Synthesis,Characterization, and In Vitro Bioactivity of Sol‐Gel‐Derived Zn,Mg, and Zn‐Mg Co‐Doped Bioactive Glasses

Bioactive glasses in the systems CaO‐SiO₂‐P₂O₅‐ZnO, CaO‐SiO₂‐P₂O₅‐MgO, and CaO‐SiO₂‐P₂O₅‐MgO‐ZnO were prepared and characterized. Bioactive glass powders were produced by the sol‐gel method. The prepared bioactive glass powders were immersed in a simulated body fluid (SBF) for periods of up to 28 days at 310 K to investigate the bioactivity of the produced samples. Inductively coupled plasma (ICP) and ultraviolet (UV) spectroscopic techniques were used to detect changes in the SBF composition. X‐Ray diffraction (XRD) was utilized to recognize and confirm the formation of a hydroxyapatite (HA) layer on the bioactive glass powders. Microstructural characterizations of the bioactive glass samples were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) techniques. Density, porosity, and surface area values of bioactive glass powders were also determined in order to characterize the textural properties of the samples. The results revealed the growth of an HA layer on the surface of the bioactive glass samples. MgO in the glass sample increases the rate of formation of an HA layer while ZnO in the glass slows it down.     

Optimization of Process Variables for Biodiesel Production Using the Nanomagnetic Catalyst CaO/NaY‐Fe3O4

Due to decreasing oil resources, alternative fuels such as biodiesel are required. The nanomagnetic catalyst CaO/NaY‐Fe₃O₄ was synthesized and used for biodiesel production from canola oil. The structure of the catalysts was characterized by X‐ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscopy, Brunauer‐Emmett‐Teller method, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and vibrating sample magnetometer method. To optimize the influence of the operating variables, such as the methanol/canola oil molar ratio, the amount of catalyst, and the reaction time, on the yield of transesterification reaction, an experimental design was applied based on the Box‐Behnken method. The optimum values of these variables were predicted by the cubic model and were in excellent agreement with the experimental results.     

Biodiesel Production from Rubber Seed Oil by Transesterification Using a Co‐solvent of Fatty Acid Methyl Esters

Rubber seed oil (RSO) is a high‐potential feedstock for the production of biodiesel fuel (BDF) in Asia. Transesterification using fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) as co‐solvents was developed for BDF production from RSO with high content of free fatty acids (FFAs). The homogeneous system (FAMEs/triglyceride/methanol) was attained when the FAME content was more than 30 wt %. After esterification of RSO, the crude RSO obtained was transesterified with FAMEs as a co‐solvent. The quality of BDF with high FAME content satisfied the criteria of the EN 14214/JIS K2390 standards. These results suggest that FAMEs converted from FFAs can be applied as a co‐solvent and, thus, reused for BDF production.     

Preparation and Characterization of Nano‐TATB Explosive

Nano‐TATB was prepared by solvent/nonsolvent recrystallization with concentrated sulfuric acid as solvent and water as nonsolvent. Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) were used to characterize the appearance and the size of the particles. The results revealed that nano‐TATB particles have the shape of spheres or ellipsoids with a size of about 60 nm. Due to their small diameter and high surface energy, the particles tended to agglomerate. By using X‐ray powder diffraction (XRD), broadening of diffraction peaks and decreasing intensity were observed, when the particle sizes decreases to the nanometer size range. The corrected average particle size of nano‐TATB was estimated using the Scherrer equation and the size ranged from 27 nm to 41 nm. Furthermore, the specific surface area and pore diameter of nano‐TATB were determined by BET method. The values were 22 m²/g and 1.7 nm respectively. Thermogravimetric (TG) and Differential Scanning Calorimetric (DSC) curves revealed that thermal decomposition of nano‐TATB occurs in the range of 356.5 °C–376.5 °C and its weight loss takes place at about 230 °C. Furthermore, a slight increase in the weight loss was observed for nano‐TATB in comparison with micro‐TATB.     

Application of Amphiphilic Catalysts,Ultrasonication, and Nanoemulsions for Biodiesel Production Process

This paper studies tuning heterogeneous transesterification catalysis and process for easy catalyst separation and enhanced reaction rate. Multibond metal alkoxides and ultrasonic pretreatment are employed to produce nanoemulsions with large interfacial area, which have the potential to be easily separated. With aluminum isopropoxide or titanium isopropoxide as the catalyst and surfactant, transparent alcohol/oil emulsions can be formed in less than four minutes and can significantly enhance the transesterification reaction rate. The micelle size was observed to be as low as 5.1 nm. Partially polymerized titanium isopropoxide also showed good catalytic activity and considerable amphiphilic properties in forming nanoemulsions. Viscosity and apparent vapor pressure reduction were also observed. The alcohol/soybean oil molar ratio was a main factor for apparent vapor pressure reduction.     

