Simulation and optimization of a supercritical extraction process for recovering provitamin A

In this work, a simulation procedure of a supercritical extraction process was developed through the use of the commercial simulator HYSYS^TM (Hyprotech Ltd.), adapting the existing units to the operating conditions typical of the supercritical extraction process. The objective is to recover provitamin A (β-carotene) from palm oil (esterified) using carbon dioxide/ethanol as the supercritical mixed solvent. This example characterizes the problem for recovering high added value product from natural sources, as the palm oil, which is desired by the market. Owing to the fact that esterified palm oil is a complex mixture, made by several components, in order to characterize this system in the simulator, it was necessary to create hypothetical components using the UNIFAC (universal function-group activity coefficients model) group contribution, because they are not present in a conventional database and, then, their physical properties must be estimated and/or predicted before the simulation. The optimization was carried out in each simulation for each equipment, in terms of operating conditions (temperature and pressure), in order to obtain the maximum recovery of carotenes. According to the results, it was possible to concentrate carotenes through two cycles of supercritical extraction with high yield. Furthermore, ethyl esters (biodiesel) were also obtained, as a byproduct of the proposed process, which can also be used as an alternative fuel, with the important characteristic that it is renewable.     

Algorithm for error-compensated kinetic determinations without prior knowledge of reaction order or rate constant

The development and evaluation of a new algorithm for error-compensating predictive kinetic determinations are described. With the new algorithm it is possible to fit kinetic data without prior knowledge of the rate constant, reaction order or initial and final values of the detector signal. A curve-fitting method is used to obtain values of these parameters that give the best fit of the model to the data. Although intended to be used primarily to compute signal changes between t=0 and ∞, the method can also be used to determine reaction orders. Although the algorithm fails for reaction orders of zero and unity, it works well for orders between these values and orders greater than unity. Simulated data are used to evaluate the effects of reaction order, signal noise and data range on computed values of signal change and, to a lesser extent, reaction order.     

Simulation of the Mechanism of Liquid Stationary Phase Retention in a Rotating Coiled Column: Hydrophilic Liquid Systems

A mathematical model was developed which describes the behavior of various liquid systems in a rotating coiled column used in countercurrent chromatography. The conditions of retaining the liquid stationary phase were described in detail for hydrophilic (slowly settling) systems. Various forces that act on liquids in the column were considered. Equations were derived for the steady-state retention process. Mathematical expressions were obtained which make it possible to estimate the stationary-phase volume retained in a column with consideration for the physicochemical properties of the liquid system in use, the speed of column rotation, and the main design parameters of the planet centrifuge. This volume directly affects the column capacity and separation efficiency, and it is crucial for choosing liquid systems and experimental conditions.     

Etude du Systeme Ternaire Se-Te-Sn

This work is a part of the systematic study of the ternary based chalcogenides systems. The aim is to determine the phase equilibrium, and to determine the limits of the phase area. This is done in view to perfecting knowledge of elaboration conditions for new materials and to study of their physical properties. Few works have been devoted to the study of the ternary system Se-Te-Sn, only the cross section SnSe-SnTe has been studied [1] and [2]. The experimental study by DTA, DSC and X-ray diffraction on powder performed at room temperature, exhibits a miscibility gap in the liquid state which narrows as it goes through the Sn-Se binary system. Three cross sections behave as ‘quasi-binary‘ system and six ternary invariants have been exhibited: three ternary eutectics and three ternary quasi-peritectics. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Simulation of the Mechanism of Liquid Stationary Phase Retention in a Rotating Coil Column: Hydrophobic Liquid Systems

A mathematical model was developed which describes the behavior of various liquid systems in a rotating coil column used for liquid countercurrent chromatography. The conditions of retaining the liquid stationary phase were described in detail for hydrophobic (rapidly settling) systems. Various forces that act on liquids in the column were considered. An equation was derived for the steady-state retention process. Mathematical expressions were obtained, which make it possible to estimate the stationary-phase volume retained in a column with consideration for the physicochemical properties of the liquid system in use, the rate of column rotation, and the main design parameters of the planet centrifuge. This volume directly affects the column capacity and separation efficiency and it is crucial for choosing liquid systems and experimental conditions.     

