Preparation and characterization of (Pebax 1657 + silica nanoparticle)/PVC mixed matrix composite membrane for CO<Subscript>2</Subscript>/N<Subscript>2</Subscript> separation

In this work, the films of poly(ether-block-amide) (Pebax 1657) and hydrophilic/hydrophobic silica nanoparticles (0–10 wt%) were coated on a poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) ultrafiltration membrane to form new mixed matrix composite membranes (MMCMs) for CO₂/N₂ separation. The membranes were characterized by SEM, FTIR, DSC and XRD. Successful formation of a non-porous defect-free dense top layer with ~4 μm of thickness and also uniform dispersion of silica nanoparticles up to 8 wt% loading in Pebax matrix were confirmed by SEM images. The gas permeation results showed an increase in the permeance of all gases and an increase in ideal CO₂/N₂ selectivity with the increase in silica nanoparticle contents. Comparison between the incorporation of hydrophilic and hydrophobic silica nanoparticle into Pebax matrix revealed that the great enhancement of CO₂ solubility is the key factor for the performance improvement of Pebax + silica nanoparticle membranes. The best separation performance of the hydrophilic silica nanoparticle-incorporated Pebax/PVC membrane for pure gases (at 1 bar and 25 °C) was obtained with a CO₂ permeability of 124 barrer and an ideal CO₂/N₂ selectivity of 76, i.e., 63 and 35% higher than those of neat Pebax membrane, respectively. The corresponding values for hydrophobic silica nanoparticle-incorporated Pebax/PVC membrane were 107 barrer for CO₂ permeability and 61 for ideal CO₂/N₂ selectivity. Also the performances of MMCMs improved upon pressure increase (1–10 bar) owing to the shift in plasticizing effect of CO₂ towards the higher pressures. In addition, an increase in permeabilities with a decrease in ideal selectivity was observed upon temperature increase (25–50 °C) due to the intensification of chain mobility.     

Magnetically nano core–shell Fe<Subscript>3</Subscript>O<Subscript>4</Subscript>@Cu(OH)<Subscript>x</Subscript>: a highly efficient and reusable catalyst for rapid and green reduction of nitro compounds

Magnetically separable nano core–shell Fe₃O₄@Cu(OH)_x with 22 % Cu content was prepared by the addition of sodium hydroxide to a mixture of CuCl₂·2H₂O and nano Fe₃O₄ in water. Characterization of the impregnated copper hydroxide was carried out by X-ray fluorescence (XRF), X-ray diffraction (XRD) atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), value stream mapping (VSM) and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) analysis. The core–shell nanocatalyst exhibited the excellent catalytic activity toward reduction of various nitro compounds to the corresponding amines with NaBH₄. All reactions were carried out in H₂O (55–60 °C) within 3–15 min to afford amines in high to excellent yields. Reusability of core–shell Cu(OH)_x catalyst was examined 9 times without significant loss of its catalytic activity.     

PVT properties of imidazolium-, phosphonium-, pyridinium- and pyrrolidinium-based ionic liquids using critical point constants

Song and Mason equation of state (EOS) with a simple modification has been extended to modelling PVT properties of ionic liquids (ILs). The considered ILs are [C₁mim][MeSO4], [C₁mim][CH₃OC₂H₅SO₄], [C₁mim][(CH₃)₂PO₄], [C₂mim][MeSO4], [C₂mim][BF₄], [C₂mim][SCN], [C₂eim][NTf₂], [C₄mim][C(CN)₃], [C₄mim][CF₃SO₃], [C₄mim][SCN], [C₅mim][NTf₂], [C₈mim][NTf₂], [(C₆H₁₃)₃P(C₁₄H₂₉)][Cl], [(C₆H₁₃)₃P(C₁₄H₂₉)][NTf₂], [(C₆H₁₃)₃P(C₁₄H₂₉)][Ac], [C₃mpyr][NTf₂], [C₄mpyr][NTf₂] and [Py][C₂H₅OC₂H₄SO₄]. Three temperature-dependent parameters in the proposed EOS have been scaled as functions of reduced temperature with the use of the law of corresponding states. It is shown that the knowledge of just critical temperature and critical density is sufficient to predict the PVT properties of these ILs. The overall average absolute deviation of calculated densities from literature values for 1347 data points of 18 ILs was found to be 0.58%. The predicted density of ILs from proposed EOS has been compared with those obtained by other literature work. Moreover, we indicate that the Zeno line regularity can well be predicted by proposed model for ILs.     

Effect of C60-SiO2 hybrid nanoparticles on thermophysical and tribological properties of a multigrade engine oil: an experimental study

Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry - In this study, the thermophysical and tribological properties of a hybrid nanofluid containing fullerene-silica nanoparticles in a multigrade engine...     

