Use of cascade reduction potential for selective precipitation of Au,Cu, and Pb in hydrochloric acid solution

Optimization of reduction potential for electroseparation was studied for the recovery of gold, copper, and lead from acidic solution. A linear sweep voltammetric method enabled us to determine characteristic reduction potentials for each metal and the kinetics of the metal deposition indicated by current-voltage curves. In order to precipitate the metal species sequentially, reduction potentials were examined for the individual and mixed solutions of Au(III), Cu(II), and Pb(II). The three metals were reasonably well isolated from the mixed solutions such as Cu(II)/ Pb(II) and Au(III)/Cu(II)/Pb(II) in the order of the corresponding reduction potentials, in particular, the mass transfer controlled reduction potentials, obtained from linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) measurement.     

Cu2O/Cu Cermet as a Candidate Inert Anode for Al Production

Cu₂O/ x Cu ( x =0–25 wt%) cermets were evaluated as a novel partially inert anode for aluminum (Al) production. The physical and mechanical properties, including the compressive strength, flexural strength, thermal expansion coefficient, thermal conductivity, and dc electrical conductivity were tested at room temperature and at temperatures up to 950°C. The coefficient of thermal expansion, compressive strength, flexural strength, thermal conductivity, and electrical conductivity of Cu₂O/Cu cermets increased with increasing Cu content. High-temperature electrical conductivity measurements showed that with increasing temperature, the electrical conductivity increased when the Cu content was below the percolation threshold, while it decreased when the Cu content was above the percolation threshold. A relatively stable CuAlO₂ layer formed on the cermet surface during electrochemical testing, and the corrosion rate of this anode was estimated to be about 1.8–1.9 cm/year in Al production.     

A helical drive in-pipe robot based on compound planetary gearing

The modern society is fuelled by very comprehensive grids of gas and liquid pipelines. In recent years, various in-pipe robots have been developed for inspection and maintenance tasks inside such pipes. In this paper, a novel in-pipe robot is proposed and developed for gas/oil well interventions at thousands of meters downhole. Due to the nature of such intervention, in-pipe robot design must be capable of carrying a very large payload, as large as 2500?N inside a pipe with diameter as small as 54?mm. The proposed design concept is based on a compound planetary gearing system. One of the major novelties of this design is the use of pipe wall as a ring gear for one stage of the compound planetary gear system; the other novelty is the generation of helical angle when the planetary gears are expanded to press on the pipe wall. The proposed concept is compact, efficient, and has never been reported before. In this paper, the helical angle, the velocity, and load capability of the proposed system will be analyzed. The load transportation capability of the proposed robot is also measured based on an experiment. Initial data have shown great potential in carrying large payloads.     

Hydrodynamic characteristics of a FCC regenerator

The hydrodynamic and gas mixing characteristics have been determined in a FCC regenerator (0.48 m I.D.x3.4 m high) with FCC particles. Solids holdup in the dense bed decreases with increasing gas velocity, but it increases in the freeboard region. The bubble/void fraction increases with an increase along the bed height at a given gas velocity and increases with increasing gas velocity at a constant bed height. Backmixed tracer gas at the wall region is higher than that at the center region of the bed. The gas backmixing coefficient decreases with increasing gas velocity.     

Preparations and properties of thermosensitive terpolymers of N‐isopropylacrylamide,sodium 2‐acrylamido‐2‐methyl‐propanesuphonate,and N‐tert‐butylacrylamide

Terpolymers based on N‐isopropylacrylamide, sodium 2‐acrylamido‐2‐methyl‐propanesulfonate, and N‐tert‐butylacrylamide were synthesized by free‐radical copolymerization with 2,2′‐azobisisobutyronitrile as an initiator. The lower critical solution temperatures (LCSTs) of the linear polymer aqueous solutions were determined by the measurement of the transmittance on UV at different temperatures. The influence of the polymer concentration, polymer composition, and ionic strength on the LCSTs of the linear polymers was investigated. The LCST decreased with increases in the hydrophobic monomer N‐tert‐butylacrylamide, polymer concentration, and ionic strength. The phase transition became sharp when the polymer concentration and ionic strength increased. Meanwhile, the crosslinked hydrogels were prepared with the same recipe used for the linear terpolymers, but a crosslinker was added to the reaction system. The swelling ratios of the hydrogels at various temperatures and salt solutions were determined. The hydrogels possessed both high swelling ratios and thermosensitivity. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 2007     

沉淀铁催化剂上F-T合成反应的研究

制备了物相组成为 Quartz- Si O2 ,Hermatite- Fe2 O3 和 Fe2 O3 - Iron Oxide的沉淀铁催化剂 ,研究了该催化剂作用上固定床积分反应器中费托合成反应特性 .发现 2 .6MPa,80 0 h-1,H2 /CO=2 /3,2 60℃～ 2 90℃时 ,随着温度的升高 ,CO和 H2 的转化率增大 ,CO2 选择性减小 ;40 0 h-1,65 0 h-1,80 0 h-1低空速和 2 4 0 0 h-1,32 0 0 h-1,40 0 0 h-1,640 0 h-1高空速时 ,随着空速的升高 ,H2转化率、CO转化率选择性下降 ,CO2 的选择性升高 ;2 80℃ ,2 .6MPa,H2 /CO进料比 2 /3,1 /1 ,2 /1时 ,随着 H2 /CO进料比的增加 ,CO转化率 ,H2 /CO利用比和 CH4选择性都增加 ,H2 转化率和 CO2选择性减小 .     

