Production Of Chemicals Research Articles

Development of environmentally friendly sensor devices to monitor humidity

Manufacturing environmentally friendly electronic components is a major challenge for traditional microelectronics companies. Some factors make the industry polluting and pose a high risk of accidents since they employ the use of chemical or radioactive products during complex manufacturing processes and discard at end of useful life. Electronic waste, in addition to being an environmental problem, becomes logistically expensive to reuse. Thus, the development of new technologies focusing on the manufacture of green or ecological components, waste reduction, simple and correct disposal are instruments of study and increasing use. In this work, we present a proposal for a humidity sensor using paper and graphite. Paper is a biodegradable material and can be used in sensors, although its processing is complex. The sensors developed use simple manufacturing techniques and are biodegradable. We verified the functioning of humidity sensors through mathematical-experimental tests showing the sensitivity of the devices using a micro controlled system.

An elastoplastic beam bond model for DEM simulation of deformable materials and breakage behaviors

AbstractIn modern chemical engineering production, numerous elastoplastic materials, often formed into agglomerates, frequently undergo plastic deformation and rupture. Understanding how these materials behave under different conditions is crucial for improving manufacturing processes and material design. In this work, an elastoplastic beam bond model for discrete element method (DEM) simulation was developed, in which a yield criterion is introduced into Timoshenko beam bond method. The model can simulate not just the initial elastic (stretchy) behavior of the materials but also their plastic (permanent) deformation behaviors. The model was applied to central collision of two agglomerates, agglomerate uniaxial compression, and agglomerate‐wall impact cases. It is shown that the updated model could predict the behavior of materials that undergo permanent changes under stress, compared to previous models that only considered elastic behaviors. This could enable more accurate simulations of particulate materials and aid in better process design.

Optimizing macroalgal biochar-based catalysts for monophenols recovery during wood dust catalytic pyrolysis: A comparative study using response surface methodology and artificial neural network

This study aimed to explore the optimization of macroalgal biochar-based catalysts (MBBCs) for enhanced monophenolic production in biomass pyrolysis. By utilizing response surface methodology (RSM) and artificial neural network (ANN), key variables in the activation process during preparation of MBBCs were identified including activation temperature, activator ratio, and CO2 residence time. The results showed that the ANN model, with an R2 of 0.9816, accurately predicted optimal catalyst activation conditions, closely matching the experimentally determined optimal conditions (ENPC800-1:2–30). The bio-oil yield decreased under ENPC800-1:2–30 catalyst, but the monophenolic content increased significantly, reaching a relative content of 60 %, with a total concentration of phenol, cresols, and ethylphenol amounting to 35.54 mg/gbio-oil. The present study revealed significant changes in non-condensable gas composition, including increased hydrogen and carbon monoxide which aid in enhancing their energy applications. Thus, the optimized MBBCs greatly help in improving the bio-oil and non-condensable gas quality and thereby providing vital insights over sustainable chemical production through biomass pyrolysis.

The Application of Fuzzy Time Series Method for Web-Based Prediction of Household Chemical Product Sales Stock

The seasonal and trend factors of the market demand greatly influence the sales of household chemical products. Therefore, PT. XYZ company requires an accurate sales prediction system to optimize production and inventory. This research aims to develop a web-based sales prediction system for household chemical products using fuzzy time series method. This method considers the factors that influence sales and generates a prediction model that can assist the company in decision-making. This method allows the use of uncertain and unstructured variables in the prediction. The research collected historical sales data of household chemical products from January to December 2023 through interviews, observations, and literature studies. The system was designed using a structured approach and PHP programming language. The Fuzzy Time Series method was used for decision-making. The accuracy of the Fuzzy Time Series method for sales data from January to December 2020 was calculated through program simulation and manual methods, resulting in an accuracy rate of 13.71%. The application provides information on the sales of each product, with the hope that users can reduce the accumulation of stock every month.

