Phase equilibria experiments and calculations for carbon dioxide + methanol binary system

Vapor-liquid equilibria (VLE) data for the carbon dioxide + methanol system was measured at 293.15, 298.15, 310.15, and 323.15 K. Phase behavior measurements were made in a high-pressure visual cell with variable volume, based on the static-analytic method. The pressure range under investigation was between 4.8 and 95.1 bar. The Soave-Redlich-Kwong (SRK)-EOS coupled with Huron-Vidal (HV) mixing rules and a reduced UNIQUAC model, was used in a semi-predictive approach, in order to represent the phase behavior (critical curve, isothermal VLE) of the system. The topology of the phase behavior of the carbon dioxide + methanol system is satisfactory predicted with the SRK/HV-residual UNIQUAC model.      

Compact apparatus for rapid measurement of high-pressure phase equilibria of carbon dioxide expanded liquids

A new apparatus based on a synthetic method was developed for phase equilibrium measurements. The characteristic features of the apparatus are its light weight (ca. 288 g), variable-volume with a free piston, position sensing device for the piston, precise pressure and temperature control, and a window for visual observation. The inner volume of the cell can vary from 2.5 to 8.8 cm³. The cell was constructed from titanium so that the composition of the sample can be determined by direct weighing of the cell. The apparatus was designed for temperatures up to 473 K and pressures up to 25 MPa.     

Phase equilibria of mixed carbon dioxide and tetrahydrofuran hydrates in sodium chloride aqueous solutions

In this work, the competing effects of sodium chloride (NaCl) and tetrahydrofuran (THF) on carbon dioxide hydrate formation are investigated through phase equilibrium measurements. The phase behaviour in the hydrate forming region for the binary system carbon dioxide–water, the ternary systems carbon dioxide–tetrahydrofuran–water and ternary carbon dioxide–sodium chloride–water and, in addition, the quaternary system carbon dioxide–tetrahydrofuran–water–sodium chloride are determined experimentally, using a Cailletet apparatus. All measurements are made in a temperature and pressure region of 275–290 K and 0.5–7.0 MPa, respectively. In these ranges, three different hydrate equilibrium curves are measured namely: H-L_W-V, H-L_W-L_V-V and H-L_W-L_V. The formation of an organic-rich liquid phase in the systems due to a liquid–liquid two-phase split between water and tetrahydrofuran when pressurized with carbon dioxide causes the occurrence of an upper quadruple point (Q₂) to evolve into a four-phase H-L_W-L_V-V equilibrium line. The presence of sodium chloride in the quaternary system enhances the split between the two liquids due to the salting-out effect. It was found that the hydrate promoting effect of tetrahydrofuran is able to suppress the inhibiting effect of sodium chloride especially at lower concentration of sodium chloride.     

Thermophysical properties of liquid carbon dioxide under shock compressions: quantum molecular dynamic simulations

Quantum molecular dynamics were used to calculate the equation of state, electrical, and optical properties of liquid carbon dioxide along the Hugoniot at shock pressures up to 74 GPa. The principal Hugoniot derived from the calculated equation of state is in good agreement with experimental results. Molecular dissociation and recombination are investigated through pair correlation functions and decomposition of carbon dioxide is found to be between 40 and 50 GPa along the Hugoniot, where nonmetal-metal transition is observed. In addition, the optical properties of shock compressed carbon dioxide are also theoretically predicted along the Hugoniot.     

Correlations for binary phase equilibria in high-pressure carbon dioxide

The high-pressure phase equilibrium in binary mixtures of carbon dioxide and various liquids such as benzene, toluene, m-xylene, chlorobenzene, 1,2-dichlorobenzene, low molecular weight alcohols, amides and a solid, hexachlorobenzene, was modeled using the Peng–Robinson equation of state with quadratic mixing rules. Though the technique of modeling is not new, the key conclusion of the study is that the two adjustable parameters, k_ij and l_ij, vary linearly with the addition of functional groups. In addition, the adjustable parameters are found to be nearly independent of temperature and the same values of k_ij and l_ij can be used for a range of temperatures for the systems considered in the present study.     