Electrochemical performance of nanocrystalline Li3V2(PO4)3/carbon composite material synthesized by a novel sol–gel method

A novel sol–gel method based on V₂O₅·nH₂O hydro-gel was developed to synthesize nanocrystalline Li₃V₂(PO₄)₃/carbon composite material. In this route, V₂O₅·nH₂O hydro-gel, NH₄H₂PO₄, Li₂CO₃ and high-surface-area carbon were used as starting materials to prepare precursor, and the Li₃V₂(PO₄)₃/carbon was obtained by sintering precursor at 750 °C for 4 h in flowing argon. The sol–gel synthesis ensures homogeneity of the precursors and improved reactivity. The sample was characterized by XRD, SEM and TEM. X-ray diffraction results show Li₃V₂(PO₄)₃ sample is monoclinic structure with the space group of P2₁/n. The TEM image indicates that the Li₃V₂(PO₄)₃ particles modified by conductive carbon are about 70 nm in diameter. The Li₃V₂(PO₄)₃/carbon system showed that the discharge capacities in the first and 50th cycle are about 155.3 and 143.6 mAh/g, respectively, in the range of 3.0–4.8 V. The sol–gel method is fit for the preparation of Li₃V₂(PO₄)₃/carbon composite material which may offer some favorable properties for commercial application.     

Formation of Polymeric Lewis Acid–Lewis Base Complexes with Well-defined Organoboron Polymers

The binding of Lewis bases to organoboron polymeric Lewis acids has been studied and the parameters that determine the complexation equilibrium have been investigated, which include (i) the strength of the individual Lewis acids and Lewis bases, (ii) concentration, and (iii) temperature. While the strongly Lewis acidic borane polymers poly(4-bis(pentafluorophenyl)borylstyrene) (PS-BPf) and poly(4-(di-2-thienylboryl)styrene) (PS-BTh) form isolable complexes with strong Lewis bases such as 4-t-butylpyridine (^tPy), a temperature dependent equilibrium is established with weaker bases such as THF. Similarly, the weakly Lewis acidic boronate polymer poly(4-diethoxyborylstyrene) (PS-BOEt) undergoes a temperature dependent equilibrium with the strong Lewis base 4-dimethylaminopyridine (DMAP), while poly(4-pinacolatoborylstyrene) (PS-BPin) does not significantly bind to pyridine bases. Decomplexation of PS-BTh· ^t Py is achieved by treatment with the stronger Lewis acid, B(C₆F₅)₃, thereby confirming the reversible nature of the polymeric Lewis acid–base adducts. This paper is dedicated to Professor Ian Manners in gratitude of his guidance throughout the years and recognition of his scientific accomplishments     

注塑模微机CAD系统

本文介绍了一个微机上运行的注塑模ＣＡＤ系统，此系统主要解决了四个难点，浇注系统设计，冷却系统分析，型腔，型芯的曲面造型设计，装配图和零件工作图的设计绘制，经厂家实际运用证明，该系统使用方便，结果正确，能提高设计效率，降低生产成本。     

Sterol metabolism in the opportunistic pathogen <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pneumocystis</Emphasis>: Advances and new insights

Pneumocystis can transiently colonize healthy individuals without causing adverse symptoms, and most people test positive for exposure to this organism early in life. However, it can cause Pneumocystis pneumonia (PcP) in people with impaired immune systems and is a major cause of death in HIV/AIDS. Although it has close affinities to the Ascomycetes, Pneumocystis has features unlike those of any single group of fungi. For example, Pneumocystis does not synthesize ergosterol, which is consistent with the inefficacy of amphotericin B and some triazoles in clearing PcP. Pneumocystis sterols include distinct Δ⁷ 24-alkylsterols. Metabolic radiolabeling experiments demonstrated that P. carinii synthesizes sterols de novo. Cholesterol is the most abundant sterol in Pneumocystis; most, if not all, is scavenged from the mammalian host lung by the pathogen. The P. carinii erg7, erg6, and erg11 genes have been cloned, sequenced, and expressed in heterologous systems. The recombinant P. carinii S-adenosyl-l-methionine:C-24 sterol methyl transferase (SAM:SMT) has a preference for lanosterol over zymosterol as substrate, and the enzyme can catalyze the transfer of either one or two methyl groups to the C-24 position of the sterol side chain. Two different sterol compositions were detected among human-derived P. jirovecii; one was dominated by C₂₈ and C₂₉ sterols, and the other had high proportions of higher molecular mass components, notably the C₃₂ sterol pneumocysterol. The latter phenotype apparently represents organisms blocked at 14α-demethylation of the sterol nucleus. These studies suggest that SAM:SMT is an attractive drug target for developing new chemotherapy for PcP.