Predominance zone diagrams and their application to solvent extraction techniques

Predominance zone diagrams have been useful tools in solving problems in analytical chemistry. They can be used to establish the best conditions for separation of mixtures or to optimize recovery procedures for a given species. The few reports on predominance zone diagrams for the participant species in liquid-liquid extraction systems, describe their construction as diagrams of the Pourbaix type (epsilon/pH). With the generalized species and equilibria method (GSEM) it is possible to elaborate Predominance zone diagrams for extraction (PZDE) in proper spaces and with parameters strictly related to these processes such as pH and the volume ratio, r. Therefore, using the GSEM, PZDE that allow us to determine the best conditions for the extraction of a given substance have been elaborated. The stoichiometry of the species been extracted can also be determined from the experimental conditions. It has been demonstrated that with the GSEM, PZDE can be constructed for systems of one and two components. In this work, we intend to demonstrate that the algorithm is valid for the elaboration of PZDE in systems of three and four components. Examples of analytical interest are presented such as lead (II) extraction with diphenyltiocarbazone (dithizone) and that for cadmium (II) with 8-hydroxyquinolein (oxine) in chloroform. The influence of a masking agent, the etilendiaminotetraacetic acid (EDTA) over the extraction of both metals was also assessed.     

Kinetics of the thermal degradation of poly(lactic acid) obtained by reactive extrusion: Influence of the addition of montmorillonite nanoparticles

A reactive extrusion-calendering process was used in order to manufacture sheets with a nominal thickness of 1 mm of poly(lactic acid) and its nanocomposite with 2.5% of an organo-modified montmorillonite. During processing, the properties of the melt were stabilized and enhanced by the addition of 0.5% of a styrene-acrylic multi-functional-epoxide oligomeric reactive agent. The general analytical equation has been used in order to evaluate the kinetic parameters of the thermal degradation of poly(lactic acid) obtained by reactive extrusion and its nanocomposite. Various empirical and theoretical solid-state mechanisms have been tested to elucidate the best kinetic model. In order to reach this goal, master plots have been constructed by means of standardized conversion functions. Given that it is not always easy to visualize the best accordance between experimental and theoretical values of standardized conversion functions, a new index has been developed to quantitatively discern the best mechanism. By doing that, it has been possible to determine the right activation energy of the thermal degradation. It has been demonstrated that the best theoretical mechanism was the random scission of macromolecular chains within the polymer matrix. This was also in accordance with an empirical kinetic model based on an autocatalytic kinetic model. The presence of montmorillonite nanoparticles has been beneficial and has enhanced the thermal stability of poly(lactic acid).     

Quantitative analysis in field-flow fractionation using ultraviolet-visible detectors: an experimental design for absolute measurements

In previous works, it has been shown that a standard ultraviolet-visible detection system can be used for quantitative analysis of heterogeneous systems (dispersed supermicron particles) in field-flow fractionation (FFF) by single peak area measurements. Such an analysis method was shown to require either experimental measurements (standardless analysis) or an accurate model (absolute analysis) to determine the extinction efficiency of the particulate samples. In this work, an experimental design to assess absolute analysis in FFF through prediction of particles' optical extinction is presented. Prediction derives from the semiempirical approach by van de Hulst and Walstra. Special emphasis is given to the restriction of the experimental domain of instrumental conditions within which absolute analysis is allowed. Validation by statistical analysis and a practical application to real sample recovery studies are also given.     

