Methanol steam reforming in a dense Pd–Ag membrane reactor: The pressure and WHSV effects on CO-free H2 production

In this experimental work, a dense tubular Pd–Ag membrane reactor is used for carrying out the methanol steam reforming reaction for producing a CO-free hydrogen stream. A non-commercial Cu/Zn/Mg-based catalyst is used in the lumen side of the membrane reactor and the experimental tests are performed at a reaction temperature of 300 °C and H₂O/CH₃OH feed molar ratio of 3/1. In both co-current and counter-current flow configurations, the effect of the weight hourly space velocity (WHSV) as well as the reaction pressure on the membrane reactor performances in terms of CO-free hydrogen recovery, hydrogen yield and hydrogen selectivity are proposed and discussed.     

Ni/Al2O3改性催化剂催化重整生物油模拟物制氢研究

制备了Ni/Al₂O₃、Ni-Cu/Al₂O₃、Ni-Co/Al₂O₃和Ni-Co-Cu/Al₂O₃催化剂,研究了Co和Cu对生物油水蒸气催化重整的影响。实验表明,Co 能促进水汽变换(WGS)反应,提高氢气的产率,Cu能抑制反应中焦炭的形成,提高催化剂的稳定性。对催化剂Ni-Co-Cu/Al₂O₃进行工艺条件考察,当900 ℃、水油比为6 g/g、质量空速(WHSV)为1 h^-1时,碳选择性达到87.5%,氢气产率达到84.2%,潜在氢气产率达到92.4%。     

Chemical catalysed recycling of waste polymers: Catalytic conversion of polypropylene into fuels and chemicals over spent FCC catalyst in a fluidised-bed reactor

Polypropylene (PP) was pyrolysed over spent FCC commercial catalyst (FCC-s1) using a laboratory fluidised-bed reactor operating isothermally at ambient pressure. The influence of reaction conditions including catalyst, temperature, and ratio of polymer to catalyst feed and flow rates of fluidising gas was examined. The yield of gaseous and liquid hydrocarbon products at 390 °C for spent FCC commercial catalyst (87.8 wt%) gave much higher yield than silicate (only 17.1 wt%). Greater product selectivity was observed with FCC-s1 as a post-use catalyst with about 61 wt% olefins products in the C₃-C₇ range. The selectivity could be further influenced by changes in reaction conditions. Valuable hydrocarbons of olefins and iso-olefins were produced by low temperatures and short contact times used in this study. It is also demonstrated that a post-use catalyst system under appropriate conditions the resource potential of polymer waste can be economically recovered and also can address the recycling desire to see an alternative to solve a major environment problem.     

Supercritical fluid extraction of Beauvericin from maize

Beauvericin (BEA), a supercritical fluid extraction with supercritical carbon dioxide from maize was investigated. Extraction efficiencies under several different extraction conditions were examined. Pressure, temperature, extraction time, organic modifier and water matrix content (10%) were investigated. The best extraction conditions were at a temperature of 60 °C, 3200 psi, for 30 min static extraction time and methanol as modifier solvent. Extraction recovery of 36% without modifier by adding water to the matrix in the extraction vessel (reproducibility relative standard deviations (R.S.D.)=3-5%) were recorded. Extraction recovery of 76.9% with methanol as co-solvent (reproducibility R.S.D.=3-5%) was obtained. Data shows that SFE gives a lower BEA recovery compared to conventional extraction protocol with organic solvents while SFE with modifier and conventional extraction yields are comparable. BEA extract contents were determined by high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) with a diode array detector (DAD) at 205 nm and BEA peak confirmed by LC-MS. Acetonitrile-water as mobile phase and column C-18 were both tested. Instrumental and analytical parameters were optimized in the range linear interval from 1 to 500 mg kg⁻¹ and reached a detection limit of 2 ng.     

