Silica‐Based NTPC‐Fly Ash for Dye‐Removal Application and Effect of Its Modification

Silica‐based fly ash (FA) received from the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC), India has been utilized for determining its dye‐adsorption capacity. The dye adsorption using the NTPC‐FA has been examined by varying the initial methylene blue dye concentration (7.5–150 μM) and initial solution‐pH (2.5–11.5). The dye‐adsorption capacity of NTPC‐FA has been found to be 0.43 mg/g. To increase the dye‐adsorption capacity, the NTPC‐FA is subjected to the hydrothermal treatment and typical washing cycles without and with the coating of sol–gel derived anatase‐titania. The hydrothermally treated NTPC‐FA and hydrogen titanate–silica composite thus obtained exhibit dye‐adsorption capacity higher than that of NTPC‐FA.     

Studies on the adsorption kinetics and isotherms for the removal and recovery of Methyl Orange from wastewaters using waste materials

De-Oiled Soya a waste of Soya oil industries and Bottom Ash a waste of thermal power plants have been used as effective adsorbent for recovery and removal of hazardous dye Methyl Orange from wastewater. During the studies effects of amount of dye and adsorbents, pH, sieve sizes, column studies etc. have been carried out. Adsorption of the dye over both the adsorbents has been monitored through Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption isotherm models and feasibility of the process is predicted in both the cases. Different thermodynamic parameters like Gibb's free energy, enthalpy and entropy of the undergoing process are also evaluated through these adsorption models. The kinetic studies confirm the first order process for the adsorption reaction and also play an important role in finding out half-life of the adsorption process and rate constants for both the adsorbents. It is also found that over the entire concentration range the adsorption on Bottom Ash takes place via particle diffusion process, while that of De-Oiled Soya undergoes via film diffusion process. In order to establish the practical utility of the developed process, attempts have been made for the bulk removal of the dye through column operations. For the two columns saturation factors are found as 98.61 and 99.8%, respectively, for Bottom Ash and De-Oiled Soya with adsorption capacity of each adsorbent as 3.618 and 16.664 mg/g, respectively. The dye recovery has been achieved by eluting dil. NaOH through the exhausted columns.     

Chemical synthesis,structural characterization and electrical studies of nanoceria for CMOS applications

Cerium oxide nanoparticles were synthesized using cerium nitrate hexa hydrate and ammonium carbonate as precursors. Structural characterizations were done using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The crystallite size and lattice strain on the peak broadening of CeO₂ nanoparticles were studied using Williamson-Hall (W-H) analysis. The dielectric properties of nanocrystalline CeO₂ samples with different calcination temperatures, and frequencies have been studied over a temperature range from 303 to 423 K. It is found that the dielectric constant and dielectric loss for all temperatures have high values at low frequencies, which decreases rapidly as frequency is increased and attains a constant value at higher frequencies. The room temperature dielectric constant ε′ obtained for the as prepared CeO₂ nanoparticle sample is 61, which constitutes the highest value ever reported at low frequency. A.C. conductivity, which was derived from dielectric constant and loss tangent data, has a low value at smaller frequencies that increases as the frequency is increased. The dielectric constant and a.c. conductivity values are shifted upwards as the temperature is raised. However, these values are decreased as the annealing temperature is increased. The desired structural properties and high dielectric constant of nanophase CeO₂ make it as a promising material for the high dielectric constant dielectric gate in complementary metal oxide semiconducting (CMOS) devices.     

Adsorption isotherms, kinetics and column operations for the removal of hazardous dye, Tartrazine from aqueous solutions using waste materials--Bottom Ash and De-Oiled Soya, as adsorbents

Adsorbents, Bottom Ash (a power plant waste) and De-Oiled Soya (an agricultural waste) exhibit good efficacy to adsorb a highly toxic dye, Tartrazine. Through the batch technique equilibrium uptake of the dye is observed at different concentrations, pH of the solution, dosage of adsorbents and sieve size of adsorbents. Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption isotherms are successfully employed on both the adsorbents and on the basis of these models the thermodynamic parameters are evaluated. Kinetic investigations reveal that more than 50% adsorption of dye is achieved in about 1h in both the cases, whereas, equilibrium establishment takes about 3-4h. The linear plots obtained in rate constant and mass transfer studies further confirm the applicability of first order rate expression and mass transfer model, respectively. The kinetic data treated to identify rate controlling step of the ongoing adsorption processes indicate that for both the systems, particle diffusion process is predominant at higher concentrations, while film diffusion takes place at lower concentrations. The column studies reveal that about 96% saturation of both the columns is attained during their exhaustion, while about 88 and 84% of the dye material is recovered by eluting dilute NaOH solution through exhausted Bottom Ash and De-Oiled Soya columns, respectively.     

Angiojet™ mechanical thrombectomy-induced hemolysis triggering blood-leak alarms

Blood leak alarms are increasingly rare and may be triggered by rupture of the dialyzer membrane, or intravascular hemolysis. We report two patients who developed hemolysis following Angiojet™ thrombolysis and thrombectomy of thrombosed arteriovenous fistulas, triggering blood leak alarms on hemodialysis, the occurrence of which has not been reported before. AngioJet™-induced hemolysis should be considered in the differential diagnosis for blood leak alarms occurring soon after an intervention on an arterio-venous (AV) fistula.     

A numerical study on heat transfer and MHD flow of a Newtonian through a porous channel—Local thermal nonequilibrium model

 Vast numbers of studies concentrate on the thermal equilibrium state whereas in many real-world applications the model exists in the nonequilibrium state. Also, local thermal non-equilibrium precisely represents the thermohydroflow characteristics. Therefore, the current study examines the heat transfer and fluid flow characteristics of the magnetohydrodynamic flow of a Newtonian fluid through a local thermal non-equilibrium (LTNE) porous channel in the presence of the induced magnetic field. The mathematical model of the prescribed flow encloses the coupled nonlinear equations which are difficult to approach analytically. Hence, they are solved numerically using the shooting method with the Newton–Raphson method. The implications of various physical parameters of the problem on fluid flow, induced magnetic field, current density, temperature profiles, and heat transfer are elucidated with the aid of plots and tables. From the examination, it is clear that the porous medium significantly influences the characteristics of the fluid flow. That is, the least value of the Darcy number is related to a higher momentum field. Another interesting phenomenon is that the induced magnetic field remarkably enhances when the Darcy number is high, whereas the process is contrary to the current density. The effect of LTNE on the flow characteristics and heat transfer ceases for higher values of inter-phase heat transfer coefficient and the ratio of thermal conductivities, which gives rise to the local thermal equilibrium (LTE) situation. Furthermore, the amount of heat transport is maximum in the LTE case compared to that of the LTNE case.