Surface modification of cellulose nanocrystals towards new materials development

Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) are a kind of sustainable nanoparticle from biomass, which are widely used as reinforcing filler and assembly building block for high-performance composites and function materials including biomaterial, optics, and so forth. Here, their unique advantages in material applications were reviewed based on their rod-like morphology, crystalline structure, dimension-related effects, and multi-level order structure. Then, we focused on the molecular engineering of CNCs, including the structure and physicochemical properties of their surface, along with surface modification methods and steric effects. We further discussed the performance-improvement and functionalization methods based on multi-component complex systems, together with the effects of surface molecular engineering on the performance and functions. Meanwhile, methods of optimizing orientation in uniaxial arrays were discussed along with those of enhancing photoluminescence efficiency via surface chemical modification and substance coordination. In the end, we prospected the design, development, and construction methods of new CNCs materials.     

Heterogeneously Catalyzed Methanolysis of Gmelina Seed Oil to Biodiesel

The heterogeneous catalysis of transesterification of gmelina seed oil to biodiesel is evaluated. The oil was extracted from the seeds with n‐hexane by solvent extraction and characterized to determine its physiochemical properties. Response surface methodology was applied to optimize the effect of process variables on the biodiesel yield. The base‐activated clay catalyst performed as montmorillonite clay with the characteristic property of a Brønsted acid. It has an improved surface area after activation that enhanced its catalytic activity on transesterification reaction. Under optimal conditions, the biodiesel yield was 70.1 %, thus demonstrating that the model predicted well the biodiesel production.     

不同细颗粒含量甲烷水合物沉积物三轴剪切试验研究

海域试开采区域含水合物沉积物的粒度分析结果表明水合物沉积物骨架由粗、细颗粒混合构成,通过开展多组低温、高压三轴排水剪切试验研究细颗粒含量和密度对含甲烷水合物沉积物和无水合物沉积物的强度和变形特性的影响。试验结果表明,含水合物沉积物抗剪强度及剪胀性都随细粒含量提高而显著增强。这是由于细颗粒含量增加改变了颗粒间水合物的样貌和分布特征,形成了由水合物包裹着粗颗粒-细颗粒的团簇状集合体。然而,细颗粒含量对无水合物沉积物的强度和变形特性的影响却表现出相反趋势。另外,含水合物沉积物的剪胀关系可以使用修正剑桥模型中的剪胀关系式进行描述。结果表明,剪胀关系的拟合曲线依赖于水合物饱和度的大小。通过对比研究发现,天然水合物和实验室合成水合物试样在较高饱和度时的峰值摩擦角大小及其伴随水合物饱和度的增长趋势存在差异,这种差异主要来源于水合物在沉积物骨架颗粒孔隙中不同的赋存模式及分布特征。     

Corrosion behaviour of Mg-Gd-Y-Zn-Ag alloy components with different sizes after cooling

The corrosion behaviour of Mg-6Gd-3Y-1Zn-0.3Ag (wt.%) alloy components with different sizes after cooling was investigated. The alloys in the small components (SC) cooled fast, which were composed of α-Mg matrix and coarse long-period stacking ordered (LPSO) phases. The alloys in the large components (LC) cooled slowly, and there were thin lamellar LPSO phases precipitating inside the grains, except for α-Mg matrix and coarse LPSO phases. The hydrogen evolution test revealed that the corrosion rate of LC sample was higher than that of SC sample. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) test showed that the surface film on LC alloys provided worse protection. The corrosion morphologies indicated that the precipitation of the thin lamellar LPSO phases in LC sample caused severe micro-galvanic corrosion, which accelerated the rupture of the surface film.     

Surface treatment of titanium dioxide nanopowder using rotary electrode dielectric barrier discharge reactor

Titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanopowder (P-25;Degussa AG) was treated using dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) in a rotary electrode DBD (RE-DBD) reactor.Its electrical and optical characteristics were investigated during RE-DBD generation.The treated TiO2 nanopowder properties and structures were analyzed using x-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR).After RE-DBD treatment,XRD measurements indicated that the anatase peak theta positions shifted from 25.3° to 25.1°,which can be attributed to the substitution of new functional groups in the TiO2 lattice.The FTIR results show that hydroxyl groups (OH) at 3400 cm-1 increased considerably.The mechanism used to modify the TiO2 nanopowder surface by air DBD treatment was confirmed from optical emission spectrum measurements.Reactive species,such as OH radical,ozone and atomic oxygen can play key roles in hydroxyl formation on the TiO2 nanopowder surface.     

