Effect of blend granulometry on calciothermic reduction of TiO2

Investigated was the effect of particle size of starting powder material on the calciothermic reduction of TiO₂ in the TiO₂-Ca system. According to XRD results, TiO₂ did not react with Ca after 40 h of ball milling. DTA data indicated that a decrease in the particle size of starting material resulted in lower reaction temperatures between molten Ca and TiO₂ (decrease from 1073 to 1044°C). The XRD results showed that titanium metal can be produced from nanosized starting material, and the reduction reaction progressed at lower temperatures upon a decrease in the particle size of TiO₂. Also, the particle size of the products decreased with decreasing particle size of starting TiO₂. The concentration of residual oxygen depended on the particle size of TiO₂ due to increasing surface of contact with deoxidizer (Ca).     

Comparison of Preparation Methods of Iron‐Based Catalysts for High‐Temperature Water‐Gas Shift Reaction

The influence of preparation methods on structural and catalytic properties of the Fe₂O₃‐Cr₂O₃‐CuO catalyst during the high‐temperature water‐gas shift reaction was determined. The prepared samples were characterized by X‐ray diffraction (XRD), Brunauer‐Emmett‐Teller method (BET), and temperature‐programmed reduction (TPR). The results revealed that the type of coprecipitation, i.e., simple, inverse, and differential, had a significant effect on both structural and catalytic properties. The catalyst prepared by the simple precipitation method exhibited higher activity than the catalysts generated by inverse and differential coprecipitation and the commercial catalyst. The types of precipitation agent and iron and chromium precursors were found to have a significant impact on the structural and catalytic features.     

Application of response surface methodology for optimization and determination of palladium by in-tube ultrasonic and air-assisted liquid–liquid microextraction coupled with flame atomic absorption spectrometry

A highly sensitive, simple and rapid in-tube ultrasonic and air-assisted liquid–liquid microextraction (IT-UAA-LLME) coupled with flame atomic absorption spectrometry was developed for preconcentration and determination of palladium (Pd) in soil and water samples. The effective parameters were optimized by the Plackett–Burman (P–B) and Box–Behnken design (BBD) methods. Under the optimum conditions, the calibration graph was linear over the range of 5–800 μgL^?1 (R² = 0.998). Detection limit, relative standard deviation (RSD) and the enrichment factor were 0.94 μgL^?1, 2.64% (n = 7, C = 40 μgL^?1) and 156, respectively. The proposed method was successfully applied for the determination of trace amounts of Pd in the soil and water samples.     

Ni Catalysts Supported on Mesoporous Nanocrystalline Magnesium Silicate in Dry and Steam Reforming Reactions

Mesoporous nanocrystalline MgSiO₃ with high surface area was synthesized by a hydrothermal method and employed as support in dry and steam reforming of methane. Ni/MgSiO₃ catalysts were prepared by an impregnation method and characterized by different techniques. N₂ adsorption analysis indicated that addition of nickel shifted the pore size distributions to smaller sizes. Temperature‐programmed reduction analysis revealed that a higher nickel loading enhanced the reducibility of the catalyst. The catalytic performance was improved with increasing the nickel content. The Ni/MgSiO₃ catalyst exhibited high stability in dry reforming but methane conversion declined with time‐on‐stream in the steam reforming reaction. Temperature‐programmed oxidation profiles of spent catalysts indicated that the high amount of carbon deposited on the catalyst surface in dry and steam reforming was assigned to whisker‐type carbon.     

Contribution to emission reduction of CO2 by a fluidized-bed membrane dual-type reactor in methanol synthesis process

In this work, a fluidized-bed membrane dual-type reactor was evaluated for CO₂ removal in methanol synthesis process. The feed synthesis gas is preheated in the tubes of the gas-cooled reactor and flowing in a counter-current mode with reacting gas mixture in the shell side. Due to the hydrogen partial pressure driving force, hydrogen can penetrate from feed synthesis gas into the reaction side through the membrane. The outlet synthesis gas from this reactor is fed to tubes of the water-cooled packed-bed reactor and the chemical reaction is initiated by the catalyst. The methanol-containing gas leaving this reactor is directed into the shell of the gas-cooled reactor and the reactions are completed in this fluidized-bed side. A two-phase dynamic model in bubbling regime of fluidization was developed in the presence of long-term catalyst deactivation. This model is used to compare the removal of CO₂ in a FBMDMR with a conventional dual-type methanol synthesis reactor (CDMR) and a membrane dual-type methanol synthesis reactor (MDMR). The simulation results show a considerable enhancement in the CO₂ conversion due to have a favourable profile of temperature and activity along the fluidized-bed membrane dual-type reactor relative to membrane and conventional dual-type reactor systems.     

