Sorption, diffusion, and permeation of light olefins in poly(ether block amide) membranes

Sorption, diffusion, and permeation of three olefins (i.e., C₂H₄, C₃H₆, and C₄H₈) in poly(ether block amide) (PEBA 2533) membranes at different temperatures and pressures were investigated. This is pertinent to olefin recovery from resin off gas in polyolefin manufacturing. The relative contribution of solubility and diffusivity to the preferential permeability of olefins over nitrogen was elucidated. It was revealed that the favorable olefin/nitrogen permselectivity was primarily attributed to the solubility selectivity, whereas the diffusivity selectivity may affect the permselectivity negatively or positively, depending on the operating temperature and pressure. The olefin permeability is in the order of C₄H₈>C₃H₆>C₂H₄, the same order as their solubility in the membrane. In general, a low temperature favors both the permeability and selectivity. With an increase in pressure and/or a decrease in temperature, the sorption uptake of the olefin in the membrane increases progressively, and the diffusivity and hence the permeability are also enhanced because of the increased membrane plasticization/swelling caused by the penetrant sorbed in the membrane. At a given temperature, the pressure dependence of solubility and permeability could be described empirically by an exponential function. The limiting solubility at infinite dilution was correlated with the reduced temperature, and the hypothetical diffusivity at zero pressure was related to temperature by the Arrhenius equation.     

Effect of environmental humidity and coating on aroma transfer through treated papers

Coupled transfers of aroma compounds and water vapour were investigated by varying the relative humidity gradient of storage (50% or 90%) of two paper packaging at 25 °C. These papers differed in their coating surface: both were identically impregnated then supercalendered, and only one was twice coated on both sides with a synthetic barrier substance. Permeability and solubility coefficients were determined. The coating treatment was more effective to decrease the permeabilities of water vapour and ethyl ester than the effect of RH. On the contrary, the RH modified the water content of the treated papers and affected more strongly their permeability and solubility to cis-3-hexenol and benzaldehyde. The cis-3-hexenol transfer through the non-coated paper and the benzaldehyde transfer through the coated paper decreased due to a probable competition with sorbed water although it increases for the cis-3-hexenol of a plasticisation phenomenon.     

Hydrogen sorption hysteresis and superior storage capacity of silicon-carbide nanotubes over their carbon counterparts

We report for the first time the results of an extensive experimental study of hydrogen sorption in silicon-carbide nanotubes (SiCNTs), which were synthesized using the reaction between SiO vapor and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in an argon atmosphere in the temperature range 1200 °C–1500 °C. The as-synthesized SiCNTs were then purified using a sodium hydroxide solution in order to remove the side products of the synthesis reaction. The hydrogen sorption characteristics of the as-synthesized SiCNTs, as well as those of the purified SiCNTs were then measured at 25 °C and for pressures of up to 100 bars. The results reveal hysteresis between the adsorption and desorption isotherms, which we attribute to the presence of metal impurities and/or the multilayer structure of the nanotubes. The hydrogen storage capacity of the as-synthesized SiCNTs is similar to that of the CNTs, whereas for the purified SiCNTs it is 50% higher than that of the CNTs, in agreement with the results of molecular simulations reported previously. In addition, the hydrogen uptake rate in the SiCNTs is about five times faster than that in the CNTs and, in contrast with the CNTs, its desorption from SiCNTs is completely reversible under vacuum.     

SAFARI engineering model 50 mK cooler

SAFARI is an infrared instrument developed by a European based consortium to be flown in SPICA, a Japanese led mission. The SAFARI detectors are transition edge sensors (TES) and require temperatures down to 50 mK for their operation. For that purpose we have developed a hybrid architecture based on the combination of a 300 mK sorption stage and a small adiabatic demagnetization stage. An engineering model has been designed to provide net heat lifts of 0.4 and 14 μW respectively at 50 and 300 mK, with an overall cycle duration of 48 h and a duty cycle objective of over 75%. The cooler is self-contained, fits in a volume of 156 × 312 × 182 mm and is expected to weigh 5.1 kg. It has been designed to withstand static loads of 120 g and a random vibration level of 21 g RMS.     

Hydrogen adsorption on graphene foam synthesized by combustion of sodium ethoxide

Hydrogen storage is a crucial technology for the realization of a carbon-neutral society. However, few materials have been able to approach useful hydrogen storage capacity at reasonable temperatures and pressures. Graphene has an extremely high surface-area-to-weight ratio, is strong, cheap, chemically inert, and environmentally benign. As such it may be an ideal substrate for hydrogen storage. Here we present synthesis of graphene foam by combustion of sodium ethoxide. This technique is low-cost, scalable, and results in a three-dimensional graphene network with a surface area of more than 1200 m²/g. It is applied as a hydrogen storage material at liquid nitrogen temperature, with a capacity of 2.1 wt%.     

从稀土矿石浸出液中分离稀土元素 1.用离子交换树脂从矿石浸出液中吸附稀土

用001×7阳离子交换树脂可以从矿石浸出液中吸附稀土元素。小型试验与扩大试验表明,采用流化床设备进行连续逆流离子交换是可行的。     

Vapor barrier properties of polycaprolactone montmorillonite nanocomposites: effect of clay dispersion

Different compositions of poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) and (organo-modified) montmorillonite were prepared by melt blending or catalyzed ring opening polymerization of ε-caprolactone. Microphase composites were obtained by direct melt blending of PCL and sodium montmorillonite (MMT-Na⁺). Exfoliated nanocomposites were obtained by in situ ring opening polymerization of ε-caprolactone with an organo-modified montmorillonite (MMT-(OH)₂) by using dibutyltin dimethoxide as an initiator/catalyst. Intercalated nanocomposites were formed either by melt blending with organo-modified montmorillonite or in situ polymerization within sodium montmorillonite. The barrier properties were studied for water vapor and dichloromethane as an organic solvent. The sorption (S) and the zero concentration diffusion coefficient (D₀) were evaluated for both vapors. The water sorption increases with increasing the MMT content, particularly for the microcomposites containing the unmodified MMT-Na⁺. The thermodynamic diffusion parameters, D₀, were compared to the value of the parent PCL: both microcomposites and intercalated nanocomposites show diffusion parameters very near to PCL. At variance exfoliated nanocomposites show much lower values, even for small montmorillonite content. In the case of the organic vapor, the value of sorption at low relative pressure is mainly dominated by the amorphous fraction present in the samples, not showing any preferential adsorption on the inorganic component. At high relative pressure the isotherms showed an exponential increase of sorption, due to plasticization of the polyester matrix. The D₀ parameters were also compared to those of the unfilled PCL; in this case, both the exfoliated and the intercalated samples showed lower values, due to a more tortuous path for the penetrant molecules.     

A Study of Surface Wetting When Coating Paper

Abstract

The objective of this work will be to look at basic micro-level simulations of liquid state and movement. Defining liquid movement at fiber-coating boundaries is essential when modeling surface wetting of paper fibers. Drying studies have shown that chemical additives in base paper or coating color may reduce or increase quality, productivity, and energy efficiency considerably. The latest question is, Which are the factors that are significantly influencing liquid movement at fiber-coating boundaries? A phenomenon of less liquid drainage at lower paper moisture content is studied in this work together with the fiber hornification process. Fiber hornification is a complex change in the physicochemical properties of the fiber surface and the state of boundary molecules. Another important objective is to show how hornification may be accounted for in basic calculations. This while, printing properties of paper (mottling, etc.), may then be connected to the formation of the base paper and its drying history, explaining in more detail the importance of microlevel physicochemical property changes at fiber surfaces.