Effects of heavy metals and polyelectrolytes in humic substance coagulation under saline conditions

Charge neutralisation plays a major role in heavy metal and humic substance removal in water treatment. Humic substances have no readily identifiable structure and they consist of anionic macromolecules of low to moderate molecular weight. Humic substances are easily coagulated using cationic metals and polyelectrolytes. Different concentrations of humic substances have been coagulated with different concentrations of heavy metals and/or polyelectrolytes. The charge neutralisation was determined using U.V. spectrophotometer. Humic substance removal increased with increasing salinity level until reaching a point where HS destabilization is considered complete and salinity no longer play a role in HS removal. Humic substance removal increased with increasing heavy metals concentration and precipitation was experienced at high concentrations of heavy metals (15–20 mg/L) and low concentration of humic substances (10 mg/L). In addition, HS removal also increased with increasing polyelectrolyte concentration. Diallydimethylammonium chloride (PDADMAC) polyelectrolyte was more effective in humic substance coagulation compared to copolymer of dimethyl aminoethyl acrylate (CoAA). The addition of heavy metals in polyelectrolyte coagulation increased humic substance removal due to the combined charge neutralization of the metals and polyelectrolytes.     

Effect of anti-scale agents on the solubility of CO2 in seawater at temperatures of 60 to 90ºC and pressures of 1–2 bar

The objective of this work is to present experimental data that would show the effect of temperature, salinity, pressure and the presence of anti-scale additives on CO₂ solubility in seawater. The paper examines the solubility of CO₂ in real seawater and real seawater dosed with two different anti-scale additives. The study has been performed at temperatures between 60ºC and 90ºC and at pressures of 1 and 2 bar. To assess the effect of each anti-scale additive on CO₂ gas solubility varying doses, 2–10 ppm of anti-scale additive have been used. For the purpose of the experimentation an experimental rig has been designed to ensure adequate contact between the gas phase and the aqueous phase. The continuous quantitative analysis of CO₂ concentration flowing from the experimental rig was measured using a CM-5011 Carbon Coulometer. A mass balance was carried out to calculate the amount of CO₂ absorbed into solution; Henry’s law constant was then calculated.     

Characterization of synthetic and activated sludge and conditioning with cationic polyelectrolytes

This study investigates the effect of cationic polyelectrolytes on the final properties of synthetic and activated sludge. Synthetic sludge was prepared according to established procedures. Activated sludge was produced in a labscale, continuous-flow reactor which was fed with live activated sludge from a waste-water treatment plant. Capillary suction time (CST) was used to evaluate the sludge dewatering behaviour. The results from experiments indicated that the cationic polyelectrolytes had a critical effect on sludge dewatering, and made an improvement in the final properties of sludge. The two types of sludge have very similar dewatering characteristics after cationic polymer conditioning. The development of synthetic sludge is suggested also to be a possible surrogate for studying the final properties of activated sludge.     

Platinum(VI) dihydroxo tetramesitylporphyrin; characterization and chemical reactivity

Tetramesitylporphyrin platinum(VI) dihydroxo complex, TMPPt(OH)₂ · 2 benzoate was synthesized by addition of two equivalent of meta-chloroperbenzoic acid molecules to the tetramesitylporphyrin platinum(II). This complex was characterized by X-ray diffraction and spectroscopic methods, and is capable to convert two molecules of triphenylphosphine to triphenylphosphine oxide.     

Polymeric nanofibers containing solid nanoparticles prepared by electrospinning and their applications

Generally, polymer solution or sol–gel is used to produce electrospun nanofibers via the electrospinning technique. In the utilized sol–gel, the metallic precursor should be soluble in a proper solvent since it has to hydrolyze and polycondensate in the final solution; this strategy straitens the applications of the electrospinning process and limits the category of the electrospinnable materials. In this study, we are discussing electrospinning of a colloidal solution process as an alternative strategy. We have utilized many solid nanopowders and different polymers as well. All the examined colloids have been successfully electrospun. According to the SEM and FE SEM analyses for the obtained nanofiber mats, the polymeric nanofibers could imprison the small nanoparticles; however, the big size ones were observed attaching the nanofiber mats. Successfully, the proposed strategy could be exploited to prepare polymeric nanofibers incorporating metal nanoparticles which might have interesting properties compared with the pristine. For instance, PCL/Ti nanofiber mats exhibited good bioactivity compared with pristine PCL. The proposed strategy can be considered as an innovated methodology to prepare a new class of the electrospun nanofiber mats which cannot be obtained by the conventional electrospinning technique.     