First detection of industrial hydrogen emissions using high precision mobile measurements in ambient air

Projections towards 2050 of the global hydrogen (H2) demand indicate an eight-fold increase in present-day hydrogen consumption. Leakage during production, transport, and consumption therefore presents a large potential for increases in the atmospheric hydrogen burden. Although not a greenhouse gas itself, hydrogen has important indirect climate effects, and the Global Warming Potential of H2 is estimated to be 12.8 times that of CO2. Available technologies to detect hydrogen emissions have been targeted at risk mitigation of industrial facilities, while smaller climate-relevant emissions remain undetected. The latter requires measurement capacity at the parts-per-billion level (ppb). We developed and demonstrated an effective method to detect small hydrogen emissions from industrial installations that combines active AirCore sampling with ppb-precision analysis by gas chromatography. We applied our methodology at a chemical park in the province of Groningen, the Netherlands, where several hydrogen production and storage facilities are concentrated. From a car and an unmanned aerial vehicle, we detected and quantified for the first time small but persistent industrial emissions from leakage and purging across the hydrogen value chain, which include electrolysers, a hydrogen fuelling station, and chemical production plants. Our emission estimates indicate current loss rates up to 4.2% of the estimated production and storage in these facilities. This is sufficiently large to urgently flag the need for monitoring and verification of H2 emissions for the purpose of understanding our climate change trajectory in the 21st century.

A Study on the E-C Translation of Daily Chemical Advertisements from the Perspective of Communicative Translation Theory

Advertising can not only build the image of a brand, but also increase the visibility of the product. Today, as the global economy becomes more and more interconnected, more and more products are pouring into the international market, in which advertising translation plays an irreplaceable role. Due to the differences between Chinese and Western cultures, this paper mainly studies from the perspective of communicative translation theory, and selects naturalization strategies as theoretical guidance, including paraphrasing, additive translation, transcreation, imitation translation and retranslation methods to conduct research on the Chinese translation of advertising slogans for daily chemical products. It is found that when translating daily chemical product advertisements, translators should not only follow the three principles of advertising slogan translation, but also flexibly adopt different translation methods for different texts, so as to continuously increase the cultural value and commercial value of daily chemical product advertising. The purpose of this paper is to provide inspiration for the translation of advertising slogans in the future, and to better promote cross-cultural business communication.

In Situ Electrochemical Conversion of Biomass-Derived 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural into 2,5-Furandicarboxylic Acid by Time-Controlled Aerosol-Assisted Chemical Vapor Deposited FeNi Catalyst.

The conversion of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) into valuable chemicals, such as 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA), is pivotal for sustainable chemical production, offering a renewable pathway to biodegradable plastics and high-value organic compounds. This pioneering study explores the synthesis of FeNi nanostructures via aerosol-assisted chemical vapor deposition (AACVD) for the electrochemical oxidation of HMF to FDCA. By adjusting the deposition time, we developed two distinct nanostructures: FeNi-40, which features nanowires with spherical terminations, and FeNi-80, which features aggregated spherical structures. X-ray diffraction (XRD) confirmed that both nanostructures possess a phase-pure face-centered cubic (FCC) crystal structure. Electrochemical tests conducted using FeNi nanocatalysts on Ni foam revealed that FeNi-40 requires a significantly lower onset potential for HMF oxidation (1.32 V vs RHE) compared to FeNi-80 (1.40 V vs RHE). This difference is attributed to the unique nanowire morphology of FeNi-40, which provides a higher density of active sites and a larger electrochemically active surface area, thereby enhancing the efficiency of the electrochemical process. When tested in an H-type electrolyzer with a Nafion membrane, FeNi-40 demonstrated a remarkable Faradaic efficiency of 96.42% and a high product yield, underscoring the potential of morphology-controlled FeNi nanostructures to enhance the efficiency of sustainable electrochemical processes significantly.

Enhancing d/p-2π* Orbitals Hybridization via Strain Engineering for Efficient CO2 Photoreduction.

