Nanocomposites from poly(ethylene-co-methacrylic acid) ionomers: effect of surfactant structure on morphology and properties

A detailed study of the structure-property relationships for nanocomposites prepared using melt processing techniques from a sodium ionomer of poly(ethylene-co-methacrylic acid) and a series of organoclays is reported. Transmission electron microscopy, X-ray scattering, stress-strain behavior, and Izod impact analysis were used to evaluate the nanocomposite morphology and physical properties. Four distinct surfactant structural effects lead to improved levels of exfoliation and higher stiffness for these nanocomposites: higher number of alkyl tails on the amine rather than one, longer alkyl tails instead of shorter ones, use of 2-hydroxy-ethyl groups as opposed to methyl groups on the ammonium ion, and an excess amount of the amine surfactant on the clay instead of an equivalent amount. These trends are opposite of what has been seen in nylon 6 based nanocomposites but are similar to those observed in nanocomposites formed from LDPE and LLDPE. Although some organoclays were exfoliated better than others, none of the ionomer-based nanocomposites exhibited exfoliation levels as great as those seen in nylon 6 nanocomposites; nevertheless, these nanocomposites offer promising improvements in performance and may be particularly interesting for barrier applications.     

Review of specialty PVC resins

World consumption of PVC was around 25 MM MT (55 billion pounds) in year 2001, second only to that of low density polyethylene. Only 10% of the PVC produced is classified as specialty PVC resins, while the other 90% is referred to as general purpose (GP) commodity resins. This paper tries to define what specialty PVC resins are, how they are produced, and their markets, applications, fabrication processes, and compounding as compared to those of GP resins.     

Eco-friendly electronics,based on nanocomposites of biopolyester reinforced with carbon nanotubes: a review

ABSTRACT

Fabrication of electronic materials from nanocomposite of biopolyesters reinforced with carbon nanotubes can be regarded as the effective alternative for conventional nanocomposites consisting of non-biodegradable polymers. Commercial availability of biopolyester-based nanocomposites is limited because of their high cost compared to other polymers, but the factor of their compostable nature is worthless for environmental protection. Such nanocomposites have potential applications in biodegradable sensors, EMI materials, etc. In this review, the current progress of biopolyester/CNTs nanocomposites in the field of biodegradable electronics is reviewed and also the impact of CNTs dispersion on electrical, thermal and mechanical properties of eco composites is stipulated.     

Kinetics of short contact time coal liquefaction. Part I: Effect of operating variables

The liquefaction kinetics of Powhatan No.5 mine coal (Pittsburgh Seam) in the presence of SRC-II recycle solvent at short contact times (<10 min) and temperature and pressure ranges of 573–723 K and 10.3–13.8 MPa is examined in a well-mixed reactor. In the initial stages of liquefaction, while overall coal conversion (tetrahydrofuran solubles) increases with temperature, oil (pentane solubles) is lost with an increase in temperature. An increase in solvent-to-coal ratio results in an increase of conversion. The initial coal particle size distribution, total pressure, and nature of gas phase (nitrogen or hydrogen) have no significant effect on the production of any of the product of liquefaction for contact times up to 10 min. A lumped kinetic model is presented to describe the product distribution.     

12-tungstophosphoric and 12-tungstosilicicacid supported onto hydrous zirconia for liquid phase tert-butylation of m-cresol

Supported 12-tungstophosphoricacid (12-TPA) and 12-tunstosilicicacid (12-TSA) were used as heterogeneous catalysts for liquid-phase tert-butylation of m-cresol, an industrial important reaction. Alkylation reactions have been carried out with supported 12-TPA by varying different parameters such as % loading of 12-tungstophosphoricacid onto support, mole ratio of alcohol to m-cresol, reaction temperature, amount of the catalyst, reaction time and calcination temperature to optimize the conditions. To see the effect of the acidity on the reaction, the same reaction was studied over supported 12-TSA. Both the catalysts give 100% selectivity for o-isomer with different % conversion. The difference in catalyst performance of both the catalyst was correlated with the value of total acidity as well as Bronsted acidity.     

SOME ASPECTS OF THEORETICAL COMPARISON OF FISCHER-TROPSCH REACTORS

The reactor systems used for the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis, fixed bed, fluidized bed and slurry bed, are compared on the basis of space time yield (STY) and level of conversion obtainable under the same set of feed and operating conditions. The slurry bed and fluidized bed reactor were compared on the basis of a first order reaction model. The performance of these two reactors was found to be comparable at low values of WHSV, but at higher values of WHSV, the fluidized bed reactor gave higher conversions and STY. A power law kinetic expression was used to compare the performance of the slurry bed and fixed bed reactors. Higher conversions and STY were obtained from the fixed bed with varying WHSV. This may be due to the omission of the intra and inter phase mass transfer resistances in the modelling of the fixed bed reactor.     

