The Case of the Poisoned Fuel Cell

Battery-powered cars may be on the cusp of the mainstream auto market, but scientists and car makers still have high hopes for hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, which should refuel faster and travel longer distances between fill-ups. Hydrogen fuel cells have their own Achilles' heel, however: They are easily poisoned by carbon monoxide (CO). Now, researchers report that they've created novel catalysts for fuel cell cars that strongly resist carbon monoxide contamination, potentially solving a problem that has vexed the industry for years.

Fuel cells generate electricity by combining hydrogen gas with oxygen to produce water. Although that sounds perfectly clean and green, that hydrogen is typically generated by "reforming" fuels such as natural gas, gasoline, or ethanol, which invariably introduces carbon monoxide into the hydrogen gas. If even minute quantities of carbon monoxide are present in that gas, it can poison the platinum catalysts that are key to driving the fuel cell. (In the heart of a fuel cell, CO binds tightly to platinum and prevents it from grabbing hydrogen, the first step in the reaction.) Recently, researchers at Brookhaven National Lab (BNL) in Upton, New York, and elsewhere have found that a catalyst made from platinum and ruthenium helps block CO adsorption. But because these metals are rare and expensive, scientists have continued to search for alternatives.

Chemists Héctor Abruña and Francis DiSalvo of Cornell University and their colleagues took a look at tungsten. Tungsten alloys have long been known to resist CO poisoning, but straight tungsten oxide is a poor electrical conductor, making it a bad choice for a fuel cell electrode. So the researchers added a bit of tungsten spice to titanium dioxide nanoparticles, which are good electrical conductors. They wound up with titanium tungsten oxide nanoparticles, which they then coated with a thin layer of platinum and used to fashion an electrode.

In a paper posted online this week in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, the Cornell team reports that when its new nanoparticle catalysts carried out their job with hydrogen spiked with 2% CO, their performance dropped only 5% compared with a 30% drop for commercial catalysts. Although Abruña says it's not clear why the new catalyst is better, he suspects that during the reaction, hydroxide groups (OH–) bind to the titanium tungsten oxide close to the platinum, putting them in close proximity to react with incoming CO molecules to form CO2. But Abruña stresses that plenty of additional tests are needed to confirm this.

In any case, "it's a nice result," says Radoslav Adzic, a chemist at BNL who helped pioneer the platinum-ruthenium catalysts. If it succeeds in long-term tests and proves economical, he says that the catalyst could reignite interest in reforming liquid fuels, such as gasoline and ethanol, onboard cars to make the hydrogen needed to power fuel cells. And because liquid fuels pack far more energy than the same volume of gaseous hydrogen, that could allow fuel cell cars to have a longer range than even today's gas burners.
http://news.sciencemag.org/sciencenow/

The employment situation in rural and urban population of Pakistan

The total population of Pakistan in 2004 was 148.72 million and according to survey of man power in 2001-02
 the total working population was 45.05 million or 29.61 per Out of the total working population, 30.19 million
(67.63 per cent) was in rural areas and 14.85 million (32.97 per cent) in the urban areas. .
The facts and figures pertaining to the working population from 1995 to 2004 in Pakistan, are given in the following table:

YEAR      MANPOWER                    RURAL             URBAN million          million annual increase      million % share   million % share  1995   34.18        -                   23.96  70.09          10.22   29.90  1996   35.01      2.43               24.27  69.32         10.74   30;68  1997   37.46      7.0                  26.02  69.46         11.44   30.54  1998   39.25      4.78               27.57  70.74         11.68   29.76  1999   40.16      2.32                28.11  70.00        12.05   30.00  2000   40.55      0.97                27.96  68.95        12.59   31.05  2001   41.39      2.07                28.44  68.71        12.95   31.29  2002   43.22      4.42                28.98  67,05        14.24   32.95   2003   44.13      2.00                29.59  67.05        14.54   32.95  2004   45.04      2.06                30.19  67.03        14.85   32.97

Labour Force Survey-2004
   
LABOUR FORCE PARTICIPATION RATE:
Labour Force Participation Rate can be estimated through 'Crude Activity Rate' (CAR) and 'Refined Activity Rate' (RAR). Crude Activity rate refers to the total working force while Refined Activity Rate means the working people of more than 10 years of age. According to the Labour Force Survey Report of 2001-02 of Pakistan, the CAR in the total population of the country is 29.6 per cent. This ratio in 1996-97, was 28.7 percent which increased to 29.4 in 1997-98. But afterwards, it decreased to 29 per cent in 1999-2000. In 2001-02 it again increased to 29.61 per cent.
Similarly, the proportion of the working people of 10 or year of age (RAR) in 1996-~7 , was 43 per cent
which increased to 43.3 per cent in 1997-98 but decreased to 42.8 % in 1999-2000. It increased to 43.3 per cent in 20J2-o3. CompariSon of ruraland urban working. forcer reveals that the working population ratio in rural areas is more than that in urban areas. It is because of the fact that economy of Pakistan is an agrarian economy and cultivation is the family occupation in the villages of Pakistan. The proportion of working female is lower than that of male population and this is the reason that their share in economic activities is also low.

