Synthesis and characterization of MCM-41-supported nano zirconia catalysts

Series of MCM-41 supported sulfated Zirconia (SZ) catalysts with different loadings (2.5–7.5% wt.) were prepared using direct impregnation method. The acquired solid catalysts were characterized structurally and chemically using X-RD, HRTEM, BET, FT-IR, Raman spectroscopy and TPD analysis. The acidity of the solid catalysts was investigated through cumene cracking and isopropanol dehydration at different temperatures. As the SZ loading increases, the surface acidity of the mesoporous catalysts was enhanced, this was reflected by the higher catalytic activity toward cumene cracking and isopropanol dehydration.     

Preparation of freestanding and crack-free titania–silica aerogels and their performance for gas phase, photocatalytic oxidation of VOCs

Freestanding and crack-free titania–silica aerogels with high titanium content (i.e., Ti/Si = 1) were successfully prepared by adjusting the hydrolysis of the two alkoxide precursors to a comparable rate during the sol–gel processing. Two titania–silica aerogels were prepared by ethanol and CO₂ supercritical drying methods. Well-dispersed, nanometer-sized anatase crystal domains (ca. 10 nm) were crystallized by high temperature, ethanol supercritical drying. The crystalline domains were solidly anchored to the aerogel network by Ti–O–Si bonds. Titania–silica aerogels prepared by CO₂ supercritical drying method were devoid of TiO₂ crystals. A molecular-level mixing was achieved and anatase TiO₂ was only crystallized with difficulty by high temperature calcination (1073 K). Both aerogels were mesoporous and displayed similar open pore structure that is readily accessible to reactant molecules. However, only the titania–silica aerogel with anatase TiO₂ prepared by ethanol supercritical drying was active for the gas phase, photocatalytic oxidation of volatile organic compounds (i.e., isopropanol and trichloroethylene). Catalysts prepared from Degussa P25 TiO₂ displayed lower activity under similar reaction conditions.     

Zeolite filled polyimide membranes for dehydration of isopropanol through pervaporation process

Six mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) were prepared using zeolites of 4A and ZSM-5 incorporated in polyimide of Matrimid 5218. Effects of filler type on membrane morphology and pervaporation performance of MMMs were investigated using isopropanol dehydration. In addition, effects of operating temperature (30, 40, 50, and 60 °C), feed water concentration (10, 20, 30, and 40 wt.%) and permeate side pressure (0 and 15 torr) on pervaporation performance were studied. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis showed there were good adhesion between the fillers and the polymer matrix. Zeolite 4A has a better contact with the polymer phase and thereby nearly no void is formed in the MMM structure. Pervaporation were performed based on L16 array of Taguchi method for design of experiments. The results showed that the best separation condition is achieved at temperature, feed water concentration, and permeate pressure of 30 °C, 10 wt.% water and 0 torr, respectively. Selectivities of zeolites 4A and ZSM-5 filled MMMs were calculated as 8991 and 3904 compared with 1276 measured for the neat Matrimid 5218 membrane. Permeation rates of the zeolite 4A and ZSM-5 filled MMMs and the neat polymeric membrane were found to be 0.018, 0.016, and 0.013 kg/m² h, respectively.     

Electrophoretic deposition of hydroxyapatite nanostructured coatings with controlled porosity

Hydroxyapatite (HA) coatings with controlled porosity were prepared by electrophoretic deposition (EPD) method. Carbon black (CB) particles were used as the sacrificial template (porogen agent). Two component suspensions containing different concentrations of HA and CB particles were prepared in isopropanol. It was found that the finer and positively charged HA nanoparticles are heterocoagulated on the coarser and negatively charged CB particles to form CB–HA composite particles with net positive charge. The deposition rate from the suspensions with WR (C_CB/C_HA ratio) of 0.25 was faster than that of those with WR: 0.5 at initial times of EPD. However the situation was reversed at longer EPD times. It was also found that the amount of porosity in the coatings increases as the CB concentration in the suspension increases (15%, 24%, 31%, 43% for the coatings deposited from the suspensions with 20 g/L HA nanoparticles and 0, 5, 10 and 20 g/L CB particles, respectively).     

Comparing Al-SBA-15 Support and Pt/Al-SBA-15 Catalyst: Changes in Al Speciation and Acidic Properties Induced by the Introduction of Pt via Aqueous Medium

Differences between the acidic properties of silicoaluminic Pt-containing catalysts and those assessed on their parent supports have been reported in the literature and attributed to the presence of the metal nanoparticles and to their influence on the acid sites. It is shown here that for mesoporous materials containing various types of Al species, an alternative explanation can be proposed. ²⁷Al NMR spectroscopy, FTIR of adsorbed CO and probe catalytic tests suggest the redistribution of aluminium atoms upon contact of the parent support with the aqueous solution containing the Pt precursor. Upon contact with water and thermal treatment, strong and mild Brønsted sites (Si–O(H)–Al) transform into strong Lewis sites (isolated tetracoordinated Al atoms). As a consequence, it may not be straightforward to deduce the acidic properties of metal-containing catalysts supported on Al-containing mesoporous materials from those of the bare support, because the surface species may differ significantly.     