Phase equilibria of clathrate hydrates of methane + carbon dioxide: New experimental data and predictions

In this communication, we report experimental dissociation conditions for region clathrate hydrates of methane + carbon dioxide in gas–liquid water–hydrate (G–Lw–H) equilibrium. The temperature and pressure conditions are in the range of (279.1–289.9) K and (2.96–13.06) MPa, respectively. Concentrations of carbon dioxide in the feed gas are also varied. An isochoric pressure-search method was used to perform the measurements. The dissociation data generated in this work along with the literature data are compared with the predictions of a thermodynamic model and a previously reported empirical equation. A discussion is made on the deviations between the experimental and predicted data.     

Phase equilibria of didecyldimethylammonium nitrate ionic liquid with water and organic solvents

The phase diagrams for binary mixtures of an ammonium ionic liquid, didecyldimethylammonium nitrate, [DDA][NO₃], with: alcohols (propan-1-ol, butan-1-ol, octan-1-ol, and decan-1-ol): hydrocarbons (toluene, propylbenzene, hexane, and hexadecane) and with water were determined in our laboratory. The phase equilibria were measured by a dynamic method from T = 220 K to either the melting point of the ionic liquid, or to the boiling point of the solvent. A simple liquidus curve in a eutectic system was observed for [DDA][NO₃] with: alcohols (propan-1-ol, butan-1-ol, and octan-1-ol); aromatic hydrocarbons (toluene and propylbenzene) and with water. (Solid + liquid) equilibria with immiscibility in the liquid phase were detected with the aliphatic hydrocarbons heptane and hexadecane and with decan-1-ol. (Liquid + liquid) equilibria for the system [DDA][NO₃] with hexadecane was observed for the whole mole fraction range of the ionic liquid. The observation of the upper critical solution temperature in binary mixtures of ([DDA][NO₃] + decan-1-ol, heptane, or hexadecane) was limited by the boiling temperature of the solvent.Characterisation and purity of the compounds were determined by elemental analysis, water content (Fisher method) and differential scanning microcalorimetry (d.s.c.) analysis. The d.s.c. method of analysis was used to determine melting temperatures and enthalpies of fusion. The thermal stability of the ionic liquid was resolved by the thermogravimetric technique–differential thermal analysis (TG–DTA) technique over a wide temperature range from (200 to 780) K. The thermal decomposition temperature of 50% of the sample was greater than 500 K.The (solid + liquid) phase equilibria, curves were correlated by means of different G^Ex models utilizing parameters derived from the (solid + liquid) equilibrium. The root-mean-square deviations of the solubility temperatures for all calculated data are dependent upon the particular system and the particular equation used. Comparison of the solubilities of different ammonium salts in alcohols, in hexane, in benzene, and in water are discussed.     

Association model of fluids. Phase equilibria in sulphur dioxide mixtures

The vapor-liquid and liquid-liquid equilibria of binary mixtures formed by sulphur dioxide with organic components are reproduced well using a new associated-solution model whose association and solvation constants are defined in terms of the modified segment fractions of chemical species. The model shows a good performance in predicting ternary vapor-liquid and liquid-liquid equilibria of sulphur dioxide mixtures from only binary parameters.     

Hydrate-containing phase equilibria for mixed guests of carbon dioxide and nitrogen

Hydrate-containing phase equilibria for mixtures composed of carbon dioxide, nitrogen and water are of potential importance for the flow assurance in the transportation of captured carbon dioxide. Literature data for such mixture tend to be reported on water free basis. In this study three- and four-phase equilibria were experimentally studied at the pressure ranging from 5 to 20 MPa. Isobaric dissolution temperatures of formed hydrates were measured and reported for accurately determined loading compositions. Complex phase behaviors composed of two-, three- and four- phases were observed and they were analyzed by comparing with calculations using GSMGem program developed by Sloan and Koh [1]. Phase equilibria were found to be sensitive to water contents in water dominating mixtures. CSMGem and HYSYS (version 7.1) from AspenTech calculations were found in general agreements with present and literature data.     

