Characterization and thermal behavior of residues from industrial sugarcane processing

The increase in sugarcane production and processing in order to obtain important products such as sugar and ethanol has the negative aspect of also increasing industrial residues. The most important residues originated during processing are bagasse, hydrolyzed bagasse, filter cake, vinasse, and ash. Thermal analysis revealed that these residues have peculiar properties, such as the presence of lignocellulosic material, except in the ash. The amount of organic matter decreases during the treatment process, due to the addition of chemical products to the residues, which are responsible for some alteration in their thermal properties. Colorimetric analysis showed considerable K and P concentrations in the vinasse and filter-cake residues. EDX and infrared spectroscopy showed the presence of Si in the residues. A higher percent of Si in ash sample was also observed, as a product of the thermal decomposition, by TG, FTIR, and X-ray diffractometry.     

Hole blocking PbI2/CH3NH3PbI3 interface

Modulated charge separation across (MO)/CH₃NH₃PbI₃ and (MO)/PbI₂/CH₃NH₃PbI₃ (MO = TiO₂, MoO₃) interfaces was investigated by surface photovoltage (SPV) spectroscopy. Perovskite layers were deposited by solution‐based one‐step preparation and two‐step preparation methods. An unreacted PbI₂ layer remained at the interface between the metal oxide and CH₃NH₃PbI₃ for two‐step preparation. For the two‐step preparation on TiO₂, the SPV signal related to absorption in CH₃NH₃PbI₃ increased in comparison to the one‐step preparation due to electron transfer from CH₃NH₃PbI₃ via PbI₂ into TiO₂ whereas the SPV signal related to defect transitions decreased. For the one‐step preparation on MoO₃, holes photogenerated in CH₃NH₃PbI₃ recombined with electrons in MoO₃. In contrast, a hole transfer from CH₃NH₃PbI₃ towards MoO₃ was blocked by the PbI₂ interlayer for the two‐step preparation on MoO₃. (© 2014 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH &Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Determination of the Biodiesel Content in Diesel/Biodiesel Blends: A Method Based on Fluorescence Spectroscopy

Blends of biodiesel and diesel are being used increasingly worldwide because of environmental, economic, and social considerations. Several countries use biodiesel blends with different blending limits. Therefore, it is necessary to develop or improve methods to quantify the biodiesel level in a diesel/biodiesel blend, to ensure compliance with legislation. The optical technique based on the absorption of light in the mid-infrared has been successful for this application. However, this method presents some challenges that must be overcome. In this paper, we propose a novel method, based on fluorescence spectroscopy, to determine the biodiesel content in the diesel/biodiesel blend, which allows in loco measurements by using portable systems. The results showed that this method is both practical and more sensitive than the standard optical method.     

Alternative spiroketalization methods toward purpuromycin: a diketone approach to prevent benzofuran formation

The central portion of purpuromycin has been assembled via a classical spiroketalization reaction. Key to promoting this reaction mode versus benzofuran formation was the oxidation state of the spiroketal core. With a higher oxidation state, even the electron-deficient isocoumarin found in purpuromycin could be employed directly in the spiroketalization. The two halves of the spiroketalization precursor were joined via a nitrile oxide/styrene 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition. A very mild selenium dioxide oxidation was used to introduce the required oxidation state of the spiroketal core.     

Model studies in the lepadin series: synthesis of enantiopure decahydroquinolines by aminocyclization of 2-(3-aminoalkyl)cyclohexenones

Syntheses of enantiopure 3-acetoxy-2-methyldecahydroquinolines are accomplished by coupling cyclohexenyllithium 3 with α-amino epoxides and an aminocyclization of 2-(3-aminoalkyl)cyclohexenones (i.e., 5 and 9) as the key steps. The procedure allows the incorporation of alkyl substituents at C(5) to give enantiopure 2,3,5-trisubstitued decahydroquinolines.     

