Prediction of the concentration polarization in the nanofiltration/reverse osmosis of dilute multi-ionic solutions

The aim of this work was to develop a simple and accurate model for predicting the concentration polarization index in the nanofiltration (NF)/reverse osmosis (RO) of dilute multi-ionic solutions. On the grounds of this model, the total flux of the ion i at the feed-solution/membrane interface consists of the sum of the diffusion, convection and migration fluxes, the former of which is determined by conventional mass-transfer correlations duly corrected to take into account the permeation through the membrane (suction effect). The coupling of the ionic fluxes is enforced by the electroneutrality requirement at the feed-solution/membrane interface. The model developed dispenses with the arbitrary assumption of the thickness of a film layer in the vicinity of the membrane surface.

Assessing the accuracy/validity of this model with multi-ionic solutions would be rather harsh, thus the model accuracy and ranges of validity were ascertained for a benchmark case: NF/RO of single salt solutions. The model predicts approximate concentration polarization indexes of the salts A⁺B⁻, A⁺₂B²⁻ and A⁺₃B³⁻ (or A²B⁻₂ and A³⁺B⁻₃) with positive deviations lower than 10% with respect to the benchmark concentration polarization index, for ions diffusivities ratios, D₁/D₂ (or D₂/D₁), in the range 0.16–5.5 and ≡J_v/k_c<3, where J_v is the permeation flux and k_c is the mass-transfer coefficient of the salt for vanishing mass-transfer rates at impermeable walls. The main assumption of the model – the individual mass-transfer coefficients of the ions are independent of each other – appears to hold in a broad range of conditions, for single salt solutions.

The model developed was expeditely applied to predict the concentration polarization in the nanofiltration of solutions containing Na⁺, Cl⁻ and a dye³⁻ (experimental data of Bowen and Mohammad [AIChE J. 44 (8) (1998) 1799–1812]), and its predictions are in fair agreement with the predictions of the extended Nernst–Planck equations in the film layer of the “slowest” ion.     

Guest and host deuterium effects of the large ZFS parameters D of dimethylbenzaldehydes in durene single crystals

The ZFS parameters D of 2,4-, 2,5- and 3,4-dimethylbenzaldehyde-1h₁ and -1d₁ guests in perhydrogenated and perdeuterated durene single crystals are determined by comparing the experimental and calculated resonance curves. It is found that the deuterium substitution of the guest aldehydic group in a given host leads to the decrease of the D values and to the increase of the energy gaps ΔE_T between the zero-point levels of the ³nπ* and ³ππ* states of the guests. On the other hand, the perdeuteration of the host results in the decrease of ΔE_T with a corresponding increase of the D value of a given guest. The D value of 1 cm⁻¹ determined for 2,5-dimethylbenzaldehyde-1h₁ in perdeuterated durene is the lategest ever found for an aromatic carbonyl compound. Correlations between D and ΔE_T indicate that the ZFS parameters D of the guests are determined by contributions from both spin-spin and spin-orbit interactions between the ³nπ* and ³ππ* states. The large guest and host deuterium effects observed on the D values are attributed to the changes of the gaps ΔE_T of the guests.     

Syntheses and structural determination of nine-coordinate K3[Nd(nta)2(H2O)]·6H2O and K3[Er(nta)2(H2O)]·5H2O

The syntheses and structural determination of Nd^III and Er^III complexes with nitrilotriacetic acid (nta) were reported in this paper. Their crystal and molecular structures and compositions were determined by single-crystal X-ray structure analyses and elemental analyses, respectively. The crystal of K₃[Nd^III(nta)₂(H₂O)]·6H₂O complex belongs to monoclinic crystal system and C2/c space group. The crystal data are as follows: a=1.5490(11) nm, b=1.3028(9) nm, c=2.6237(18) nm, β=96.803(10)°, V=5.257(6) nm³, Z=8, M=763.89, D_c=1.930 g cm⁻³, μ=2.535 mm⁻¹ and F(000)=3048. The final R₁ and wR₁ are 0.0390 and 0.0703 for 4501 (I>2σ(I)) unique reflections, R₂ and wR₂ are 0.0758 and 0.0783 for all 10474 reflections, respectively. The Nd^IIIN₂O₇ part in the [Nd^III(nta)₂(H₂O)]³⁻ complex anion has a pseudo-monocapped square antiprismatic nine-coordinate structure in which the eight coordinate atoms (two N and six O) are from the two nta ligands and a water molecule coordinate to the central Nd^III ion directly. The crystal of the K₃[Er^III(nta)₂(H₂O)]·5H₂O complex also belongs to monoclinic crystal system and C2/c space group. The crystal data are as follows: a=1.5343(5) nm, b=1.2880(4) nm, c=2.6154(8) nm, b=96.033(5)°, V=5.140(3) nm³, Z=8, M=768.89, D_c=1.987 g cm⁻³, μ=3.833 mm⁻¹ and F(000)=3032. The final R₁ and wR₁ are 0.0321 and 0.0671 for 4445 (I>2σ(I)) unique reflections, R₂ and wR₂ are 0.0432 and 0.0699 for all 10207 reflections, respectively. The Er^IIIN₂O₇ part in the [Er^III(nta)₂(H₂O)]³⁻ complex anion has the same structure as Nd^IIIN₂O₇ part in which the eight coordinate atoms (two N and six O) are from the two nta ligands and a water molecule coordinate to the central Nd^III ion directly.     