Structure effect of some amine derivatives on corrosion inhibition efficiency for carbon steel in acidic media using electrochemical and Quantum Theory Methods

The structure effect on corrosion inhibition of two amines and their derivatives is the main object of this article. The first amine was 1,8-diaminooctane and its ethoxylated (50 e.o.) 1,8-diaminooctane and propoxylated (50 p.o.) 1,8-diaminooctane. The second amine is the tetraethylenepentamine and its ethoxylated (50 e.o.) and propoxylated (50 p.o.) derivatives. The investigations were carried out by open circuit potential, potentiodynamic polarization, electrochemical impedance, quantum calculations and SEM measurements. The data obtained for the first amine showed the minimum inhibition efficiency (65.5%), meanwhile the maximum inhibition efficiency was 78.9% for its propoxylated derivative. On the other hand the maximium inhibition efficiency was 91% for the second propoxylated amine. The electronic properties; HOMO and LUMO energy levels, energy gap, dipole moment, polarizability, log P, total energy, charge densities, area/molecule and hydration energy have been calculated. The inhibition efficiency was calculated theoretically using the electronic parameters. From the obtained results, there is a significant difference between the inhibition efficiency of the electronic and the inhibition efficiency experimentally. The results were discussed on the light of the chemical structure of the used inhibitors. In general, the inhibition efficiency is affected by the shape and structure of the molecule.     

Catalytic performance of organically templated nano nickel incorporated-rice husk silica in hydroconversion of cyclohexene and dehydrogenation of ethanol

Rice husk silica (RHS) was extracted from local rice husk by acid digestion and burning at 650 °C. RHS-Ni catalyst was prepared by dissolving RHS in 1 N NaOH and titrating with 3 N HNO₃ containing 10 wt.% Ni²⁺. The organic modifiers, either p-amino benzoic acid (A) or p-phenylenediamine (PDA) were incorporated in 5 wt.% and reduced in H₂ flow. Investigation of the three catalysts, (RHS-Ni)_R350, (RHS-Ni–A)_R350 and (RHS-Ni–PDA)_R350, confirmed good dispersion of Ni nanoparticles; all catalysts were amorphous. The BET surface areas increased in the order: (RHS-Ni)_R350 < (RHS-Ni–A)_R350 < (RHS-Ni–PDA)_R350 with controlled pore sizes. The as-prepared catalysts were applied for both hydroconversion of cyclohexene with molecular H₂ and ethanol dehydrogenation, using a flow-type reactor, at different temperatures. The activity in cyclohexene hydroconversion and selectivity to cyclohexane depended upon the reaction temperature; at t < 150 °C, the increased hydrogenation activity was referred to the formed SiO₂–Ni–amine complex, pore regulation as a prime requirement for H₂ storage and homogeneous distribution of incorporated Ni nanoparticles. At t > 150 °C, the backward dehydrogenation pathway was more favored, due to unavailability of H₂; the process became structure-sensitive. In ethanol conversion, the prevailing dehydrogenation activity of organically modified catalyst samples was encouraged by improved homogeneous distribution of Ni nanoparticles and created micropre system.     

Novel surfactants incorporated with 1,3,5-triethanolhexahydro-1,3,5-triazine moiety as corrosion inhibitors for carbon steel in hydrochloric acid: Electrochemical and quantum chemical investigations

The main objective of this work was to examine the corrosion inhibition ability of three novel surfactant molecules synthesized from 1,3,5-triethanolhexahydro-1,3,5-triazine, which named (I, II and III). The chemical structure of these surfactants was confirmed by FT-IR and ¹H NMR spectroscopy. Also the surface active properties for the synthesized compounds were calculated. The effect of these surfactants on carbon steel in a solution of 1 M HCl was studied using mass-loss and electrochemical measurements. Protection efficiencies were found to be 93.1%, 90.7%, and 87% for III, II, and I, respectively. The order of increasing inhibition efficiency was correlated with increasing the number of ethylene oxide units. Potentiodynamic polarization curves indicated that the prepared surfactants acted as mixed type inhibitors. Adsorption of the inhibitor obeys the Langmuir isotherm. Quantum chemical calculations based on ab initio method were performed on I, II and III. The molecular structural parameters, such as the frontier molecular orbital energy HOMO (highest occupied molecular orbital) and LUMO (lowest unoccupied molecular orbital), the charge distribution and the fraction of electrons (ΔN) transfer from inhibitor to carbon steel were calculated and discussed.     

The Rheological Properties of Lube Oil With Terpolymeric Additives

Twelve terpolymeric additives were prepared via free radical chain addition polymerization. The rheological properties of lube oil (SAE-30) were studied with and without additives. The prepared terpolymers have a good effect on the viscosity-temperature relationship. The flow curves and viscosity-shear rate curves of the prepared additives doped with lube oil were studied and it was found that they behave as Bingham fluids. The sensitivity of the prepared terpolymers to mechanical stresses was studied and it was found that the sensitivity increases with increasing the molecular weight of the prepared additives.     

Three‐dimensional multiphase flow model to study channel flow dynamics of PEM fuel cells

A three‐dimensional multiphase flow model has been developed to study dynamics of a water droplet on the surface of the channel of proton exchange membrane fuel cell. Results are presented based on solving full Navier–Stokes equations for Newtonian liquids. The volume‐of‐fluid method is used to numerically determine the deformation of free surfaces. Water droplet and channel fluid properties determine whether the droplet deforms and remain stationary or disintegrate. We have shown the dependency of the water flooding to the flow rate and pressure drop in the channel has been introduced as a tool to determine water flooding in the channel. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.