Photocatalytic Degradation of Styrene in Aqueous Solution: Central Composite Design Optimization

In this study, the response surface methodology was first applied to optimize the photocatalytic degradation of styrene in aqueous phase under UV/TiO₂ system. Twenty experiments were done by adjusting three parameters (styrene concentration, TiO₂ dose, and pH) at five levels. Optimal experimental conditions for arbitrary aqueous styrene concentration (115 mg L^?1) were found: initial pH 7 and TiO₂ loading 2 g L^?1 with photocatalytic degradation efficiency of 79.2%. Furthermore, the main degradation intermediate produced was identified by GC/MS. The total organic carbon results revealed that the photocatalysis process could be effectively mineralized. Kinetics of the photocatalytic reaction followed a pseudo-first-order model.     

Rheological Properties of SiC Suspensions with a Compound Surface Modification Using Ethyl Orthosilicate and Ethylene Glycol

Ultrafine silicon carbide (SiC) powders were surface-modified using ethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) combined with ethylene glycol. SiC suspensions with favorable rheological properties, low viscosity, and high solid loading were successfully obtained. The mechanisms of the compound surface modification for SiC powders as well as the influences of the compound surface modification not only on functional groups and charge state of the surface for SiC powders but also on the rheological properties of SiC suspensions were investigated in the present study. The results show that under alkaline conditions and acidic conditions, the surface charge states of SiC powders were [Si-OCH₂CH₂O]^? and [Si-OCH₂CH₂OH₂]⁺, respectively. The absolute value of zeta potential reached the maximum value of 22.69 mV at pH 11. Additionally, with added 1 wt% TEOS and 3 wt% ethylene glycol, the SiC suspensions exhibited good rheological properties, low viscosity and high stability due to the steric hindrance and electrostatic repulsion offered by the [Si-OCH₂CH₂O]^- with a high concentration.     

Comparative performance of LiMn2O4 spinel compositions with carbon nanotubes and graphite in Li prototype battery

We reported previously the superiority of electrochemical characteristics of the mechanical mixtures of micrometer LiMn₂O₄ spinel with multiwall carbon nanotubes (MCNT) over those of spinel compositions with natural graphite in the prototypes of the Li-ion batteries. In the presented work, we extended the investigation of the kinetic and interfacial characteristics of the spinel in the redox reaction with the Li ion. Slow-rate scan cyclic voltammetry and impedance spectroscopy were used. Carbon electroconductive fillers, their nature, and particle sizes play the key role in the efficiency of the electrochemical transformation of spinel in Li-ion batteries. Electrodes based on the composition of the spinel and MCNT show a good cycling stability and efficiency at the discharge rate of 2C. Chemical diffusion coefficients of Li ion, which were determined in spinel composite with MCNT and graphite near potentials of peak activity in deintercalation/intercalation processes, change within one order of 10^?12 cm² s^?1. The value of this chemical diffusion coefficient for the composition of the spinel with MCNT and with graphite change within one order of 10^?12 cm² s^?1. The data of the impedance spectroscopy shows that the resistance of surface films on the spinel (R _s) is low and does not considerably differ from R _s in composites of the spinel with MCNT and graphite. The investigation shows that the resistance of charge transport (R _ct) through the boundary of surface film/spinel composite is dependent on the conductive filler. Value of R _ct in spinel electrode decreases by the factor of thousand in the presence of carbon filler. Exchange current of spinel electrode increases from the order of 10^?7 to 10^?4 A cm^?2 under the influence of MCNT. At the potentials of maximum activity in deintercalation processes, exchange current of spinel composite electrode with MCNT is 2.2–3.0 times more than one of the composite with graphite. Determining role of the resistance of charge transport in electrode processes of spinel is established. The value of R _ct is dependent on the resistance in contacts between spinel particles and also between particles and current collectors. Contact resistance decreases under the influence of MCNT with more efficiency than under the influence of graphite EUZ-M because of small the size of its particles with high surface area of the MCNT.     

Inhibition Effect of N-(Pyridin-2-yl-Carbamothioyl) Benzamide on the Corrosion of C-Steel in Sulfuric Acid Solutions

N-(Pyridin-2-yl-carbamothioyl)benzamide (PCMB) was newly synthesized and tested as a corrosion inhibitor for C-steel in 0.5 M H₂SO₄ using chemical and electrochemical techniques. Polarization measurements showed that the synthesized compound acted as a mixed inhibitor. The inhibition efficiencies obtained from the different methods were in good agreement. The inhibitive action of this compound is discussed in terms of blocking the electrode surface by adsorption of the inhibitor according to the Langmuir isotherm. The effect of temperature on the corrosion behavior in the absence and presence of 2.5 × 10^?5 M of PCMB was studied (283–308 K). The associated activation energies (E _a) and the thermodynamic parameters (ΔH*, ΔS*, K _ads, ΔG°_ads) for the adsorption process were determined. The ΔG°_ads value is ?36.55 kJ/mol, which indicated that the adsorption mechanism of PCMB on C-steel in 0.5 M H₂SO₄ solution was combined between physisorption and chemisorption processes.     

Adsorption and Aggregation Behavior of n-Undecyl Ammonium Acetate Ionic Liquid in Aqueous Solution

A surface active ionic liquid (IL), [CH₃(CH₂)₁₀NH₃][OOCCH₃], was synthesized and characterized by FTIR, ¹H NMR, and ¹³C NMR. Its surface activity and aggregation behavior in aqueous solution were investigated using surface tension measurements, conductivity measurements, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and dynamic light scattering (DLS). The results reveal that the CAC and γ_cac of this IL are 15.3 mM and 23.1 mN/m, respectively. We observed a strong interaction between the counter-ions, leading to ion pairs that self-assemble into spherical vesicles in aqueous solution, with an average diameter in the range of 120 to 130nm.     

