Sustainability at universities: Students’ perceptions from Green and Non-Green universities

Synthesis, characterization, and thermoelectric properties of nanostructured bulk p-type MnSi1.73, MnSi1.75, and MnSi1.77

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the comprehensiveness of sustainability reporting in higher education institutions.,This study adopts a university sustainability rating framework and uses it to evaluate the comprehensiveness of sustainability reporting in higher education institutions.,The results of the study demonstrate that notwithstanding growing concerns over sustainability issues; higher education institutions have been slow to adopt sustainability reporting practices including publishing consistent and periodic reports, receiving third-party assurance and integrating sustainability reporting into university’s sustainability management systems.,The results of the study suggest that the quality of sustainability reporting varies quite significantly, and important dimensions such as education and outreach programs are ill-treated in universities’ sustainability reports. The quality presents a tremendous challenge for sustainability reporting as more organizations are joining the sustainability reporting process, the quality would become a differentiator and competitive advantage, the study concludes. Two main limitations were identified. First, the number of reports examined were limited and are not representative of all higher education institutions. Second, data from other sources, like websites, were not factored in the analysis, as the study focuses on evaluating the comprehensiveness of sustainability reporting in higher education institutions.,The results provide useful insights into comprehensiveness (one aspect of quality of sustainability reporting) in higher education institutions and help to better navigate the future trends in sustainability reporting practices of universities.,Sustainability reporting is well established in the corporate environment; however, the extent to which it has been adopted and its quality in universities remains relatively unexamined. The study attempts to fill the research gap in the quality of sustainability reporting (comprehensiveness) in higher education institutions to better navigate the future trends in sustainability reporting practices of universities.

Comprehensive sustainability reporting in higher education institutions

Higher manganese silicides (HMS) are promising thermoelectric materials owing to the abundance of the constituent elements in the earth crust, environmental friendliness and good chemical stability at high temperatures. However, the metallic MnSi layers with a lateral size as large as ∼50 μm are formed in the melt-grown HMS samples. These large MnSi layers are characterized with relatively high electrical and thermal conductivities and low Seebeck coefficient, which can degrade the thermoelectric performance of the melt-grown samples. Here, we report the synthesis and thermoelectric properties of Re-substituted HMS with relatively small-size MnSi platelets via melt-quenching, followed by ball-milling, and consolidated by spark plasma sintering. As compared to the samples prepared by either solid-state reaction or mechanical alloying, the reduced lateral size of MnSi in the quenched sample leads to an increased carrier concentration without a reduction in the carrier mobility according to our electrical transport measurements. As a result, the thermoelectric power factor is increased to 1.9 ± 0.2 × 10−3 W m−1 K−2 at 860 K, which is about 20% higher than that of the sample prepared by solid-state reaction. In addition, the lattice thermal conductivity of the quenched sample remains nearly the same as the samples prepared by two other synthesis methods. Therefore, a figure-of-merit ZT of 0.64 ± 0.08 at 823 K is obtained for the quenched sample, compared to 0.57 ± 0.07 and 0.26 ± 0.03 obtained from the two other samples prepared by different methods.

Enhanced thermoelectric power factor of Re-substituted higher manganese silicides with small islands of MnSi secondary phase

Thermoelectric topping cycles for power plants to eliminate cooling water consumption

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to investigate the degree to which business schools, in particular MBA programs, have developed academic programs and centers specifically focused on corporate social responsibility and sustainability (CSRS) and, for those that have, promote them on their Web sites. The instruction of CSRS in institutions of higher education is increasing worldwide. The extent to which US MBA programs have developed academic programs and centers focused on CSRS could potentially be a way for business schools to distinguish themselves from other schools. Design/methodology/approach – The authors use a Web-based search of the Web sites of the top-100 US MBA programs to ascertain the extent to which they have developed CSRS-related academic programs and centers. They then look specifically at the full-time MBA main Web page to ascertain to what extent these programs promote CSRS material. Findings – The results suggest that schools in the top quarter and bottom quarter, as well as priva...

Do, but don’t tell: The search for social responsibility and sustainability in the websites of the top-100 US MBA programs

Nearly 60% of the world's energy is wasted as heat. Thermoelectric materials can play an important role in green energy harvesting with their ability to convert waste heat into electricity. In this report, thermal and thermoelectric properties of p- type nanostructured silicon germanium (SiGe) as an important high temperature thermoelectric material was studied and compared with those of crystalline SiGe. The materials were synthesized via mechanical alloying and sintering approach. The different synthesis procedures resulted in two different conformation of SiGe. The first one was in nanostructure configuration and the other was in crystalline configuration containing large grains. Thermal and thermoelectric properties of both configurations were investigated in this manuscript. Although, differential thermal analysis (DTA) did not show significant differences between the thermal characteristics of nanostructured and crystalline SiGe, there were major changes in their thermoelectric properties. The nanostructured SiGe had lower electrical conductivity owing to the large scattering rate of electron at the grain boundaries. However, the lower mobility was accompanied by small thermal conductivity in nanostructured SiGe. The Seeback coefficient was grown in nanostructured SiGe as a result of lower carrier concentration. Considering the influence of all these factors, the nanostructured SiGe was thermoelectrically preferred as the figure-of-merit was increased specially at high temperatures.

Thermal and Thermoelectric Properties of Nanostructured versus Crystalline SiGe

The effect of nanostructuring on the spectral population of electrons and phonons

Higher manganese silicide (HMS) is a useful thermoelectric material for waste heat recovery in medium to high temperature range. It is made from two of the most abundant materials on earth. Moreover, it is non-toxic and environmentally responsible. A low-cost, scalable, and quick method of synthesizing bulk thermoelectric higher manganese silicide is proposed for its industrial manufacturing. Heat treatment alloying of higher manganese silicide powder is proposed for producing its large quantity in a cost effective way. The process involves heat treatment of the elemental powders at 1050 °C for 1 hour. Thermoelectric properties of the resultant samples were studied and compared with the samples made by mechanical alloying. In comparison, both methods result in similar trends in thermoelectric properties however with significant cost reduction and ease of fabrication for the proposed method.

Cost Effective Synthesis of Bulk Thermoelectric Higher Manganese Silicide for Waste Heat Recovery and Environmental Protection

Thermoelectric effect becomes one of the important elements in sustainable energy due to its capability in green conversion of waste heat into electrical energy. Among various thermoelectric materials, nanostructured-Si0.80Ge0.20 is being widely investigated owing to its efficient thermoelectric effect at high temperature. In this manuscript, we studied differential thermal analysis (DTA) of Si0.80Ge0.20 thermoelectric alloy in detail. Our DTA study revealed the fact that in almost all alloys of nanostrcutured Si0.80Ge0.20 prepared with mechanical ball milling, the sample is not in Si0.80Ge0.20 phase but is in composite mixed phases of Si0.88Ge0.12 and small amount of Si0.55Ge0.45. This phase impurity can hardly be seen in X-ray diffraction patterns and is often neglected.

Kenneth F. Ede

Papers

Do, but don’t tell: The search for social responsibility and sustainability in the websites of the top-100 US MBA programs

Thermal and Thermoelectric Properties of Nanostructured versus Crystalline SiGe

The effect of nanostructuring on the spectral population of electrons and phonons

Cost Effective Synthesis of Bulk Thermoelectric Higher Manganese Silicide for Waste Heat Recovery and Environmental Protection

Differential Thermal Analysis of Nanostructured Si0.80Ge0.20 Thermoelectric Material