Preparation of Nano‐Structured RDX in a Silica Xerogel Matrix

RDX is preferred as explosive in munitions due to its balance of power and sensitivity that is known to be dependent on its particle size and size distribution. In this study, we prepared nano‐sized RDX in a silica xerogel matrix using a sol‐gel method and investigated its sensitivity for explosive properties. The presence of RDX in composite xerogel was confirmed by TG‐DSC and FTIR techniques. Microstructure and porosity were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), small angle X‐ray scattering, and N₂‐physisorption techniques. TEM results showed that the size of RDX particles in the RDX‐silica composites is in the range of 10–30 nm. The sensitivity to impact and friction was found to be higher for the composites compared to raw RDX. It was also found to be significantly dependent on the acetone/TMOS ratio used in the preparation.     

Synthesis of Small‐Scale Boron‐Rich Nano‐Size Particles

The synthesis times required to produce high energy density compounds (C₂B₄H₂)_n and (C₂B₁₀H₄)_n by gas phase pyrolysis of the carboranes C₂B₄H₆ and C₂B₁₀H₁₂, respectively, have been measured at 1150–2000 K and carborane pressures of (0.3–3.0)⋅10⁻³ MPa. Kinetic model simulations of the synthesis have been performed. The temperatures, carborane pressures, and synthesis times required to produce small‐scale (C₂B₄H₂)_n and (C₂B₁₀H₄)_n particles of 10 to 30 nm diameter are determined.     

Preparation and Characterization of Reticular Nano‐HMX

Reticularly structured HMX (octahydro‐1,3,5,7‐tetranitro‐1,3,5,7‐tetrazocine) of nano‐size particles was simply prepared by reprecipitation at room temperature. The sample prepared by reprecipitation was characterized by SEM, TEM, XRD, DSC, and drop weight impact. The results of SEM and TEM indicated that spherical HMX particles of about 50 nm in diameter aggregated into reticularly structured conglomerates. There are two phases (γ‐ and β‐HMX) existing in the reticularly structured HMX as shown in the XRD pattern. It was also proved by DSC that the maximum energy release during decomposition of the reticularly structured HMX is at lower temperature. In addition, the testing result of drop weight impact showed that the reticularly structured HMX is less sensitive to impact.     

Biodiesel Production Using a Carbon Solid Acid Catalyst Derived from β‐Cyclodextrin

A novel carbon solid acid catalyst was prepared by incomplete hydrothermal carbonization of β‐cyclodextrin into small polycyclic aromatic carbon sheets, followed by the introduction of –SO₃H groups via sulfonation with sulfuric acid. The physical and chemical properties of the catalyst were characterized in detail. The catalyst simultaneously catalyzed esterification and transesterification reactions to produce biodiesel from high free fatty acid (FFA) containing oils (55.2 %). For the as‐prepared catalyst, 90.82 % of the oleic acid was esterified after 8 h, while the total transesterification yield of high FFA containing oils reached 79.98 % after 12 h. By contrast, the obtained catalyst showed comparable activity to biomass (such as sugar, starch, etc.)‐based carbon solid acid catalyst while Amberlyst‐15 resulted in significantly lower levels of conversion, demonstrating its relatively high catalytic activity for simultaneous esterification and transesterification. Moreover, as the catalyst can be regenerated, it has the potential for use in biodiesel production from oils with a high FFA content.     

Hydrophobic Nano‐Silica for the Surface Modification of Graphite Flake

Graphite flake is an electromagnetic interference material of importance for IR screening. In this study, an attempt to improve the performance of graphite flake by coating it with nano‐silica using cyclomix (Hosokawa) and hybridizer (Nara) processes was made. Uncoated and coated graphite flakes were examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). It was shown that a more uniform coating was obtained using the hybridizer process. Coated graphite flake with a mass ratio of nano‐silica equal to 5.25 % exhibited the best hydrophobic properties. The test chamber experiments demonstrated that the deposition velocity of coated graphite flake decreased from 0.227 cm s⁻¹ to 0.187 cm s⁻¹ and its IR interference performance was improved, compared with uncoated graphite flake. The obtained results showed that the coatings on the graphite flake powder with hydrophobic nano‐silica enhanced the moisture resistance and electromagnetic interference performance of the graphite flake.     

