Treatment of spent brine from a nitrate exchange process using combined biological denitrification and sulfate precipitation.

A combined biological denitrification and sulfate precipitation process was developed to treat and reuse the spent brine produced by a nitrate exchange system. Although the spent brine contained a relatively high salt concentration, more than 80% of NO3(-)-N fed into the denitrification reactors was removed at a nitrate-N loading rate of 2.2 g NO3(-)-N/l x day, regardless of the presence or absence of sulfate up to 8,000 mg/l. Sulfate present in the spent brine was successfully removed by the addition of BaCl2 and the settling velocity of BaSO4 suspension was remarkably enhanced by FeCl3 coagulation. Since most of the chloride consumed in regenerating the exhausted resins was replaced during chemical treatment with BaCl2 and FeCl3, it was possible to reuse the treated spent brine as a regenerant after compensating for the small amount of unreplaced NaCl.     

Texture in Silicon Nitride Seeded with Silicon Nitride Whiskers of Different Sizes

Silicon nitride ceramics seeded with 3 wt%β-Si₃N₄ whiskers of two different sizes were prepared by a modified tape casting and gas pressure sintering. The fine whiskers had a higher aspect ratio than the coarse whiskers. Quantitative texture analysis including calculation of the orientation distribution function (ODF) was used for obtaining the degrees of preferred orientation of sintered samples. The maximum multiples of random distribution (mrd) values of samples seeded with the fine and coarse whiskers were large, greater than 15 and 9, respectively. Meanwhile, the mrd value of a sample seeded with fine whiskers was only 9 when it was prepared by conventional tape casting. The microstructures and the XRD data revealed that the well-aligned whiskers grew significantly after sintering and dominated the texture. Differences among the degrees of preferred orientation of the samples were explained using Jeffrey's model on rotation of elliptical particles carried by a viscous fluid.     

Deformation behavior of TiAl intermetallic compounds and orientation control by reactive diffusion and high-temperature uniaxial compression deformation

To determine the optimum method of producing TiAl intermetallic compounds with an oriented lamellar microstructure the authors applied reactive diffusion and high-temperature deformation in a two-phase state on Ti-43 mol.%Al and Ti-46 mol.%Al. The reactive diffusion process produces an α single-phase state with orientations that reflect the texture of the starting titanium foils; the high-temperature deformation aims to rotate the lamellar interface by means of preferential activation of the crystal slip systems that are parallel to the interface. The reactive diffusion process can effectively control the texture in an α single-phase state, though many voids are formed at the initial stages of reactive diffusion. Furthermore, after the heating process for the construction of the lamellar microstructure, uniaxial compression at 1323 K is quite effective for ensuring that the lamellar interface is rotated parallel to the compression plane. Finally, the deformation causes about one half of all the lamellae to be arranged within 20 degrees of the compression plane.     

Luminescence properties of Eu ions doped in Y2−xGdxO3 thin films grown by pulsed laser deposition method

Luminescence properties of Y_2−xGd_xO₃:Eu³⁺ (x = 0 to 2.0) thin films are investigated by site-selective laser excitation spectroscopy. The films were grown by pulsed laser deposition method on SiO₂ (100) substrates. Cubic phase Y₂O₃ and Gd₂O₃ and monoclinic phase Gd₂O₃ are identified in the excitation spectrum of the ⁷F₀ → ⁵D₀ transition of Eu³⁺. The emission spectra of the ⁵D₀ → ⁷F_J (J = 1 and 2) transition from individual Eu³⁺ centers were obtained by tuning the laser to resonance with each excitation line. The excitation line at around 580.60 nm corresponds to the line from Eu³⁺ with C₂ site symmetry of cubic phase. New lines at 578.65 and 582.02 nm for the C_S sites of Gd₂O₃ with monoclinic phase are observed by the incorporation of Gd in Y₂O₃ lattice. Energy transfer occurs between Eu³⁺ ions at the C_S sites and from Eu³⁺ ions at the C_S sites to those at the C₂ site in Y_2−xGd_xO₃.     

