Application of active coke in processes of SO2- and NOx-removal from flue gases

In the field of flue gas cleaning, active coke plays an important role as adsorbant and catalyst. In the temperature range usually prevailing downstream of the air preheater of power plants, SO₂ becomes adsorbed on carbonaceous materials and in a consecutive step is catalysed by the carbonaceous surface and converted to sulphuric acid. The quality demands for a cyclic regenerative process for SO₂ removal are fulfilled by the active coke which is used in the BF-process. The same active coke catalyses the reaction of NO with NH₃ to N₂ and steam. This is the basis for processes for simultaneous SO₂ and NO_x removal. By the addition of ammonia the SO₂ removal by active coke is improved. Two processes are described and results from the laboratory and from the demonstration plant for the BF-process are presented. These show that SO₂ removal efficiences exceed 95% and NO conversions of > 80% can be realized without problems. The cost of the processes using active coke with ammonia addition are comparable with those of wet flue gas desulphurization processes without any additional equipment should NO have to be removed.     

Characterization of pedicel,paper, and larval silk from nest ofPolistes annularis (L.)

The pedicel, nest paper, and larval silk ofPolistes annularis nests were analyzed by high-resolution solid-state [¹³C]NMR. The pedicel was found to have a high nitrogen content (11%), and the NMR spectra indicated that it is a mixture of carbohydrate and protein. The pedicel protein has an amino acid composition that is very rich in glycine, alanine, serine, and proline (67% of identified residues), similar to that of some insect silks. Solid-state [¹³C]NMR indicated that the nest paper is composed predominantly of cellulose. Silk, spun by matureP. annularis larvae, was shown by [¹³C] NMR and amino acid analysis to be a protein very high in serine and alanine (53%), but the amino acid composition is distinct from that of the pedicel protein.     

Nanocoating individual cohesive boron nitride particles in a fluidized bed by ALD

Experiments are conducted with alumina (Al₂O₃) deposition on a wide size range of hexagonal boron nitride (BN) platelet-like particles. Successful deposition of alumina films on these particles, with film thickness controllable at the Angstrom level, is observed based upon TEM imaging, ICP-AES, particle size distributions, and surface area analysis. While fluidizing, fine BN particles aggregate in the bed. The aggregates are the entities fluidizing, not the primary particles. However, individual particles are coated using Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD), not aggregates. Since ALD is a surface chemistry phenomenon, the films grow uniformly on every primary particle. BN particles are small platelets with different functional groups on the basal planes and edge planes. A small exposure to reagents [2.5×10⁶ Langmuir (L) per reagent per cycle], will only coat the edge planes of uncoated BN particles. A larger dose of 1×10⁸ L will coat the entire uncoated BN particle (edge and basal planes). After 10 ALD cycles of the 1×10⁸ L dose, the exposures can be reduced to 1×10⁶ L as the film is then growing on alumina and not BN. Peel strength data indicate that adhesion between the coated particles and a cured epoxy in a filled composite is ∼25% stronger than that of uncoated particles and the epoxy. The overall thermal conductivity drops ∼17% for an identical filler loading as expected due to the additional thermal resistance added by the film. However, the viscosity of an epoxy resin loaded with coated BN is as much as five times lower than that of the resin loaded with the same amount of uncoated BN. These results indicate that the loading of Al₂O₃ nanocoated BN particles in an epoxy matrix can be substantially increased relative to that of uncoated particles. The thermal conductivity of the more highly filled composite will be increased without adversely impacting filled resin viscosity or the peel strength of the cured material. This is the first reported study indicating that cohesive primary particles that fluidize as aggregates in a fluidized bed can be individually coated with a nano-thick ceramic film using ALD.     

Effect of sample size on solvent extraction for detecting cocontinuity in polymer blends

The effect of sample size on the results of solvent extraction measurements for detecting cocontinuity in polymer blends was investigated. Poly(ethylene oxide)/polystyrene (PEO/PS) blend samples of several thicknesses were analyzed by removing the PEO phase using water extraction. The experimental degree of continuity was shown to have a linear dependence on the reciprocal of sample thickness. A model is proposed to explain this dependence and to allow the bulk or true degree of continuity to be determined. Measurement of the bulk degree of continuity is useful for understanding properties of cocontinuous polymer blends such as electrical conductivity, impact strength, or tensile strength.     

