunities for the systematic analyses of the trade-offs, synergies and opportunity costs of land-use intensification strategies.
Temperature-dependent size effects on the strength of Ta and W micropillars
The strength of metals increases with decreasing sample size, a trend known as the size effect. In particular, focused ion beam-milled body-centered cubic (BCC) micropillars exhibit a size effect known to scale with the ratio of the test temperature to the critical temperature (Tc) of the BCC metal, a measure of how much the yield stress is governed by the lattice resistance. In this paper, this effect is systematically studied by performing high-temperature compression tests on focused ion beam-manufactured Ta and W single crystal pillars ranging in diameter from 500 nm to 5 μm at temperatures up to 400 °C, and discussed in the context of bulk strength and size dependent stresses. Both metals show larger size effects at higher temperatures, reaching values that are in the range of FCC metals at temperatures near Tc. However, it is demonstrated that size effects can be considerably affected by material parameters such as dislocation density and lattice friction, as well as by the yield criterion used. Furthermore, for W, a change from uniform wavy deformation to localized deformation is observed with increasing temperature and pillar size, further indicating that the temperature ratio strongly influences the relative motion of screw and edge dislocations.
Risk efficiency of irrigation to cereals in northeast Germany with respect to nitrogen fertilizer
The potential role of irrigation of cereals as a response to climate change is under debate. Especially under temperate continental conditions empirical evidence of crop yield response to irrigation in interaction with nitrogen fertilizer supply is rare. Besides mean yield effects, irrigation reduces yield variance, which may be an incentive for farmers to use irrigation. This paper investigates the risk-efficiency of irrigation in cereal production in a temperate continental climate, based on data from a long term field experiment on a sandy soil. Irrigation and no irrigation of winter rye (Secale cereale) and winter barley (Hordeum vulgare) were investigated in three different nitrogen (N) fertilizer levels. Crop yield response data (1995–2010) to irrigation and N fertilizer were used to calculate net returns, certainty equivalents (CE) for different levels of risk aversion and the conditional value at risk (CVaR) as a downside risk indicator in two price scenarios. The scenarios were calculated with a total cost and a partial budget approach. Irrigation was found to be profit-maximizing in all partial budget calculations, which sometimes required higher N input to be profit-maximizing. Irrigation and N fertilizer reduction were identified as risk mitigation strategies, even though their impact was limited. Irrigation reduced the downside risk only in the partial budget calculations. The analysis based on the CE did not show improved risk efficiency with irrigated management options. In contrast, reduced fertilizer input proved to be risk efficient at specific levels of risk aversion. The price expectations of winter rye and winter barley had a much higher impact on the ranking of the management options than risk aversion based on the crop yield variances. At low crop prices for all levels of risk aversion, irrigation of winter barley and winter rye was only economically justified if fixed costs for irrigation were not taken into account. At high crop prices, irrigation of winter barley was also justified based on the total cost calculation. However, this advantage was only given at a very low level of risk aversion. With increasing levels of risk aversion irrigation was not efficient based on the CE in the total cost accounting scenario. In conclusion, irrigation of cereals can contribute to downside risk mitigation and increased profits, if fixed costs for irrigation are covered. However, this conclusion holds only when irrigation is combined with an increased N intensity. If total costs need to be accounted for, irrigation in cereals is not an appropriate risk reduction strategy and a reduction of N input is more effective.
Datasets from a vapor diffusion mineral precipitation protocol for Dictyostelium stalks
Datasets from a slow carbonate vapor diffusion and mineral precipitation protocol for Dictyostelium ECM and cellulose stalks show examples for composite materials obtained by an in vitro approach, which differs substantially from the in vivo approach reported in The Journal of Structural Biology, doi: 10.1016/j.jsb.2016.03.015 [1]. Methods for obtaining the datasets include bright field transmitted light microscopy, fluorescence microscopy, LC-PolScope birefringence microscopy, variable pressure scanning electron microscopy (VP-SEM/ESEM), and Raman imaging spectroscopy.