异丙醇水溶液尿素脱蜡技术生产液体石蜡

通过国内异丙醇水溶液尿素脱蜡技术与国内外尿素脱蜡及分子筛脱蜡技术的比较，说明在我国目前资金紧张，缺少外汇的情况下，采用国内的异丙醇水溶液尿素脱蜡技术生产液体石蜡具有一定的优势，此技术值得采用与发展。     

Alcohol Precipitation of Xanthan Gum from Pure Solutions and Fermentation Broths

Abstract

Xanthan gum was precipitated from pure solutions and fermentation broths using either ethanol, isopropanol, or tert-butanol. The compositions of the precipitate and supernatant phases were determined as a function of alcohol concentration and used to construct binodal solubility curves with tie lines. Xanthan did not precipitate at bulk-mixture alcohol concentrations below 37.5% (wt) for ethanol, 35% for isopropanol, and 31% for tert-butanol. As the alcohol concentration increased beyond this point, the precipitates first were heavy gels with low xanthan concentrations. At higher alcohol concentrations, the precipitates were compact and fibrous. The maximum xanthan concentration in the precipitate was 14.5% at 60% ethanol, 23.5% at 50% isopropanol, and 33.5% at 40% tert-butanol in the pure solution precipitation experiments. At alcohol concentrations beyond 75%, the precipitates were brittle and needle-like, which made separation from the supernatant difficult. The results for the fermentation broth experiments were very similar to those of the pure solution experiments. Thus, precipitation using ethanol required the highest alcohol usage and resulted in the lowest xanthan concentration in the precipitate. Conversely, tert-butanol required the least alcohol for precipitation and formed the precipitates highest in xanthan concentration.     

Improving efficiency of planar hybrid CH3NH3PbI3−xClx perovskite solar cells by isopropanol solvent treatment

Hybrid organic/inorganic perovskite planar heterojunction (PHJ) solar cells are becoming one of the most competitive emerging technologies. Here, the devices (ITO/PEDOT:PSS/CH₃NH₃PbI_3−xCl_x/PC₆₀BM/C₆₀/Al) are fabricated based on solution process. A power conversion efficiency (PCE) up to 13.1% was obtained after isopropanol (IPA) solvent treatment, which was 9% improvement than that of the original devices. Photocurrent hysteresis could be reduced to a certain extent by introducing IPA treatment. Solvent treatment can remove as-grown impurities like CH₃NH₃I and defects formed during the device fabrication. We also demonstrated the electrical and optical properties of perovskite films were improved. The addition of IPA-treated facilitates the formation of a relatively smooth PC₆₀BM films. This work provides a very simple but effective strategy to enhance the power conversion efficiency of perovskite solar cells.     

Evaluation of Surface Acido-Basic Properties of Inorganic-Based Solids by Model Catalytic Alcohol Reaction Networks

The characterization of acido-basic properties of the surface of inorganic solids is essential to understand the behavior of catalysts during heterogeneous catalyzed reactions. The use of alcohols as reactive probe molecules to investigate these properties has been developed since the 1970s, and in 1991, a new alcohol, 2-methylbut-3-yn-2-ol (MBOH), was proposed. This review sums up the knowledge accumulated for 15 years on this model reaction network and compares its advantages with those of other alcohols. The operating conditions are reviewed, and deactivation phenomena are analyzed. Then, from investigations of correlations with other techniques able to reveal the acido-basic properties of surfaces, it is concluded that MBOH appears to be the most valuable reactive probe molecule as the nature of the sites involved in the different routes of its network is unambiguous. The links that may exist between the rate of a model reaction and the thermodynamic acido-basic properties of the surface are then discussed. It is shown that even when true kinetics parameters are available, they are not necessarily correlated to thermodynamic parameters. What can be expected from a model reaction network is to evaluate the reactivity of a surface along an acidic or a basic route. In basic sites, this reactivity may be related to the nucleophilicity of the surface or to the way the deprotonated intermediate is stabilized on the surface. It can be used to follow the modifications of a series of materials during synthesis and to identify the factors governing a reaction of practical interest.     

Cleaning Efficiency of Amino‐Acid Surfactants with Polyoxyethylene Ether and Isopropanol in Liquid Carbon Dioxide

Although anionic surfactants have a distinct positive influence on the removal of particulate soil, the removal of particulate soils is insufficient in CO₂ compared to perchloroethylene. A series of amino‐acid surfactants was selected as main surfactants to study the influence of polyoxyethylene ether and cosolvent on the cleaning effect. Glu‐C12 and C16(3) gave the best cleaning results, which increased from a detergency value of 4.6 when no surfactants were used to 8.32 when surfactants were used. In all experiments, charged anionic surfactant particles were formed, which are responsible for the removal of particulate soil from fabric by electrostatic repulsion. The use of a cosolvent (Isopropanol [IPA]) had a positive effect on the removal of particulate soil when using Glu‐C12 and TX‐45. However, for other compounding combinations, the addition of IPA had a negative effect on particulate soil removal. Of the cosolvents investigated, IPA was the most suitable. With the polarity of the system increasing after adding IPA, the ethylene oxide groups of TX‐45 were partially extended to CO₂. Through the steric effects of branched methyl groups, the cleaning effect was improved.