Flow Assurance Issues and Control with Naphthenic Oils

Naphthenic oil production is known to be made difficult by stable emulsion formation and possible scaling of calcium naphthenates. From a flow assurance point of view, it is of major importance to foresee these two possible issues at the earliest stage of the project development especially for deep-offshore fields. In this article, a classification of crude oils based on density, acidity and acid types is proposed. Process schemes adapted to the different oil types are also described.     

4‐(3‐Azaniumylpropyl)morpholin‐4‐ium chloride hydrogen oxalate: an unusual example of a dication with different counter‐anions

The mixed organic–inorganic title salt, C₇H₁₈N₂O²⁺·C₂HO₄⁻·Cl⁻, forms an assembly of ionic components which are stabilized through a series of hydrogen bonds and charge‐assisted intermolecular interactions. The title assembly crystallizes in the monoclinic C2/c space group with Z = 8. The asymmetric unit consists of a 4‐(3‐azaniumylpropyl)morpholin‐4‐ium dication, a hydrogen oxalate counter‐anion and an inorganic chloride counter‐anion. The organic cations and anions are connected through a network of N—H...O, O—H...O and C—H...O hydrogen bonds, forming several intermolecular rings that can be described by the graph‐set notations R₃³(13), R₂¹(5), R₁²(5), R₂¹(6), R₂³(6), R₂²(8) and R₃³(9). The 4‐(3‐azaniumylpropyl)morpholin‐4‐ium dications are interconnected through N—H...O hydrogen bonds, forming C(9) chains that run diagonally along the ab face. Furthermore, the hydrogen oxalate anions are interconnected via O—H...O hydrogen bonds, forming head‐to‐tail C(5) chains along the crystallographic b axis. The two types of chains are linked through additional N—H...O and O—H...O hydrogen bonds, and the hydrogen oxalate chains are sandwiched by the 4‐(3‐azaniumylpropyl)morpholin‐4‐ium chains, forming organic layers that are separated by the chloride anions. Finally, the layered three‐dimensional structure is stabilized via intermolecular N—H...Cl and C—H...Cl interactions.     

Synthesis and application of silica and calcium carbonate nanoparticles in the reduction of organics from refinery wastewater

Oil refinery is one of the fast growing industries across the globe and it is expected to progress in the near future. The worldwide increase in the generation of refinery wastewater along with strict environmental regulations in the discharge of industrial effluent, persistent efforts have been devoted to recycle and reuse the treated water. The wastewater from the refining operation leads to serious environmental threat to the ecosystem. Therefore, this study aimed to synthesize silica (SiO₂) and calcium carbonate nanoparticles (CaCO₃) in the reduction of organics from refinery wastewater. The synthesized nanoparticles were employed in the reduction of chemical oxygen demand (COD) from refinery wastewater by studying the influence of solution pH, contact time, dosage of nanoparticles and stirring speed on adsorption performance. From the batch experimental studies, the optimized processing conditions for the reduction of COD using SiO₂ nanoparticles are pH 4.0, dosage 0.5 g, stirring speed 125 rpm and 90 min stirring time, and the corresponding values for CaCO₃ nanoparticles are pH 8.0, dosage 0.4 g, stirring speed 100 rpm and 90 min stirring time. The study demonstrates that SiO₂ and CaCO₃ nanoparticles have a promising future in the reduction organics from refinery wastewater in different pH regimes.     

Effect of agar hydrogel and magnesium ions on the biomimetic mineralization of calcium carbonate

Here, agar hydrogel was selected as diffusion medium and template to control the biomimetic mineralization of calcium carbonate (CaCO₃). Due to three dimensional network structures and abundant functional groups (such as, hydroxyl groups), Ca²⁺ ions were uniformly distributed in the network and electrostatically attracted. The diffusion speed and range of CO₃^2? ions were mediated by the concentration of hydrogel medium. Under the synergistic effect of Mg²⁺ ions, the crystal CaCO₃ was induced by gas phase diffusion method in the hydrogel system. The results showed that the concentrations of Mg²⁺ ions and agar hydrogel had no obvious effect on the calcite phase of CaCO₃, but the morphologies and sizes changed with concentrations of medium and Mg²⁺ ions. Attribute to template effect, the crystallization behavior and growth rate of CaCO₃ crystals were regulated. Since Mg²⁺ ions were easily adsorbed on the surfaces of unit cell, the unique structure of CaCO₃ was precisely controlled. This study provides a useful reference and inspiration for the understandings of the contributions of ion supply rate in bio-mineralization and hydrogel medium in biomimetic mineralization.     

金属草酸盐基负极材料——离子电池储能材料的新选择

商业化锂离子电池石墨负极和锂盐过渡金属氧化物正极材料的储锂容量都已接近各自的理论值,探索下一代高能量密度电极材料是解决现阶段锂离子电池容量限制的关键。近年来,新型金属草酸基负极材料,借助其在金属离子电池中多元化储能机制诱发的较高储能效应在碱金属离子电池绿色储能材料领域备受关注。本文就金属草酸基材料在锂、钠、钾金属离子电池方面的最新研究进行了综述,着重介绍了材料的晶型结构、多元化储能机制及储能过程中的动力学特征,简单阐述了材料在电化学储能中存在的问题,分析了金属草酸基负极材料在形貌晶型控制、界面碳复合改性和金属元素掺杂方面的改性策略。最后,预测了金属草酸基负极材料在碱金属离子电池体系的发展方向。     

Cockle shell-derived nanoparticles for optical urea biosensor development based on reflectance transduction