The photoconversion of CO2 into valuable chemical products using solar energy is a promising strategy to address both energy and environmental challenges. However, the strongly adsorbed CO2 frequently impedes the seamless advancement of the subsequent reaction by significantly increasing the reaction activation energy. Here, we present a BiFeO3 material with lattice strain that collaboratively regulates the d/p-2π* orbitals hybridization between metal sites and *CO2 as well as *COOH intermediates to achieve rapid conversion of solidly adsorbed CO2 to critical *COOH intermediates, accelerating the overall CO2 reduction kinetics. Quasi in situ X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and in situ Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy combined with theoretical calculation reveals that the optimized Fe sites enhance the adsorption and activation effect of CO2, and continuous internal electrons are rapidly transferred to the reaction sites and injected into the surface *CO2 and *COOH under the condition of illumination, which promotes the rapid formation and stability of *COOH. Certainly, the performance of CO2 photoreduction to CO is improved by 12.81-fold compared with the base material. This work offers a new perspective for the rapid photoreduction process of strongly adsorbed CO2.

Enhancing d/p‐2π* Orbitals Hybridization via Strain Engineering for Efficient CO2 Photoreduction

AbstractThe photoconversion of CO2 into valuable chemical products using solar energy is a promising strategy to address both energy and environmental challenges. However, the strongly adsorbed CO2 frequently impedes the seamless advancement of the subsequent reaction by significantly increasing the reaction activation energy. Here, we present a BiFeO3 material with lattice strain that collaboratively regulates the d/p‐2π* orbitals hybridization between metal sites and *CO2 as well as *COOH intermediates to achieve rapid conversion of solidly adsorbed CO2 to critical *COOH intermediates, accelerating the overall CO2 reduction kinetics. Quasi in situ X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy and in situ Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy combined with theoretical calculation reveals that the optimized Fe sites enhance the adsorption and activation effect of CO2, and continuous internal electrons are rapidly transferred to the reaction sites and injected into the surface *CO2 and *COOH under the condition of illumination, which promotes the rapid formation and stability of *COOH. Certainly, the performance of CO2 photoreduction to CO is improved by 12.81‐fold compared with the base material. This work offers a new perspective for the rapid photoreduction process of strongly adsorbed CO2.

Development and prospect of the acetylene production chain based on the process systems engineering: a focus on the polyvinyl chloride production

Abstract With the shortage of international oil resources and rising oil prices, the acetylene chemical industry has been revitalized. As an important basic raw material in the petrochemical industry, it can produce many chemical products and extend the acetylene production chain. Firstly, the production, conversion, and utilization of acetylene are outlined. Subsequently, this paper focuses on reviewing the core production process routes and the corresponding research progress in the acetylene production chain and points out the development trends of the domestic acetylene downstream conversion. Then, considering that acetylene is produced by calcium carbide technology in Ningdong and the extended downstream polyvinyl chloride industry chain is a large energy consumer and the focus of environmental safety monitoring, the entire process from coal-based calcium carbide acetylene production to polyvinyl chloride synthesis is elaborated from the perspective of process systems engineering. The resource utilization status and bottlenecks in the process are declared, and the direction of process improvement and optimization is proposed. Finally, the entire acetylene production chain is briefly analyzed and reviewed.

The role of industrial strategies in chemical production and service supply logistics processes

The research topic focuses on applying industrial strategies, especially in chemical industry logistics processes. The research aims to examine the future of the chemical industry in Hungary and worldwide. The question is what is the role of logistics in the chemical supply chain and the difficulties faced in this area? The main difficulty that can be encountered is achieving effective automation and digitalization while maintaining appropriate safety, which is an essential aspect of the chemical industry. The research presents an existing AGV transport solution that significantly facilitates on-site logistics processes within a chemical company. In the research, the potential development areas are found which could be interesting to explore in logistics processes are also discussed.

