Initial and residual trapping of hydrogen and nitrogen in Fontainebleau sandstone using nuclear magnetic resonance core flooding

Hydrogen is among a few promising energy carriers of the future mainly due to its zero-emission combustion nature. It also plays an important role in the transition from fossil fuel to renewable. Hydrogen technology is relatively immature and serious knowledge gaps do exist in its production, transport, storage, and utilization. Although the economical generation of hydrogen to the scale required for such transition is still the biggest technical and environmental challenge, unlocking the large-scale but safe storage is similarly important. It is difficult to store hydrogen in solid and liquid states and storing it in the gaseous phase requires a huge volume which is just available in subsurface porous media. Sandstone is the most abundant and favourable medium for such storage as carbonate rock might not be suitable due to potential geochemical reactions.It is well established in the literature that interaction of the host rock-fluid and injected gas plays a crucial role in fluid flow, residual trapping, withdrawal, and more generally storing capacity. Such data for the hydrogen system is extremely rare and are generally limited to contact angle measurements, while being not representative of the reality of rock-brine-hydrogen interaction(s). Therefore, we have conducted, for the first time, a series of core flooding experiments using Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) to monitor hydrogen (H₂) and Nitrogen (N₂) gas saturations during the drainage and imbibition stages under pressure and temperature that represent shallow reservoirs. To avoid any geochemical reaction during the test, we selected a clean sandstone core plug of 99.8% quartz (Fontainebleau with a gas porosity of 9.7% and a permeability of 190 mD).Results show significantly low initial and residual H₂ saturations in comparison with N₂, regardless of whether the injection flow rate or capillary number were the same or not. For instance, when the same injection flow rate was used, H₂ saturation during primary drainage was 4% and it was <2% after imbibition. On other hand, N₂ saturation during the primary drainage was 26% and it was 17% after imbibition. However, when the same capillary number of H₂ was utilised for the N₂ experiment, the N₂ saturation values were ～15% for initial gas saturation and 8% for residual gas saturation. Our results promisingly support the idea of hydrogen underground storage; however, we should emphasise that more sandstone rocks of different clay mineralogy should be investigated before reaching a conclusive outcome.     

Improvement of a commercial calcium phosphate bone cement by means of drug delivery and increased injectability

Calcium phosphate cements (CPCs) have been increasingly used as synthetic bone substitutes for repair and regeneration of bone defects given their biocompatibility, resemblance to bone and malleability. Moreover, their use as local antibiotic delivery systems is of main interest against bone infections, avoiding the adverse effects of high dosages of conventional therapy. The main goals of this work were to improve the properties of a commercial CPC (Neocement®), turning it injectable, and to provide it with a new functionality as a drug delivery system able to ensure a sustained release of an antibiotic commonly used in orthopaedics (gentamicin sulphate, GS). For this, the influence of the liquid phase amount (%LP) and type of polymer contained in the formulation (chitosan, Chi, or hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, HPMC) on the basic properties of the material was evaluated. It was found that the formulation containing 42%LP + HPMC+1.87% wt GS was the best one. It showed suitable setting and mechanical properties, and injectability around 87% (much superior to the original Neocement®, with 31%). It ensured a sustained release of GS for at least 14 days, at antibacterial levels. The antibiotic released is highly effective against S. epidermidis, but also presents some antibacterial activity against S. aureus. The CPC revealed to be non-cytotoxic. Moreover, it demonstrated good flowability and connectivity with human cadaveric trabecular bone.     

Effect of sintering temperature on lightweight aggregates manufacturing from copper contaminated soil

Manufacturing lightweight aggregate (LWA) at high temperature is an effective way to immobilize heavy metals in solid waste. This work investigated the performance and solidification mechanism of LWA prepared from copper contaminated soil. The volume expansion of LWA could reach a maximum of 28%, and its lowest density accounted of 1.5 g/cm³, which met the standard requirements. Optical microscope and micro-CT test illustrated that the addition of Cu leaded to obvious phase separation in LWA. The Cu leaching result of LWA first increased and then dropped with the temperature. The XRD test found that the main formation phase of Cu in LWA were t-CuFe₂O₄ and amorphous phase that they had different acid resistance ability. XPS revealed that the main cause of the agglomeration of liquid phase in LWA was the chain broken reaction between Cu and Si–O tetrahedron. SEM-EDS results showed that the distribution of Cu and Si had a strong correlation, which meant that Cu mostly formed amorphous phase. This work showed the uniqueness of Cu in the high temperature immobilization and pointed out the best immobilization target phase.     

