Modification of the Peng–Robinson equation of state for helium in low temperature regions

Helium shows the nearest behaviour to ideal gas in the room conditions. In contrast, thermodynamic behaviour of helium in the critical region, in which its liquefaction is possible, is extremely complicated. The equation of state (EOS), which is in common use for helium, is the modified Benedict–Webb–Rubin (MBWR) EOS developed by McCarty and Arp which is a 13th-order equation with 32 substance-dependent parameters. MBWR is a complicated EOS and its use is time consuming. In this work, the modified Peng–Robinson EOS introduced by Feyzi et al. is customised with 10 adjustable parameters for helium in the temperature range of 2.20–15.20 K and pressures up to 16 bar. The proposed EOS is able to predict the properties of helium in the vapour–liquid equilibrium (VLE) conditions and in the single gas-phase region. In addition, a temperature-dependent correlation for constant pressure heat capacity of helium from very low up to normal temperatures is proposed. The liquefaction process of helium, which is being done by cooling it to very low temperatures by passing through a Joule–Thomson valve, is predicted by the proposed EOS. Very accurate results are observed.     

Hylleraas–Configuration Interaction calculations on the 11S ground state of helium atom

Hylleraas–Configuration Interaction (Hy–CI) calculations on the ground 1¹S state of helium atom are presented using s-, p-, d-, and f-Slater orbitals of both real and complex form. Techniques of construction of adapted configurations, optimization of the orbital exponents, and structure of the wave function expansion are explored. A new method to evaluate the two-electron kinetic energy integrals occurring in the Hy–CI method has been tested in this work and compared with other methods. The non-relativistic Hy–CI energy values are ≈10 picohartree accurate, about 2.2 × 10^?6 cm^?1. The Hy–CI calculations are compared with Configuration Interaction (CI) and Hylleraas (Hy) calculations employing the same orbital basis set, same computer code, and same computer machines. The computational required times are reported.     

Physical and analytical characteristics of an atmospheric pressure argon–helium radiofrequency capacitively coupled plasma

A very low power radiofrequency capacitively coupled plasma (13.56 MHz, 5–70 W), was generated in our laboratory on a sharp Kanthal tip without any counter electrode, as an intrinsic part of RLC series resonant circuit. Physical characteristics of this plasma obtained in Ar–He mixture, were studied as function of observation height or gas mixture composition. The excitation temperature of Ar (1500–2100 K), He (3000–3500 K) and H (2500–3200 K), the rotational temperature of the OH band (1300–2900 K), the electron temperature (5500–6500 K) and the electron number density (8 · 10¹³–2 · 10¹⁴ cm^− 3) were determined. The evolution of several atomic emission lines or molecular bands was studied in order to investigate the fundamental processes that take place in such plasma. From the point of view of analytical applications it was found that the optimum conditions of excitation (most intense emission lines and lowest detection limits) are met for a 42% He in the gas mixture and an observation height of 1 mm above the electrode. The optimum atomic emission analysis parameters were established for 7 elements (Na, Li, Ca, K, Cd, Zn and Hg) using pneumatically nebulized liquid solutions. It was found that the presence of He in the plasmogenic gas has an enhancing effect on the emission intensities and detection limits.     

Solubility and thermodynamics of dissolution of helium in water at gas partial pressures of 0.1–100 MPa within a temperature range of 278–353 K

The tables of recommended numerical values for the water solubility of helium at gas partial pressures of 0.1–100 MPa within a temperature range of 278.15–353.15 K are given. The thermodynamic characteristics of dissolution of helium in water at the mentioned parameters of state have been calculated. The independence of the dissolution enthalpy on the pressure has been recognized and explained.     

The confined helium atom: An information–theoretic approach

In this article, we study the helium atom confined in a spherical impenetrable cavity by using informational measures. We use the Ritz variational method to obtain the energies and wave functions of the confined helium atom as a function of the cavity radius $r_0$. As trial wave functions we use one uncorrelated function and five explicitly correlated basis sets in Hylleraas coordinates with different degrees of electronic correlation. We computed the Shannon entropy, Fisher information, Kullback–Leibler entropy, Tsallis entropy, disequilibrium and Fisher–Shannon complexity, as a function of $r_0$. We found that these entropic measures are sensitive to electronic correlation and can be used to measure it. As expected these entropic measures are less sensitive to electron correlation in the strong confinement regime ( a.u.).     