Bugs (hemiptera) of western siberia possible agents of biological control of phytophages

The increasing harmfulness of phytophages damaging agricultural and ornamental crops is associated with various factors, in particular with the expansion of the range of pest species and the development of resistance to the chemical plant protection products used. The search and regular replenishment of the assortment of entomocarifages is becoming important in the biological protection of plants for obtaining organic crop products. An alternative to using chemical pesticides is to use natural enemies. One of the promising and numerous suborders is the hemiptera or bugs (Hemiptera: Heteroptera). The paper provides an ecological and faunal description of zoophages and zoophytophages of the order Hemiptera found in the regions of the Novosibirsk region (Moshkovsky, Bolotninsky, Chulymsky districts), Altai Territory (Troitsky district) and the Altai Republic (Ust-Koksinsky district) during the growing season of 2023. Seven species belonging to three families of the bedbug suborder were collected: Nabidae (Nabis ferus, Nabis limbatus), Anthocoridae (Orius niger), Pentatomidae (Arma custos, Zicrona caerulea, Picromerus bidens, Pentatoma rufipes). The insects were kept alive for transportation to the laboratory and study of their biological characteristics. Three species were introduced into laboratory culture. The selection of conditions for keeping predatory insectoids continues to obtain a stable laboratory population and further use in crop production. As a result of the surveys of natural and agrobiocenoses, predation by Arma custos and Pentatoma rufipes on the larvae of the Colorado potato beetle was revealed.

Impacts of anthropogenic resuspension on sediment organic matter: An experimental approach

Globally coastal sediments are frequently disturbed by a wide range of physical anthropogenic processes (e.g. bottom trawling) which causes resuspension of sediment organic matter (OM) into the overlaying water column. In this study we present experimental results showing that anthropogenic sediment resuspension decreases the organic carbon (14x) and nitrogen (3x) content in the sediment material resuspended to the water column, while no measurable response was found for organic phosphorus. Our findings furthermore show that the OM bioavailability decreased and the Carbon:Nitrogen:Phosphorus stoichiometry was changed suggesting that anthropogenic resuspension changes the chemical composition, and/or production and degradation pathways of the OM pool. The detected changes in OM biogeochemistry could affect nutrient release, fuel oxygen consumption and at the same time increase CO2 production in coastal waters.

Improved morphological stability of NiFe2O4 via Sr doping for chemical looping hydrogen production

As a new hydrogen production technology, chemical looping hydrogen production has the advantage of internal CO2 separation. NiFe2O4 is considered as promising oxygen carrier material for chemical looping hydrogen production due to the high oxygen carrying capacity and low cost. However, rapid redox performance fading caused by structure degradation and interface instability in successive redox reactions that led fto poor stability, and seriously limited the practical application of NiFe2O4 in chemical looping hydrogen production. Herein, we reported a method for improving the morphological stability of NiFe2O4 through Sr doping. NiFe2O4 samples containing different SrO contents (2 wt%, 5 wt% and 8 wt%) were prepared by a simple mechanical mixing method. A series of characterization analysis results showed that adding an appropriate amount of Sr could significantly improve the microstructure, increase the oxygen vacancy concentration and inhibit the phase segregation of NiFe2O4. The NiFe-5Sr presented the largest BET surface area (24.63 m2/g) and highest concentration of oxygen vacancies (77.49 %). NiFe-0Sr and NiFe-2Sr experienced severe phase segregation during continuous cyclic reactions, resulting in significant surface sintering and deactivation. During 20 redox cycles, NiFe-5Sr presented the highest hydrogen yield (around 10 mmol/g) and stable surface morphology. The research results indicated that the optimal doping amount for SrO was 5 %.

