Aqueous Salt Solutions Research Articles

Electrochemical Additive Manufacturing of Binary and Ternary Alloys at the Mircon Scale by Electrohydrodynamic Redox 3D Printing

The need for miniaturisation throughout many different industries brings classical subtractive manufacturing techniques to their limits. Additive manufacturing is able to overcome these limits which has made it a topic of interest in many scientific fields. This additional geometric freedom becomes increasingly important if feature sizes on the micron- or even nano-scale are desired. Multiple different techniques to fabricate device-grade metals at such length-scales have been reported [1]. As one of these techniques, electrohydrodynamic redox printing (EHD-RP) has shown promise to be a versatile fabrication tool [2, 3, 4] depositing dense, pure metallic structures at high deposition rates.In this contribution, we present our work on additively manufactured alloys. First, we introduce a novel EHD-RP approach using aqueous metal salt electrolytes instead of sacrificial anodes as ion sources. The use of metal salts not only expands the range of manufacturable metals, but also enables the fabrication of metal alloys with precise compositional control without the need for additives or a surplus of the less noble metal. We demonstrate this control by fabricating binary and ternary Cu-Ag, Cu-Zn and Cu-Ag-Zn alloys. The composition of the fabricated alloy exactly mirrors the composition of the aqueous metal salt solutions. These systems were chosen as a representative immiscible and miscible system, in order to study different growth mechanisms. Microstructural analysis of Cu-Ag alloys reveals the formation of a metastable mixed phase. Cu-Ag alloys were successively dealloyed to produce nano-porous Ag structures. The compositional control over the Cu-Ag alloy enables precise control of porosity in the dealloyed structures. These nano-porous Ag structures have also been tested as substrates for surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy.(1) L. Hirt, A. Reiser, R. Spolenak & T. Zambelli, Adv. Mater 2017, 29, 1604211(2) A. Reiser, M. Lindén, P. Rohner, A. Marchand, H. Galinski, A. S. Sologubenko, J. M. Wheeler, R. Zenobi, D. Poulikakos & R. Spolenak, Nat. Comm. 2019, 10, 1853(3) M. Nydegger, A. Pruška, H. Galinski, R. Zenobi, A. Reiser & R. Spolenak, Nanoscale 2022, 14, 17418(4) M. Menétrey, L. Koch, A. Sologubenko, S. Gerstl, R. Spolenak & A. Reiser, Small 2022, 18, 2205302

Enhancement in the Rate of CO2 Photoreduction Using Divalent Strontium Cation (Sr2+) Doped TiO2 Nanotube Arrays

The sunlight-assisted conversion of CO2 into portable value-added products has the potential to address both the energy and environmental challenges faced by the world. Therefore, we currently witness intense research activity and substantial progress in the field of CO2 photoreduction. Anatase TiO2 nanotube arrays (TNTAs) formed by electrochemical anodization constitute a well studied semiconductor photocatalyst with excellent optoelectronic properties and photocatalytic behavior [1, 2]. Yet, many aspects related to structure, surface composition, adsorbates, reaction intermediates, rate of reaction, multi-step electron transfer steps, etc. remain poorly understood even for TiO2. This led to our interest in forming surface coatings and bulk nanocomposites of TNTAs with metal oxides of Sr, Mg, Ca, Zn etc, which provide basic sites on the surface of the catalyst for the chemisorption of CO2 molecules. The higher basicity of hydroxyl groups associated with alkaline earth metals generate carbonate and bicarbonate adsorbates which enhance the reactivity of CO2 [3]. Divalent metal cations are also known to influence and modify the crystallographic texture of TiO2 during the annealing treatment step at elevated temperature [4].Here we performed divalent strontium cation (Sr2+) doping of anodically grown TNTAs using two different techniques – an electrochemical cathodic treatment in Sr2+-containing electrolytes and a wet impregnation technique using an aqueoussolution of strontium salts. The X-ray diffraction pattern and Raman spectra indicate the formation of Sr compounds at the TNTA surface. Sr-doping results in modification of the crystallographic texture of anatase phase TNTAs, increased lattice strain, reduced crystal size, and phonon confinement. Subtle changes are observed in the infrared spectra of the CO2 adsorbed on the Sr-doped TNTAs specifying a larger prevalence of monodentate and bidentate carbonate species on the surface. This attributes to the higher alkalinity of surface hydroxyls bound to Sr in comparison to the Ti-bound hydroxyls. In addition to linearly adsorbed CO2, a smaller population of bent CO2 molecules on the surface is observed, which suggests an enhanced stabilization of the carbon dioxide anion radical on the Sr-doped TNTA surfaces. Finally, under AM1.5G one sun illumination, the cathodized TNTAs produce 25 µmolg-1hr-1 whilethe wet impregnated Sr-doped TNTAs produce 17 µmolg-1hr-1 of CO which are nearly 3 and 2 times the amount of CO generated by bare TNTAs (7.7 µmolg-1hr-1) respectively.REFERENCES: Vahidzadeh, Ehsan, et al. "Asymmetric multipole plasmon-mediated catalysis shifts the product selectivity of CO2 photoreduction toward C2+ products." ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces13.6 (2021): 7248-7258.Zeng, Sheng, et al. "Optical control of selectivity of high rate CO2 photoreduction via interband-or hot electron Z-scheme reaction pathways in Au-TiO2 plasmonic photonic crystal photocatalyst." Applied Catalysis B: Environmental267 (2020): 118644.Kwon, Stephanie, et al. "Alkaline-earth metal-oxide overlayers on TiO 2: application toward CO 2 photoreduction." Catalysis Science & Technology6.21 (2016): 7885-7895.Kisslinger, Ryan, et al. "Preferentially oriented TiO2 nanotube arrays on non-native substrates and their improved performance as electron transporting layer in halide perovskite solar cells." Nanotechnology30.20 (2019): 204003.

