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Electrolytes
“Adding nano crystals of titanium dioxide can improve an electrolyte’s conductivity by a factor of hundred,” says PhD student Lucas Haverkate, from the Applied Sciences faculty.

Together with nine other TU researchers, he co-published the research team’s findings in last week’s edition of Advanced Functional Materials (24 March 2011). The nano crystals are mixed into a solid-state electrolyte with an acid serving as a proton donor. The effect is a large increase in the proton mobility within the material. The research team’s finding is of interest for applications in fuel cells and batteries, which depend on electrolytes for the internal charge transport. Adding nano crystals improves the conductivity of solid electrolytes, which enables the production of more compact devices. Professor Fokko Mulder (AS) says that the experimental work (by PhD student Wing Kee Chan) is backed by Haverkate’s theoretical explanation. The research team is still searching for the optimal combination of materials.


Small sensors

TNO presented two tiny optical temperature and pressure sensors at the Fotonica fair in Nieuwegein (near Utrecht) this week. One sensor is based on an etched grating situated at the end of a glass fibre (Fibre Bragg Grating sensor) and can be used to monitor temperature, pressure and strain inside blood vessels. The other type, based on ring-resonators, is integrated on a chip and is even smaller. Both are immune to electromagnetic disturbances and cause no sparks.


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Side Wings

Fleet owners who participated in last year’s field test  of aerodynamic side wings on their trucks have now all decided to retrofit their vehicles with the fuel-saving, wheel-cover annex  designed by TU spin-off, Ephicas. A new addition to the side wings is the wing-shaped air conductor positioned at the rear. The aerodynamics have proven to reduce fuel consumption of trucks by 1.5 litres per 100 kilometres. TNT, DHL, Ahold and The Greenery to name a few are interested in the product. 

Drie maanden geleden wilden de voorzitters van de studentenbonden in een dubbelinterview met het HOP graag een ‘misverstand’ uit de wereld helpen. De basisbeurs was niet heilig, stelden ze. Zoals Henno van Horssen van het Interstedelijk Studenten Overleg zei: “Het hoger onderwijs moet toegankelijk blijven. Daar toetsen we alle plannen aan. Er valt altijd met ons te praten over een ander stelsel voor de studiefinanciering.”

Studietaks

Ook de toenmalige LSVb-voorzitter Gerard Oosterwijk, die later moest aftreden, hechtte niet zo sterk aan de basisbeurs: “Als er bijvoorbeeld een studietaks komt, waarbij rijke afgestudeerden meer terugbetalen dan armere afgestudeerden, dan willen we daar best naar kijken.”

Het kan verkeren. Intussen vechten de bonden zo hard mogelijk voor het behoud van de basisbeurs. Op 21 mei willen ze het Museumplein in Amsterdam laten volstromen met boze studenten. Over het hervormen van de studiefinanciering praten ze liever niet meer.

Onderzoek

De LSVb schermt met een onderzoek op de website wiljijstufi.nl, waaruit zou blijken dat veel scholieren niet meer zouden gaan studeren als de basisbeurs werd afgeschaft. Het ISO noemt het huidige stelsel ‘heel goed’. Dat moet je ‘niet zomaar weggooien in deze roerige tijden’.

Dus hebben de bonden hun toon veranderd: handen af van de basisbeurs. “De strijd is verhard”, erkent Van Horssen. “Het kabinet is gevallen en er is politieke onzekerheid. Je moet de basisbeurs niet zomaar in verkiezingstijd weggeven.”

Armlastig

“Want de gevolgen zijn niet te overzien”, meent ook vice-voorzitter Dennis Wiersma van de LSVb. Zelfs de studietaks, waarbij rijke afgestudeerden iets meer terugbetalen dan armlastige afgestudeerden, wil de LSVb liever even in de koelkast zetten. De bond vindt dat nog altijd een interessant plan, maar wil eerst ‘rust in de tent’.

Electrolytes
“Adding nano crystals of titanium dioxide can improve an electrolyte’s conductivity by a factor of hundred,” says PhD student Lucas Haverkate, from the Applied Sciences faculty. Together with nine other TU researchers, he co-published the research team’s findings in last week’s edition of Advanced Functional Materials (24 March 2011). The nano crystals are mixed into a solid-state electrolyte with an acid serving as a proton donor. The effect is a large increase in the proton mobility within the material. The research team’s finding is of interest for applications in fuel cells and batteries, which depend on electrolytes for the internal charge transport. Adding nano crystals improves the conductivity of solid electrolytes, which enables the production of more compact devices. Professor Fokko Mulder (AS) says that the experimental work (by PhD student Wing Kee Chan) is backed by Haverkate’s theoretical explanation. The research team is still searching for the optimal combination of materials.

Small sensors
TNO presented two tiny optical temperature and pressure sensors at the Fotonica fair in Nieuwegein (near Utrecht) this week. One sensor is based on an etched grating situated at the end of a glass fibre (Fibre Bragg Grating sensor) and can be used to monitor temperature, pressure and strain inside blood vessels. The other type, based on ring-resonators, is integrated on a chip and is even smaller. Both are immune to electromagnetic disturbances and cause no sparks.

Side Wings
Fleet owners who participated in last year’s field test  of aerodynamic side wings on their trucks have now all decided to retrofit their vehicles with the fuel-saving, wheel-cover annex  designed by TU spin-off, Ephicas. A new addition to the side wings is the wing-shaped air conductor positioned at the rear. The aerodynamics have proven to reduce fuel consumption of trucks by 1.5 litres per 100 kilometres. TNT, DHL, Ahold and The Greenery to name a few are interested in the product. 

Editor Redactie

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