Novel Gas-Liquid-Solid Reactors

Multiphase reactors involving gas, liquid, and solid phases have several important applications in the chemical industry, particularly in catalytic processes. Some of the well-known examples are: hydrogenation and oxidation of organic compounds, hydro-processing coal-derived and petroleum oils, Fischer-Tropsch synthesis, and methanation reactions. Due to the presence of three phases, the problem of reactor design is often important to achieve effective mass and heat transfer as well as a mixing pattern favorable to the particular process. The reactors are mainly of two types: (a) solid catalyst is suspended either by mechanical agitation or gas-induced agitation and (b) solid catalyst is in a fixed bed with concurrent or countercurrent feed of gas and liquid re-actants. The reactor types conventionally used in industry are: (a) mechanically agitated or bubble column slurry reactors and (b) trickle-bed or packed-bed bubble reactor. The various design and modeling aspects of these reactors have been reviewed by Satterfield [1], Chaudhari and Ramachandran [2], Shah [3,4], Ramachandran and Chaudhari [5], Shah et al. [6], and Herskowitz and Smith [7]. In several industrial processes these reactor designs are modified to achieve a certain specific objective, such as better heat or mass transfer, higher catalyst efficiency, better reactor performance and selectivity, etc. Similarly, specially designed reactors are often used for laboratory kinetic studies or to understand a certain phenomenon. Thus, novel multiphase reactors are becoming important from both academic and industrial viewpoints. Some of the recently introduced novel gas-liquid-solid reactor types are: (a) loop recycle slurry reactors, (b) basket-type reactors, (c) ebullated-bed reactors, (d) internal or external recycle reactors, (e) multistage slurry or packed-bed reactors, (f) column reactors with sieve trays or multiple agitators, (g) gas-induced agitated reactors, and (h) horizontal-packed-bed reactors. are being used in several new commercial processes, and various design aspects, such as hydrodynamics and mass and heat transfer, have been the subject of investigations in the last few years. However, no attempt to review the scattered information on these novel gas-liquid-solid reactors has been made. Therefore, the main objective of this paper is to review important developments in novel gas-liquid-solid reactors. For each type of reactor, advantages, disadvantages, and applications are discussed. Further, the status of information on hydrodynamics and mass transfer parameters and scale-up considerations is reviewed. These novel reactor designs are being used in several new commercial processes, and various design aspects, such as hydrodynamics and mass and heat transfer, have been the subject of investigations in the last few years. However, no attempt to review the scattered information on these novel gas-liquid-solid reactors has been made. Therefore, the main objective of this paper is to review important developments in novel gas-liquid-solid reactors. For each type of reactor, advantages, disadvantages, and applications are discussed. Further, the status of information on hydrodynamics and mass transfer parameters and scale-up considerations is reviewed.     

一种蜂窝式企业知识管理体系构建方法

旨在探讨一种新的企业知识管理体系结构及其构建方法.分析现有企业知识管理体系存在的问题,研究个人知识管理体系的结构特点及其优点,并结合蜂窝状组织结构方式,提出一种基于个人知识管理构建企业级知识管理体系的方法,并阐述其原理、特点及其构建方法.与现有企业知识管理体系相比,这种新方法使得知识的更新更加快速,系统维护更方便,具有更简便、灵活、高效的特点.     

3D Simulation Research on Urea-SCR DeNO<em>x Catalyst for Diesel Engine

In order to reduce oxides of nitrogen (NOx) emanated from a diesel eng ine, a comprehensive urea selective catalyst reduction (SCR) DeNOx catalys t was modeled in which numerical simulations were used as a complementary tool f or the experimental investigations to make the design decisions, and hence short en the development process. In this approach, relevant conversion reactions were studied in 1D model, and the parameters obtained in this way were transferred t o 3D simulations. According to the results ...     

Hydrodynamics and mass transfer in a bubble column with an organic liquid

Hydrodynamic and mass transfer data in Soltrol-130 (a mixture of C₉+ iso-paraffins) were measured in a 0.305 m diameter bubble column. The gas holdup structure (i.e., the contributions to holdup from the small and large bubble fractions of the dispersion) for this hydrocarbon liquid in the churn turbulent flow regime was analyzed using the dynamic gas disengagement technique. The validity of the assumption of axially uniform gas holdup structure was checked. Literature correlations were found inadequate to explain the observed gas holdup and the volumetric mass transfer coefficients for Soltrol-130. The volumetric mass transfer coefficient per unit volume of large bubbles is shown to be independent of superficial gas velocity for the fully developed churn turbulent regime. The present hydrodynamic and mass transfer data in the churn turbulent regime should be useful in the design and scale-up of bubble columns used in organic process industries.