废旧油脂的精制及酯交换制备生物柴油的研究

采用除杂、脱水、萃取、脱色等操作对废油脂如废煎炸油、地沟油、橡胶籽油进行了精制;对大豆油和精制处理前后的上述废油脂的各种物理化学性质进行了测定和评价;采用共沉淀法制备了Mg/Al类水滑石,450℃焙烧得到复合氧化物并以其催化各种油脂和甲醇合成生物柴油;分别用1H NMR法和仲裁法分析对比酯交换反应的产率。结果表明,大豆油制备生物柴油的产率高达96.9%,而精制后的地沟油、煎炸油和橡胶籽油制备生物柴油的收率分别达38.6%、40.2%和82.0%,可有效降低生物柴油生产成本。尤其是橡胶籽油,有望成为大豆油的替代原料用于生物柴油生产工业。     

Morphological Analyses of Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cell Electrodes with Nano‐Scale Computed Tomography Imaging

We report a three‐dimensional (3D), pore‐scale analysis of morphological and transport properties for a polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEFC) catalyst layer. The 3D structure of the platinum/carbon/Nafion electrode was obtained using nano‐scale resolution X‐ray computed tomography (nano‐CT). The 3D nano‐CT data was analyzed according to several morphological characteristics, with particular focus on various effective pore diameters used in modeling gas diffusion in the Knudsen transition regime, which is prevalent in PEFC catalyst layers. The pore diameter metrics include those based on chord length distributions, inscribed spheres, and surface area. Those pore diameter statistics are evaluated against computational pore‐scale diffusion simulations with local gas diffusion coefficients determined from the local pore size according to the Bosanquet formulation. According to our comparison, simulations that use local pore diameters defined by inscribed spheres provide effective diffusion coefficients that are consistent with chord‐length based estimations for an effective Knudsen length scale. By evaluating transport rates in regions of varying porosity within the nano‐CT data, we identified a Bruggeman correction scaling factor for the effective diffusivity.     

Formation and Characterization of Nano‐sized RDX Particles Produced Using the RESS‐AS Process

It has been shown that nano‐sized particles of secondary explosives are less sensitive to impact and can alter the energetic performance of a propellant or explosive. In this work the Rapid Expansion of a Supercritical Solution into an Aqueous Solution (RESS‐AS) process was used to produce nano‐sized RDX (cyclo‐1,3,5‐trimethylene‐2,4,6‐trinitramine) particles. When a saturated supercritical carbon dioxide/RDX solution was expanded into neat water, RDX particles produced from the RESS‐AS process agglomerated quickly and coarsened through Ostwald ripening. However, if the pH level of the suspension was changed to 7, particles were metastably dispersed with a diameter of 30 nm. When the supercritical solution was expanded into air under the same pre‐expansion conditions using the similar RESS process, RDX particles were agglomerated and had an average size of approximately 100 nm. Another advantage of using a liquid receiving solution is the possibility for coating energetic particles with a thin layer of polymer. Dispersed particles were formed by coating the RDX particles with the water soluble polymers polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) or polyethylenimine (PEI) in the RESS‐AS process. Both PVP and PEI were used because they have an affinity to the RDX surface. Small and well‐dispersed particles were created for both cases with both PVP and PEI‐coated RDX particles shown to be stable for a year afterward. Several benefits are expected from these small polymer coated RDX particles such as decreased sensitivity, controlled reactivity, and enhanced compatibility with other binders for fabrication of bulk‐sized propellants and/or explosives.     

Synthesis of Sulfur‐Based Biocompatible Nonionic Surfactants and Their Nano‐Vesicle Drug Delivery

Nonionic surfactants are capable of forming nano‐range vesicles upon self‐assembling in an aqueous medium. These vesicles are highly stable, low in toxicity, and cost‐effective. Owing to their ability to solubilize both hydrophilic and hydrophobic substances, they are of great interest for drug solubilization and delivery. This study describes the synthesis and characterization of two new nonionic surfactants and their screening for biocompatibility and drug loading potentials in nano‐scale niosomal vesicles. They were characterized through mass spectroscopy, ¹HNMR, and FT‐IR. Their critical micelle concentration (CMC) was investigated using UV–vis spectrophotometry. The biocompatibility study was carried out through blood hemolysis and in vitro cytotoxicity assays. The surfactants have very low CMC values, are highly hemo‐compatible, and were nontoxic when tested against a cell culture. They were able to form nano‐range niosomal vesicles with large variation in their size. Both new surfactants were able to encapsulate increased amounts of the drug, in this case clarithromycin. The chemical nature of the drug remained intact in the niosomal vesicles. The results suggest that these nonionic surfactants could be promising drug delivery vehicles.     