Polymer brushes in solvents of variable quality: molecular dynamics simulations using explicit solvent

The structure and thermodynamic properties of a system of end-grafted flexible polymer chains grafted to a flat substrate and exposed to a solvent of variable quality are studied by molecular dynamics methods. The macromolecules are described by a coarse-grained bead-spring model, and the solvent molecules by pointlike particles, assuming Lennard-Jones-type interactions between pairs of monomers (epsilon(pp)), solvent molecules (epsilon(ss)), and solvent monomer (epsilon(ps)), respectively. Varying the grafting density sigma(g) and some of these energy parameters, we obtain density profiles of solvent particles and monomers, study structural properties of the chain (gyration radius components, bond orientational parameters, etc.), and examine also the profile of the lateral pressure P( parallel)(z), keeping in the simulation the normal pressure P( perpendicular) constant. From these data, the reduction of the surface tension between solvent and wall as a function of the grafting density of the brush has been obtained. Further results include the stretching force on the monomer adjacent to the grafting site and its variation with solvent quality and grafting density, and dynamic characteristics such as mobility profiles and chain relaxation times. Possible phase transitions (vertical phase separation of the solvent versus lateral segregation of the polymers into "clusters," etc.) are discussed, and a comparison to previous work using implicit solvent models is made. The variation of the brush height and the interfacial width of the transition zone between the pure solvent and the brush agrees qualitatively very well with corresponding experiments.     

Characterization of titanium dioxide nanoparticles using molecular dynamics simulations

Molecular dynamics simulations of titanium dioxide nanoparticles in the three commonly occurring phases (anatase, brookite, and rutile) are reported. The structural properties inferred by simulated X-ray diffraction patterns of the nanoparticles were investigated. The titanium-oxygen bond length as a function of size, phase, and temperature was determined and was found to be dependent on the coordination environment of the titanium and independent of phase and size. The equilibrium Ti-O bond length is 1.86 A for a four-coordinated titanium ion, 1.92 A for a five-coordinated titanium ion, and 1.94 A for an octahedral titanium ion. Smaller nanoparticles are characterized by a higher fraction of titanium ions that are four and five coordinated, due to the larger surface area-to-volume ratios. The surface energies for anatase, rutile, and brookite particles were reported. The surface energy of the nanoparticle increases and approaches a constant value as the particle gets bigger. The surface energies of small rutile particles are higher than that for anatase particles of a similar size, consistent with anatase being the more stable phase of nanocrystalline titanium dioxide.     

Molecular motility and affinity of expanded carbon dioxide + ketone systems analyzed by molecular dynamics simulations

We perform a molecular dynamics simulation for CO₂ + ketone mixtures to study the molecular motility and elucidate how CO₂ molecules are dissolved in a mixture. The self-diffusion coefficients increase with increasing CO₂ mole fraction (xCO₂)$(x_{\text{C}{\text{O}}_2})$ and decreased with increasing molecular weight. These results mean that the mobility of molecules depends on the molecular size. To study molecular aggregation around CO₂ molecules, radial distribution functions (RDFs) and the distance from neighboring molecules to CO₂ molecules were calculated. The RDFs indicate that the CO₂ molecule exists near the carbonyl oxygen atom. Because of the distance of the neighboring molecule from the CO₂ molecule, the CO₂ molecule is less likely to exist around a branched alkyl ketone than a normal alkyl ketone.     

Phase transitions of methane using molecular dynamics simulations

Using a short ranged Lennard-Jones interaction and a long ranged electrostatic potential, CH4 under high pressure was modeled. Molecular dynamics simulations on small clusters (108 and 256 molecules) were used to explore the phase diagram. Regarding phase transitions at different temperatures, our numerical findings are consistent with experimental results to a great degree. In addition, the hysteresis effect is displayed in our results.     

