Extraction of nano-porous silica from hydrosodalite produced via modification of low-grade kaolin for removal of methylene blue from wastewater

BACKGROUND: This work employs low-grade kaolin as raw material in the economical production of nano-porous silica with extended surface area via the hydrothermal acidification of intermediate zeolite composite to remove methylene blue from wastewater. Hydrosodalite fabricated through the modification of meta-kaolin (MK) with sodium aluminate (NaAlO₂) was used as a precursor in the hydrothermal acidification step. RESULTS: The direct conversion of MK to zeolite composite generating a low crystalline phase, containing quartz which was eliminated in the acidification step, exhibited a strong affinity towards dye adsorption. It was indicated that the NaAlO₂/MK ratio could influence the hydrosodalite crystallization as well as adsorption efficiency of the nano-porous silica obtained from acidification of zeolite composite. The nano-porous silica formation involved the ion extraction from hydrosodalite cabbage-like particles, depending on crystallinity of intermediate zeolite composite. CONCLUSION: The mesoporous silica represented the appropriate adsorptive behavior when produced from precursor modified with lower NaAlO₂ content, NaAlO₂/MK = 0.24, attributed to superior specific surface area, 420 m² g⁻¹, with average pore diameter about 3.3 nm. The equilibrium data was better correlated by Redlich–Peterson isotherm. Compared to the surface area of silica powders fabricated from high grade kaolins, Al₂O₃/SiO₂, > 0.83, by the acid-etched strategy, the mesoporous silica produced from the low-grade kaolin by the template free method indicates higher value. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry     

Numerical Simulation of Buoyancy-Induced Turbulent Flow Between Two Concentric Isothermal Spheres

Buoyancy-induced turbulent flow and natural convection heat transfer between two differentially heated concentric isothermal spheres is studied numerically. The low-Reynolds-number k–ω model is used for turbulence modeling. The two-dimensional governing equations are discretized using control volume method and solved by employing the alternating direction implicit scheme. Results are presented in the form of streamline and temperature patterns, and local and average Nusselt numbers, over the heated and cooled boundaries for a wide range of Rayleigh numbers (10²–10¹⁰), extending the previous studies to the turbulent flow regime and for the radius ratio of 2. The results of the flow pattern and average Nusselt numbers were compared with the previously published experimental and numerical investigations and very good agreements were observed. For low values of Rayleigh numbers, regions with conduction-dominated flow pattern accompanied with low values of Nusselt numbers were observed, while for higher Rayleigh numbers, the flow pattern was changed to the convection dominated boundary layer type flow, resulting in an increase in the rate of heat transfer and flow velocities adjacent to both inner and outer boundaries. The average Nusselt numbers were correlated against Rayleigh number and a 1/4 power dependence of Ra in both laminar and turbulent regimes is obtained.     

Thermal Integration of Sulfuric Acid and Continuous Catalyst Regeneration of Naphtha Reforming Plants

An optimal reactor design is proposed that simultaneously improves the naphtha reforming reactor performance and increases sulfur trioxide production. In this new configuration, the naphtha reforming process as an endothermic reaction is coupled with the oxidation reaction of sulfur dioxide, which is an exothermic reaction. The differential evolution optimization technique is applied to maximize the produced amounts and yields of aromatics and hydrogen. The results obtained with the optimized thermally coupled reactor are compared with those of the conventional and thermally coupled reactors, proving the superiority of the proposed configuration.     

Is bioelectrical impedance accurate for use in large epidemiological studies?

Percentage of body fat is strongly associated with the risk of several chronic diseases but its accurate measurement is difficult. Bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) is a relatively simple, quick and non-invasive technique, to measure body composition. It measures body fat accurately in controlled clinical conditions but its performance in the field is inconsistent. In large epidemiologic studies simpler surrogate techniques such as body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, and waist-hip ratio are frequently used instead of BIA to measure body fatness. We reviewed the rationale, theory, and technique of recently developed systems such as foot (or hand)-to-foot BIA measurement, and the elements that could influence its results in large epidemiologic studies. BIA results are influenced by factors such as the environment, ethnicity, phase of menstrual cycle, and underlying medical conditions. We concluded that BIA measurements validated for specific ethnic groups, populations and conditions can accurately measure body fat in those populations, but not others and suggest that for large epdiemiological studies with diverse populations BIA may not be the appropriate choice for body composition measurement unless specific calibration equations are developed for different groups participating in the study.     