Equilibrium modeling of xylene adsorption on molecular sieves

The separation of xylene isomers is an important application in separation processes that is based on their adsorption properties on different adsorbents. In this work, the Price and Danner method was employed with a neural network to investigate the adsorption behavior of binary systems of p-xylene/m-xylene, p-diethyl benzene/m-xylene, and p-diethyl benzene/p-xylene and the ternary system of p-diethyl benzene/m-xylene/p-xylene at 130 and 175 °C. The Redlich–Kister, Wilson, and NRTL models were used to determine the activity coefficients in the adsorbed phase. Comparison with experimental data from the literature indicated that the proposed thermodynamic model would best determine surface excess when it is used along with the Redlich–Kister activity coefficient model.     

Temporal modulation of a spatially periodic potential for kinetically governed oriented motion

This theoretical paper introduces an experimental protocol derived from the concept of Brownian motors in order to selectively confer an oriented motion to given charged reactants. Instead of maintaining permanently the system in nonequilibrium conditions, we propose a simple experimental trick to restore periodically a transient out-of-equilibrium regime: the reactive medium is alternately submitted to a sawtooth potential and to a potential ramp. The model provides approximate analytical expressions for the operating conditions allowing us to design the extraction from a mixture of any desired reactant characterized by its rate constants. The orders of magnitude suggest a possible implementation in microsystems where the present approach could be used for separation and analysis.     

Synthesis and characterization of poly-β-hydroxybutyrate. I. Synthesis of crystalline DL-poly-β-hydroxybutyrate from DL-β-butyrolactone

The polymerization of β-butyrolactone was investigated as a possible monomer for a proposed synthesis of the naturally occurring polyester, D -poly-β-hydroxybutyrate (D -PHB). The racemic DL -monomer was used in this initial study to determine the best conditions and catalyst system for use in a subsequent study of the polymerization of optically active β-butyrolactone. In so doing it was found that certain organometallic catalysts (Et₂Zn and Et₃Al) plus a cocatalyst of water produced highly crystalline samples of polyester from the racemic monomer. This paper describes the synthesis and characterization of the racemic polymer obtained using these catalyst systems, and compares the results obtained with certain other catalysts that were also investigated for this purpose. Examination of the DL -PHB by infrared, NMR, x-ray, and electron microscopy shows that it is possible to synthesize a crystalline racemic polymer that is virtually identical (excepting optical activity) to the naturally occurring polymer, D -PHB.     

An expert system for the optimization of columns,operating conditions and instrumentation for high-pressure liquid chromatography

Summary Given the mobile and the stationary phase and values for the physical parameters such as temperature and pH, a separation can be optimized by varying the so-calledchromatographic parameters. These include the column dimensions, particle size, operating conditions (e.g. flow rate, attenuation) and instrumentation (e.g. detector cell, time constant). Optimization of the chromatographic parameters implies finding the best possible set of values, which we define as yielding (i) sufficient separation and (ii) sufficient sensitivity in (iii) the shortest possible time. Finding the best possible conditions (the global optimum) is very difficult for chromatographers in practice.An expert system is described that allows chromatographic optimization to be performed for isocratic separations. An initial chromatogram is required to consult the system. In return, the system provides a complete set of chromatographic parameters, which represents the global optimum within the limits set by the required resolution and signal-to-noise ratio specified by the user. The tolerated flow and pressure ranges, the volume of the available detector cells and the time constant of the detection system are constraints during the optimization. A separate module of the system concerns the sample preparation for pharmaceutical formulations in solid dosages and aqueous solutions.Prototype expert systems have been successfully implemented in the expert-system shell Knowledge Craft on a MicroVAX workstation.     

Proton transport in functionalised additives for PEM fuel cells: contributions from atomistic simulations

The conventional polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) materials for fuel cell applications strongly rely on temperature and pressure conditions for optimal performance. In order to expand the range of operating conditions of these conventional PEM materials, mesoporous functionalised SiO(2) additives are developed. It has been demonstrated that these additives themselves achieve proton conductivities approaching those of conventional materials. However, the proton conduction mechanisms and especially factors influencing charge carrier mobility under different hydration conditions are not well known and difficult to separate from concentration effects in experiments. This tutorial review highlights contributions of atomistic computer simulations to the basic understanding and eventual design of these materials. Some basic introduction to the theoretical and computational framework is provided to introduce the reader to the field, the techniques are in principle applicable to a wide range of other situations as well. Simulation results are directly compared to experimental data as far as possible.     