Theoretical investigation of rotationally inelastic collisions of CH2(ã) with helium

Rotationally inelastic collisions of the CH(2) molecule in its a?(1)A(1) electronic state have been investigated. We have determined a potential energy surface (PES) for the interaction of rigid CH(2)(a?), frozen at its equilibrium geometry, with a helium atom, using a coupled-cluster method that includes all single and double excitations, as well as perturbative contributions of connected triple excitations [RSSCD(T)]. The PES is quite anisotropic, due to lack of electron density in the unoccupied CH(2) non-bonding orbital perpendicular to the molecular plane. Quantum scattering calculations have been carried out to compute state-to-state rotational energy transfer and elastic depolarization cross sections at collision energies up to 2400 cm(-1). These cross sections were thermally averaged to derive room-temperature rate constants. The total removal and elastic depolarization rate constants for the ortho k(a) = 1 levels agree well with recent experimental measurements by Hall, Sears, and their co-workers. We observe a strong even-odd alternation in the magnitude of the total rate constants which we attribute to the asymmetry splitting of the k(a) = 1 levels.     

The submersion of sodium clusters in helium nanodroplets: identification of the surface → interior transition

The submersion of sodium clusters beyond a critical size in helium nanodroplets, which has recently been predicted on theoretical grounds, is demonstrated for the first time. Confirmation of a clear transition from a surface location, which occurs for alkali atoms and small clusters, to full immersion for larger clusters, is provided by identifying the threshold electron energy required to initiate Na(n) cluster ionization. On the basis of these measurements, a lower limit for the cluster size required for submersion, n ≥ 21, has been determined. This finding is consistent with the recent theoretical prediction.     

Thermogravimetric analysis with gas chromatograph mass spectrometry of Japanese fir wood (Abies sachalinensis) in helium with or without steam–oxygen

Thermal properties of a kind of Japanese fir wood (Abies sachalinensis) were thermogravimetrically analyzed and produced compounds were gas chromatograph mass spectrometrically analyzed for basic study of biomass gasification. Atmosphere during each analysis was controlled to be helium alone or helium with steam–oxygen. Compounds identified in this series of measurements were roughly classified into three groups: (a) phenol and its derivatives, (b) oxygenated cyclic compounds, and (c) oxygenated compounds of low molecule. Their production rates were dependent on both temperature and atmosphere, which well explained high carbon conversion rate from feedstock to gas of advanced gasification technologies, such as entrained-flow type gasification, and high yields of solid and liquid residues of traditional gasification technologies, such as fixed-bed type gasification.     

Studies of aminolysis of acrylonitrile–divinylbenzene–methyl methacrylate copolymers

Aminolysis of nitrilacrylate–divinylbenzene–methyl methacrylate copolymers by diethylenetriamine is studied under various conditions. The effect of temperature and catalyst concentration on the properties of synthesized anion exchangers depending on the duration of aminolysis is investigated. The conditions for synthesizing anion exchangers with high capacity characteristics are proposed according to the study results.     

Soft or hard ionization of molecules in helium nanodroplets? An electron impact investigation of alcohols and ethers

Electron impact (70 eV) mass spectra of a series of C1-C6 alcohols encased in large superfluid liquid helium nanodroplets (approximately 60,000 helium atoms) have been recorded. The presence of helium alters the fragmentation patterns when compared with the gas phase, with some ion product channels being more strongly affected than others, most notably cleavage of the C(alpha)-H bond in the parent ion to form the corresponding oxonium ion. Parent ion intensities are also enhanced by the helium, but only for the two cyclic alcohols studied, cyclopentanol and cyclohexanol, is this effect large enough to transform the parent ion from a minor product (in the gas phase) into the most abundant ion in the helium droplet experiments. To demonstrate that these findings are not unique to alcohols, we have also investigated several ethers. The results obtained for both alcohols and ethers are difficult to explain solely by rapid cooling of the excited parent ions by the surrounding superfluid helium, although this undoubtedly takes place. A second factor also seems to be involved, a cage effect which favors hydrogen atom loss over other fragmentation channels. The set of molecules explored in this work suggest that electron impact ionization of doped helium nanodroplets does not provide a sufficiently large softening effect to be useful in analytical mass spectrometry.     