Blood Rheology and Hemodynamics.

Seminars in Thrombosis and Hemostasis (STH) celebrates 50 years of publishing in 2024. To celebrate this landmark event, STH is republishing some archival material. This article represents the most highly cited paper ever published in STH. The original abstract follows.Blood is a two-phase suspension of formed elements (i.e., red blood cells [RBCs], white blood cells [WBCs], platelets) suspended in an aqueous solution of organic molecules, proteins, and salts called plasma. The apparent viscosity of blood depends on the existing shear forces (i.e., blood behaves as a non-Newtonian fluid) and is determined by hematocrit, plasma viscosity, RBC aggregation, and the mechanical properties of RBCs. RBCs are highly deformable, and this physical property significantly contributes to aiding blood flow both under bulk flow conditions and in the microcirculation. The tendency of RBCs to undergo reversible aggregation is an important determinant of apparent viscosity because the size of RBC aggregates is inversely proportional to the magnitude of shear forces; the aggregates are dispersed with increasing shear forces, then reform under low-flow or static conditions. RBC aggregation also affects the in vivo fluidity of blood, especially in the low-shear regions of the circulatory system. Blood rheology has been reported to be altered in various physiopathological processes: (1) Alterations of hematocrit significantly contribute to hemorheological variations in diseases and in certain extreme physiological conditions; (2) RBC deformability is sensitive to local and general homeostasis, with RBC deformability affected by alterations of the properties and associations of membrane skeletal proteins, the ratio of RBC membrane surface area to cell volume, cell morphology, and cytoplasmic viscosity. Such alterations may result from genetic disorders or may be induced by such factors as abnormal local tissue metabolism, oxidant stress, and activated leukocytes; and (3) RBC aggregation is mainly determined by plasma protein composition and surface properties of RBCs, with increased plasma concentrations of acute phase reactants in inflammatory disorders a common cause of increased RBC aggregation. In addition, RBC aggregation tendency can be modified by alterations of RBC surface properties because of RBC in vivo aging, oxygen-free radicals, or proteolytic enzymes. Impairment of blood fluidity may significantly affect tissue perfusion and result in functional deteriorations, especially if disease processes also disturb vascular properties.

Specific energy consumption of electro-contact-chemical treatment of metals with a vibrating tool in the electrolyte

According to the specific energy consumption, the shaping processes are arranged in three energy levels. Electrophysical and electrochemical methods of metal processing are at the third level, where the specific energy consumption is more than 6∙104 J/cm3. The analysis of the literature data showed the inconsistency of the specific costs of some authors. The specific energy consumption of electrical contact processing cannot be commensurate with the costs of electrochemical processing due to the different sizes of the particles removed from the surface of the workpiece. There are no literature data on the specific energy consumption of electro-contact-chemical treatment of metals with a vibrating instrument in the electrolyte, therefore, experiments have been carried out with the fixation of current, voltage and interelectrode gap oscillograms. The method of calculation of specific energy consumption according to the oscillograms of the process is given. The energy costs for vibration of the electrode-tool are calculated, which are an order of magnitude less for electro-contact-chemical treatment. When the vibration amplitude decreases or the voltage on the electrodes increases, the process in the interelectrode gap turns into dimensional arc processing. When electro-contact-chemical treatment of metals with a vibrating tool in water, the specific energy consumption is equal to (3.5–3.8) · 105 J/cm3, which corresponds to electrocon-tact treatment. It is assumed that the use of aqueous solutions of neutral salts will lead to a reduction in energy costs.