An on-line method for pressurized hot water extraction and enzymatic hydrolysis of quercetin glucosides from onions

A novel environmentally sound continuous-flow hot water extraction and enzymatic hydrolysis method for determination of quercetin in onion raw materials was successfully constructed using a stepwise optimization approach. In the first step, enzymatic hydrolysis of quercetin-3,4′-diglucoside to quercetin was optimized using a three level central composite design considering temperature (75–95 °C), pH (3–6) and volume concentration of ethanol (5–15%). The enzyme used was a thermostable β-glucosidase variant (termed TnBgl1A_N221S/P342L) covalently immobilized on either of two acrylic support-materials (Eupergit^® C 250L or monolithic cryogel). Optimal reaction conditions were irrespective of support 84 °C, 5% ethanol and pH 5.5, and at these conditions, no significant loss of enzyme activity was observed during 72 h of use. In a second step, hot water extractions from chopped yellow onions, run at the optimal temperature for hydrolysis, were optimized in a two level design with respect to pH (2.6 and 5.5), ethanol concentration (0 and 5%) and flow rate (1 and 3 mL min⁻¹) Obtained results showed that the total quercetin extraction yield was 1.7 times higher using a flow rate of 3 mL min⁻¹ (extraction time 90 min), compared to a flow rate of 1 mL min⁻¹ (extraction time 240 min). Presence of 5% ethanol was favorable for the extraction yield, while a further decrease in pH was not, not even for the extraction step alone. Finally, the complete continuous flow method (84 °C, 5% ethanol, pH 5.5, 3 mL min⁻¹) was used to extract quercetin from yellow, red and shallot onions and resulted in higher or similar yield (e.g. 8.4 ± 0.7 μmol g⁻¹ fresh weight yellow onion) compared to a conventional batch extraction method using methanol as extraction solvent.     

Bio-oil production by flash pyrolysis of sugarcane residues and post treatments of the aqueous phase

The pyrolysis of three sugarcane residues (internal bagasse, external and whole plant) has been carried out in a pilot bubbling fluidized bed pyrolyzer operating under a range of temperature from 300 °C to 600 °C and two vapor residence time (2 and 5 s), with the aim of determining their pyrolysis behavior including products yields and heat balance. The composition of the product gases was determined, from which their heating value was calculated. The liquid bio-oil was recovered with cyclonic condensers and separated into two phases, an aqueous phase and an organic phase. The energy content of the organic phase was determined in comparison with common fossil fuels. Activated carbon adsorption and distillation at 110 °C were used to treat the aqueous phase, with the aim of recovering valuable hydrocarbons and purifying the aqueous phase for wastewater disposal. Furthermore, the thermal sustainability of the pyrolysis process was estimated by considering the energy contribution of the product gases and of the liquid bio-oil in relation to the pyrolysis heat requirements. The optimum pyrolysis temperatures were identified in terms of maximizing the liquid yield, maximizing the energy from the product bio-oil, and maximizing the net energy from the product bio-oil after ensuring a self-sustainable process by utilizing the product gases and part of bio-oil as heat sources.     

Direct hydroxylation of substituted benzenes to phenols with air and CO using molybdovanadophosphates as a key catalyst

A direct synthetic method of cresols from toluene by hydroxylation with air using CO as a reducing agent was developed. The reaction of toluene with air (15 atm) and CO (5 atm) in the presence of catalytic amounts of H₄PMo₁₁VO₄₀·31H₂O and Pd/C in aqueous acetic acid at 120 °C for 2 h afforded a mixture of o-, m-, and p-cresols in 9.9% yield at 83% selectivity. Cresols were obtained in 19% yield by recharging air and CO under these conditions. A variety of substituted benzenes were hydroxylated by this method to give the corresponding phenol derivatives in higher selectivity.     