An optical biosensor for urea based on urease enzyme immobilised on functionalised calcium carbonate nanoparticles (CaCO₃-NPs) was successfully developed in this study. CaCO₃-NPs were synthesised from discarded cockle shells via a simple and eco-friendly approach, followed by surface functionalisation with succinimide ester groups. The fabricated biosensor is comprised of two layers. The first (bottom layer) contained functionalised NPs covalently immobilised to urease, and the second (uppermost layer) was alginate hydrogel physically immobilised to the pH indicator phenolphthalein. The biosensor provided a colorimetric indication of increasing urea concentrations by changing from colourless to pink. Quantitative urea analysis was performed by measuring the reflectance intensity of the colour change at a wavelength of 633.16 nm. The determination of urea concentration using this biosensor yielded a linear response range of 30–1000 mM (R² = 0.9901) with a detection limit of 17.74 mM at pH 7.5. The relative standard deviation of reproducibility was 1.14%, with no signs of interference by major cations, such as K⁺, Na⁺, NH?⁺, and Mg²⁺. The fabricated biosensor showed no significant difference with the standard method for the determination of urea in urine samples.     

Calcium Ion-Induced Stabilization and Refolding of Agkisacutacin from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Agkistrodon Acutus</Emphasis> Venom Studied by Fluorescent Spectroscopy

Agkisacutacin isolated from the venom of Agkistrodon acutus is a coagulation factor IX / coagulation factor X-binding protein with marked anticoagulant- and platelet-modulating activities. Ca²⁺ ion-induced stabilization and refolding of Agkisacutacin have been studied by following fluorescent measurements. Ca²⁺ ions not only increase the structural stability of agkisacutacin against GdnHCl denaturation, but also induce its refolding. The GdnHCl-induced unfolding of the apo-agkisacutacin and the purified agkisacutacin is a single-step process with no detectable intermediate state. Ca²⁺ ions play an important role in the stabilization of the structure of agkisacutacin. Ca²⁺-stabilized agkisacutacin exhibits higher resistance to GdnHCl denaturation than the apo-agkisacutacin. It is possible to induce refolding of the unfolded apo-agkisacutacin merely by adding 1 mM Ca²⁺ ions without changing the concentration of the denaturant. The kinetic result of Ca²⁺-induced refolding provides evidences for that agkisacutacin consists of at least two refolding phases and the first phase of Ca²⁺-induced refolding should involve the formation of the compact Ca²⁺-binding site regions, and subsequently, the protein undergoes further conformational rearrangements to form the native structure.     

Prospects of anionic nanolipoplexes in nanotherapy: transmission electron microscopy and light scattering studies

Currently nanosystems composed of polynucleotides and lipid vesicles (nanolipoplexes) are considered to be promising tools for gene therapeutics. Successful in vivo application of these vectors depends on their physicochemical, technological and biological characteristics including morphology, size distribution, molecular interactions and stability. Anionic nanoliposomes (DPPC:DCP:CHOL) were prepared by two different techniques, namely the conventional thin-film hydration method followed by extrusion, and the heating method (HM), in which no volatile solvent or detergent is used. A non-viral and non-cationic gene transfer vector was constructed by incorporating plasmid DNA (pcDNA3.1/His B/lacZ) to the HM-nanoliposomes by the electrostatic mediation of Ca²⁺ ions. Transfection efficiency of the nanolipoplexes was evaluated using a human bronchial epithelial cell line (16HBE14o-) in the presence of serum. Particle characterisation, stability of the formulations and lipid–DNA interaction studies were performed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and light scattering. TEM pictures of nanolipoplexes showed presence of two to four closely packed vesicles with signs of fusion. Efficient delivery of plasmid DNA and subsequent β-galactosidase expression was achieved using the anionic nanolipoplexes. Transfection efficiency increased with lipid:DNA ratio up to 7:1 (w/w), where transfection efficiency was 12-fold higher than in untreated cells. Further increase in lipid ratio decreased transfection. These nanolipoplexes appear to be safe, stable and efficient in the protection and delivery of DNA to different cells and tissues.     

Variations of structures on changing the ratios of metal ions in rare Ca(II)–Zn(II) hetero-metallic self-assembled coordination polymers of hexamethylenetetramine and benzoate

Two rare hetero-metallic calcium(II)-zinc(II) complexes [CaZn₄(OBz)₁₀(μ₂-hmt)₂]_n (1) and [Ca₂Zn₄(OBz)₁₂(μ₂-hmt)₂]_n (2) have been synthesized using basic zinc carbonate, benzoic acid (HOBz), hydrated calcium chloride and hexamethylenetetramine (hmt) by varying the molar ratio of the reactants. Both the complexes have been analyzed by elemental analysis, IR spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography. The complex 1 is a 1D polymer which contains one calcium ion and four zinc atoms in the asymmetric unit together with ten benzoates and two hmts. The polymer has been constructed by the alternate joining of paddle-wheel Zn₂(OBz)₄ units and Zn₂Ca trinuclear species by μ₂-hmt bridging molecules connecting Zn²⁺ ions. Zinc atoms have five coordinate square pyramidal geometries and four coordinate tetrahedral geometries in Zn₂(OBz)₄ and Zn₂Ca moieties, respectively, whereas calcium atoms have six-coordinate distorted octahedral geometry. Complex 2 is also a 1D polymer but unlike complex 1, it contains four independent zinc and two independent calcium atoms in the asymmetric unit together with twelve benzoates and two hmts. By contrast, the polymeric structure of complex 2 has been formed by the connection of Zn₂Ca trinuclear species via μ₂ hmt bridging molecules at Zn centers. Complex 2 is also a 1D polymer but unlike complex 1, it contains four independent zinc and three independent calcium atoms in the asymmetric unit together with twelve benzoates and two hmts. All four zinc atoms are four coordinate with tetrahedral environments and the calcium atoms are six coordinated (two are located on a center of symmetry) exhibiting a distorted octahedral geometry.