Efficiency enhancement by aluminum addition to CaTiO3:Pr phosphor thin films

The mechanism of enhancement of the red emission efficiency from CaTiO₃:Pr³⁺ thin film by Al addition has been investigated. Al-ions have been attracting interest as a sensitizer to improve the luminescent efficiency of phosphors. Also, influence of Al-doping on the crystallization, surface morphology and luminescent properties of CaTiO₃:Pr³⁺ thin films have been discussed. CaTiO₃:Pr³⁺ and Al-doped CaTiO₃:Pr³⁺ films were grown using pulsed laser deposition technique on Al₂O₃ (0001) substrates under different substrate temperatures and oxygen pressures. The crystalline phase and surface morphology of the films were very dependent on the oxygen pressure and substrate temperature and they affected the luminescent brightness of the films. The crystalline structure and microstructure of these films have been characterized by X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy and their luminescent properties have been evaluated at room temperature using a luminescence spectrometer and excitation by a broadband incoherent ultraviolet light source with a dominant excitation wavelength of 325 nm. In particular, the incorporation of Al³⁺ ions into CaTiO₃ lattice could induce a remarkable increase of photoluminescence. The enhancement of luminescence for Al-doped films may result not only from the improved crystallinity but also from the reduced internal reflections caused by rougher surfaces. Also, the luminescent intensity and surface roughness of the films exhibited similar behavior as a function of oxygen pressure.     

Safety climate practice in Korean manufacturing industry

Safety climate survey was sent to 642 plants in 2003 to explore safety climate practices in the Korean manufacturing plants, especially in hazardous chemical treating plants. Out of 642 plants contacted 195 (30.4%) participated in the surveys. Data were collected by e-mail using SQL-server and mail. The main objective of this study was to explore safety climate practices (level of safety climate and the underlying problems). In addition, the variables that may influence the level of safety climate among managers and workers were explored. The questionnaires developed by health and safety executive (HSE) in the UK were modified to incorporate differences in Korean culture. Eleven important factors were summarized. Internal reliability of these factors was validated. Number of employees in the company varied from less than 30 employees (9.2%) to over 1000 employees (37.4%). Both managers and workers showed generally high level of safety climate awareness. The major underlying problems identified were inadequate health and safety procedures/rules, pressure for production, and rule breaking. The length of employment was a significant contributing factor to the level of safety climate. In this study, participants showed generally high level of safety climate, and length of employment affected the differences in the level of safety climate. Managers' commitment to comply safety rules, procedures, and effective safety education and training are recommended.     

Effect of CO2 in the feed stream on the deactivation of Co/γ-Al2O3 Fischer–Tropsch catalyst

The influence of CO₂ on the deactivation of Co/γ-Al₂O₃ Fischer–Tropsch (FT) catalyst in CO hydrogenation has been investigated. The presence of CO₂ in the feed stream reveals a negative effect on catalyst stability and in the formation of heavy hydrocarbons. The CO₂ acts as a mild oxidizing agent on cobalt metal during Fischer–Tropsch synthesis. During FT synthesis on Co/γ-Al₂O₃ of 70 h, the CO conversion and C₅₊ selectivity in the presence of CO₂ decreased more significantly than in the absence of CO₂. CO₂ is found to be responsible for the partial oxidation of surface cobalt metal at FT synthesis environment with the co-existence of generated water.     

The micro-reactor testing of catalysts and fuel delivery apparatuses for diesel autothermal reforming

This study investigated two factors affecting the performance of diesel autothermal reforming (ATR): the reforming activity of selected catalysts and the effect of devised fuel delivery apparatuses. When fluorite and perovskite-structured ceramic materials were used as substrates, H₂ yields were higher than when an inert Al₂O₃ substrate was used at 700–800 °C. Gadolinium (Gd)-doped CeO₂ (CGO) had the highest H₂ production rate in the selected substrates. Platinum (Pt) showed better performance than rhodium (Rh) and ruthenium (Ru) when CGO was used as the substrate. Although the nickel (Ni)-added Pt catalyst (Pt–Ni) showed high H₂ yield, carbon deposition over this catalyst was more severe than with Pt. Oxygen ion (O²⁻) vacancies generated by Gd dopants can enhance the reforming activity of CeO₂. When using a microchannel catalyst bed, the performance degradation at high gas flowrates can be compared to a packed catalyst bed of pellet type. For effective fuel delivery, we have introduced an ultrasonic injector (UI) and a plasma injector (PI). The UI-reforming showed greater long-term stability than non-UI reforming because the generation of carbon precursors was suppressed. On the other hand, the PI-reformer had low conversion efficiency, although it had high H₂ selectivity.     

Sonochemical reaction of fullerene[C60] with several 2'-azidoethyl per-O-acetyl glycosides

Cycloadditive reaction of fullerene[C60] with various 2'-azidoethyl per-O-acetyl glycopyranoside of D-mannose, D-galactose, D-glucose, D-xylose and D-maltose, respectively gave the glycosyl fullerene[C60] derivatives 2a-2e such as alpha-D-mannosyl fullerene[C60] under ultrasonication. Based on analyses using 1H- and 13C-NMR, UV-vis, FT-IR, and FAB-MS spectroscopies of the glycosyl fullerene[C60] derivatives, the products were composed of a mixture of [5,6]- and [6,6]-junction isomers which were predominantly the closed [5,6]-junction isomer.