Basic properties of hydrogenated detonation nanodiamonds

The paper is devoted to basic properties study of hydrogenated detonation nanodiamonds. It is shown that a powder of detonation nanodiamond annealed in molecular hydrogen contains carbonate and bicarbonate ions. These anions may be replaced for other anions during the interaction of the nanodiamond particles with aqueous solutions of salts and acids. The anion replacement is confirmed by Infrared and Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopies. The presence of carbonate and bicarbonate ions indicates that the hydrogenated diamond nanoparticles have a positive surface charge in the powder according surface transport doping. Potentiometric titration and nitrogen adsorption methods have been used to calculate the surface charge of the particles.

Polymer-Coated Nanoparticles and Pickering Emulsions as Agents for Enhanced Oil Recovery: Basic Studies Using a Porous Medium Model

Globally the overall oil recovery factors for primary and secondary recovery range from 35% to 45%, and a tertiary recovery method that can enhance the recovery factor by 10–30% could contribute to the energy supply. The use of nanoparticles in enhanced oil recovery (EOR) processes comprises an emerging and well-promising approach. Polymer-coated nanoparticles (PNPs) were synthesized through the free radical polymerization (FRP) of the monomers 2-acrylamido-2-methyl-1-propanesulfonic acid (AMPSA) and dodecyl methacrylate (DMA) on the surface of acrylic-modified spherical silica nanoparticles. The obtained PNPs were characterized using Attenuated Total Reflectance-Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Dispersions of PNPs were prepared in salt (NaCl, CaCl2) aqueous solutions, the static oil/water interfacial tension were measured using the Du Nouy ring method, and changes caused based on the oil/water contact angle were recorded optically. The PNP dispersions were used to stabilize and characterize shear-thinning oil-in-water Pickering emulsions. The capacity of the PNP dispersions and Pickering emulsions to mobilize the trapped ganglia of viscous paraffin oil, which remained after successive tests of drainage and primary imbibition, was tested with visualization experiments of the secondary imbibition in a transparent glass-etched pore network. The synthesized SiO2-P(AMPSA-co-DMA) nanoparticles were stable even at high temperatures (~200–250 °C) and displayed excellent stability in aqueous dispersions at high ionic strengths with the presence of divalent cations, and their dispersions generated stable oil-in-water Pickering emulsions with a shear-thinning viscosity. The oil-recovery efficiency is maximized when the most viscous Pickering emulsion is selected, but if energy cost factors are also taken into account, then the less viscous Pickering emulsion is preferable.

Direct air capture of CO2 using green amino acid salts

Direct air capture (DAC) of CO2 using liquid sorbent technology is gaining attention as a promising approach in tackling the looming climate crisis. Despite technical advancements, critical aspects such as contactor selection, energy efficiency, sustainability, and environmental compatibility still pose uncertainties. In this study, various green amino acid salts performances in a DAC system were explored using non-porous hollow fiber membrane contactors (HFMCs). Two DAC absorption and desorption apparatuses were developed. For the DAC-absorption unit, the thermodynamic and kinetic behavior of five types of aqueous amino acid salt solutions were evaluated in long-term operations. High absorption stability for most of the solutions in different solvent loadings (up to 80% CO2 solvent loaded) were observed and potassium glycinate (GlyK) was selected as the most suitable candidate for DAC. To enhance the CO2 separation efficiency, parametric analysis on air and solvent flow rates, solvent temperature and concentration were conducted using GlyK. Vacuum low-temperature desorption experiments were carried out with GlyK to evaluate the CO2 removal efficiency over a range of solvent temperatures and concentrations, CO2 loadings, vacuum pressures, and vacuum/sweep gas mode. The results successfully quantified the effect of each operational parameter under various conditions on CO2 removal in a DAC system. Finally, to investigate the impact of membrane characteristics on DAC absorption–desorption performance, a developed and validated model was used. Taken all together, hybrid technology of membrane modules and green amino acid salts is shown to be a viable pathway towards a sustainable DAC process.