木质纤维与水泥共同改良软土的力学性能与微观机制分析

通过压实试验、无侧限抗压强度试验和劈裂试验,分析不同木质纤维含量、水泥含量和固化时间对软土力学性能的影响规律,探讨木质纤维、水泥改良软土的微观机制。结果表明,木质纤维的加入对水泥改良软土的击实特性有显著的影响;木质纤维与水泥可有效改善土体的抗压和劈裂抗拉强度,随着木质纤维含量的增加,改良土的抗压和劈裂抗拉强度呈现出明显的“驼峰”现象,并在木质纤维含量为0.25%时最大;木质纤维与水化产物、软土颗粒形成互锁效应,增大了改良土的摩擦力,同时木质纤维还承担一定的拉伸强度,使改良土的劈裂强度增加。     

Isolation and identification of soil bacteria resistant to surfactants in washing detergents

Linear alkylbenzene sulfonate (LAS) and polyoxyethylene lauryl ether (POLE) are the major surfactants in washing detergents. In the present study, we isolated surfactant-resistant bacteria from soil samples collected from a sports ground and a farm field. The samples were treated with 2.0% LAS or POLE at 25°C for 30 min and cultivated on agar plates at 25°C for several days, after which manifold bacterial colonies were isolated. Thereafter, we tested the ability of each bacterial isolate to resist the antibacterial activity of the surfactant. Ten LAS-resistant strains were isolated, and all were found to be Gram-negative bacteria such as Enterobacter and Pseudomonas. On the other hand, 18 POLE-resistant strains were isolated, of which 14 were Gram-positive bacteria including Bacillus and Microbacterium. Notably, one POLE-resistant strain was identified as Bacillus cereus, a potential causative agent for foodborne illness. The genera of LAS- and POLE-resistant bacteria did not overlap. Therefore, the combination of LAS and POLE could be more effective to eliminate soil bacteria from clothes and/or daily necessities.     

能源土边界面模型的应力更新算法及算例分析

水合物的存在会显著影响能源土的刚度、峰值强度与剪胀性。针对已有能源土模型的不足，结合边界面模型的建模思想，构建一个新的能源土边界面模型，模型参数较少，能够恰当反映能源土的应力-应变关系。计算能源土变形问题的核心在于正确积分塑性本构方程，应用完全隐式回退Euler算法，建立模型应力及塑性内变量的更新公式，并给出显式的一致性切线模量表达式。基于ABAQUS软件提供的二次开发接口，编写模型的用户材料子程序，应用已有试验数据验证程序正确性。最后应用开发的子程序对能源土的平面应变试验进行模拟，分析水合物饱和度对剪切带倾角与孔隙比的影响。     

准噶尔盆地吉木萨尔凹陷陆相页岩油地质特征与聚集机理

综合利用岩心、测井、烃源岩热解、铸体薄片、场发射扫描电镜、激光共聚焦显微镜与高压压汞等分析测试的结果，对准噶尔盆地吉木萨尔凹陷芦草沟组陆相页岩油地质特征与聚集机理进行了研究。结果表明：吉木萨尔凹陷咸化湖盆型沉积地层富含有机质，是烃源岩层也是储层，页岩油藏具有“源储一体”的地质特征，存在粉砂岩类与泥岩类和白云岩类与泥岩类两类岩性组合类型。芦草沟组大面积整体含油、“甜点”富集且原油成熟度较低。页岩油赋存岩石的润湿性为亲油性，生烃增压是页岩油运聚的主要动力。微纳米孔喉、层理缝与构造裂缝形成页岩油的有利储集空间与渗流通道。页岩油整体为源内或近源聚集，并以游离态和吸附态赋存于芦草沟组“甜点”段与泥页岩层段中。     

于都县黄麟地区绿色富硒土壤分布选区评价

通过于都县黄麟地区1:5万土地质量地球化学调查,基本査明该地区农作物中硒元素及其他元素的地球化学特征,综合分析岀绿色富硒土壤分布,并优选出绿色富硒地块,为特色农产品基地建设的开发与利用提供理论依据。