A columnar regular-porous stainless steel reaction support with high superficial area for hydrogen production

To improve hydrogen production (HP) performance of regular-porous structure (RPS), a columnar RPS with small specific surface area and high superficial area is developed. A numerical simulation model of regular-porous stainless steel structure (RPSSS) is established. Subsequently, heat transfer performance, pressure loss, temperature, methanol concentration, H₂ concentration distributions and HP performance of the columnar RPSSS with small specific surface area and high superficial area and the body-centered cubic RPSSS with high specific surface area and small superficial area are compared. Then, temperature, methanol concentration, H₂ concentration distributions and HP performance of axial and longitudinal size-enlarged columnar RPSSSs are studied. The results show that compared to the body-centered cubic RPSSS, the columnar RPSSS has higher methanol conversion, larger H₂ flow rate and higher CO selectivity. Especially in the condition of 300 °C wall temperature and 12 mL/h methanol-water mixture injection rate (MWMIR), the methanol conversion, H₂ flow rate and CO selectivity of the columnar RPSSS are increased by 12.3%, 9.24% and 30%, respectively, indicating that the superficial area of RPSSS is more important for its HP performance compared to its specific surface area. Compared to the longitudinal size-enlarged columnar RPSSS, the axial size-enlarged columnar RPSSS has higher methanol conversion, larger H₂ flow rate and higher CO selectivity. This research work provides a new method for the optimization of hydrogen production reaction support (HPRS).     

InSAR技术在矿区地表变形监测中的应用

以禹州市梁北矿为研究区，利用2018年11月—2020年6月间35景5 m×20 m分辨率Sentinel-1A数据，采用InSAR技术，利用SBAS（短基线集InSAR）雷达干涉测量方法对梁北矿进行地面沉降信息提取解译，并通过实地调查成果认为，采用InSAR技术适合在矿区开展地表变形监测。     

地表径流速度对城市内涝影响规律

为分析地表径流速度对城市内涝的影响,采用一维地下排水管网与二维城区地形的动态耦合模型,选取大连市某排水区块作为研究区域,设置4种地表径流速度10种设计降雨场景,模拟分析在不同重现期设计降雨及不同地表径流速度下研究区的内涝积水特性。结果表明:随着地表径流速度降低,管道排水压力变小,管道排水达标率最高可提升48.05%,且降雨重现期越短,地表径流流速对管道排水压力的削减效果越明显;地表径流流速对检查井溢流量影响显著,随着地表径流速度降低,检查井溢流量峰值最高可减小2 750 m~3,峰现时间最长可滞后56 min,同时随着降雨重现期增长,地表径流流速对检查井溢流量的削减效果减弱;研究区低、高风险区淹没面积随地表径流速度降低,最高可分别减小1.64万、8.37万m~2,但中风险区淹没面积变化反复。     

Atomic-level insights into the modification mechanism of Fe (III) ion on smithsonite (1 0 1) surface from DFT calculation

Fe(III) ion can strongly inhibit the sulphidation amine flotation of smithsonite. However, its modification mechanism on smithsonite surface is still obscure. In this work, a systematic study of the modification of Fe(III) ion on smithsonite (1 0 1) surface was performed using DFT calculation. The optimal number of H₂O ligands for Fe(III) ion hydrates in aqueous conditions was probed, and [Fe(OH)₂(H₂O)₄]⁺ and [Fe(OH)₄]^? were identified as the major modification species, then their adsorption and bonding mechanisms were further revealed by analyzing the frontier orbitals, density of state, Mulliken population, and electron density. The calculated adsorption structures were consistent with the former experiment, and we found the O site that bonded to the C atom on smithsonite surface was the most favorable position for [Fe(OH)₂(H₂O)₄]⁺ and [Fe(OH)₄]^? adsorptions. Besides, their adsorption mechanisms on smithsonite surface were principally due to the combined effect of FeO bond and hydrogen bonding. Simultaneously, hydrogen bonding greatly enhanced the stability of the adsorption structures. Moreover, the dominant orbital contribution for the bonding of FeO was primarily due to the orbital hybridization between Fe 3d and O 2p orbitals. This work can help in deeper understanding of the depression of Fe(III) ion on the sulphidation amine flotation of smithsonite.     

Statistical optimization of operating parameters of microbial electrolysis cell treating dairy industry wastewater using quadratic model to enhance energy generation

The performance of Microbial electrolysis cell (MEC) is affected by several operating conditions. Therefore, in the present study, an optimization study was done to determine the working efficiency of MEC in terms of COD (chemical oxygen demand) removal, hydrogen and current generation. Optimization was carried out using a quadratic mathematical model of response surface methodology (RSM). Thirteen sets of experimental runs were performed to optimize the applied voltage and hydraulic retention time (HRT) of single chambered batch fed MEC operated with dairy industry wastewater. The operating conditions (i.e) an applied voltage of 0.8 V and HRT of 2 days that showed a maximum COD removal response was chosen for further studies. The MEC operated at optimized condition (HRT- 2 days and applied voltage- 0.8 V) showed a COD removal efficiency of 95 ± 2%, hydrogen generation of 32 ± 5 mL/L/d, Power density of 152 mW/cm² and current generation of 19 mA. The results of the study implied that RSM, with its high degree of accuracy can be a reliable tool for optimizing the process of wastewater treatment. Also, dairy industry wastewater can be considered to be a potential source to generate hydrogen and energy through MEC at short HRT.