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In the present study, the integration of electrochemically mediated amine regeneration (EMAR) with amine thermal swing process is investigated as a novel method for CO2capture, utilizing experimental practical data. The aim is to increase the absorption-desorption temperature difference in order to improve the energy efficiency of the capture process and hamper the amine degradation issue at high desorption temperatures. A comprehensive experimental procedure is presented, and an experimental process setup is designed and constructed. As the main novelty of the study a special heating-cooling subsystem is incorporated with the base EMAR process in order to devise a combined electrochemical-thermal system. The performance of the system is evaluated at sequential incremental desorption temperatures while the absorption temperature is kept constant. Relevant data, including the desorbed CO2flow, absorbed CO2flow, stream points temperature, and cell voltage are collected. Based on the data collected, two performance parameters are calculated, including normalized carbon separation work, and CO2desorption density. Based on these performance parameters the system's capability is assessed, and the optimal desorption temperature is ultimately selected. The presented electrochemical-thermal CO2separation system, operating with a chloride salt system, demonstrates its best energetics performance at a desorption temperature of 44 °C, resulting in a normalized capture work of 95.2 kJ/molCO2. Under these optimal conditions, the cell's average voltage is measured to be 0.37 V, and the CO2desorption density is determined to be 0.71 l.min−1.m−2.

The zona pellucida (ZP) is the spherical layer that surrounds the mammalian oocyte. The physical hardness of this layer plays a crucial role in fertilization and is largely unknown because of the lack of appropriate measuring and modelling methods. The aim of this study is to measure the biomechanical properties of the ZP of human/mouse ovum and to test the hypothesis that Young's modulus of the ZP varies with fertilization. Young's moduli of ZP are determined before and after fertilization by using the micropipette aspiration technique, coupled with theoretical models of the oocyte as an elastic incompressible half-space (half-space model), an elastic compressible bilayer (layered model) or an elastic compressible shell (shell model). Comparison of the models shows that incorporation of the layered geometry of the ovum and the compressibility of the ZP in the layered and shell models may provide a means of more accurately characterizing ZP elasticity. Evaluation of results shows that although the results of the models are different, all confirm that the hardening of ZP will increase following fertilization. As can be seen, different choices of models and experimental parameters can affect the interpretation of experimental data and lead to differing mechanical properties.