Designing block copolymer architectures for targeted membrane performance

Using a combination of block copolymer self-assembly and non-solvent induced phase separation, isoporous ultrafiltration membranes were fabricated from four poly(isoprene-b-styrene-b-4-vinylpyridine) triblock terpolymers with similar block volume fractions but varying in total molar mass from 43 kg/mol to 115 kg/mol to systematically study the effect of polymer size on membrane structure. Small-angle X-ray scattering was used to probe terpolymer solution structure in the dope. All four triblocks displayed solution scattering patterns consistent with a body-centered cubic morphology. After membrane formation, structures were characterized using a combination of scanning electron microscopy and filtration performance tests. Membrane pore densities that ranged from 4.53 × 10¹⁴ to 1.48 × 10¹⁵ pores/m² were observed, which are the highest pore densities yet reported for membranes using self-assembly and non-solvent induced phase separation. Hydraulic permeabilities ranging from 24 to 850 L m⁻² h⁻¹ bar⁻¹ and pore diameters ranging from 7 to 36 nm were determined from permeation and rejection experiments. Both the hydraulic permeability and pore size increased with increasing molar mass of the parent terpolymer. The combination of polymer characterization and membrane transport tests described here demonstrates the ability to rationally design macromolecular structures to target specific performance characteristics in block copolymer derived ultrafiltration membranes.     

Evaluating Land Surface Changes of Makassar City Using DInSAR and Landsat Thematic Mapper Images

Urban growth has been a major issue in environmental monitoring and changes occurred on land surfaces have been monitored by applying remote sensing as well as ground measurement. Most major cities in the world have experienced land subsidence phenomena on some parts of them due to the load of development and modernization. Excessive extraction of groundwater for the needs of industry has led to the condition where the water table drops, and this can possibly trigger subsidence, as observed in Indonesian cities. In this study the authors have shown that the application of DInSAR （differential interferometric synthetic aperture radar） technique using Japanese Earth Resources Satellite-I Synthetic Aperture Radar JERS-I SAR data can reveal subsidence conditions in the studied Makassar city area. Landsat TM （thematic mapper） images were used to evaluate the change of land cover during the observation period of 1994-1999. Makassar is fiat, covered mainly by alluvium deposit that is vulnerable to the load of constructions, and volcanic formations which is porous and will easily be degraded by groundwater extraction. It is found that mostly the subsidence has occurred in the western part of the city, including the industrial district, reclamation area, trading center area and the seaport area. The ground survey has indicated that high human activity exists in every point of subsidence. It is likely that various human activities such as ground water pumping and construction work should have affected the local subsidence phenomena in Makassar, as in the case of other large-scale cities in Indonesia.     

Large eddy simulation of two-phase reacting turbulent flow in a pilot-scale pulverized coal combustion furnace with flamelet model

Journal of Mechanical Science and Technology - A three-dimensional numerical simulation was performed to investigate the physics and combustion characteristics of a two-phase reacting turbulent...     

Use of polyethylene films photografted with 2‐(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate as a potential adsorbent for removal of chromium (VI) from aqueous medium

A new polymeric adsorbent material based on polyethylene (PE) was prepared by photografting of 2‐(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate (DMAEMA) as a positively chargeable monomer to a PE film. The effects of the experimental parameters, such as the pH value, temperature, and grafted amount on adsorption of chromium(VI) (Cr(VI)) ions were investigated for the DMAEMA‐grafted PE (PE‐g‐PDAMEMA) films. The maximum adsorption capacity was obtained at the initial pH value of 3.0 for a PE‐g‐PDMAEMA film with 1.8 mmol/g and the maximum adsorption capacity obtained was higher than or compatible to those of many of the other polymeric adsorbents prepared for Cr(VI) ions. The adsorption kinetics obeyed the mechanism of the pseudo‐second order kinetic model and adsorption of Cr(VI) ions on PE‐g‐PDMAEMA films was well expressed by the Langmuir isotherm model. A high Langmuir adsorption constant suggests that the adsorption of Cr(VI) ions occurs between protonated dimethylamino groups and ions mainly through the electrostatic interaction. Cr(VI) ions adsorbed were successfully desorbed from a PE‐g‐PDMAEMA film in solutions of NaCl, NH₄Cl, NH₄Cl containing NaOH, and NaOH and a PE‐g‐PDMAEMA film was regenerated and repeatedly used for adsorption of Cr(VI) ions without appreciable loss in the adsorption capacity. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016 , 133, 43360.     