Hydrogen-free deoxygenation of oleic acid on acidic and basic ZSM-5 and Y-zeolites: Products for biofuel and reaction pathways

A large volume of highly acidic vegetable oils generated as waste could be utilized to produce low-cost biofuels without competing with food production. This study investigated the conversion of oleic acid (OA), used as a model fatty compound, in a micropyrolysis apparatus under conditions similar to those employed in fluidized catalytic cracking (FCC) of petroleum feedstocks. The influence of small-micropore size zeolites (ZSM-5) and large-micropore size zeolites (Y), in both their acidic H- and basic Na-forms, on the product distribution was evaluated. Oleic acid was pre-adsorbed onto the zeolites at a mass ratio Catalyst:OA = 10:1. Thermal cracking of pure oleic acid was limited, predominantly producing linear 1-alkenes and carboxylic acids. Conversion in the presence of catalysts was enhanced, resulting in the formation of a greater variety of hydrocarbons. Branched and cyclic alkanes, as well as polyaromatics hydrocarbons, were produced in greater quantities on Y zeolites compared to ZSM-5, due to the larger micropore diameter of the Y zeolite. Among the catalysts, Na-Y produced the highest number of hydrocarbons, predominantly within the gasoline range. These results are promising for the co-processing of fatty residues in the FCC, promoting the production of second-generation drop-in biofuels and bio-based chemicals, and contributing to industrial decarbonization.

GREEN CHEMISTRY EDUCATION

Green chemistry can also be referred to as sustainable chemistry and it is the design of chemical products and processes aimed at less or less the use of hazardous substances. It's about lessening the destructive consequences on the environment and the earth's sustainability (Wale et al., 2023; Mane et al., 2023). This accommodates many principles that outline how to design safer chemical reactions as well as technology and the use of green chemicals (De, 2023; Rathi et al., 2023). Such principles include the elimination or reduction of generation, using renewable raw materials, and the production of safer substances and materials to decrease harm to human health and the environment, according to Nithya and Sathish (2023). Thus, green chemistry's goal is to bring radical changes in industries researching for effective and eco-friendly strategies for the synthesis of materials, including nanomaterials, through employing cost-efficiency and biocompatibility with the help of earth's resources (De, 2023).

Performance of yellow and pink oyster mushroom dyes in dye sensitized solar cell

A solar photovoltaic (PV) cell, is an electrical device that uses the PV effect to convert light energy into electricity. The application of oyster mushroom dyes in dye sensitized solar cell (DSSC) is a novel strategy to substitute the costly chemical production process with easily extractable, environmentally acceptable dyes. Both dyes of yellow and pink oyster mushrooms were extracted using the same process but dried into powder form using two techniques, warm drying and freeze drying. The characterization was carried out utilizing current-voltage (I-V) characterization for electrical properties, Ultraviolet-Visible (UV-Vis) spectrophotometer for optical properties, Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM), and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) for the structural properties. It was found that freeze-dried pink and yellow oyster mushroom had shown the good properties for DSSC application as it produced energy bandgap which lies within the range of efficient dye sensitizer; 1.7 eV and 2.2 eV, the most uniform distribution of pores and a nearly spherical form in FESEM analysis, and AFM result obtained with the highest root mean square (RMS) roughness value (26.922 and 34.033) with stereoscopic morphologies. The data proved that mushroom dyes can be incorporated in DSSC with the optimization of drying method in the extraction process, dilution of dye and the layer of deposition on the glass substrate. The current density-voltage (J–V) characteristics of fabricated DSSC was characterized using Newport Oriel Sol3A solar simulator under AM 1.5 Sun condition (100 mW/cm2, 25 oC). From the result obtained by solar simulator, the fabricated FTO/TiO2/Pleurotus djamor dye/Pt indicated the Voc of 0.499 V and Jsc of 0.397 mA/cm2.