Preparation of ovarian fluid (caviar sol) of sturgeons for the use as physiological and functional ingredients in new generation food products

The development of the modern market for food functional ingredients involves the search for new raw materials, increasing efficiency and developing innovative technological processes for their production and introduction into fortified products, and the development of marketing promotion strategies. Considering this, we have conducted the research to assess physical, chemical and technological properties of secondary resources for the production of black caviar of sturgeon fish grown in the conditions of sturgeon farms in the Krasnodar Territory. It has been shown that ovarian fluid (caviar sol) has a high biological value, which is confirmed by the presence of all essential amino acids in caviar proteins. Caviar sol also contains a complex of basic macro- and micronutrients. The results obtained confirm that this product is a physiologically functional ingredient for the production of new generation food products. A technology has been developed for disinfecting caviar sol to increase its shelf life and of the products obtained from it. The processing of ovarian fluid (caviar sol) in the anode zone during electrolysis of an aqueous solution of table salt was carried out followed by its placement in the structure of a multiple emulsion sauce. Analysis of microbiological indicators has indicated that the processing of caviar sol and the production of sauce in the form of a multiple emulsion makes it possible to ensure microbiological indicators of the finished product that meet the requirements of TR CU 021/2011.

Hydration Processes in HCl and Aqueous Salt Solutions

In this work, the number of hydration of ions (K+ and Cl-, K+ and Br-, K+ and I-, H+ and Cl-, Li+ and Cl-, Cs+ and Cl-, Na+ and Cl-) in dilute aqueous solutions of some electrolytes of KCl, KBr, KI, HCl, LiCl, CsCl, and NaCl was studied by the proposed refractometric method. Further, the effect of polyethylene glycol (PEG-6000) on the hydration processes for ions in aqueous solutions of KCl and KBr was studied. It turned out that when the polymer is introduced into the solution, the hydration numbers of ions decrease, which is apparently due to the role of the PEG oxygen atom competing with ions in interaction with water molecules.

Phase partitioning nature, interaction forces and thermodynamic parameters of triton X-100 and bovine serum albumin mixture: impacts of the composition of Na-salt

Herein, the assessment of interactions between a non-ionic surfactant (NIS) triton X-100 (TNX-100) and a globular protein bovine serum albumin (BSA) was explored through the determination of clouding nature in aqueous solution of sodium salts (Na-salts). Sodium chloride (NaCl), sodium acetate (NaOAc), sodium carbonate (Na2CO3), sodium oxalate (Na2Oxal), sodium sulphate (Na2SO4), and sodium phosphate (Na3PO4) have been chosen to assess their impacts on the clouding nature of TNX-100 + BSA mixture. The estimated cloud point (CP) values were noticed to be lowered with the enhancement of [Na-salts]. The lessening of CP values has been explained by the salting out effect of anions. The calculated standard Gibbs free energy change ( Δ G c o ) was positive at all examined conditions which illustrates the nonspontaneity of phase change. The standard enthalpy ( Δ H c o ) and entropy ( Δ S c o ) changes exhibited negative values at low contents of aq. Na-salts and positive values at high aq. Na-salts content. These consequences illustrate the presence of electrostatic interactions at low Na-salts concentration and hydrophobic interactions at high Na-salts concentration. Furthermore, enthalpy-entropy parameters were successfully computed and explained with proper clarification.

The effect of atmospherically relevant aminium salts on water uptake

Abstract. Atmospheric new particle formation is initiated by clustering of gaseous precursors, such as small acids and bases. The hygroscopic properties of those precursors therefore affect the hygroscopic properties of aerosol particles. In this work, the water uptake of different salts consisting of atmospheric small acids and amines was studied computationally using the conductor-like screening model for real solvents (COSMO-RS). This method allows for the prediction of water activities in atmospherically relevant salts that have not been included in other thermodynamics models. Water activities are reported here for binary aqueous salt solutions, as well as ternary solutions containing proxies for organic aerosol constituents. The order of the studied cation species regarding water activities is similar in sulfate, iodate, and methylsulfonate, as well as in bisulfate and nitrate. Predicted water uptake strengths (in mole fraction) conform to the following orders: tertiary > secondary > primary amines and guanidinos > amino acids. The addition of water-soluble organic to the studied salts generally leads to weaker water uptake compared to pure salts. On the other hand, water-insoluble organic likely phase separates with aqueous salt solutions, leading to minimal effects on water uptake.

