Effect of carrier type on coupled transport kinetics of thiocyanate ions through liquid membranes

Coupled transport of thiocyanate ions through a liquid membrane containing quaternary ammonium chloride salts in chloroform was examined. The influences of the carrier type in the membrane phase on the coupled transport of thiocyanate ions were investigated. The kinetics of the coupled transport were analyzed in the formalism of two consecutive irreversible first-order reactions and the kinetic parameters (k_1d, k_2m, k_2a, R_m^max, t_max, J_d^max, J_amax) were also calculated. For the coupled transport of thiocyanate ions, quaternary ammonium chloride salts having different carbon atom numbers (C_n) used as carriers were found to increase thiocyanate ions transport efficiency with increasing carbon atom numbers. Tetradecyl trimethylammonium chloride (TDTMACl), hexadecyl trimethylammonium chloride (HDTMACl), and tetraoctyl ammonium chloride (TOACl) were found to be the most effective carrier types for transport of thiocyanate ions when C_n is greater than 16. The activation energies for maximum membrane entrance and exit fluxes were calculated as 32.45 kJ/mol and 34.75 kJ/mol, respectively. The values of the activation energy indicate that the process is controlled by species diffusion.     

Synthesis of Various Calix[4]arene Derivatives with Mercaptoalkyl Chains and Their Application in Removing Cr(VI) from Aqueous Solution

Four different mercaptoalkyl-substituted calixarene derivatives (5,11,17,23-tetra-tert-butyl-25,27-bis(3-mercaptopropoxyl)-26,28-dihydroxycalix[4]arene, 25,27-bis(3-mercaptopropoxyl)-26,28-dihydroxycalix[4]arene, 25,27-bis(5-mercaptopentanoxyl)-26,28-dihydroxycalix[4]arene and 5,17-di-tert-butyl-11,23-di-carboxyl-26,28-bis(3-mercaptopropoxyl)-25,27-di-hydroxycalix[4]arene) were synthesized. Their structures were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy, and elemental analysis techniques. Moreover, their extraction capabilities at different parameters such as pH, shaking speed, and shaking time were examined toward dichromate ions. Results implied that all mercaptoalkyl-substituted calixarene derivatives showed an extraction capability toward dichromate anion while the carboxyl-functionalized calixarene-marcapto-alkyl derivative exhibited the highest extraction capability.     

A new metal chelate sorbent for glucose oxidase: Cu(II)- and Co(II)-chelated poly(N-vinylimidazole) gels

Poly(N-vinylimidazole) (PVIm) gels were prepared by irradiating a binary mixture of N-vinylimidazole (VIm)–water in a ⁶⁰Co-γ source having 4.5 kGy/h dose rate. In the glucose oxidase (GOx) adsorption studies, affinity gels with a swelling ratio of 1100% for PVIm and 40 and 55% for Cu(II)- and Co(II)-chelated PVIm gels, respectively, at pH 6.5 in phosphate buffer were used. FTIR spectra were taken for PVIm and Cu(II)- and Co(II)-chelated PVIm, and glucose oxidase adsorption on these gels, to characterize the nature of the interactions in each species. The results show that PVIm–glucose oxidase interaction is mainly electrostatic and metal ion–chelated PVIm gel–glucose oxidase interaction is of coordinate covalent nature. Cu(II) and Co(II) ions were chelated within the gels via amine groups on the imidazole ring of the gel. Different amounts of Cu(II) and Co(II) ions [maximum 3.64 mmol/g dry gel for Cu(II) and 1.72 mmol/g dry gel for Co(II)] were loaded on the gels by changing the initial concentration of Cu(II) and Co(II) ions at pH 7.0. GOx adsorption on these gels from aqueous solutions containing different amounts of GOx at different pH was investigated in batch reactors. GOx adsorption capacity was further increased when Cu(II) and Co(II) ions were attached [up to 0.53 g GOx/g dry Co(II)-chelated PVIm gels]. More than 90% of the adsorbed GOx was desorbed in 5 h in desorption medium containing 1.0M KSCN at pH 7.0 for plain gel and 0.05M EDTA at pH 4.9 for metal-chelated gel. Nonspecific glucose oxidase adsorption on/in the metal ion–chelated PVIm gel was investigated using 0.02M of phosphate buffer solution. The nonspecific GOx adsorption was determined to be about 18% for PVIm and 8% for the metal ion–chelated PVIm gels. The ionic strength effect was investigated both on PVIm and on the metal ion–chelated PVIm gels for the glucose oxidase adsorption. It was found that ionic strength was more effective on the PVIm gel because of the electrostatic interaction between protonated gel and the deprotonated glucose oxidase side chain. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 82: 446–453, 2001     

The effect of borax pentahydrate addition to urea formaldehyde on the mechanical characteristics and free formaldehyde content of plywood

In this study, the effects of borax pentahydrate addition to urea formaldehyde (UF) on the bonding characteristics and free formaldehyde content have been studied. Experiments related to the bending strength, withdrawal shear strength and free formaldehyde content have been conducted on the three-layered beech and poplar plywood which are prepared by the addition of borax pentahydrate into their adhesive mixtures in certain amounts. Addition of borax pentahydrate into the adhesive mixture did not statistically affect the bending strength and withdrawal shear strength of the plywood but did reduce the free formaldehyde content.     

Laser Treatment of Sintered Silicon Carbide Surface for Enhanced Hydrophobicity

In this study, laser treatment of sintered SiC surfaces is carried out to enhance the surface hydrophobicity. Morphological and metallurgical changes of the treated surfaces are evaluated using optical and scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy, and x-ray diffraction (XRD). Microhardness and fracture toughness are measured using indentation tests. The residual stresses present are determined using the XRD technique. The wetting characteristics of the treated surfaces are assessed through contact angle measurements. It is found that the laser-treated surfaces consist of fine grooves and pillars and that the resulting surface roughness enhances the surface hydrophobicity. The fracture toughness of the treated surface is reduced possibly because of the microhardness increase at the surface. The residual stress formed in the surface region is on the order of 1.8 GPa, and it is compressive.     

Preconcentration and matrix elimination for the determination of Pb(II), Cd(II), Ni(II), and Co(II)by 8‐hydroxyquinoline anchored poly(styrene‐divinylbenzene) microbeads

Poly(styrene-divinylbenzene), PS-DVB, microbeads were modified with 8-hydroxyquinoline (8-HQ) following nitration, reduction of  NO₂ to NH₂, and conversion of NH₂ to diazonium salt. Characterization of pristine,  NO₂,  NH₂,  NN⁺Cl⁻, and 8-QH functional groups modified microbeads was made by Fourier transform-infrared spectrometry (FTIR) and porosimetry. Total reflectron-X-ray florescence spectrometer (TXRF) was used to test the affinity of the 8-HQ modified microbeads to toxic metal ions. 8-HQ-modified microbeads were used to examine the adsorption capacity, recovery, preconcentration, and the matrix elimination efficiency for Pb(II), Cd(II), Ni(II), and Co(II) ions as a function of changing pH, initial metal-ion concentrations, and also equilibrium adsorption time of the studied metal ions. Preconcentration factors for the studied toxic metal ions were found to be more than 500-fold and recovery between 93.8% and 100.6%. Ultratrace toxic metal-ion concentrations in sea water were determined easily by using modified microbeads. Reference sea-water sample was used for the validation of the method, and it was found that recovery, preconcentration, and the matrix elimination were performed perfectly. For the desorption of the toxic metal ions, 3M of HNO₃ was used and desorption ratio shown to be more than 96%. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008