Effect of calcination temperature on the physical properties of LiFe5O8 nanostructures

The structural properties of LiFe₅O₈ nanostructures, which were synthesized using a thermal treatment method, were investigated using different characterization methods. The XRD, FESEM and TEM results showed a phase transition from uncompleted α-LiFe₅O₈ and β-LiFe₅O₈ phases to completed α-LiFe₅O₈ phase when the growth calcination temperature shifted from 873 to 973?K. The crystallization was completed at 973?K, revealed by the absence of organic absorption bands in the FT-IR spectra. The results of band gap energy which were studied by UV–vis spectroscopy indicated that when calcination temperature increased, the appraised band gap energy of LiFe₅O₈ nanostructures decreased. Laser Raman analysis was used to determine the peaks of the synthesized LiFe₅O₈ nanostructures accurately and to differentiate between the α-LiFe₅O₈ and β-LiFe₅O₈ phases around 217?cm^?1. The results of a vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) indicated that the magnetic properties differed between these nanostructures so that saturation magnetization and coercivity increased when the calcination temperature increased. The obtained results from electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy demonstrated that as the growth calcination temperature shifted from 673 to 873?K, the results of g value and ΔH_pp increased up to the maximum value and then reduced for calcined sample at 973?K.     

Direct Observation of Photoinduced Ion Migration in Lead Halide Perovskites

Unique optoelectronic, electronic, and sensing properties of hybrid organic–inorganic perovskites (HOIPs) are underpinned by the complex interactions between electronic and ionic states. Here, the photoinduced field ion migration in HOIPs is directly observed. Using newly developed local probe time-resolved techniques, more significant CH₃NH₃⁺ migration than I⁻/Br⁻ migration in HOIPs is unveiled. It is found that light illumination only induces CH₃NH₃⁺ migration but not I⁻/Br⁻ migration. By directly observing temporal changes in bias-induced and photoinduced ion migration in device conditions, it is revealed that light illumination suppresses the bias-induced ion redistribution in the lateral device. These findings, being a necessary compensation of previous understandings of ion migration in HOIPs based on simulations and static and/or indirect measurements, offer advanced insights into the distinct light effects on the migration of organic cation and halides in HOIPs, which are expected to be helpful for improving the performance and the long-term stability of HOIPs optoelectronics.     

Application of the dual reciprocity boundary integral equation technique to solve the nonlinear Klein-Gordon equation

This paper aims to obtain approximate solutions of the Nonlinear Klein-Gordon (NLKG) equation by employing the Boundary Integral Equation (BIE) method and the Dual Reciprocity Boundary Element Method (DRBEM). This method is improved by using a predictor-corrector scheme to the nonlinearity which appears in the problem. We employ the time stepping scheme to approximate the time derivative, and the Linear Radial Basis Functions (LRBFs), are used in the Dual Reciprocity (DR) technique. To confirm the accuracy of the new approach, the numerical results of a Double-Soliton and a problem with inhomogeneous terms are compared with analytical solutions and for the examples possessing single and periodic waves, two conserved quantities associated to the (NLKG) equation, the energy and the momentum are investigated.     

Best uniform polynomial approximation of some rational functions

In this research paper using the Chebyshev expansion, we explicitly determine the best uniform polynomial approximation out of $P_{qn}$ (the space of polynomials of degree at most $qn$) to a class of rational functions of the form $1/(T_q\left(a\right)\pm T_q\left(x\right))$ on $[?1,1]$, where $T_q\left(x\right)$ is the first kind of Chebyshev polynomial of degree $q$ and $a^2>1$. In this way we give some new theorems about the best approximation of this class of rational functions. Furthermore we obtain the alternating set of this class of functions.     

A Not-a-Knot meshless method using radial basis functions and predictor–corrector scheme to the numerical solution of improved Boussinesq equation

A numerical simulation of the improved Boussinesq (IBq) equation is obtained using collocation and approximating the solution by radial basis functions (RBFs) based on the third-order time discretization. To avoid solving the nonlinear system, a predictor–corrector scheme is proposed and the Not-a-Knot method is used to improve the accuracy in the boundary. The method is tested on two problems taken from the literature: propagation of a solitary wave and interaction of two solitary waves. The results of numerical experiments are compared with analytical solution and with those of other recently published methods to confirm the accuracy and efficiency of the new scheme presented in this paper.     

Adaptive hybrid force/position control of robot manipulators using an adaptive force estimator in the presence of parametric uncertainty

This study is devoted to sensorless adaptive force/position control of robot manipulators using a position-based adaptive force estimator (AFE) and a force-based adaptive environment compliance estimator. Unlike the other sensorless method in force control that uses disturbance observer and needs an accurate model of the manipulator, in this method, the unknown parameters of the robot can be estimated along with the force control. Even more, the environment compliance can be estimated simultaneously to achieve tracking force control. In fact, this study deals with three challenging problems: No force sensor is used, environment stiffness is unknown, and some parametric uncertainties exist in the robot model. A theorem offers control laws and updating laws for two control loops. In the inner loop, AFE estimates the exerted force, and then, the force control law in the outer loop modifies the desired trajectory of the manipulator for the adaptive tracking loop. Besides, an updating law updates the estimated compliance to provide an accurate tracking force control. Some experimental results of a PHANToM Premium robot are provided to validate the proposed scheme. In addition, some simulations are presented that verify the performance of the controller for different situations in interaction.