ПЕРСПЕКТИВЫ СОЗДАНИЯ ПРОФИЛАКТИЧЕСКИХ ПРЕПАРАТОВ С АНТИОКСИДАНТНОЙ АКТИВНОСТЬЮ ИЗ РАСТЕНИЙ КАСПИЙСКОГО РЕГИОНА

The antioxidant activity of root extracts and seeds of Glycyrrhiza glabra L. was studied using a physi-cochemical method using a spectrophotometer; preparation “licorice extract “Glycirfite”, containing a group of flavonoid compounds, saponins, terpenoids, resins; Sophora japonica L. fruit extract con-taining 8 flavonoids, rutin, kaempferol-3-sophoroside, quercetin-3-rutinoside and genistein-4-sophorabioside, Juglans regia L. pericarp extract containing phenolic acids, ascorbic acid flavonoids (up to 3%) , tannins. Antioxidant activity was assessed using a method based on the DPPH inhibition reaction. The control drugs were a 5% aqueous-salt solution of ascorbic acid (50 mg/ml) and a 10% solution of α-tocopherol acetate (vitamin E) in oil. The greatest antioxidant activity was demonstrated by extracts of the fruits of Glycyrrhiza glabra, the fruits of Sophora japonica and the drug “GLYCIRFITE”, which, in our opinion, contained the largest amount of antioxidant components. A high degree of inhibition of free radical processes was demonstrated by an aqueous extract of licorice root and an extract of the pericarp Juglans regia. Studies have shown low AOA of ascorbic acid and vitamin E drug solutions in this experiment.

BUTEN-1-in BUTEN-2-yə İZOMERLƏŞMƏSİ REAKSİYASINDA BİNAR KOBALT TƏRKİBLİ KATALİZATORLARIN AKTİVLİYİ

Hydrogen is considered the main source of chemical energy that can be converted directly into electricity and with the help of fuel cells into zero emissions of harmful waste, such as volatile organic compounds, nitrogen oxides and carbon. The production of hydrogen in accordance with the generation of energy using a fuel cell is considered a promising alternative to stationary and portable power generation plants in the future. Various methods are used to produce hydrogen: water electrolysis, gasification, partial oxidation of heavy oil and steam corrugation of organic compounds. Currently, in industry, about 90% of hydrogen is produced by the reaction of high-temperature steam reforming of light fractions of natural gas or oil. An attractive alternative to hydrogen production is the reaction of ethanol steam reforming. The activity of binary iron-cobalt, zinc-cobalt and magnesium-cobalt oxide catalysts in the reaction of isomerization of butene-1 to butenes-2 was studied. Iron-cobalt, zinc-cobalt and magnesium-cobalt oxide catalysts were prepared by co-precipitation from aqueous solutions of iron, zinc, magnesium and cobalt nitrate salts. The resulting mixture was evaporated at 95-100°C, then the resulting precipitate was dried at 100-120°C and then decomposed at 250°C until the nitrogen oxides were completely separated. The resulting solid was calcined at 700°C for 10 hours. Thus, 27 catalysts were prepared satisfying the following conditions: mA/NB, where A is Mo, Ti, Cu; cis, m,n=1-9, m+n=10. The isomerization reaction of butene-1 to butene-2 was carried out at a rate of 1200 h-1 volume of feedstock in the temperature range of 150-400°C. The reactor was filled with 5 mL of 1-2 mm thick catalyst and fed with a reaction mixture consisting of butene-1 and nitrogen. The ratio of butene-1 to nitrogen is 1:9. It is shown that with increasing cobalt content in the Fe-Co-o catalyst composition, its activity in the isomerization reaction reaches a maximum on catalysts with equivalent ratio of initial elements. The ratio of trans- and cis-butenes-2 practically does not change and is equal to 1.2. It is found that both Lewis acid centers and Bransted acid centers are present on the surface of this catalyst in approximately equal amounts. It was found that with increasing zinc content in the catalyst composition, the degree of butene-1 isomerization decreases and the ratio of trans-butene-2 to cis-butene-2 increases from 0 to 2.1, indicating the presence of Lewis and Bronsted acid centers on the surface of Zn-Co-O catalysts. It is found that for the Mg-Co-O catalytic system the ratio of trans and cis butenes-2 yields varies in the range 0.8-1.5. It is shown that, in the whole temperature range studied, the atomic ratio of cobalt and magnesium has a strong influence on their activity in the reaction of Butene-1 isomerization into Butene-2. It is found that the number of Lewis and Bronsted acid centers is practically independent of the composition of the Mg-Co-O catalytic system. Based on the study of the reaction of butene-1 to butene-2 isomerization on binary cobalt-containing catalysts, it was found that the samples with equimolar ratios of primary elements in Fe-Co-O catalysts, as well as samples with one of the predominant elements in the catalytic systems Zn-Co-O and Mg-Co-O are active. Keywords: Isomerization, butene-1, butenes-2, binary catalysts Cobalt oxide.