Determining scaling in known phase diagrams of nonionic microemulsions to aid constructing unknown

Microemulsions based on nonionic surfactants of the ethylene oxide alkyl ether type C_mE_n, have been studied thoroughly for around 30 years. Thanks to the considerable amount of published data available on these systems, it is possible to observe trends to make predictions of phase diagrams not yet determined. Strey and Kahlweit, and subsequently Sottmann and Strey, with coworkers have studied and published phase diagrams for systems with a fixed ratio of oil to water, varying the surfactant, the so-called Kahlweit fish-cut diagrams. Some properties of the phase diagrams can be scaled to become general and not system dependent. Here are shown two examples of scaling data from phase diagrams and the use of trends to determine phase diagrams, both inside and outside a dataset. The trends of microemulsions with fixed ratio of surfactant to oil, the so-called Lund-cut diagrams, are also investigated. The trends are used to determine a new phase diagram and this is compared with previously unpublished experimental data on C₁₂E₅-Octadecane-Water system. The scalings and trends make it possible to get good estimations of many of the important properties of the phase diagrams, both temperatures and surfactant concentrations of interest, by investigating one sample in the 3-phase region of the balanced fish-cut diagram.     

Controlled association of single-molecule magnets (SMMs) into coordination networks: towards a new generation of magnetic materials

The field of molecular magnetism has rapidly expanded since the discovery of single-molecule magnets (SMMs) at the beginning of the 1990s. Numerous SMMs have been studied and a broad community currently works on these systems to improve their magnetic characteristics. However, it has also become an important strategy to diversify a part of our research activity toward the organization of these magnetic molecules in order to move closer to future applications. One of the possible ways is to utilize SMMs as molecular building blocks and assemble them with the help of coordination chemistry. This strategy presents a significant challenge since the intrinsic magnetic properties of the parent SMMs can be modified, which consequently also provides a unique opportunity to investigate new behaviours at the frontier between SMMs and classical bulk magnets. Furthermore, the design of systems with "enhanced" SMM properties or magnet behaviour is theoretically possible by choosing coordinating linkers that could favour an effective ferromagnetic arrangement of the SMMs. In this perspective article, we will give an overview of the known networks based on SMMs with an emphasis on the synthetic strategies, magnetic properties, and finally possible routes to a new generation of molecular magnetic materials.     

Chemical characterization of gorse pyrolytic oils by capillary gas chromatography

Thermochemical conversion of biomass produces solid charcoal, gaseous fuels, and condensable oils. Because these oils vary widely in composition depending on the cellulosic feedstock and the operating conditions used, analysis of the oils is necessary in order to determine the best ways of utilizing or disposing of them. The major components of the organic oil from pyrolysis of gorse have been characterized by capillary gas chromatography – mass spectrometry. A qualitative study of the aqueous oil from the same source has also been attempted.     

Use of EIS for the evaluation of the protective properties of coatings for metallic cultural heritage: a review

The best way to reduce the degradation of metallic cultural heritage is through preventive conservation measures but, in many cases, it is not possible to obtain adequate environmental conditions, and it is necessary to apply coatings to the artefacts in order to protect them against corrosion. There is a continuous search in the metal conservation community for new and improved coatings that provide a better protection to the objects whilst respecting the special requirements of the conservation–restoration ethics. Whilst electrochemical techniques have a long tradition in conservation–restoration treatments for metallic cultural heritage, the evaluation of protective coatings using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) has only been used very recently. EIS is a very well-established method to investigate metal coatings for general purposes and has many advantages that make it especially suitable for testing coatings for metallic works of art. This paper makes a review of the use of EIS for testing coatings for metallic cultural heritage from the first publications in the mid-1990s to the last papers. The experimental setup used, the types of coatings and metals investigated and the interpretation of the results are reviewed and compared with the use of EIS for testing general purpose anti-corrosive coatings.     