Relation between kinetic parameters for reactions of organic matter degradation in waste environmental matrix

The organic fraction of urban solid residues disposed of in sanitary landfills during the decomposition yields biogas and leachate, which are sources of pollution. Leachate is a resultant liquid from the decomposition of substances contained in solid residues and it contains in its composition organic and inorganic substances. Literature shows an increase in the use of thermoanalytical techniques to study the samples with environmental interest, this way thermogravimetry is used in this research. Thermogravimetric studies (TG curves) carried out on leachate and residues shows similarities in the thermal behavior, although presenting complex composition. Residue samples were collected from landfills, composting plants, sewage treatment stations, leachate, which after treatment, were submitted for thermal analysis. Kinetic parameters were determined using the Flynn–Wall–Ozawa method. In this case they show little divergence between the kinetic parameter that can be attributed to different decomposition reaction and presence of organic compounds in different phases of the decomposition with structures modified during degradation process and also due to experimental conditions of analysis.     

Heterocyclic substituted thiosemicarbazones and their Cu(II) complexes: Synthesis,characterization and studies of substituent effects on coordination and DNA binding

By reacting thiosemicarbazides substituted on the aminic nitrogen with 5-formyluracil, several new 5-formyluracil thiosemicarbazones (H₃ut) derivatives were synthesised and characterized. These ligands, treated with copper chloride and nitrate, afforded two different kinds of compounds. In the complexes derived from copper chloride the metal atom is pentacoordinated, being surrounded by the neutral ligand binding through SNO donor atoms and by two chlorines, while the nitrate derivatives consist of monocations and nitrate anions. The copper coordination (4 + 2) involves the SNO ligand atoms, two water oxygens and an oxygen atom of a monodentate nitrate group. On varying the substituents on the thiosemicarbazidic moiety, remarkable modifications of the coordination geometry are not observed for the complexes with the same counterion. For all the compounds, interactions with DNA (calf thymus) were studied using UV–Vis spectroscopy; the nuclease activity was verified on plasmid DNA pBR 322 by electrophoresis.     

Direct Ink 3D Printing of Porous Carbon Monoliths for Gas Separations

Additive manufacturing or 3D printing is the advanced method of manufacturing monolithic adsorbent materials. Unlike beads or pellets, 3D monolithic adsorbents possess the advantages of widespread structural varieties, low heat and mass transfer resistance, and low channeling of fluids. Despite a large volume of research on 3D printing of adsorbents having been reported, such studies on porous carbons are highly limited. In this work, we have reported direct ink 3D printing of porous carbon; the ink consisted of commercial activated carbon, a gel of poly(4-vinylphenol) and Pluronic F127 as plasticizer, and bentonite as the binder. The 3D printing was performed in a commercial 3D printer that has been extensively modified in the lab. Upon 3D printing and carbonization, the resultant 3D printed porous carbon demonstrated a stable structure with a BET area of 400 m²/g and a total pore volume of 0.27 cm³/g. The isotherms of six pure-component gases, CO₂, CH₄, C₂H₆, N₂, CO, and H₂, were measured on this carbon monolith at 298 K and pressure up to 1 bar. The selectivity of four gas pairs, C₂H₆/CH₄, CH₄/N₂, CO/H₂, and CO₂/N₂, was calculated by Ideally Adsorbed Solution Theory (IAST) and reported. Ten continuous cycles of adsorption and desorption of CO₂ on this carbon confirmed no loss of working capacity of the adsorbent.     

Modelling the Vapor–Liquid Equilibrium of Polymer Solutions Using a Cubic Equation of State

This work presents the vapor–liquid equilibrium calculations in an isothermal flash, applied to polymer solutions, using the Peng–Robinson cubic equation of state modified by Stryjek–Vera, and the mixing rule introduced by Wong–Sandler. This rule allows combining the rigid lattice thermodynamic model of Flory–Huggins to the Peng–Robinson–Stryjek–Vera equation of state. As the Gibbs free energy must be minimum in the equilibrium state, a stochastic optimization method, the simulated annealing algorithm, was used to find out the extreme of this thermodynamic potential.