Microwave Synthesis and Characterization of Spinel-type Zinc Aluminate Nanoparticles

In the present work, ZnAl₂O₄ nanoparticles have been synthesized with the aid of Zn(OAc)₂·2H₂O and Al(NO₃)₃·9H₂O as starting reagents in the presence of microwave irradiation. Besides, the effect of preparation parameters such as microwave power and irradiation time on the morphology and particle size of products was studied by SEM images. The as-prepared ZnAl₂O₄ nanoparticles were characterized extensively by techniques like XRD, TEM, SEM, FT-IR, PL, and EDS. Photoluminescence studies of the ZnAl₂O₄ nanoparticles displayed quantum confinement behavior with band gap of 3.2 eV. The XRD studies showed that pure orthorhombic ZnAl₂O₄ nanoparticles have been produced after calcination.     

Effect of oxide and carbide nanoparticles on tribological properties of phenolic-based nanocomposites

The phenolic-based composites and components are widely used because of their excellent thermal, tribological and mechanical behaviors. In the present study, phenolic resin composed of hexamine, novalac, furfural, and furfuryl alcohol has been used. The effects of two carbide nanoparticles (SiC and TiC) and two oxide nanoparticles (TiO₂ and ZrO₂) on the tribological properties of phenolic resin were experimentally investigated. This paper intends to identify the effects of different fillers, fraction of particles and normal load on wear rate and coefficient of friction in dry sliding wear of phenolic-based nanocomposites against hard metal. The proportions of fillers were 0.5, 1 and 2?vol% and experiments were carried out under 40, 50, 60 and 70?N loads and at 0.2?m/s speed. The fillers were mixed with phenolic resin and molded in the form of a cylinder (8.5?mm diameter?×?25?mm height). The samples were cured at 135?°C with a special heating cycle. The wear tests were performed on pin-on-disk testing apparatus at ambient temperature. The composite pins were tested in dry sliding against carbon steel disk. The worn surfaces of samples have been investigated by SEM and the effects of nanometer particles showed different wear mechanisms. Observations showed that carbide particles have better enhancing effect on tribological properties of phenolic resin as compared to the oxide particles. Nanocomposites with SiC particles showed the best tribological properties among the investigated samples. The optimal content of SiC nanoparticles were 1?vol%.     

Thermal degradation behavior and kinetic studies of polyacrylamide gel in TiO2 nanoparticles synthesis

Polyacrylamide gel (PAMG) method is a simple, fast and cheap method used for the synthesis of a wide variety of nanopowders. However, no adequate results have been reported on the thermal degradation behavior of PAMG which can be very effective on the final product properties. In this work, thermal degradation behavior of PAMG in the presence of TiCl₄ as a precursor salt for synthesis of TiO₂ nanoparticles was examined in comparison with linear polyacrylamide (LPAM) and pure PAMG by thermogravimetry/differential thermal analysis. Their thermal degradation kinetics was investigated, as well. The results showed that thermal degradation of all samples occurred in two stages at different onset temperatures. Despite the high thermal stability of pure PAMG compared to LPAM, the presence of TiCl₄ as a mineral material in PAMG structure decreases the thermal degradation onset temperature, considerably. Furthermore for LPAM and PAMG, majority of weight loss occurs in the second stage, but in PAMG with TiCl₄ the weight loss occurs mainly at the first stage. For more detailed investigation, residual materials were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques, attributing this trend to the presence of mineral materials in PAMG structure. XRD and transmission electron microscopy were also applied to confirm anatase crystalline structure and nanoscale distribution of the TiO₂ particles synthesized via PAMG method.     

Effects of surfactants on hydrodynamics and mass transfer in a split‐cylinder airlift reactor

Effects of various concentrations (0–5 ppm) of anionic (sodium dodecyl sulfate, SDS) and non‐ionic (Tween‐80 and Triton X‐405) surfactants on gas hold‐up and gas–liquid mass transfer in a split‐cylinder airlift reactor are reported for air–water. Surfactants were found to strongly enhance gas hold‐up. Non‐ionic surfactants were more effective in enhancing gas hold‐up compared to the anionic surfactant SDS. An enhanced gas hold‐up and a visually reduced bubble size in the presence of surfactants implied an enhanced gas–liquid interfacial area for mass transfer. Nevertheless, the overall gas–liquid volumetric mass transfer coefficient was reduced in the presence of surfactants, suggesting that surfactants greatly reduced the true liquid film mass transfer coefficient and this reduction outweighed the interfacial area enhancing effect. Presence of surfactants did not substantially affect the induced liquid circulation rate in the airlift vessel.     

Axial mixing and mass transfer investigation in a pulsed packed liquid–liquid extraction column using plug flow and axial dispersion models

In this research work, the volumetric overall mass transfer coefficient based on continuous-phase (K_oca) and axial dispersion coefficients of phases (E_c, E_d) in a pilot Pulsed Packed Liquid Extraction Column (PPLEC) have been studied using plug flow model (PFM) and axial dispersion model (ADM). Experiments have been carried out using standard systems of water/acetone/toluene and water/acetone/n-butyl–acetate. Values of K_oca evaluated by ADM are greater than those of PFM by about 20% indicating that the axial mixing lowers the performance of PPLEC. It was found that the drop-size distribution is the main cause of the axial mixing in PPLEC. Increase in dispersed phase flow rate (Q_d), increases all K_oca, E_d and E_c and the minimum values of both E_d and E_c and the maximum values of K_oca are in pulse intensity ranges of 0.8–1 cm/s. Finally, three empirical correlations are proposed for the prediction of these parameters which are in good agreement with the experimental data.     