Combinatorial synthesis of new cationic lipids and high-throughput screening of their transfection properties

Here we describe the first synthesis-screening approach for the identification and optimization of new cationic lipids for gene transfer in various cell lines. Combinatorial solid-phase chemistry was used to synthesize a library of new cationic lipids based on 3-methylamino-1,2-dihydroxypropane as the polar, cationic lipid part. As the nonpolar lipid part, different hydrocarbon chains were bound to the amino group of the scaffold and the amino group was further methylated to afford constantly cationic lipids. Lipids were synthesized in both configurations and as racemates, and the counter ions were also varied. By using a fully automated transfection screening method and COS-7 cells, the cationic lipid N,N-ditetradecyl-N-methyl-amino-2,3-propanediol (KL-1-14) was identified as a candidate lipid for the development of an improved transfection reagent. Screening the transfection properties of KL-1-14 in numerous combinations with the helper lipids dioleoylphosphatidylethanolamine (DOPE) and cholesterol (Chol) revealed that Chol is the most suitable helper lipid and the best KL-1-14/Chol ratio is 0.5-0.7. Compared to the standard transfection lipid N-[1-(2,3-dioleoyloxy)propyl]-N,N,N-trimethylammonium methyl sulfate (DOTAP), transfection efficiency was improved by a factor of about 40. Furthermore, by using R- and S-configured KL-1-14, it could be shown that the configuration of the lipids had no significant influence on its transfection efficiency. The highest transfection efficiencies were achieved with chloride as the counter ion. The new lipofection reagent was further tested to transfect the cell lines MDA-MB-468, MCF-7, MDCK-C7, and primary dentritic cells (DC), which are important for the development of new anticancer gene therapy strategies. Even in these cells, KL-1-14/Chol (1:0.6) had improved transfection efficiencies, which were about two to four times higher than for DOTAP.     

A Unified Model for the Mixing of Non‐Newtonian Fluids in the Laminar,Transition, and Turbulent Region

Summary: Non‐Newtonian fluid behavior has significant influence on quantities in chemical engineering like power input, mixing time, heat transfer etc. In the laminar flow region, the concept of effective viscosity by Metzner and Otto is well established. In the transition region between laminar and turbulent flow, the existing concepts use three and even more empirical parameters to determine the specific power input. Here, a unified and general but simple approach is introduced to calculate the power input for shear thinning fluids over the whole flow region using just one empirical parameter. The Metzner‐Otto relation is obtained as a limiting case for the laminar region. The empirical parameter of the new approach is related to the Metzner‐Otto constant. The concept is validated for eight different stirrer systems. Mixing time and maximum shear rate and heat transfer can also be calculated using this approach. The new concept presented should also be applicable for other apparatuses, e.g., static mixers.

Comparison of experimental data and a curve calculated according to the new method (solid line).     

Cellulose-binding domains: potential for purification of complex proteins

The endoglucanase CenA and the exoglucanase Cex from Cellulomonasfimi each contain a discrete cellulose-binding domain (CBD),at the amino-terminus or carboxyl-terminus respectively. Thegene fragment encoding the CBD can be fused to the gene of aprotein of interest. Using this approach hybrid proteins canbe engineered which bind reversibly to cellulose and exhibitthe biological activity of the protein partner. Alkaline phosphatase(PhoA) from Escherichia coli, and a ß-glucosidase(Abg) from an Agrobacterium sp. are dimeric proteins. The fusionpolypeptides CenA-PhoA and Abg-CBC_cex are sensitive to proteolysisat the junctions between the fusion partners. Proteolysis resultsin a mixture of homo- and heterodimers; these bind to celluloseif one or both of the monomers carry a CBD, e.g. CenA-PhoA/CenA-PhoAand CenA-PhoA/PhoA. CBD fusion polypeptides could be used inthis way to purify polypeptides which associate with the fusionpartner.     

Characterization of polymer‐layered silicate (clay) nanocomposites by transmission electron microscopy and X‐ray diffraction: A comparative study

Several polymer‐layered silicate (clay) nanocomposites (PLSNs) were analyzed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction (XRD) in an effort to characterize the nanoscale dispersion of the layered silicate. The PLSNs investigated included thermoset (cyanate esters) and thermoplastic polymers (polystyrene, nylon 6, and polypropylene‐g‐maleic anhydride). The results of this study reveal that the overall nanoscale dispersion of the clay in the polymer is best described by TEM, especially when mixed morphologies are present. XRD is useful for the measurement of d‐spacings in intercalated systems but cannot always observe low clay loadings (<5%) or be used as a method to identify an exfoliated nanocomposite where no XRD peaks are present (constituting a negative result). Most importantly, the study showed that XRD is not a stand‐alone technique, and it should be used in conjunction with TEM. Our studies suggest that new definitions, or a clarification of existing definitions, are needed to properly describe the diversity of PLSN nanostructures seen in various materials. Published 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 87: 1329–1338, 2003