Molecular structure of 4,4′-sulfandiyl-bis-thiophenol from electron diffraction

The molecular structure of 4,4′-sulfanidyl-bis-thiophenol (C₁₂H₁₀S₃) has been determined by gas electron diffraction. Assuming identical geometry and D_2h local symmetry for ---SC₆H₄S--- moieties, the following bond lengths (r_g) and bond angles were obtained: C---H = 1.101 ± 0.005, S---H = 1.388 ± 0.019, (C---C)_mean = 1.400 ± 0.003, (S---C)_mean = 1.778 ± 0.004 Å, C_ar---S---C_ar = 103.5 ± 1.3, C---C(S)---C = 120.4 ± 0.3, C(H)---C(H)---H = 119.1 ± 0.9 and C---S---H = 94.6 ± 3.1°. Two ratational forms were found to reproduce the experimental data, characterized by dihedral angles of the benzene rings with respect to the C_arSC_ar plane; ₁ = 67.8 ± 2.0°, ₂ = 4.5 ± 7.2°, and ₁ = 69.4 ± 2.0δ, ₂ = −26.6 ± 7.1°. Identical signs of ₁ and ₂ indicate that the two benzene rings are rotated in the same direction about the respective S_central---C axes.     

(2,6-Diphenyl) phenyl methacrylate—2. Radical copolymerization with methyl methacrylate. The Tgs of its copolymers with an addendum on the polymerization of (2,6-diphenyl) phenyl acrylate

The radical copolymerization of (2,6-diphenyl) phenyl methacrylate (1) with methyl methacrylate in DMF with AIBN at 70°C has the reactivity ratios r₁ = 0.071 and r₂ = 1.42, from which Q₁ = 1.45 and e₁ = 1.20. The copolymers had M_ns in the range of 10,000–40,000 and T_gs ranging from 406 to 480 K from which the hypothetical T_g for poly-1 was deduced as 500 K (227°C). Unlike 1, (2,6-diphenyl) phenyl acrylate could be polymerized to oligomers with M_n of the order of 2500.     

Infrared study of the rotational diffusion of allene in carbon sulfide

The profiles of the parallel and perpendicular bands ν₆ and ν₁₀ of allene in CS₂ and their temperature dependence have been studied. These profiles are sensibly lorentzian and consequently allow us to derive the components D and D of the rotational diffusion tensor and the corresponding activation energies; the accuracy of the results is discussed. In particular, it is not possible to determine unambiguously whether the activation energies U_| and U are equal or different but, whichever the case, the ratio D/D is of the order of 10. An application test of the extended J rotational diffusion model shows that the results concurrently obtained for the ν₆ and ν₁₀ bands are incompatible with this model and we come to the conclusion that the rotation of allene about its various axes is anisotropic.     

Flow injection analysis methods for determination of diffusion coefficients

Two flow injection analyses (FIA) methods for the determination of diffusion coefficients in a straight single tube FIA system were developed. Based on the analytical solution of the convection-diffusion equation, linear relationships of the logarithmic values of the dispersion coefficient (D) and the half-peak width (W_1/2) with the diffusion coefficient (D_m) were obtained. Experiments were designed to verify these methods. For example, for potassium hexacyanoferrate (III) a D_m value of 0.72 × 10⁵ cm² s⁻¹ was found versus a literature value of 0.76 × 10⁵ cm² s⁻¹ (error, 5%). For potassium hexacyanoferrate (II) a D_m value of 0.67 × 10⁵ cm² s⁻¹ was obtained versus a literature value of 0.63 × 10⁵ cm² s⁻¹ (error, 6%). The diffusion coefficients of some important biomedical compounds, such as dopamine, epinephrine, norepinephrine and ascorbic acid, were then determined. The values of 10⁵ D_m/cm² s⁻¹ are 0.60 ± 0.03, 0.44 ± 0.02, 0.60 ± 0.01 and 0.68 ± 0.06, respectively.     