The influence of low- and high-linear energy transfers on some physical properties of poly(methyl-methacrylate) samples

Clear poly(methyl-methacrylate)—PMMA—dosimeter is widely used in food irradiations. Positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy (PALS) is one of the unique tools used for studying free-volumes and open-volume type defects in solid media. The Vicker's microhardness measurements offer a simple and nondestructive tool for investigating the mechanical behavior of polymer materials. PALS as well as microhardness measurements were carried out for PMMA samples, irradiated with low- and high-linear energy transfers (LET). The low-LET irradiations were provided at lethal doses of gamma radiations for vegetative bacteria. Such irradiations showed a chain scission in the PMMA samples. High-LET irradiations showed behavior different from the low-LET ones. The observed behavior depends on the alpha particle fluence. The microhardness testing was carried out for virgin and irradiated PMMA samples at high-LET. A negative correlation was found between PALS measurements and microhardness results. The optical characteristics and structural studies for the virgin and irradiated PMMA samples were in agreement with the PALS and microhardness measurements. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012     

Room temperature oxidation of acetone by ozone over alumina-supported manganese and cobalt mixed oxides

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are among the major sources of air pollution. Catalytic ozonation is an efficient process for removing VOCs at lower reaction temperature compared to catalytic oxidation. In this study, a series of alumina supported single and mixed manganese and cobalt oxides catalysts were used for ozonation of acetone at room temperature. The influence of augmenting the single Mn and Co catalysts were investigated on the performance and structure of the catalyst. The manganese and cobalt single and mixed oxides catalysts of the formula Mn10%-CoX and Co10%-MnX (where X= 0, 2.5%, 5%, or 10%) were prepared. It was found that addition of Mn and Co at lower loading levels (2.5% or 5%) to single metal oxide catalysts enhanced the catalytic activity. The mixed oxides catalysts of (Mn10%-Co2.5%) and (Mn10%-Co5%) led to acetone conversion of about 84%. It is concluded that lower oxidation state of the secondary metal improves ozone decomposition and oxidation of acetone.     

Hydrodynamic and heat transfer properties of magnetic fluid in porous medium considering nanoparticle shapes and magnetic field-dependent viscosity

The purpose of this paper is to study the characteristics of the combined convection heat transfer and a micropolar nanofluid flow passing through an impermeable stretching sheet in a porous medium. The nanofluid flow field is affected by a magnetic field perpendicular to the sheet. The dynamic viscosity of the micropolar nanofluid changes under the influence of the magnetic field. The continuity, linear momentum, angular momentum, and energy equations are first simplified using the order of magnitude technique that, along with the applied boundary conditions and the definition of the appropriate parameters, are transferred to the similarity space using the similarity analysis. Then the resulting equations are solved using the Runge–Kutta method.The distinction of the macroscale and microscale flow fields and temperature fields resulting from different nanoparticle shapes was clarified. Increasing the Hartmann number, the vortex viscosity parameter, the magnetic parameter, the nanoparticle volume fraction, and the permeability parameter of the porous media increased the surface friction on the sheet. Increasing the vortex viscosity parameter, the magnetic parameter, and the volume fraction of the nanoparticles increases the Nusselt number.     

Effect of preparation and operation conditions on the catalytic performance of cobalt-based catalysts for light olefins production

Cobalt-based catalysts were prepared by precipitation method. This research investigated the effects of different supports cobalt loading, promoters, loading of promoters and calcination conditions on the catalytic performance of cobalt catalysts for Fisher-Tropsch synthesis (FTS). It was found that the catalyst containing 40 wt.% Co/TiO₂ promoted with 6 wt.% Zn was an optimal catalyst for the conversion of synthesis gas to hydrocarbons especially light olefins. The activity and selectivity of optimal catalyst were studied in different operational conditions. The results showed that the best operational conditions were the H₂/CO = 2/1 molar feed ratio at 240 °C and GHSV = 1100 h⁻¹ under atmospheric pressure. Characterization of catalysts were carried out by using X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), hydrogen temperature program reduction (H₂-TPR), N₂ physisorption measurements such as Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) and Barrett-Joyner-Halenda (BJH) methods.     

Reactivity stabilization and capacity study of fabricated alumina and zirconia-supported CaO-based sorbents for high-temperature CO2 capture in a fixed-bed reactor

Calcium looping process is a promising approach for CO₂ capture from the flue gas of fossil fuel power plants and the cement industry. Even though the advantages of calcium-based sorbents are low cost and high uptake capacity, they suffer from low durability during cycles. Modified sorbents were fabricated by adding alumina and zirconia and the mixture of alumina and zirconia to calcium oxide via the co-precipitation method. The performance of synthesized sorbents in terms of stability and CO₂ capture capacity were evaluated using a fixed bed reactor in various CO₂ sorption/desorption cycles. The sorbents were fabricated by a co-precipitation methodology using 10% binders (alumina and/or silica). X-ray diffraction (XRD), BET/BJH, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were conducted for characterization of synthesized sorbents. CaO-10% ZrO₂ showed the best performance among the fabricated sorbents in terms of stability during 5 cycles and CO₂ capacity (14 mmol CO₂/g sorbent). The formation of CaZrO₃ with a perovskite structure and high-temperature resistance could be attributed to well performance of zirconia-supported sorbent. On the other hand, no sign of aluminum zirconate formation was approved in XRD analysis for the fabricated sorbent using mixed binders of zirconia and alumina to enhance its stability during cycles.