Scientific Papers in SCI

Herein we analyze the profitability of a novel regenerative process to synergize biogas upgrading and carbon dioxide utilization. Our proposal is a promising alternative which allows to obtain calcium carbonate as added value product while going beyond traditional biogas upgrading methods with high thermal energy consumption. Recently we have demonstrated the experimental viability of this route. In this work, both the scale-up and the profitability of the process are presented. Furthermore, we analyze three representative scenarios to undertake a techno-economic study of the proposed circular economy process. The scale-up results demonstrate the technical viability of our proposal. The precipitation efficiency and the product quality are still remarkable with the increase of the reactor size. The techno-economic analysis reveals that the implementation of this circular economy strategy is unprofitable without subsidies. Nonetheless, the results are somehow encouraging as the subsides needed to reach profitability are lower than in other biogas upgrading and carbon dioxide utilization proposals. Indeed, for the best-case scenario, a feed-in tariff incentive of 4.3 (sic)/MWh makes the approach profitable. A sensitivity study through tornado analysis is also presented, revealing the importance of reducing bipolar membrane electrodialysis energy consumption. Overall our study envisages the big challenge that the EU faces during the forthcoming years. The evolution towards bio-based and circular economies requires the availability of economic resources and progress on engineering technologies.

Snake skins evolved to withstand permanent friction and wear during sliding. Here, the microstructure of ventral scales of the snake Lampropeltis getula californiae was analyzed using scanning electron microscopy, and the long-term dynamic friction behavior was investigated by reciprocating sliding friction tests. A smooth epoxy resin with similar elasticity modulus and hardness was used for comparison purposes. Strong differences in frictional and wear mechanisms between the two materials were revealed in spite of similar mechanical properties. Snake skin showed a considerably lower frictional coefficient that kept stable over several thousands of sliding cycles. A reduction of the stick-slip behavior was also denoted by analyzing the variation of the friction coefficient in the forward and reverse motion influencing the wear mechanism. This frictional behavior can be explained by three different but complementary mechanisms: fibrous layered composite material of the skin with a gradient of material properties, surface microstructure, and the presence of ordered layers of lipid molecules at the skin surface.