Surface tension of liquid high-entropy equiatomic alloys of a Cu–Sn–Bi–In–Pb system

An experimental study of the temperature dependences of the surface tension of liquid high-entropy equiatomic alloys of a Cu–Sn–Bi–In–Pb system is conducted. Measurements are made within the temperature range of t _L to 1300°C in the mode of heating and subsequent cooling of a sample. Overcooling of a melt prior to crystallization is detected. The depth of overcooling grows along with the number of components in the melt, while the temperature coefficient of surface tension falls. The experimental results qualitatively interpreted within the concepts of the specific surface entropy of a liquid.     

Phytochemical characterization of bioactive compounds composition of Rosmarinus eriocalyx by RP–HPLC–ESI–QTOF–MS

Rosmarinus eriocalyx (rosemary or Elyazir) is an endemic species growing in arid steppe and rocky mountain in the South-West Algeria. This plant is well known in Algeria and Morocco due to its medicinal properties. However, little is known about its phytochemical composition. For this purpose, natural antioxidant compounds from R. eriocalyx were recovered by solid-liquid extraction and characterized by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry using negative and positive ionization modes. This analytical methodology enabled the characterization of 101 compounds, which were distributed in five major categories namely hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives, hydroxybenzoic acid derivatives, flavonoids, phenolic diterpenes and phenolic triterpenes. Moreover, the studied extract generally showed free radical-scavenging and reductive abilities in the range of butylated hydroxyanisole, butylated hydroxytoluene, α-tocopherol^, and ascorbic acid. Therefore, the result suggests that the aqueous-methanolic extract of R. eriocalyx could serve as a potential source of antioxidants.     

Activity of copper–cerium–zirconium catalysts in oxidation of hydrogen

We have studied the catalytic properties in oxidation of hydrogen for copper–cerium oxide systems deposited on supports obtained by calcination of yttrium-stabilized zirconium dioxide at 300–1000 °C. We have shown that the catalytic activity of the samples obtained depends on the specific surface area of the original supports and the amount of reduced copper within the composition of the catalyst. In samples whose support has high specific surface area, the content of reduced metallic copper is greater and the catalytic activity is higher.     

HPIC–UV–ICP–SFMS study of the interaction of cisplatin with guanosine monophosphate

Interaction of cis-[Pt(NH₃)₂Cl₂] (cisplatin) with 5′-guanosine monophosphate (5′-GMP) has been investigated for the first time by on-line coupling of high performance ion chromatography (HPIC) to inductively coupled plasma sector field mass spectrometry (ICP–SFMS). The time-dependent reaction course of the cisplatin-5′-GMP system was followed after incubation under simulated physiological conditions by monitoring the decrease in the concentration of 5′-GMP and the increase in the concentration of formed adducts, on the basis of speciation analysis. Because of the two-step mechanism an intermediate mono adduct was observed together with the major product, the bis adduct cis-[Pt(NH₃)₂(GMP)₂]^2–. The data obtained correlated well with those from earlier studies employing orthogonal techniques such as capillary electrophoresis (CE). Furthermore, HPIC–ICP–SFMS provided unambiguous stoichiometric information about the major GMP-adduct. For this purpose the platinum-to-phosphorus ratio was determined by simultaneously measuring ³¹P and ¹⁹⁵Pt. To separate significant interferences from ¹⁵N¹⁶O⁺, ¹⁴N¹⁶O¹H⁺, ¹²C¹⁸O¹H⁺, and ¹³C¹⁷O¹H⁺ on ³¹P, high-mass resolution (m/Δm = 4500) proved to be mandatory. The P/Pt signal ratio of 2/1 obtained corresponds to the molar ratio in the bis adduct cis-[Pt(NH₃)₂(GMP)₂]^2–.     