Cobalt promoted Ni/MgAl2O4 catalyst in lean methane catalytic oxidation

In the present research, magnesium aluminate spinel was prepared as catalyst support using a novel, facile, and efficient mechanochemical method. The Co-promoted catalysts with 20 wt.% of Ni were fabricated using an impregnation route and the samples were analyzed by the X-ray diffraction (XRD), N₂ adsorption/desorption (BET), temperature-programmed reduction and desorption (H₂-TPR and O₂-TPD), and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) tests. The results confirmed that all samples have a mesoporous structure with a high specific surface area and the presence of cobalt caused complete CH₄ oxidation at low temperatures, and no side reactions were observed. The results indicated that the 3%Co-20%Ni/MgAl₂O₄ catalyst was the optimal sample among the prepared catalysts, owing to the improvement of reduction features and oxygen mobility. The 50 and 90% of methane conversion was obtained at 530 and 600 °C, respectively. Also, the influence of calcination temperature, GHSV, and feed ratio was determined on the catalytic activity. The obtained outcomes revealed that the calcination temperature has a significant effect on the textural properties and catalytic efficiency. The sample calcined at 700 °C showed the weakest performance, which was related to the sintering of particles at high temperatures. The catalytic stability showed that the 3%Co-20%Ni/MgAl₂O₄ has acceptable stability during 600 min time of reaction.

Graphical abstract

     

Non-covalently lactose imprinted polymers and recognition of saccharides in aqueous solutions

The aim of this work was to prepare lactose imprinted polymer and study of its selectivity for the recognition of different mono- and disaccharides. A series of molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) against lactose were synthesized and their binding properties were compared with a Blank non-imprinted polymer. Methacrylamide (MAAM) and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate were used as functional monomer and cross-linker, respectively. Dimethylsulfoxide was also applied as polymerization solvent. Different lactose:MAAM ratios were applied and optimized MIP was selected in a conventional batch adsorption study. The dissociation constant and maximum binding sites of polymer were determined using the Scatchard analysis. The selectivity of MIP for different mono- and disaccharides was also evaluated. The results indicated that the shape of cavity and orientation of functional monomers in binding sites and the spatial arrangement of hydroxyl groups in saccharide structure were responsible for the selectivity of lactose imprinted polymer.     

Highly sensitive FRET-based fluorescence immunoassay for aflatoxin B1 using cadmium telluride quantum dots

We report on a competitive immunoassay for the determination of aflatoxin B1 using fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) from anti-aflatoxin B1 antibody (immobilized on the shell of CdTe quantum dots) to Rhodamine 123 (Rho 123-labeled aflatoxin B1 bound to albumin). The highly specific immunoreaction between the antibody against aflatoxin B1 on the QDs and the labeled-aflatoxin B1 brings the Rho 123 fluorophore (acting as the acceptor) and the QDs (acting as the donor) in close spatial proximity and causes FRET to occur upon photoexcitation of the QDs. In the absence of unlabeled aflatoxin B1, the antigen-antibody complex is stable, and strong emission resulting from the FRET from QDs to labeled aflatoxin B1 is observed. In the presence of aflatoxin B1, it will compete with the labeled aflatoxin B1-albumin complex for binding to the antibody-QDs conjugate so that FRET will be increasingly suppressed. The reduction in the fluorescence intensity of the acceptor correlates well with the concentration of aflatoxin B1. The feasibility of the method was established by the detection of aflatoxin B1 in spiked human serum. There is a linear relationship between the increased fluorescence intensity of Rho 123 with increasing concentration of aflatoxin B1 in spike human serum, over the range of 0.1–0.6 μmol·mL^?1. The limit of detection is 2?×?10^?11 M. This homogeneous competitive detection scheme is simple, rapid and efficient, and does not require excessive washing and separation steps.

Synthesis and Characterisation of Bismuth(III) Aminoarenesulfonate Complexes and Their Powerful Bactericidal Activity against Helicobacter pylori

The synthesis and characterisation of nine new tris‐substituted bismuth(III) aminoarenesulfonates of the general formula [Bi(O₃S‐R^N)₃] (R^N=o‐aminophenyl 1 , m‐aminophenyl 2 , 6‐amino‐3‐methoxyphenyl 3 , p‐aminophenyl 4 , 2‐pyridyl 5 , o‐aminonaphthyl 6 , 5‐aminonaphthyl 7 , 4‐amino‐3‐hydroxynaphthyl 8 and 5‐isoquinolinyl 9 ) is described. Two synthetic strategies, using Ag₂O and [Bi(OtBu)₃], were explored and compared. The possibility to access heteroleptic bismuth(III) complexes with the new silver(I) metathesis reaction is demonstrated with the synthesis of the heteroleptic bismuth(III) aminoarenesulfonate complexes [PhBi(O₃S‐P2)₂(dmso)] 10 , [Ph₂Bi(O₃S‐P2)]_∞ 11 and [PhBi(O₃S‐P2)₂]_∞ 12 , of which the solid state structures 10 and 12 are presented (2P‐SO₃^?=2‐pyridinesulfonate). These complexes offer remarkable in‐vitro activity against three standard laboratory strains of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) as demonstrated by their exceptionally low minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of 0.049 μg mL^?1 for the strains 251 and B128, which places most MIC values in the nano‐molar region. These results demonstrate the importance of the amino functionality in addition to the sulfonate group on the bactericidal properties against H. pylori.