2D Germanane‐MXene Heterostructures for Cations Intercalation in Energy Storage Applications

AbstractHeterostructures offer an exceptional possibility of combining individual 2D materials into a new material having altered properties compared to the parent materials. Germanane (GeH) is a 2D material with many favorable properties for energy storage and catalysis, however, its performance is hindered by its low electrical conductivity. To address the low electrochemical performance of GeH, a heterostructure of GeH and Ti3C2Tx is fabricated. The Ti3C2TX is a layered material belonging to the family of MXenes. The resulting heterostructure (GeMXene) at a defined mass ratio of GeH and Ti3C2Tx shows superior capacitive performance that surpasses that of both pristine materials. The effect of the size of cations and anions for intercalation into GeMXene in different aqueous salt solutions is studied. GeMXene allows only cation intercalation, which is evidenced by the gravimetric electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance (EQCM) technique. The capacitive performance of the GeMXene is compared in neutral, acidic, and alkaline electrolytes to determine the best electrochemical performance. This unleashes the potential use of GeMXene heterostructure in different electrolytes for supercapacitors and batteries. This work will pave the way to explore the heterostructures of other 2D materials such as novel MXenes and functionalized germanane for highly energy‐storage efficient systems, and beyond.

Effect of Xerogel and Powder Synthesis Conditions on the Properties of Ceramics Based on t-ZrO2 in the ZrO2–СeO2–Al2O3 System

Xerogels and powders of a solid solution based on zirconium dioxide are synthesized by the method of coprecipitation of hydroxides from aqueous solutions of salts of zirconium nitrate ZrO(NO3)2⋅2H2O, aluminum Al(NO3)3⋅9H2O, and cerium Ce(NO3)3⋅9H2O with an aqueous 1 M solution of ammonia NH4OH. A dense ceramic with low porosity and water absorption is obtained. The effect of the ultrasonic treatment of the precipitate and mechanical treatment of the xerogel on the physicochemical properties of the obtained materials is evaluated.

Separation of Phenylalanine Aqueous Salt Solutions by Electrodialysis Using Membranes with Different Mass Fractions of Sulfonated Cation-Exchange Resin

Separation of Phenylalanine Aqueous Salt Solutions by Electrodialysis Using Membranes with Different Mass Fractions of Sulfonated Cation-Exchange Resin

Exploring Potential of Gellan Gum for Enhanced Oil Recovery.

Extensive laboratory and field tests have shown that the gelation response of gellan gum to saline water makes it a promising candidate for enhanced oil recovery (EOR). The objective of this mini-review is to evaluate the applicability of gellan gum in EOR and compare its efficiency to other precursors, in particular, hydrolyzed polyacrylamide (HPAM). At first, the "sol-gel" phase transitions of gellan gum in aqueous-salt solutions containing mono- and divalent cations are considered. Then the rheological and mechanical properties of gellan in diluted aqueous solutions and gel state are outlined. The main attention is paid to laboratory core flooding and field pilot tests. The plugging behavior of gellan in laboratory conditions due to "sol-gel" phase transition is discussed in the context of conformance control and water shut-off. Due to its higher strength, gellan gum gel provided ~6 times greater resistance to the flow of brine in a 1 mm-width fracture compared to HPAM gel. The field trials carried out in the injection and production wells of the Kumkol oilfield, situated in Kazakhstan, demonstrated that over 6 and 11 months, there was an incremental oil recovery of 3790 and 5890 tons, respectively. To put it into perspective, using 1 kg of dry gellan resulted in the incremental production of 3.52 m3 (or 22 bbls) of oil. The treatment of the production well with 1 wt.% gellan solution resulted in a considerable decrease in the water cut up to 10-20% without affecting the oil flow rate. The advantages and disadvantages of gellan compared to HPAM are analyzed together with the economic feasibility of gellan over HPAM. The potential for establishing gellan production in Kazakhstan is emphasized. It is anticipated that gellan gum, manufactured through fermentation using glucose-fructose syrup from Zharkent and Burunday corn starch plants, could be expanded in the future for applications in both the food industry and oil recovery.