Homogeneous methylation of wood pulp cellulose dissolved in LiOH/urea/H2O

Spruce sulphite cellulose (number average degree of polymerization 620) dissolved in an aqueous solution of 8% (w/w) LiOH*H₂O and 12% (w/w) urea was methylated with dimethyl sulphate (DMS). By varying the reaction temperature between 22 and 50 °C, the molar ratio between 9 and 15 mol DMS per mol anhydroglucose unit, and the reaction time from 4 to 24 h, methyl cellulose (MC) with degree of substitution (DS) values in the range of 1.07 and 1.59 was prepared. The chemical structure of MC was analysed by FTIR and ¹H NMR spectroscopy. The turbidity (given in nephelometric turbidity units, NTU) of the aqueous solution of MC reached an optimum of 10 NTU for a product obtained with 12 mol DMS/mol AGU at 50 °C. GPC measurements revealed polymer degradation to a certain extent. The intrinsic viscosity and the Huggins constant k of the MC samples increased with increasing DS value. The MC samples possess k values higher than 0.8, indicating association of the polymer chain. The zero-shear viscosity decreased with increase of both temperature and the amount of methylation agent due to the depolymerization. During the heating/cooling cycle (20-90 °C) of the aqueous solutions of MC, it was observed that samples synthesized at 22 °C with DS values lower than 1.3 did not undergo phase separation in aqueous solution. Phase separation hysteresis with a precipitation temperature up to 80 °C was obtained for aqueous solutions of MC with DS values between 1.07 and 1.66 synthesized at higher temperatures. The functionalization pattern determined by GLC of the corresponding partially methylated glucitol acetates is close to randomness and comparable with those of commercial MC samples.     

Highly fluorinated graphite prepared from graphite fluoride formed using BF3 catalyst

Fluorinated graphites (CF_0.47) were obtained by reaction at room temperature of fluorine gas with graphite in the presence of boron trifluoride and hydrogen fluoride as catalysts. Their thermal treatments under fluorine at temperatures up to 600 °C lead to a progressive increase of the fluorine level resulting in an highly fluorinated graphite (CF_1.02). Whatever the fluorination level, a stage one fluorine-graphite intercalation compound is obtained. The sp² carbon hybridization is maintained for treatment temperature below 300 °C and two types of structure coexist for T_T in the range 350-550 °C. Finally, above 550 °C, carbon hybridization is sp³.The resulting materials were studied by ¹¹B, ¹H, and ¹⁹F NMR and EPR at different experimental temperatures giving informations about the intercalated fluoride species, the temperature of their removal from the host fluorocarbon matrix, as well as their mobility.     

Multi-element preconcentration of heavy metal ions from aqueous solution by APDC impregnated activated carbon

Ammonium pyrrolidinedithiocarbamate impregnated activated carbon (APDC-AC) has been used for the preconcentration of Cd(II), Cu(II), Ni(II), and Zn(II) from aqueous solution by column solid phase extraction (SPE) technique. Trace metal ions in aqueous solution were quantitatively sorbed onto APDC-AC packed in a SPE column at pH 5.0 with a flow rate of 1.0 mL min⁻¹. The sorbed metals were eluted with 1 M nitric acid in acetone solution at a flow rate of 0.6 mL min⁻¹ and analyzed by flame atomic absorption spectrometry. The effects of sample volume, amount of APDC-AC, volume of eluent and ionic strength of working solution on metal ion recovery have been investigated. The present methodology gave recoveries from 90 to 106% and R.S.D. from 0.6 to 5.5%.     

Separation and preconcentration of ultra trace amounts of beryllium in water samples using mixed micelle-mediated extraction and determination by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry

In the present study a cloud point extraction process using mixed micelle of the cationic surfactant cetyl-pyridinium chloride (CPC) and non-ionic surfactant Triton X-114 for extraction of beryllium from aqueous solutions is developed. The extraction of analyte from aqueous samples was performed in the presence of 1,8-dihydroxyanthrone as chelating agent in buffer media of pH 9.5. After phase separation, the surfactant-rich phase was diluted with 0.4 mL of a 60:40 methanol-water mixture containing 0.03 mL HNO₃. Then, the enriched analyte in the surfactant-rich phase was determined by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES). The different variables affecting the complexation and extraction conditions were optimized. Under the optimum conditions (i.e. 1.6 × 10⁻⁴ mol L⁻¹ 1,8-dihydroxyanthrone, 1.2 × 10⁻⁴ mol L⁻¹ CPC, 0.15% (v/v) Triton X-114, 50 °C equilibrium temperature) the calibration graph was linear in the range of 0.006-80 ng mL⁻¹ with detection limit of 0.001 ng mL⁻¹ and the precision (R.S.D.%) for five replicate determinations at 18 ng mL⁻¹ of Be(II) was better than 2.9%. In this manner the preconcentration and enrichment factors were 16.7 and 24.8, respectively. Under the presence of foreign ions no significant interference was observed. Finally, the proposed method was successfully utilized for the determination of this cation in water samples.     

Study of the pyrolysis of municipal solid waste for the production of valuable products

To obtain information on the potential of thermal conversion (pyrolysis) of municipal solid waste (MSW), a thermogravimetric study (TGA) is performed in a stream of nitrogen. Based on TGA results, pyrolysis experiments are carried out in a semi-batch reactor under inert nitrogen atmosphere. Slow pyrolysis is performed up to 550 °C (heating rate of 4 °C/min). Fast pyrolysis is performed at 450, 480, 510 and 550 °C and different input transfer rates (12 or 24 g material/min). The pyrolysis products are studied on composition and yield/distribution and investigated for their use as valuable product.The liquid obtained by slow pyrolysis separates spontaneously in a water rich product and an oily product. For all fast pyrolysis conditions, a viscous, brown oil which contains a poly(ethylene-co-propylene) wax is obtained. Composition analyses by GC/MS of the oil products (slow/fast pyrolysis) show that aliphatic hydrocarbons are the major compounds. The pyrolysis oils have high calorific value (between 35 and 44 MJ/kg), low wt% of water (around 6 wt%) and a low O/C value (between 0.2 and 0.3). The presence of waxy material is probably due to incomplete breakdown of poly(ethylene-co-propylene) present in MSW under study. The optimal pyrolysis conditions, regarding to oil yield, fuel properties, and wax yield is fast pyrolysis at 510 °C with 24 g material/min input transfer rate. The fast pyrolysis gases contain mainly hydrocarbons and have an averaged LHV around 20 MJ/Nm³. ICP-AES analyses of pyrolysis products reveal that almost none of the metals present in MSW are distributed within the liquid fractions.     

Graft copolymerization of itaconic acid-methacrylamide comonomers onto poly(ethylene terephthalate) fibers

The graft copolymerization of itaconic acid-methacrylamide (IA-MAAm) comonomers was carried out using benzoyl peroxide as initiator onto poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) fibers in an aqueous medium. The grafted fibers were characterized by FTIR, TGA, DSC and SEM analysis. Effect of various parameters on graft yield such as feed composition, feed and initiator concentration, reaction time and temperature were investigated. The graft yield in the presence of MAAm increased because of the synergistic effect of MAAm comonomer. While, the graft yield alone with the IA onto PET fiber was 2.2%, the use of MAAm as a comonomer increased the amount of IA introduced to the PET fiber up to 13.7%. The reactivity ratios for both monomers were determined by using a Fineman-Ross plot. The grafting rate and saturation graft yield was increased upon increasing the temperature between 65 °C and 85 °C. When the temperature increased further than 85 °C, the saturation graft yield decreased. The graft yield has shown an increase up to an initiator concentration of 1.0 × 10⁻² M and slightly decreased. The grafting increased the dyeability with acidic and basic dyes, and moisture absorption capacity but decreased the thermal stability of the fibers.     