Measurement of binary diffusion coefficient from impulse response curve having extremely low absorbance intensity under supercritical condition by noise elimination technique

A noise elimination technique was applied to the determination of binary diffusion coefficients D₁₂ from the response curves having extremely low absorbance intensities in impulse response methods under supercritical conditions of carbon dioxide. The effectiveness of this technique was experimentally examined for the analyses of response curves through both the curve-fitting and the moment methods in two cases: the chromatographic impulse response method for phenol and β-carotene with a polymer-coated capillary column, and the Taylor dispersion method for acetone with an uncoated capillary column. Unreliable D₁₂ values were obtained from the moment method of the response curves at lower absorbance intensities, even treated with noise elimination. The curve-fitting method with the noise elimination treatment was quite effective for determining the D₁₂ values accurately, and was valid at the lowest absorbance intensities, on the order of 10⁻⁴ absorbance unit of UV-Vis multi-detector, corresponding to the smallest quantity of the solute, i.e. 6×10⁻⁵, 6×10⁻⁶, and 5×10⁻² μ mol for phenol, β-carotene, and acetone, respectively, under conditions studied. Infinite dilution regions for binary diffusion coefficients were obtained by injecting various amounts: the binary diffusion coefficients showed constant values at concentrations less than 0.6, 0.004, and 0.08 mol m⁻³ for phenol, β-carotene, and acetone, respectively, in supercritical carbon dioxide at 313.2 K and 16–18 MPa.     

利用强度调制光电流/光电压谱研究碳点/KOH电解液界面的动力学行为

通过强度调制光电流谱(IMPS)和强度调制光电压谱(IMVS)技术研究在光电分解水制氢体系中碳点光阳极与KOH电解液界面的动力学行为。结果表明,光强在30–90 m W·cm~(-2)范围内,界面的电子传输时间(τ_d)、电子寿命(τ_n)、电子扩散系数(D_n)、电子扩散长度(L_n)均没有变化;当光强增加到110和130 m W·cm~(-2)时,τ_d和τ_n延长,而D_n减小。实验表明,不同于Ti O_2/电解液等界面,碳点光电极/电解液界面中碳点电极存在的缺陷少,因此电子主要以无陷阱限制扩散方式传输为主。且在30–130 m W·cm~(-2)的光强范围内,与τ_d和τ_n相关的载流子收集效率(η_(cc))相近。     

Ab initio molecular orbital study of Fe2Cl6 and FeAlCl6

Ab initio molecular orbital theory was used to determine the equilibrium structure and vibrational frequencies of Fe₂Cl₆ and FeAlCl₆. The equilibrium structure the Fe₂Cl₆ dimer has D_2h symmetry with a planar arrangement of the four membered {FeCl_brFeCl_br} ring, similar to the Al₂Cl₆ dimer. The calculated bond distances and vibrational frequencies are in good agreement with experiment. The potential energy surface for the puckering of the {FeCl_brFeCl_br} ring is extremely flat. This prevents an unambiguous assignment of either D_2h or C_2v symmetry to the Fe₂Cl₆ structure in electron diffraction measurements. The FeAlCl₆ molecule is found to have a C_2v structure similar to Fe₂Cl₆ with vibrational frequencies in good agreement with experiment.     

Stretched exponential survival statistics for microorganisms in radiation field

The so-called concave or tailed survival curves are reported both for multi and single species bacterial populations. Taking as an example Bacillus pumilus, frequently encountered in decontamination studies, it is shown that the tailed survival curves are adequately described by stretched (0<<1) exponential SF=exp[−(D/D₀)], where SF denotes the fraction of species surviving the irradiation dose D, D₀ is the effective dose, and is the dispersion parameter interpreted phenomenologically in terms of radiation sensivity distribution for single species population under the given experimental conditions.     