Study on preparation of aluminum fluoride from cryolite

As China's aluminum electrolysis industry expanded its production capacity, it produced a large amount of bath materials– cryolite based molten salt, which is not utilized fast enough and piled up in aluminum factories. It is of great significance to find a proper way to process the accumulated bath materials. Through the method introduced in this paper, aluminum fluoride can be produced from cryolite-based electrolyte and fed back into the aluminum electrolysis cell as a necessary additive. This method includes four steps: Calcination of crystalline aluminum nitrate with cryolite. Cryolite and crystalline aluminum nitrate are mixed and preheated. The main chemical reaction that occurs in this step will produce sodium nitrate (NaNO3), β-aluminum fluoride (β-AlF3), chiolite (Na5Al3F14) and the aluminum hydroxyfluoride hydrate (AHF). After calcination, the products are washed with water to separate soluble NaNO3 from the other products. The insoluble products obtained after washing are calcined with ammonium bifluoride to convert AHF into AlF3. The mixture obtained after preheating is then washed with an aqueous solution of aluminum salt (such as Al(NO3)3) to remove Na5Al3F14. Aluminum fluoride of high purity is obtained in the end. Calcination step is the most important among the four steps. The effects of calcination temperature (85 – 135 ℃) and molar ratio of crystalline aluminum nitrate to cryolite (0.5 – 2) on the conversion rate of cryolite were studied. The experimental results show that the highest conversion rate of cryolite can reach 97.03%. Through SEM, EDS, ICP and other analysis methods, it was found the final products contained more than 98.8 wt% aluminum fluoride and less than 0.4 wt% sodium, and the average particle size of aluminum fluoride is approximately 15 – 20 µm.

Inorganic Nanoparticles Embedded in Polydimethylsiloxane Nanodroplets.

To stabilize and transport them through complex systems, nanoparticles are often encapsulated in polymeric nanocarriers, which are tailored to specific environments. For example, a hydrophilic polymer capsule maintains the circulation and stability of nanoparticles in aqueous environments. A more highly designed nanocarrier might have a hydrophobic core and a hydrophilic shell to allow the transport of hydrophobic nanoparticles and pharmaceuticals through physiological media. Polydimethylsiloxane, PDMS, is a hydrophobic material in a liquid-like state at room temperature. The preparation of stable, aqueous dispersions of PDMS droplets in water is problematic due to the intense mismatch in surface energies between PDMS and water. The present work describes the encapsulation of hydrophobic metal and metal oxide nanoparticles within PDMS nanodroplets using flash nanoprecipitation. The PDMS is terminated by amino groups, and the nanodroplet is capped with a layer of poly(styrenesulfonate), forming a glassy outer shell. The hydrophobic nanoparticles nucleate PDMS droplet formation, decreasing the droplet size. The resulting nanocomposite nanodroplets are stable in aqueous salt solutions without the use of surfactants. The hierarchical structuring, elucidated with small-angle X-ray scattering, offers a new platform for the isolation and transport of hydrophobic molecules and nanoparticles through aqueous systems.

Corrosion-driven droplet wetting on iron nanolayers

The classical Evans’ drop describes a drop of aqueous salt solution, placed on a bulk metal surface where it displays a corrosion pit that grows over time producing further oxide deposits from the metal dissolution. We focus here on the corrosion-induced droplet spreading using iron nanolayers whose semi-transparency allowed us to monitor both iron corrosion propagation and electrolyte droplet behavior by simple optical means. We thus observed that pits grow under the droplet and merge into a corrosion front. This front reached the triple contact line and drove a non radial spreading, until it propagated outside the immobile droplet. Such chemically-active wetting is only observed in the presence of a conductive substrate that provides strong adhesion of the iron nanofilm to the substrate. By revisiting the classic Evan’s drop experiment on thick iron film, a weaker corrosion-driven droplet spreading is also identified. These results require further investigations, but they clearly open up new perspectives on substrate wetting by corrosion-like electrochemical reactions at the nanometer scale.