Enhanced efficiency and selectivity of carbon monoxide absorption by cuprous-based bimetallic deep eutectic solvents via iron activation

The absorption/utilization of carbon monoxide (CO) is critical due to its wide application in chemical production processes (e.g., acylation), and its toxicity/environmental impact. However, traditional copper-ammonia solutions in industry have limitations such as the deactivation of copper ions and high viscosity, which hinder efficient CO absorption under atmospheric conditions. In this work, a series of low-viscosity bimetallic deep eutectic solvents (DESs) with high CO absorption capacity were developed by mixing metal chlorides with [Emim]Cl and CuCl in specific molar ratios. Comprehensive studies of their physical properties (density and viscosity) and CO absorption performance revealed that [Emim]Cl-CuCl-1.0FeCl3 exhibited the lowest viscosity (57.4 cP) and a nearly equimolar CO absorption capacity (0.9 mol/mol). Moreover, the selectivity for CO/N2 (730), CO/CO2 (22), and CO/H2 (52) at 298.2 K and 100 kPa was also satisfied. The data of Raman and FT-IR spectra demonstrated that FeCl3 effectively activated cuprous sites in CuCl and significantly enhanced the CO absorption performance of cuprous-based bimetallic DESs. Furthermore, [Emim]Cl-CuCl-1.0FeCl3 showed excellent reusability after six absorption–desorption cycles. Therefore, we believe that this work provides a route for the effective activation of cuprous sites in cuprous-based bimetallic DESs to achieve efficient and reversible CO absorption at atmospheric conditions.

Investigation of hydrolysis of sugarcane bagasse into glucose over solid acid HSO3-ZSM-5 zeolite for fermentation to bioethanol

ABSTRACT In the pursuit of sustainable energy sources, biomass has emerged as a promising alternative to fossil fuels due to its renewability and carbon neutrality. This current work presents the application of solid acid zeolite catalyst for biomass hydrolysis into reducing sugar for fermentation. Sulfonated ZSM-5 zeolite was prepared by grafting sulfonic acid group on the surface and/or into the pores of porous ZSM-5 zeolite and characterized by several analyses. The as-synthesized HSO3-ZSM-5 zeolite was then investigated as a solid acid catalyst for the hydrolysis of alkaline pretreated sugarcane bagasse (SB). Containing sulfonic acid groups – a very strong acid – on the surface, HSO3-ZSM-5 zeolite presented high catalytic activity and high efficiency in the hydrolysis of SB biomass. When the hydrolysis was carried out under optimal conditions, approximately 106.8 g/L of reducing sugar including of glucose, xylose, arabinose, and cellobiose was recovered. 86.65% fermentable sugars could be achieved after catalytic hydrolysis, and 48.7% of SB in total was converted to reducing sugar and others. Moreover, this solid acid catalyst can be reused impressively several times with no significant loss in catalytic activity. The sugar hydrolyzate could be used for fermentative production of bio-ethanol. Results indicated the possibility of using solid acid zeolite in the hydrolysis of lignocellulose to generate sugars that can be further applied in biofuel or chemical manufacturing.

Unveiling the Brønsted acid mechanism for Meerwein–Ponndorf–Verley reduction in methanol conversion over ZSM-5

The conversion of methanol over zeolites offers a sustainable alternative for fuels and chemicals production. However, a complete understanding of the competing reaction pathways, particularly those leading to C-C bond formation, remains elusive. This work presents a novel mechanism for selective methanol conversion in ZSM-5 zeolites, involving a Brønsted acid site (BAS)-mediated Meerwein–Ponndorf–Verley (MPV) reduction pathway. Employing a multidimensional solid-state NMR spectroscopy combined with isotopic labeling and theoretical calculations, we identify this pathway for acetaldehyde reduction with methanol, directly contributing to ethene formation. This mechanism, involving carbenium ion intermediates like 1-hydroxyethane or 1-methoxyethane ions, contrasts with the well-established Lewis acid-catalyzed MPV process. Based on reactant adsorption modes, we propose two distinct reaction routes for BAS-MPV reduction, bridging the gap between direct and hydrocarbon pool mechanisms in methanol conversion. We further demonstrate the applicability of this pathway to acetone, highlighting its broader role in the early stages of the reaction.