三环已基锡L-扁桃酸酯配合物的合成、结构及性质

三环己基氢氧化锡与L-扁桃酸(物质的量比1:1)在苯和乙醇混合溶剂中反应合成了三环己基锡L-扁桃酸酯。 经X射线衍射方法测定了其晶体结构,配合物属斜方晶系,空间群为P2₁2₁2₁,晶体学参数a=0.80825(4) nm,b=1.77151(8) nm,c=1.8385(2) nm,α=β=γ=90°,V=2.6324(2) nm³,Z=4,D_c=1.310 g/nm³,μ(MoKα)=9.92 cm^-1,F(000)=1080,R₁=0.0472,wR₂=0.1341。 中心锡原子与环己基碳原子和氧原子构成畸型四面体。 对其结构进行量子化学从头计算,探讨了配合物的稳定性、分子轨道能量以及一些前沿分子轨道的组成特征。 研究了配合物的热稳定性、电化学性能、圆二色谱和体外抗癌活性。     

The molecular structure of beryllocene, (C5H5)2Be. A reinvestigation by gas phase electron diffraction

The electron scattering pattern of gaseous dicyclopentadienylberyllium, Cp₂Be, has been recorded from s = 2.00 to 39.00 Å⁻¹ with a nozzle temperature of about 120°C. Molecular models of D_5d symmetry or models containing one π-bonded and one σ-bonded Cp ring are not compatible with the data. The possibility the gaseous Cp₂Be consists fo a mixture D_5d and π-Cp, σ-Cp conformers is considered and rejected. A model of C_5v symmetry can be brought into satisfactory agreement with the data. It is also found that a slip sandwich model obtained from the C_5v model by moving sideways the ring which is at the greatest distance from Be, while keeping the two rings essentially parallel is compatible with the electron diffraction data. The best fit between experimental and calculated intensity curves is obtained with a model with a sideways slip of 0.8(1) Å. This model is similar to that indicated by the X-ray diffraction investigations by Wong and coworkers [4,5]. It is suggested that the potential energy of the molecule does not change much as the magnitude of the slip changes and that the molecule thus undergoes large amplitude vibration.     

Configurational Selectivity Study of Two-dimensional Covalent Organic Frameworks Isomers Containing D2h and C2 Building Blocks

The isomerization of covalent organic frameworks(COFs) materials is still a mysterious and attractive topic. Diversified monomer structures are still urgently needed to explore the in-depth mechanism of isomerization in these special COFs. This work provides a new D_2h monomer for the construction of [D_2h+C₂] 2D COFs isomers. A new D_2h monomer adopted here was proven to tend to form a single pore framework structure.     

Surface modification of γ-alumina membranes by silane coupling for CO2 separation

Top layers of γ-Al₂O₃ composite membranes have been modified by the silane coupling technique using phenyltriethoxysilane for improving the separation factor of CO₂ to N₂. The separation efficiency of the modified membranes was strongly dependent upon the hydroxylation tendency of the support materials and the amount of the special functional group (i.e. phenyl radical) which was coupled onto a top layer. The separation factor through the TiO₂ supported γ-Al₂O₃ membrane was found to be fairly enhanced by silane coupling, but in case of the -Al₂O₃ supported membrane was not. The CO₂/N₂ separation factor through the modified γ-Al₂O₃/TiO₂ composite membrane is 1.7 at 90°C and ΔP = 2 × 10⁵ Pa for the binary mixture containing 50 vol% CO₂. The separation factor is proportional to the CO₂ concentration in the gas mixture, and the modified membrane is stable up to 100°C. The main mechanism of the CO₂ transport through the modified γ-Al₂O₃ layer is known to be a surface diffusion.     

Gas-phase stability of cluster ions SF m + (SF6) n with m = 0–5 and n = 1–3

The gas-phase stabilities of cluster ions SF⁺_m (SF₆)_n with m = 0−5 were determined by using a high pressure mass spectrometer. The bond energies of SF⁺_m (SF₆)₁ were found to be less than 10 kcal/mol and to decrease with m = 0 → 5. There appear to be rather large gaps in the bond energies between n = 1 and 2 for the clusters SF⁺_m (SF₆)_n with m = 0−4. The structures of SF⁺₅, SF⁺ (SF₆)₁, SF⁺₃ (SF₆)₁, and SF⁺₅ (SF₆)₁ were investigated by ab initio molecular orbital calculations. For SF⁺₅, the D_3h geometry is found to be most stable andC_4v is a transition state of the Berry pseudorotation. For the ion-molecule complexes, the “on-top hat” models were found to be the most stable structures.     