Trap Levels in Eu and other Rare‐Earth Ions Codoped CaAl2O4 Phosphors

Photoluminescence spectrum, trap depths, and densities of trapped carriers of CaAl₂O₄:Eu phosphor crystals doped with rare‐earth elements were studied using the thermally stimulated luminescence technique. Trap depths and densities of the specimens vary with rare‐earth elements doped as the auxiliary activators. Tm and Nd are found to be effective for the strong afterglow phosphorescence peaking at λ = 442 nm for several hours after the excitation. CaAl₂O₄:Eu phosphor crystals doped with Nd and Tm include high density of carriers trapped at E = 0.59 and 0.52 eV, respectively.     

Enzymatic Analysis of Positional Distribution of Fatty Acids in Solid Fat by 1,3-Selective Transesterification with Candida antarctica Lipase B

A protocol for the analysis of the positional distribution of fatty acids (FA) in solid triacylglycerols (TAG) was developed using sn-1(3) selective alcoholysis catalyzed by immobilized Candida antarctica lipase B (CALB). One part by weight of solid fat and ten parts by weight of ethanol (99.5 %) were warmed to liquefy the fat. After adding 0.44 parts by weight of CALB, the mixture was shaken at 50 °C for 10 min then at 30 °C for 2.8 h. The recovery of 2-MAG after the 3-h transesterification reaction was ca. 85 % of the maximum theoretical yield (33 mol%), with the loss of 15 % attributable to the acyl migration from sn-2 to sn-1(3). The recovery was similar to that of the solvent-free alcoholysis of structured lipids, 1,3-dipalmitoyl, 2-oleoyl glycerol and 1,3-dioleoyl, 2-palmitoyl glycerol, conducted at 30 °C for 3 h. In contrast, the acyl migration from sn-1(3) to sn-2 was hardly observed. Because the detected acyl migration was only in the direction of sn-2 to sn-1(3), and not vice versa, it is proposed to determine the FA composition of the sn-2 position of TAG by the gas chromatographic analysis of 2-MAG fraction recovered from the enzymatic reaction mixture, and the FA composition of sn-1(3) position by a mass balance using the FA composition of TAG and of the sn-2 position as inputs. The procedure was successfully applied to palm oil and shea butter, and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)-rich single cell oil from Aurantiochytrium sp. KH105 for the first time.     

Flavin adenine dinucleotide binding is the crucial step in alcohol oxidase assembly in the yeast Hansenula polymorpha

We have studied the role of flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) in the in vivo assembly of peroxisomal alcohol oxidase (AO) in the yeast Hansenula polymorpha. In previous studies, using a riboflavin (Rf) autotrophic mutant, an unequivocal judgement could not be made, since Rf-limitation led to a partial block of AO import in this mutant. This resulted in the accumulation of AO precursors in the cytosol where they remained separated from the putative peroxisomal AO assembly factors. In order to circumvent the peroxisomal membrane barrier, we have now studied AO assembly in a peroxisome-deficient/Rf-autotrophic double mutant (Δper1.rif1) of H. polymorpha. By sucrose density centrifugation and native gel electrophoresis, three conformations of AO were detected in crude extracts of Δper1.rif1 cells grown under Rf-limitation, namely active octameric AO and two inactive, monomeric forms. One of the latter forms lacked FAD; this form was barely detectable in extracts wild-type and Δper1 cells, but had accumulated in the cytosol of rif1 cells. The second form of monomeric AO contained FAD; this form was also present in Δper1 cells but absent/very low in wild-type and rif1 cells. In vivo only these FAD-containing monomers associate into the active, octameric protein. We conclude that in H. polymorpha FAD binding to the AO monomer is mediated by a yet unknown peroxisomal factor and represents the crucial and essential step to enable AO oligomerization; the actual octamerization and the eventual crystallization in peroxisomes most probably occurs spontaneously.