Nano MgFe2O4 synthesized by sol–gel auto-combustion method as anode materials for lithium ion batteries

In this work, spinel structure MgFe₂O₄ nano-crystals were synthesized by sol–gel auto-combustion method. Morphology and structure of the synthesized MgFe₂O₄ material is characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). And its electrochemical properties were investigated at different active material ratio. Galvanostatic charge/discharge and cyclic voltammograms (CVs) measurements show that the electrode with a ratio of 40:40:20, which is the ratio of active material: super-P carbon (SP): polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), presents relatively superior performance with the initial discharge capacity of 1,123 mAh g^?1 and charge/discharge efficiency of 96.7 %. And after 50 cycles, it still maintains at 635 mAh g^?1, which is nearly double that of the other two electrodes with active material ratio of 60:25:15 and 80:15:5. Electrochemical impedance spectra testing shows that the charge transfer resistance (Rct) decreases along with the increasing amount of SP, which is benefit for reducing the polarization and improving the cycling stability of the electrode to a certain extent.     

Activity of a New Metallomicelle Catalytic System on the Hydrolysis of bis(4-nitrophenyl) Phosphate Ester

A new metallomicellar system containing cerium ion (III), a macrocylic polyamine ligand and the hexadecyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB) was constructed and used as catalyst in the hydrolysis of bis(4-nitrophenyl) phosphate ester (BNPP). The catalytic rate of BNPP hydrolysis was measured kinetically with UV-vis spectrophotometric method. The results indicated that the metallomicellar system exhibited relatively high stability and excellent catalytic function in BNPP hydrolysis, and the reaction rate of the BNPP catalytic hydrolysis, compared with BNPP spontaneous hydrolysis, increased by a factor of ca. 1 × 10⁸ due to the catalytic effect of the active species and the local concentration effect of the micelle in metallomicellar system. The experimental results also showed that the mono-hydroxy complex made of the macrocyclic polyamine ligand and cerium (III) is the real active species as catalyst in BNPP catalytic hydrolysis, and the micelles provide a useful catalytic environment for reaction. On the basis of the research results, the reaction mechanism of BNPP catalytic hydrolysis was proposed in this work.     

Comparative Studies of Removal of Methyl Green and Basic Fuchsin from Wastewater by a Novel Magnetic Nanoparticles Mg-Ferrites

Adsorptions of methyl green (MG) and basic fuchsin (BF) by magnetic MgFe₂O₄ were compared in this study. Adsorption mechanism studies indicated that electrostatic interaction may play a main role for MG, but for BF, hydrogen-bond interaction may be more predominant. Kinetics data of both dyes conformed to the pseudo-second order model. The overall rate process was mainly governed by intraparticle diffusion. Comparative isotherm studies indicated that MG followed the Langmuir isotherm and BF followed the Freundlich isotherm. Thermodynamic parameters revealed that the adsorption process was endothermic (ΔH ⁰ > 0) for MG, but it was exothermic (ΔH ⁰ < 0) for BF.     

Antioxidant Activity Degradation,Formulation Optimization,Characterization, and Stability of Equisetum Arvense Extract Nanoemulsion

Equisetum arvense supercritical CO₂ extracts (EAE) contained an initial antioxidant activity of 10.3 mM TEAC that suffered a sharp first order kinetics decay characterized by half-life time (t_1/2) of 1.05 ± 0.03 and 0.86 ± 0.03 weeks at 25 and 4°C, respectively. The aim of the present work was to develop a nanoemulsion formulation for providing EAE protection against deleterious environmental factors and extending its shelf-life functionality. The nanoemulsion area was identified by constructing pseudoternary phase diagrams and response surface methodology was used to optimize the preparation conditions. The best formulation achieved an EAE encapsulation efficiency of 97.5 ± 0.5% and antioxidant activity half-life time (t_1/2) was extended to 12.32 ± 0.40 and 14.56 ± 0.60 weeks at 25 and 4°C, respectively.      

Dielectric Analysis on the Microscopic Characteristics of the Cloudy Silwet L-77 Solution

Dielectric relaxation spectra of the cloudy Silwet L-77 solutions were investigated from 40 Hz to 110 MHz. A striking Maxwell-Wagner relaxation was observed at about 10⁶ Hz, which was assigned to the interfacial polarization between the micelle particle (L₁) and the continuous water (W). Based on the concentration and the temperature dependence of the dielectric increment and the low-frequency conductivity (σ _l ), the critical data and the corresponding micellar structures of the Silwet L-77 solutions under cloudy state were clarified. Furthermore, the viscosity evolution in the W-L₁ region was confirmed according to an anomalous lower temperature dependence of σ _l .      

Preparation and Characterization of Modified Cellulose Adsorbents with High Surface Area and High Adsorption Affinity for Hg(II)

Cellulose was modified via chlorination using phosphorous oxychloride followed by functionalization with amine and thiol moieties. The obtained modified cellulose samples were investigated by means of FTIR, TGA, TEM, and nitrogen-adsorption surface area (BET). The BET measurements showed a remarkable increase in the surface area of Cell-N-S (477.7 m²/g) and Cell-N (706 m²/g). The resins gave an uptake capacities of 38 and 7.2mmol/g for Cell-N-S and Cell-N, respectively toward Hg(II) from its solutions. These values are considered much better compared with other reported resins. Regeneration of the resins was achieved effectively using acidified thiourea.