耐高温高比表面积氧化铝的制备及其性能

氧化铝作为一种常用的催化剂载体,在化工和环保行业有着非常广泛的应用。比表面积和高温稳定性是决定氧化铝性能的关键指标。因此,优化制备方法,开发新型添加剂,提高氧化铝的高温稳定性和比表面积,使其能够更好地满足工业化应用需要具有重要意义。详细介绍了耐高温高比表面积氧化铝的制备方法、结构改性及其在催化反应中的作用,并对目前的研究情况进行了展望。     

Graphite Electrodes Modified with Platinum‐Nickel Nano‐Particles for Methanol Oxidation

Methanol electro‐oxidation is investigated at graphite electrodes modified with various platinum and nickel nano‐particle deposits using cyclic voltammetry. The modified electrodes are prepared by the simultaneous electrodeposition of metals from their salt solutions using potentiostatic and galvanostatic techniques. They show enhanced catalytic activity towards methanol oxidation in KOH solution. The catalytic activity of platinum nano‐particles is found to be significantly affected by the presence of relatively small amounts of nickel deposits. A comparison is made between the electrocatalytic activity of Pt/C and (Pt‐Ni)/C electrodes. The results show that the methanol electro‐oxidation current increases with an increase in the nickel content. In particular, the highest catalytic activity is achieved for platinum to nickel deposits of 95%:5% (wt.‐%), in other cases the catalytic activity decreases. It is found that Ni enhances the catalytic activity of Pt by increasing the number of active sites, as well as through an electron donation process from Ni to Pt. This process takes place once the nickel hydroxide (Ni(OH)₂)/nickel oxy‐hydroxide (NiOOH) transformation begins. The effect of the methanol concentration on the methanol oxidation reaction is investigated. The order of reaction, with respect to methanol, at the modified (Pt‐Ni)/C electrode is found to be 0.5.     

Synthesis of a Porous Nano‐CaO/MgO‐Based CO2 Adsorbent

A porous nano‐CaO/MgO‐based adsorbent was prepared using MgO as a support in order to increase the sorption capacity and durability. The magnesium sol prepared by reacting MgO slurry with citric acid was added to nano‐CaCO₃ slurry and the mixture was calcinated to obtain the nano‐CaO/MgO‐based adsorbent. The influence of MgO content on the structure and sorption performance of the resulting adsorbent was studied in detail. The pore radius and specific surface area of the adsorbent increased with higher MgO content. The adsorbent exhibited superior sorption performance during calcium looping and maintained a good durability at the calcination temperature, thus being an interesting candidate for future work.     

高比表面积纳米碳化硅的制备及其表征

以柠檬酸为造孔剂,利用硅酸乙酯溶胶-凝胶和碳热还原法制备出了高比表面积的纳米碳化硅(SiC)粉体.用TG、XRD、SEM以及BET分析方法对产品进行了表征,结果表明,添加了柠檬酸得到的SiC粉体比表面积可达到13～62 m2·g-1,其大小可由柠檬酸与硅酸乙酯的物质的量比x(x=0～1)来控制;柠檬酸受热分解后留下的孔隙是制备高比表面积SiC的关键所在,当x为0.8,凝胶经1500℃碳热还原反应2h后,得到的产品比表面积高,粒径为100nm.     

Biolubricant Production of 2‐Ethylhexyl Palmitate by Transesterification Over Unsupported Potassium Carbonate

Owing to the decrease of global oil price, development of downstream value‐added products is important to biodiesel industry. In this study, we used palmitic acid methyl ester (PAME) as a starting material to produce 2‐ethylhexyl palmitate (2‐EHP), an environmentally friendly biolubricant product, which was derived from the transesterification of fatty acid methyl esters and long chain fatty alcohols. Conventional synthetic routes of 2‐EHP have disadvantages, including high catalyst price, low conversion efficiency, and pollution issues. To solve these problems, in situ transesterification of PAME with 2‐ethylhexanol (2‐EH) was conducted over unsupported potassium carbonate as heterogeneous catalyst. The optimal reaction temperature, 2‐EH to PAME molar ratio, and catalyst to PAME mass ratio were 180 °C, 3:1, and 3.0 wt%, respectively. The PAME conversion reached up to 100% within 1 hour under the optimal conditions. In addition, a kinetic model describing the experimental data over a temperature range of 160–180 °C was developed. The dependence of kinetic rate constant (k) on temperature was evaluated, and the activation energy (E_a) for the transesterification of PAME with 2‐EH was calculated to be 57.04 kJ mol^?1.     

Time‐Resolved Spectral Emission of Deflagrating Nano‐Al and Nano‐MoO3 Metastable Interstitial Composites

Time‐resolved emission experiments on deflagrating metastable interstitial composites of nano‐aluminum and nano‐molybdenum trioxide were performed. Early in the experiment (before disassembly of the sample) the temperature obtained by fitting to a Planckian gray body appears accurate to better than ±100 K (at 3200 K). Spectral features due to Al and AlO species were observed on top of an apparent thermal background. The intensity of the AlO emission was observed to change with the ratio Al/MoO₃, with larger AlO intensities associated with faster wave propagation speeds. Absolute irradiance output from the compressed powder samples was found to exceed that from a tungsten filament at the same apparent temperature.