Fabrication and gas separation properties of polybenzimidazole (PBI)/nanoporous silicates hybrid membranes

Composites of polybenzimidazole (PBI) with proton-exchanged AMH-3 and swollen AMH-3 were prepared, characterized by electron microscopy and X-ray scattering and tested for hydrogen/carbon dioxide ideal selectivity. Proton-exchanged AMH-3 was prepared under mild conditions by the ion exchange of Sr and Na cations in the original AMH-3 using aqueous solution of dl-histidine. Swollen AMH-3 was prepared by sequential intercalation of dodecylamine following the ion exchange in the presence of dl-histidine. Both silicate materials were introduced into a continuous phase of PBI as a selective phase. Mixed matrix nanocomposite membranes, prepared under certain casting conditions, with only 3 wt% of swollen AMH-3 present substantial increase of hydrogen/carbon dioxide ideal selectivity at 35 °C, i.e., more than by a factor of 2 compared to pure PBI membranes (40 vs. 15). Similar ideal selectivity was observed using higher loadings (e.g., 14%) of proton-exchanged AMH-3 particles suggesting that transport of hydrogen is faster than carbon dioxide in AMH-3-derived silicates. However, the ideal selectivity of mixed matrix membranes approaches that of pure polymer as the operating temperature increases to 100 °C and 200 °C. The composite membranes with AMH-3-derived materials were compared with MCM-22/PBI membranes. Composite membranes incorporating MCM-22 plate-like crystals show no selectivity enhancements possibly due to the presence of larger pores in MCM-22.     

Interfacial synthesis of bisphenol A tetrachlorocyclotriphosphazene from bisphenol A and hexachlorocyclotriphosphazene

The effect of solvent purity on the synthesis and yield of bisphenol A tetrachlorocyclotriphosphazene (BATCCP) has not been described in the literature. The purpose of this research was to synthesize BATCCP hybrid monomers and to evaluate the effect of solvent purity on the BATCCP production. BATCCP monomers were prepared by an interfacial procedure in a water/toluene system as a function of time with the assistance of a phase transfer catalyst, tetraoctylammonium bromide. ¹H and ³¹P NMR confirmed the production of BATCCP monomer by the appearance of chemical shifts at 7.18 and 5.35 ppm in the ¹H NMR and 23.4 and 13.9 ppm in the ³¹P NMR, respectively. Distillation of the toluene, not suggested in previous reports of HCCP hybrid synthesis, resulted in an improvement of actual % yield to 40% and stability of the product throughout the 1440 min reaction as confirmed by MALDI, compared with an 11% actual yield at 15 min, decaying to 2% over a 1440 min reaction when the synthesis was performed with ‘anhydrous toluene’ as provided commercially without further distillation.     

Enhancing selectivity in spectrofluorimetric determination of tryptophan by using graphene oxide nanosheets

Reaction of formaldehyde with amino acids followed by oxidation with hydrogen peroxide to produce a fluorophore Norharman product is well known and was used for the spectrofluorimetric determination of l-tryptophan (Trp). This study aimed to use graphene oxide (GO) to enhance the selectivity and sensitivity of Trp in presence of other amino acids and possible interfering compounds. Different parameters such as pH, temperature, incubation time, and concentrations of formaldehyde, H₂O₂ and GO were studied to optimize the condition of determination. Experimental data showed that the maximum fluorescence intensity was achieved in pH 7.0–9.0 phosphate buffer mixed with 7–10% (v/v) formaldehyde and 1–2% (v/v) H₂O₂ as oxidizing agent at 60 ?C for 1 h. On the basis of calibration curve of various concentrations of Trp in the presence of 20 μg mL⁻¹ GO, the lower limit of detection (LOD) of Trp was determined as 0.092 nmol mL⁻¹ and the lower limit of quantification (LOQ) was 0.3 nmol mL⁻¹. The selectivity of Trp in presence of other amino acids and possible interfering compounds were studied with and without GO. The data obtained after inner filter effect corrections revealed that the selectivity of Trp in presence of amino acids and other possible interfering agents was improved in the range of 76–96%, compared with that in absence of GO. The enhancement of selectivity in the presence of GO indicates that the Trp and other amino acid and possible interfering compounds were adsorbed by GO, and the selective uptaking of Trp-by the reaction with formaldehyde followed by oxidation with H₂O₂ at 60 ?C with high selectivity and sensitivity was achieved successfully.     