The eigenenergies for ~3S excited states of the helium atom with CFPHGLF method

The matrix elements of the correlation function between symmetric potential harmonics were first simplified into the analytical summation of the grand angular momentum. The correlation-function potential-harmonic and generalized Laguerre function method (CFPHGLF) proposed by us recently was then applied to directly solve the Schrodinger equation for n3S(n=2-5) excited states of the helium atom. With only 12 PHs, the convergent eigenenergies of 23S, 33S, 43S and 53S states were 2.17427, 2.06849, 2.03644, 2.02257 Eh, respectively. The errors only were 0.00096, 0.00020, 0.00007, 0.00005 Eh, when compared with the exact Hylleraas variational results respectively.     

Deactivation of a mixed oxide catalyst of Mo–V–Te–Nb–O composition in the reaction of oxidative ethane dehydrogenation

The operational stability of a mixed oxide catalyst of Mo–V–Te–Nb–O composition in the oxidative dehydrogenation of ethane (ratio of C₂H₆: O₂ = 3: 1) is studied in a flow reactor at temperatures of 340–400°C, a pressure of 1 atm, and a WHSV of the feed mixture of 800 h^?1. It is found that the selectivity toward ethylene is 98% at 340°C, but the conversion of ethane at this temperature is only 6%; when the temperature is raised to 400°C, the conversion of ethane is increased to 37%, while the selectivity toward ethylene is reduced to 85%. Using physical and chemical means (XPS, SEM), it is found that the lack of oxidant in the reaction mixture leads to irreversible changes in the catalyst, i.e., reduced selectivity and activity. Raising the reaction temperature to 400°C allows the reduction of tellurium by ethane, from the +6 oxidation state to the zerovalent state, with its subsequent sublimation and the destruction of the catalytically active and selective phase; in its characteristics, the catalyst becomes similar to the Mo–V–Nb–O system containing no tellurium.     

FTIR study of the sol–gel synthesis of cementitious gels: C–S–H and N–A–S–H

The study explored the compatibility between the main product of Portland cement hydration and the main product of the alkali activation of fly ash: C–S–H and N–A–S–H gels, respectively. Both gels were synthesized with laboratory reagents at different pH values. Blends of the two were synthesized as well, using the sol–gel procedure. All the gels were characterized with Fourier transform IR spectroscopy (FTIR). The gels synthesized with this procedure were shown to precipitate together with a silica-rich gel. In addition, the pH level was found to play a determinant role in both C–S–H and N–A–S–H gel synthesis. The C–S–H gel is the major phase formed at pH > 11 and N–A–S–H gel for pH > 12. The results relating to the joint synthesis of the two (C–S–H and N–A–S–H) gels were not conclusive. Technique used for the characterization failed to differentiate between them in the blended material.

MSPD–GC–MS–MS Determination of Residues of 15 Organic Nitrogen-Containing Pesticides in Vegetables

A novel and simple method for determination of 15 organic nitrogen-containing pesticides in vegetables using matrix solid-phase dispersion (MSPD) coupled with gas chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (GC–MS–MS) has been developed. The efficiencies of different sorbents (florisil, silicone, neutral alumina) for the MSPD were compared. Mean recoveries of the method using neutral alumina varied from 73.26 to 111.83% with relative standard deviations of 0.79–15.33% in the concentration range of 0.01, 0.02 and 0.05 mg kg^?1. The limits of detection were typically in the 0.0007–0.0320 mg kg^?1 range, which were 10–100 times lower than the maximum residue levels established by the European Union. This method was applied to residue detection in vegetables, in which organic nitrogen-containing compounds were detected at low concentrations.     

An effective modification of the Benedict–Webb–Rubin equation of state

A modification of the BWR equation of state is proposed, which is a simplified form of a previously proposed one. It applies to systems formed by hydrocarbons and related compounds, with particular attention to the critical conditions. The range of treatable compounds was extended to a value 0.9 of the acentric factor, corresponding to C₂₀ hydrocarbons. The critical compressibility factor Z_c was made independent of the acentric factor, for a more accurate prediction of pure-component properties (the previous equation did not give the same improvement). Mixing rules require one binary interaction constant for each component pair. Zero binary constants can be used for methane–alkane and alkane–alkane pairs. Examples of applications to pure hydrocarbons and their mixtures are given.