Photocatalytic mineralisation of organic compounds: a comparison of flame-made TiO2 catalysts

A comparative photocatalytic analysis was carried out on TiO₂ made in a Flame Spray Pyrolysis (FSP) process and flame-made Degussa P25. Both have similar crystallinity, phase composition, phase segregation and a non-porous surface. Hence comparison was made based on their difference in specific surface area, organic adsorption and the amount of OH• generated upon illumination. The photocatalytic activity tests were carried out using the following series of organic compounds: sucrose, glucose, fructose, maleic acid, glyoxylic acid, oxalic acid, isobutyric acid, phenol and methanol. FSP-made TiO₂ outperformed P25 for saccharides mineralisation, while for phenol and methanol mineralisation P25 was better than FSP-made TiO₂. Similar mineralisation rates were observed for both FSP-made and P25 TiO₂ for the mineralisation of carboxylic acids. This shows that the relative performance of the photocatalysts depends on the type of organic compounds to be degraded. The high surface area and possibly a more efficient interfacial charge transfer of FSP-made TiO₂ provided an efficient pathway for saccharides mineralisation. As for phenol and methanol, the mineralisation rates were higher when using P25 due to the greater amount of OH• radicals generated by this photocatalyst. The fast mineralisation rates of carboxylic acids made degradation of these organic compounds to be less affected by the TiO₂ photocatalyst properties and conditions tested in this work.     

Effects of branching upon some surfactant properties of sulfated alcohols

A study was undertaken to determine the surfactant properties of various sulfated alcohols. Most notably, the Krafft point and the ability to emulsify decane were studied. A series of sulfated Guerbet alcohol and Guerbet alcohol alkoxylate sulfates with 16 carbon atoms and an analogous series based upon cetyl alcohol, a linear C₁₆, were studied as hydrophobes.     

Separation of 1,3-propanediol from glycerol-based fermentations of Klebsiella pneumoniae by alcohol precipitation and dilution crystallization

The separation of 1,3-propanediol from the glycerol-based fermentation broth of Klebsiella pneumoniae plays an important role during the microbial production of 1,3-propanediol. In this paper, the separation of 1,3-propanediol from fermentative broth by a combination of ultrafiltration and alcohol dilution crystallization was investigated. The broth was first filtered by ultrafiltration, and 99% of cells, 89.4% of proteins and 69% of nucleic acids were removed. The obtained broth was further condensed by vacuum distillation, and then alcohol was added. The macromolecular impurities, such as nucleic acids, polysaccharides and proteins, were precipitated, and inorganic and organic salts were crystallized. The optimal volume ratio of alcohol added to the condensed fermentation broth was determined to be 2:1. As a result, proteins, nucleic acids and electric conductivity decreased by 97.4%, 89.7% and 95.8%, respectively, compared with the fermentative broth. The influences of pH and water content in condensed broth on alcohol precipitation and dilution crystallization were also investigated. The experimental results indicated that alcohol precipitation and dilution crystallization was feasible and effective for the separation of 1,3-propanediol from actual fermentation broth. Translated from The Chinese Journal of Process Engineering, 2006, 6(3): 454–457 [译自: 过程工程学报]     

苯甲醇制造方法

阐述了苯甲醇的各种制造方法和国内外发展趋势，指出甲苯氧化制苯甲酸时，副产10%～15%(wt)苯甲醇，分离精制，是一种有重大工业潜力的方法。还提到了“绿色化学”合成路线，指出了各种路线的优缺点。     

Acid-Base Properties of Zirconium, Cerium and Lanthanum Oxides by Calorimetric and Catalytic Investigation

The combined use of calorimetric and catalytic methods for the investigation of the acid-base properties of oxide systems is discussed with reference to the authors' work on pure and doped zirconia samples, ceria-zirconia and ceria-lanthana solid solutions. Adsorption microcalorimetry of ammonia and carbon dioxide had been used to characterize the samples, whose chemical and thermal history was taken into account. The catalytic behavior of these samples in the conversion of 4-methylpentan-2-ol, route to 4-methylpent-1-ene (starting product for the manufacture of polymers of superior technological properties), had also been studied. On the basis of the calorimetric data, a rationale for interpreting the data for the transformation of 4-methylpentan-2-ol is formulated, which takes into account the role of the concentration and strength of the sites in governing the competition among the various mechanisms for dehydration and dehydrogenation.     

淀粉-聚乙烯醇可生物降解塑料研究进展

本文详细综述了近年来国内外淀粉基聚乙烯醇塑料的研究进展。     

醇醚类双子表面活性剂的合成及性能研究

以对苯氧基双月桂酸甲酯为原料,在还原剂作用下制得中间体对苯氧基双月桂醇(HBA),再在碱性条件下进行乙氧基化,得到醇醚类Gemini表面活性剂HBA(EO)n(n=9,20 4)。通过红外光谱和质谱分析确定了中间体及产物结构,测定了HBA(EO)n的物化性能结果如下:HBA(EO)20 4的γcmc=38 23mN/m;HBA(EO)9=0 001%;cmcHBA(EO)9=0 0001%。乳化时间:HBA(EO)20 4为17 36h;的γcmc=31 61mN/m。cmcHBA(EO)20 4HBA(EO)9为8 00h。浊点:HBA(EO)20 4>100℃;HBA(EO)9为90℃。湿润时间:HBA(EO)20 4为20 83s;HBA(EO)9为11 23s。泡沫高度:HBA(EO)20 4为40mm;HBA(EO)9为95mm。泡沫稳定性:HBA(EO)20 4为2%;HBA(EO)9为8%。与单链表面活性剂AEOn(n=4 5,10 2)相比较,HBA(EO)n具有更优良的表面活性。     

Study of the amination of fatty alcohols catalyzed by Cu−Ni catalysts

Amination of fatty alcohols by hydrogenation and dehydrogenation catalysis is one of the main commercial processes for the production of dimethylalkylamines. The key factor in this process is the preparation of catalysts with high selectivity. A study of amination catalyzed by Cu−Ni catalysts supported on CaCO₃ is reported in this paper. Selectivity of the catalysts was adjustable by varying the ratio of Cu to Ni or by adding a third element (Zn or Mg). The promotion of catalyst selectivity was mainly attributable to the effect of the components on the reducibility of Ni²⁺ in the catalysts. Lower reducibility of Ni²⁻ led to higher catalyst selectivity.     

A comparison of the ethoxylation of a fatty alcohol,fatty acid,and dimethiconol

Knowing that dimethiconols or silanols condense under acid or alkaline catalysis, a study was undertaken to determine if these compounds could be successfully ethoxylated under conditions similar to those used to ethoxylate fatty alcohols and acids. It was anticipated that the condensation reaction would take precedent over ethoxylation reaction. We determined that ethoxylation reaction occurs preferentially to condensation reaction. In addition, kinetics of ethoxylation are similar to kinetics observed when fatty alcohols are ethoxylated. This reaction gives rise to a new class of hydrolyzable silicone compounds that have applications in industrial as well as in personal-care products.     

溶液共混法制备高强度淀粉基完全生物降解塑料薄膜

利用一步溶液共混法，将预糊化的淀粉糊与PvA溶液共混，用乙二醛进行交联，制备淀粉／聚乙烯醇（PVA）完全生物降解塑料薄膜。研究不同乙二醛和甘油的用量对薄膜性能的影响。薄膜的力学性能、热性能和微观形态表征表明，淀粉／PvA体系具有较好的相容性和较高的力学性能，薄膜的拉伸强度和断裂伸长率分别可达到28．52MPa和307．5％。