YMgGa as a hydrogen storage compound

The hydrogen absorption and desorption properties of the recently found ternary phase YMgGa have been studied. This compound absorbs 2.2 wt% hydrogen during the first cycle, but only 1.1 wt% can be stored reversibly for the following cycles under the applied pressure and temperature conditions. Hydrogen absorption and desorption properties were investigated by measuring the thermal desorption spectra and the pressure-composition isotherms while the crystal structure was determined using X-ray diffraction (XRD). The compound absorbs hydrogen at pressures above 0.2 MPa and 250 °C by decomposing into YH₃ and MgGa. This reaction is reversed when heating the hydride in a He atmosphere; hydrogen is released and the YMgGa phase is partially recovered together with YGa₂ and YH₂. The reformation of YMgGa occurs at temperatures below 450 °C on the expenses of hydrogen desorption from YH₂. This is not expected under these temperature conditions as YH₂ normally does not desorb hydrogen below 800 °C.     

Biomimetic transfer hydrogenation of ketones with iron porphyrin catalysts

For the first time in situ generated iron porphyrins have been applied as homogeneous catalysts for the transfer hydrogenation of ketones. Using 2-propanol as hydrogen source various ketones are reduced to the corresponding alcohols in good to excellent yield and selectivity. Under optimized reaction conditions high catalyst turnover frequencies up to 642 h⁻¹ are achieved.     

Continuous determination of total flavonoids in Platycladus orientalis (L.) Franco by dynamic microwave-assisted extraction coupled with on-line derivatization and ultraviolet-visible detection

This paper describes a new method for the determination of total flavonoids in Platycladus orientalis (L.) Franco. The method was based on dynamic microwave-assisted extraction (DMAE) coupled with on-line derivatization and ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) detection. The influence of the experimental conditions was tested. Maximum extraction yield was achieved using 80% aqueous methanol of extraction solvent; 80 W of microwave output power; 5 min of extraction time; 1.0 mL min⁻¹ of extraction solvent flow rate. The derivatization reaction between aluminium chloride and flavonoid is one of the most sensitive and selective reactions for total flavonoids determination. The optimized derivatization conditions are as follows: derivatization reagent 1.5% aluminium chloride methanol solution; reaction coil length 100 cm; derivatization reagent flow rate 1.5 mL min⁻¹. The detection and quantification limits obtained are 0.28 and 0.92 mg g⁻¹, respectively. The intra-day and inter-day precisions (R.S.D.) obtained are 1.5% and 4.6%, respectively. Mean recovery is 98.5%. This method was successfully applied to the determination of total flavonoids in P. orientalis (L.) Franco and compared with heat reflux extraction. The results showed that the higher extraction yield of total flavonoids was obtained by DMAE with shorter extraction time (5 min) and small quantity of extraction solvent (5 mL).     

Synthesis of multi-walled carbon nanotubes catalyzed by substituted ferrocenes

A range of substituted ferrocenes were used as catalysts for the synthesis of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and carbon fibers (CFs). These products were obtained in the temperature range 800-1000 °C, in a reducing atmosphere of 5% H₂ by pyrolysis of (CpR)(CpR′)Fe (R and R′ = H, Me, Et and COMe) in toluene solution. The effect of pyrolysis temperature (800-1000 °C), catalyst concentration (5 and 10 wt.% in toluene) and solution injection rate (0.2 and 0.8 ml/min) on the type and yield of carbonaceous product synthesized was investigated. Carbonaceous products formed include graphite film (mostly at high temperature; 900-1000 °C), carbon nanotubes and carbon fibers. The carbonaceous materials were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Raman spectroscopy. The ferrocene ring substituents influenced both the CNT diameter and the carbon product formed.