Bifurcation transitions in a photochemical system under low magnetic fields

In the last decades, the effect of low magnetic fields on biochemical and chemical systems has been an urgent problem. By now numerous experimental and theoretical studies have been conducted to demonstrate that commonly this effect is of no essence as it does not exceed 10%. However, there are experimental works which testify that in some systems, magnetic field effects are more significant. Thus, of great interest is an active search for rather simple but realistic models that are based on physically explicit assumptions and able to account for a strong effect of low magnetic fields. The present work not only offers a theoretical study on the simplest photochemical system, describing a reversible reaction of photodissociation, but also shows how a low magnetic field can strongly modify its properties under highly nonequilibrium conditions. It is assumed that external magnetic field can have effect on the rates of radical reactions occurring in a system. This, in turn, leads to bifurcation of the nonequilibrium stationary state and, thus, to a drastic change in the properties of chemical systems (temperature and reagent concentration).     

A Test for the Number of Coupled Spins I=1/2 in Magic‐Angle‐Spinning Solids: Zero‐Quantum Recoupling of Multiple‐Quantum Coherences

Current methodologies for estimating the number of coupled spins I=1/2 in solids are based upon the maximum multiple‐quantum order that can be observed. This strategy establishes a clear lower bound on the number of coupled spins I=1/2. However, it is difficult to ascertain the exact number of coupled spins, since the absence of a peak could be due either to the limited size of the spin system or to the experimental difficulty of exciting high‐quantum orders and recovering those coherences into detectable signals. Herein, a supplementary test is proposed that allows one to determine whether a given coherence has the highest possible order in the spin system. The sample is subjected to magic‐angle spinning and the behaviour of the coherence under a rotor‐synchronised spin‐echo sequence is compared to its behaviour under a zero‐quantum recoupling sequence. A similar decay of the coherence in these two experiments is strong evidence for the coherence order being the maximum possible. We propose applications to biomolecular solid‐state NMR spectroscopy.     

The physicochemical properties and solubility of pharmaceuticals – Methyl xanthines

The aim of this study was to evaluate the physio-chemical properties and solubility of three pharmaceuticals (Phs): theophylline, 7-(β-hydroxyethyl) theophylline, and theobromine in binary systems in different solvents. The solvents used were water, ethanol, and 1-octanol. Score of the solubility of these substances is being important for their dissolution effect inside the cell, the transportation by body fluids and the penetration possibility of lipid membranes.The Phs were classified to the group of methyl xanthines, which contain purine in their structure. Although they are mainly obtained via chemical synthesis, they can be also found in natural ingredients such as cocoa beans and tea leaves. These drugs are mainly acting on the central nervous system but are also used in the treatment of asthma or blood vessels.Solubility of 7 (β-hydroxyethyl) theophylline and theophylline were tested using synthetic method. In case of theobromine, which solubility is very small in the solvents noted, the spectrophotometric method has been used to measure its solubility. After designating phase diagrams of each of the solubility in the bipolar system, the experimental points have been correlated with the equations: Wilson, NRTL, UNIQUAC. Results show that theophylline and its derivatives show the best solubility from all tested Phs.Another method also used during this study was the differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), which allowed designation of the thermal properties of Phs. The fusion temperature and the enthalpy of melting were measured. Unfortunately, it was not possible to determine the fusion temperature and enthalpy of melting of theobromine, because of the decomposition of Ph at high temperature.The important property tested was the constant acidity, to this end, the spectrophotometric method of Bates–Schwarzenbach was used. Unfortunately, with this method it was not possible to determine the value of pK_a 7-(β-hydroxyethyl) theophylline. For other Phs, these values do not differ significantly from those proposed in the literature.Both awareness and knowledge of values of the drug pK_a and solubility are important in Phs production. This allows the selection of a suitable solvent and allows estimation of the correct dose and its capacity to absorb in human body.