LOCATION OF PAKISTAN:

According to the world map, Pakistan is situated in the Western part of South Asia. Pakistan is situated
between 61 degree and 75.5 degree Longitudes in the East and 24 degree Latitudes in the North.
In other words, it is situated in the temperate zone. The maximum length of Pakistan is 800 miles
and width is 250 miles. 

In the north of God gifted Pakistan, the Himalayan range is stretched jointing the Hindu Kush and Karrakoram Ranges. The average h~ight of the Himalayan range is 6,100 meters in which some of the highest peaks of the world are also included like The second highest (according to the experts opinion it is the first) peak K-2 having a height of 68,199 meters. Another highest peak of karrakoram Range 7,736 meters high Trich Mir. Under the Karrakoram mountain there is the extension part of the Himalaya which is stretched from East to West and comes to an end at Naga Parbat. The height of the Naga Perbat peak is 6;008 meters .which is 8th.highest peak of the world:
The super powers of the world Russia (former) ar.d China are the neighbors of Pakistan. In the North West
 of Pakistan there is Afghan territory Wakkhan which was occupied by former Ru::>sia and afterwards
she had to evacuated.The Wakkhan territory segregates Russia and Pakistan. When Russia occupied Wakkhan,"China also opposed this immoral and agamst the International law occupation.
Pakistan, with China in North, has 595 kilometers long common border adjacent to Gilgit Agency and Baluchistan neverthless, Pakistan and China are tied with the strong relations due to their common interests. Consequently, Pakistan has no economic and political problem in this area.In the West of Pakistan, there is 2,252 kilometers long common border with Afghanistan called 'purand Line', In the South of Durand Line, Pakistan has 805 kilometers long common border with another friendly Muslim country Iran. In the South of Pakistan there is Arabian Sea and in the East Pakistan has 1,610 kilometer long border with India parallel to East Punjab and Rajisthan.
IMPORTANCE OF lOCATION OF PAKISTAN:
The location of Pakistan, as compared to other countries of the world, is geo-strategically
important. China, as a big and strong and effective world power is with Pakistan as a dependable
 and trustworthy neighbor.Pak-China friendship has now become an example because China, on many occasions and testing periods, has supported Pakistan morally and materially also. As a result of friendship with China, Pakistanis safe from the expansionary intentions of the neighboring and big countries.

The borders of Pakistan are with the oil producing Muslim countries. These Muslim countries have
 the enormous mineral oil reserves. These countries are cooperating with Pakistan in catering her energy needs. Mineral oil is the big force in the modern times therefore, neighborhood of the oil producing countries is a boon for economic and industrial development of Pakistan. In the West of Pakistan, there are South African countries and Pakistan is related to them through the bonds of Islam. Consequently, Pakistan can and has acquired their moral and material support in the past. Briefly speaking, right from Sindh to Pacific Ocean, a chain of Muslim countries is stretched. Sindh is situated on the coast of Arabian sea and it is the fortune of Pakistan because she is connected with the important countries of the world through ocean and has been trading with them. Karachi Port is the International Port.
The location of Pakistan is also important that the smopolitan city of Sindh Karachi is also known as
the 3ate of Asia' because all the international flights lend on the _ nnah Terminal; the international air port.
 The location of  Pakistan, in this. manner, is important not only according to the marine point of view
but also according to land point of Pakistan is important historically also because this area has been
the center of ancient, developed and glorious civi1izations. The ruins of Moen Jodro, Harrappa and Taxilla the self evident proof of this claim. Pakistan has been the custodian of great civilization 5,000 year back.

UTTIC leather Conference

IULTCS welcome ITAB - YC

Indonesia

Published:  15 July, 2010

The officers of the IULTCS announced on July 14, the recent addition of ITAB – Yogyakarta Special Region & Central Java to the International Union and welcome their president, Sutanto Haryono, and representative, Suliestiyah Wiryodiningrat to the executive committee. The ITAB – YC have 12 members that include leather and leather product producers and exporters.

Dr Bi Shi, President of the IULTCS, in welcoming ITAB as an associate member said: ‘The inclusion of representation from Indonesia is important recognition of the growing influence of this major leather producing country. We look forward to increased participation and contribution from Indonesian leather professionals at a global level. We foresee more active leather producing Asian countries joining our IULTCS family in the near future.’
This brings the total number of members and associate members to the IULTCS to 22, representing 24 of the worlds leading leather producing countries. Recent changes in the IULTCS statutes now provide a seat on the executive committee for each member organisation and this ensures that the industry interests of each country are heard directly at a global level. The seat is nominally held by the president but is typically filled by a representative who is appointed for a period of four years.

UITIC congress to take place in Leon

Mexico

Published:  15 July, 2010

The 17th international technical footwear congress, UITIC, is set to take place in Leon, Mexico, October 7-9.

The event is organised by the International Association of Shoe Industry Technicians (UITIC) and is organised by the Mexican leather and footwear research centre, CIATEC.
The event will be held along with the 32nd edition of the International Conference on Technology in the Footwear Industry (Calzatecnica). The congress will take place at the Leon, Poliforum and over 300 delegates from around the world are expected.