Reducing the crystallinity of high molecular weight poly (ethylene oxide) using ultraviolet cross-linking for preparation of gas separation membranes

CO₂-selective cross-linked poly (ethylene oxide) (PEO) membranes were prepared by the UV irradiation of high molecular weight PEO in the presence of benzophenone as photo-initiator, which act as a hydrogen-abstracting agent. The main goal was to study the effects of the cross-linking process on the structural properties of hydrogel films intended for the gas separation applications. It was found that the gel fraction, and cross-link density enhanced, and the crystallinity, and the size of spherulites decreased by the cross-linking process. Moreover, the permeation performances for N₂, O₂, CH₄, and CO₂ and the relationship between the gas permeation performances and physical properties were investigated. The results indicated that the degree of cross-linking and crystallinity could be controlled by changing the initiator concentration, as by increasing the initiator content, the crystallinity percent and gas permeability of the membranes decreased, and the gas pair ideal selectivity of CO₂/N₂, CO₂/CH₄, CH₄/N₂, and O₂/N₂ increased.     

Synthesis of CL‐20 by a Greener Method Using Nitroguanidine/HNO3

CL‐20 is a nitramine applied in both explosives and propellants. The traditional nitrolysis of tetraacetyldibenzylhexaazaisowurtzitane (TADB), as the key precursor for the synthesis of CL‐20, requires the use of N₂O₄/HNO₃/H₂SO₄ (so‐called mixed acid) which has its drawbacks, especially at industrial scales. Herein, the nitrolysis of TADB with a one pot method was investigated using nitroguanidine (NQ) and guanidinium nitrate (GN)/HNO₃ as new system for the synthesis of CL‐20. Positive features of these nitro‐debenzylation/nitro‐deacetylation methods include lack of mixed acids, simple work‐up and less hazardous reagents. The maximum yield of reaction (72 %) was obtained under optimized conditions (NQ (3.48 mmol) and TADB (0.58 mmol) in 98 % HNO₃ (5 mL) at 85 °C and 24 h).     

Antielectrostatic agent addition in low-dielectric-constant polymerization media

In the coordinative polymerization of α-olefin by a slurry process, a low-dielectric-constant suspending agent, such as hexane or heptane, must be used. As a result of solvent movement and its friction between system components, electrostatic charges are generated. Because of low electrical conduction of these solvents, the generated charges accumulate in the polymerization medium. Consequently, a repulsive force between same charges effects the growth of the polymer particles and causes them to form fine particles. In this article, we present research results on the effects of antielectrostatic agents on the increase of the electrical conduction of the polymerization medium, particle size distribution, and also the quantity of fine particles in the final polymer. Techniques gained from the fuel industry were applied to modify the subjected polymerization medium. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012     

Mathematical modeling of moisture and solute diffusion in the cylindrical green bean during osmotic dehydration in salt solution

In this study, mass transfer during osmotic dehydration of cylindrical cut green beans in salt solution was investigated. The osmotic solution concentrations used were 10%, 20% and 26.5% (w/w) NaCl, osmotic solution temperatures used were 30 °C, 40 °C and 50 °C, the solution-to-green bean mass ratio was more than 20:1 (w/w) and the process duration varied from 0 to 6 hr. A two-parameter mathematical model developed by Azuara et al. (1992) was used for describing the mass transfer in osmotic dehydration of green bean samples and estimation of the final equilibrium moisture loss and solid gain. Effective radial diffusivity of moisture as well as solute was estimated using the analytical solution of Fick's second law of diffusion in the cylindrical coordinates. For above conditions of osmotic dehydration, moisture and salt effective diffusivities were found to be in the range of 1.776 × 10⁻¹⁰-2.707 × 10⁻¹⁰ m²/s and 1.126 × 10⁻¹⁰-1.667 × 10⁻¹⁰ m²/s, respectively. Moisture and solute distributions as a function of time and location in the radial direction were plotted by using the estimated equilibrium moisture and solute concentrations and also moisture and solute diffusivities.     

Structural,optical, thermoelectrical,and magnetic study of Zn1‐xCoxO (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.10) nanocrystals

In this work, we have prepared Co‐doped ZnO nanocomposites by zinc nitrate and cobalt sulfate as new precursors via the coprecipitation method and the samples were followed to identify the morphological, optical, structural, and magnetic properties. The XRD patterns revealed the crystalline nature of nanoparticles with hexagonal wurtzite structures, which meant that Co impurity did not disturb the structure of pure ZnO and the minimum crystallite size of nanoparticles was calculated to be around 37 nm. The XRD patterns also showed the lattice parameter increase owing to the incorporation of a Co dopant. The TEM results revealed the sphere‐like particles whose size varied between 56 and 88 nm in diameter at a 4% level of impurity. DRS analysis identified that the band gap energy decreased from 3.18 eV for the pure substance to 2.36 eV for the 10% impure substance. VSM analysis exhibited that the saturation magnetization value increased to 8.4 × 10^?3 emu/g for the highest Co content of 10%, which indicated the ferromagnetic behavior of NPs.