Model of silicooxygen ring vibrations

In order to assign the bands in the IR spectra of silicates to the appropriate normal vibrations, a vibrational model has been proposed. A complex silicooxygen ring is considered as a ‘unit cell' composed of the appropriate number of [SiO₄]⁴⁻ tetrahedra. According to this model, in the ring silicates spectra we have to observe bands due to internal vibrations of individual tetrahedra and bands corresponding exclusively to the ring structure. Change in the tetrahedra symmetry from T_d (ideal tetrahedron) to C_2v (tetrahedron in a ring) and then to the ring symmetry: D_3h, D_4h and D_6h (ideal rings) with respect to reducible representations makes it possible to differentiate between the bands due to ring structure (pseudo-lattice vibrations) and internal modes of tetrahedra. It has been established that in the case of all ideal rings there is only one IR active vibrational mode, namely the one symmetric with respect to the axis of the highest fold, i.e. A₂″ in the case of 3-membered rings and A_2u in the case of 4- and 6-membered rings. The model proposed has been verified for different membered ring silicates.     

Theoretical study on the aromaticity of the bimetallic clusters X2M2 (X=Si, Ge, M=Al, Ga)

Four neutral bimetallic clusters X₂M₂ (X=Si, Ge, M=Al, Ga) are investigated using density functional theory (DFT) and post-HF methods. The calculated results show that each of four X₂M₂ species has two energetically close stable isomers with rhombic structure (D_2h symmetry) and trapezoidal structure (C_2v symmetry) respectively. For the Ge₂Al₂ species the rhombic (D_2h) isomer is the ground state, whereas for other three species Ge₂Ga₂, Si₂Al₂, and Si₂Ga₂, the trapezoidal (C_2v) isomers are the ground states. The calculated magnetic susceptibility anisotropy (χ_anis) and nucleus-independent chemical shift (NICS) indicate that a strong diatropic ring current exists in the two heterocyclic planar isomers, suggesting they are highly aromatic. A detailed molecular orbital analysis further reveals that both heterocyclic isomers possess multiple aromaticity derived from one delocalized π MOs and two delocalized σ MOs.     

Strong antiferromagnetism in the dinuclear 2-pyridone complex with N–C–O bridges: A paddle-wheel analogue of the dinuclear tetracarboxylates

A novel dinuclear complex [Cu₂(μ-L)₄(HL)₂] (1) was isolated from starting 2-pyridone (HL) via a resonance and a tautomeric transformation. Each copper centre is in a square-pyramidal coordination sphere, defined by two oxygen atoms (Cu–O4 1.978(5), Cu–O11 1.964(4) Å) and two nitrogen atoms (Cu–N2 2.003(5), Cu–N3 2.007(5) Å) of four bridging deprotonated pyridin-2-olates and an oxygen atom on the top from a neutral 2-pyridone (Cu–O2 2.227(5) Å), analogous to tetracarboxylate paddle-wheel complexes. Compound 1 was compared with mixed pyridin-2-olato/methanoato analogues [Cu₂(μ-HCO₂)₂(μ-L)₂(HL)₂] · 2CH₃CN (2) and [Cu₂(μ-HCO₂)₂(μ-L)₂(HL)₂] (2a) (2a is an air stable form obtained from 2 outside mother-liquid). The EPR spectra of air stable 1 and 2a show three signals H_z1, H₂ and H_z2, typical for the binuclear systems with spin S = 1, both revealing strong antiferromagnetism 2J = −334 (1) and −324 cm⁻¹ (2a). Interestingly, only for 1 additional H₁ signal at 100 mT is noticed (D(1) = 0.293 cm⁻¹ < hν = 0.320 cm⁻¹ < D(2a) = 0.347 cm⁻¹). On the other hand, several broad signals in the 100–450 mT region, only in the high temperature spectrum for 2a are observed. These results are in agreement with the magnetic susceptibility analysis.     

高浓度乳液稳定性评价方法及其应用

分散相液滴的粒径及其分布是影响乳液性质的重要因素,其随时间及环境的变化可用于评价乳液的稳定性。动态光散射等方法难以用于准确测量高浓度乳液液滴粒径。本文报道了一种可用于准确、高效测量乳液液滴粒径的成像表征方法。该方法采用荧光染料标记乳液液滴,利用激光扫描共聚焦荧光显微成像技术获取三张焦平面间距确定的乳液光学切片,由光学切片给出的乳液液滴表观直径计算进而确定所测量乳液液滴的粒径。我们将上述方法用于表征高浓度原油模拟物-水乳液的稳定性,结果表明本文提出的方法可以准确、高效地测量乳液液滴的抗凝聚稳定性,而目前广泛采用的"瓶试法"则难以反映乳液液滴的抗凝聚稳定性。