Study on the flow resistance of the dispersion system of deformable preformed particle gel in porous media using LBM-DEM-IMB method

After being injected into the porous media, the dispersion system of preformed particle gel (PPG) tends to enter high permeability regions and block water channeling passages, which forces the subsequent water to turn to the low permeability regions and thus increases sweep efficiency and enhances oil recovery. However, it is still unclear about the influence factors and the mechanisms how PPG increases water flow resistance, which limits the application of PPG in more oilfields. Therefore, the paper combines the lattice Boltzmann method (LBM), the discrete element method (DEM) and the improved immersed moving boundary (IMB) method to simulate the migration of deformable PPG in porous media. On the basis, the paper quantitatively analyzes the variation law of displacement pressure across the porous media and discusses the influence factors such as the PPG diameter, elasticity modulus and the number concentration. Results indicate that, because of the friction and retention of PPG in pore-throat, the displacement pressure across the porous media during PPG flooding is much higher than that during water flooding. In other words, the existence of PPG increases the flow resistance of injected water. Besides, the displacement pressure is always fluctuant resulting from the continuous process of PPG migration, retention, deformation and remigration. Influence factor analysis shows that the incremental value and fluctuation degree of flow resistance increase with the PPG diameter, elasticity modulus and the number concentration. The study not only provides useful reference for future PPG flooding, but also benefits the development of deformable particle flow theory.     

Production, Characterization, and Application of an Organic Solvent-Tolerant Lipase Present in Active Inclusion Bodies

An organic solvent-tolerant lipase from Serratia marcescens ECU1010 (rSML) was overproduced in Escherichia coli in an insoluble form. High concentrations of both biomass (50 g cell wet weight/L culture broth) and inclusion bodies (10.5 g/L) were obtained by applying a high-cell-density cultivation procedure. Activity assays indicated that the enzymatic activity of rSML reached 600 U/L. After treatment with isopropyl ether for 12 h, the maximum lipase activity reached 6,000 U/L. Scanning electron microscopy and Fourier transform infrared microspectroscopy revealed the activation mechanism of rSML in the presence of organic solvents. rSML was stable in broad ranges of temperatures and pH values, as well as in a series of organic solvents. Besides, rSML showed the best enantioselectivity for the kinetic resolution of (±)-trans-3-(4-methoxyphenyl)glycidic acid methyl ester. These features render the S. marcescens ECU1010 lipase attractive for biotechnological applications in the field of organic synthesis and pharmaceutical industry.     

Synthesis and characterization of thermally crosslinkable hole‐transporting polymers for PLEDs

Two new thermally crosslinkable hole‐transporting polymers, X‐PTPA and X‐PCz, were synthesized via Yamamoto coupling reactions. The number‐averaged molecular weights (M_n) of X‐PTPA and X‐PCz were found to be 45,000 and 48,000, respectively, and therewith, polydispersity indices were of 1.8 and 1.7, respectively. Thermally crosslinked X‐PTPA and X‐PCz exhibit excellent solvent resistance and stable optoelectronic properties. The UV–visible maximum absorption peaks of X‐PTPA and X‐PCz in the thin film state are at 389 and 322 nm, respectively. The HOMO levels of X‐PTPA and X‐PCz are estimated to be ?5.27 and ?5.39 eV, respectively. Multilayered devices (ITO/crosslinked X‐PTPA or X‐PCz/SY‐PPV/LiF/Al) were fabricated with SY (SuperYellow) as the emitting layer. The maximum efficiency of the multilayered device with a crosslinked X‐PTPA layer is approximately three times higher than that of the device without a crosslinked X‐PTPA layer and much higher than that of the crosslinked X‐PCz device. This result can be explained by the observations that crosslinked X‐PTPA produces increased electron accumulation within the emitter, SY, and also efficient exciton formation due to improved charge balance. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2013 , 51, 5111–5117     

Synthesis of a benzoxazine with precisely two phenolic OH linkages and the properties of its high‐performance copolymers

A phenolic OH‐containing benzoxazine ( F‐ap ), which cannot be directly synthesized from the condensation of bisphenol F, aminophenol, and formaldehyde by traditional procedures, has been successfully prepared in our alternative synthetic approach. F‐ap was prepared by three steps including (a) condensation of 4‐aminophenol and 5,5'‐methylenebis(2‐hydroxybenzaldehyde) (1) , (b) reduction of the resulting imine linkage by sodium borohydride, and (c) ring closure condensation by formaldehyde. The key starting material, (1) , was prepared from 2‐hydroxybenzaldehyde and s‐trioxane in the presence of sulfuric acid. F‐ap is structurally similar to bis(3,4‐dihydro‐2H‐3‐phenyl‐1,3‐benzoxazinyl)methane ( F‐a, a commercial benzoxazine based on bisphenol F/aniline/formaldehyde) except for two phenolic OHs. The phenolic OHs can provide reaction sites with epoxy and 1,1'‐(methylenedi‐p‐phenylene)bismaleimide (BMI). The structure–property relationships between the thermosets of F‐ap /epoxy, F‐a /epoxy, F‐ap /BMI, and F‐a /BMI were discussed. Experimental data showed that thermosets based on F‐ap /epoxy and F‐ap /BMI provided much better thermal properties than those based on F‐a /epoxy and F‐a /BMI. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2013, 51, 2686–2694     

Diels–Alder dimerization of Morita–Baylis–Hillman acetates catalyzed by organocatalysts

DABCO-catalyzed dimerization of Morita–Baylis–Hillman acetates to synthesize a series of 3-alkyl-4-(E)-alkenyl-cyclohex-1-ene-1,4-dicarbonyl compounds in excellent yields with modest to excellent diastereoselectivity is reported. A plausible reaction mechanism is also proposed on the basis of previous literature and preliminary investigation the asymmetric version of the reaction.     

Coral reef-like polyanaline nanotubes prepared by a reactive template of manganese oxide for supercapacitor electrode

Coral reef-like PANI nanotubes composed of nanopaticles were successfully synthesized by a reactive template of manganese oxide.The structure was characterized by using SEM,TEM,and FT-IR,and the supercapacitive behaviors of these nanotubes were investigated with cyclic voltammetry（CV）,and charge-discharge tests,respectively.A maximum specific capacitance of 533 F/g could be achieved in 1mol/L aqueous H₂SO₄ with the potential range of -0.2 to 0.8 V（vs.the saturated calomel electrode） in a half-cell setup configuration for PANI electrode,suggesting its potential application in the electrode material for electrochemical capacitors.     

A modular approach to the synthesis of 1,4,5-substituted-2-aminoimidazoles

Diversified 1,4,5-substituted-2-aminoimidazoles were rapidly assembled via sequential N–H insertion and Grignard addition to α-diazoesters. Lead compounds were identified as antibiotics against Gram-positive bacteria with an MIC value as low as 2 μg/mL.