Synthesis of mixed acid anhydrides from methane and carbon dioxide in acid solvents

[reaction: see text] The reaction of CH(4) with CO(2) has been performed in anhydrous acids using VO(acac)(2) and K(2)S(2)O(8) as promoters. NMR analysis establishes that the primary product is a mixed anhydride of acetic acid and the acid solvent. In sulfuric acid, the overall reaction is CH(4) + CO(2) + SO(3) --> CH(3)C(O)-O-SO(3)H. Hydrolysis of the mixed anhydride produces acetic acid and the solvent acid. When trifluoroacetic acid is the solvent, acetic acid is primarily formed via the reaction CH(4) + CF(3)COOH --> CH(3)COOH + CHF(3).     

Conformational transformations in chiral polythiophene derivatives aggregated in polymethacrylate matrices: Experiments and molecular dynamics simulations

Chiral derivatives of poly(3-(S-3',7'-dimethyloctyl)thiophene) embedded in either poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) or poly(butyl methacrylate) (PBMA) were studied by polarization optical microscopy, UV absorption and circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy as well as simulated using the Molecular Dynamics procedure. CD spectra change on heating to mirror spectra; for PMMA-containing blends the changes in heating/cooling cycles are reversible. The signs of CD spectra depend on free volume, the packing of side groups in particular. Since in the melt there are no restrictions on the positions of the chiral groups, those groups appears with equal probabilities at any locations with respect to the thiophene ring. By contrast, in clusters restrictions imposed by other alkyl chains result in positioning of chiral methyl groups preferentially on the left or right sides of the thiophene rings. The consequence is the formation of right or left twists in molecular backbones.     

Interaction between carbon dioxide and naphthalene: A molecular modeling approach

The formation of a charge-transfer complex between carbon dioxide and naphthalene was studied using a molecular modeling program, with the aim of studying the solubility of naphthalene in supercritical carbon dioxide. The orbitals involved in the formation of the complex were studied using MINDO/3 as the semi-empirical method. A solvent cage was constructed, and the maximum number of carbon dioxide molecules to surround naphthalene was found to be 20. The heat of interaction of the complex was obtained using MINDO/3. © 1994 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

High-pressure phase equilibria for chlorosilane + carbon dioxide mixtures

Fluid-phase equilibria, including dew points, bubble points, and critical points were measured for four binary systems composed of a chlorosilane and carbon dioxide. The measurements were carried out in a constant-composition, variable-volume cell equipped with a sapphire window, which allowed visual observation of the phases in the cell. A syringe pump was used to inject the CO₂ into the cell and to control its pressure. Methyltrichlorosilane, dimethyldichlorosilane, trimethylchlorosilane, and diethyldichlorosilane up to about 0.14 mol fraction were studied in this apparatus and a total of 243 phase-boundary points were obtained. Displacements in the critical point with respect to pure CO₂ of up to 11.81 MPa and 348.05 K were observed. Modeling of the fluid-phase equilibria for three of the four binary systems was done using the Peng–Robinson equation of state, standard van der Waals mixing rules with two binary interaction parameters, and a φ–φ formulation of the equilibrium. The binary interaction parameters were obtained by fitting the model to the experimental data. The model produced excellent agreement between computed and experimental data. Graphical representations of the modeling results are presented and compared to experimental results. The results indicate that the largest chlorosilane (diethyldichlorosilane) produced the largest shift in critical pressure and critical temperature with respect to pure CO₂.     

An optimized molecular potential for carbon dioxide

An optimized molecular potential model for carbon dioxide is presented in this paper. Utilizing the established techniques of molecular-dynamics and histogram reweighting grand canonical Monte Carlo simulations, this model is demonstrated to show excellent predictability for thermodynamic, transport, and liquid structural properties in a wide temperature-pressure range with remarkable accuracies. The average deviations of this new model from experimental data for the saturated liquid densities, vapor densities, vapor pressures, and heats of vaporization are around 0.1%, 2.3%, 0.7%, and 1.9%, respectively. The calculated critical point is almost pinpointed by the new model. The experimental radial distribution functions ranging from 240.0 to 473.0 K are well reproduced as compared to neutron-diffraction measurements. The predicted self-diffusion coefficients are in good agreement with the nuclear-magnetic-resonance measurements. The previously published potential models for CO2 are also systematically evaluated, and our proposed new model is found to be superior to the previous models in general.