P1-0153 — Annual report 2010
1.
Novel method for fast characterization of high-surface-area electrocatalytic materials using a carbon fiber microelectrode.

A carbon fiber microelectrode (CFME) was used for characterization of the nanoparticle catalysts as an alternative to the well-established rotating disk electrode (RDE) method. We found that the novel CFME method yielded comparable results to the RDE method when investigating the adsorption/desorption processes as well the specific activity for reactions such as the oxygen reduction reaction. Its major advantage is a fast sample preparation and rapid measurement, reducing significantly the time of a single sample characterization from 2-3 h to a favourable 5-10 min.

COBISS.SI-ID: 4384794
2.
Detailed uncertainty budget for major and minor ions in stock combined calibration standards: influence of impurities in chemicals.

A general methodology for a systematic evaluation of the uncertainty was derived for each particular ion in stock combined calibration standards in which concentrations of different ions extend over up to five orders of magnitude. It was proven that impurities in chemicals which are sources of major ions have significant effect on uncertainty budget of minor ions. For several ions it was confirmed that mass fraction of the impurities was the major source of uncertainty.

COBISS.SI-ID: 33467909
3.
Use of genetic algorithms with multivariate regression for determination of gelatine in historic papers based on FT-IR and NIR spectral data

Quantitative non-destructive analysis of historic rag paper is crucial for its effective preservation. In this work, we examine the potentials of mid- and near-infrared spectroscopy (NIR) in combination with genetic algorithms and multivariate calibration models. The sampling flexibility afforded by small-size field-portable spectroscopic instrumentation combined with chemometric data analysis, represents an attractive addition to existing analytical techniques for cultural heritage materials.

COBISS.SI-ID: 34458629
4.
Effect of atmosphere and catalyst on reducing bisphenol A (BPA) emission during thermal degradation of polycarbonate

Bisphenol A (BPA), a well-known endocrine disruptor, is one of the major products in the thermal degradation of polycarbonate (PC). A combined Infrared Image Furnace with Ion attachment mass spectrometry technique was used to investigate the evolution of BPA from a PC sample during heating. Thermal treatment in the presence of CuCl2 in nitrogen atmosphere and at lower degradation temperatures substantially reduced the BPA emission.

COBISS.SI-ID: 33377285
5.
Comparison of isolation methods for the determination of buckwheat volatile compounds

Five different isolation techniques were combined with gas chromatographic–mass spectrometric determination of aroma compounds from buckwheat: dynamic headspace (DHS) with cryotrapping or sorbent trapping, solid-phase microextraction (SPME), headspace sorptive extraction (HSSE), solvent extraction (SE) and simultaneous distillation–extraction (SDE). Only SPME with DVB/CAR/PDMS fibre was suitable for the isolation of highly volatile compounds in a wider polarity range. The applied isolation techniques are complementary in their ability to extract a representative aroma profile of buckwheat.

COBISS.SI-ID: 33728005