N2 Mixtures Research Articles

Covalent vs. Dative Bonding in Carbon Monoxide and Other 10-Valence-Electron Diatomics.

Valence bond theory (VB) was used to determine the extent and driving forces for covalent vs. dative bonding in 10-valence-electron diatomic molecules N2, CO, NO+, CN-, P2, SiS, PS+, and SiP-. VBSCF calculations were performed at the CCSD(T)/cc-pVDZ optimized geometries. The full triply bonded system included 20 VB structures. A separation of the σ and π space allowed for a subdivision of the full 20 structure set into sets of 8 and 3 for the π and σ systems, respectively. The smaller structure sets allowed for a more focused look at each type of bond. In situ bond energies for σ bonds, individual π bonds, the π system, and triple bonds follow expected trends. Our data shows that N2 and P2 have three covalent bonds whereas CO and SiS contain two covalent and one dative bond, and charged species NO+, CN-, PS+, and SiP- are a mixture of N2 and CO type electronic arrangements, resulting in a nearly equal charge distribution. Dative bonds prefer to be in the π position due to enhanced σ covalency and π resonance. Both σ and π resonance energies depend on a balance of ionic strength, orbital compactness, σ constraints, and bond directionality. Resonance energy is a major contributor to bond strength, making up more than 50% of the π bonds in SiS and PS+ (charge-shift bonds), and is greater than charge transfer in dative bonds.

Numerical simulation for subsidence control in CO2 storage and methane hydrate extraction

Gas hydrates are increasingly viewed as a promising alternative to traditional fossil fuels. However, their extraction process poses risks to structural integrity, potentially causing significant subsidence. In this study, we developed a Thermo-Hydro-Mechanical-Chemical (THMC) model to analyze the impact of gas hydrate extraction on seabed subsidence. Our investigation focused on the influence of bottom hole flowing pressure, initial hydrate concentration, gas saturation, permeability, porosity, and rock thermal conductivity on subsidence during gas hydrate extraction via depressurization.The results show that seabed subsidence is affected by various factors such as bottom hole flowing pressure, initial hydrate concentration, gas saturation, permeability, porosity, and rock thermal conductivity. It was noted that significant subsidence is associated with low initial hydrate concentration, high permeability, porosity, low gas saturation, low rock thermal conductivity, and a notable pressure drop of 79.31%.To address this issue, we propose a seabed subsidence mitigation strategy involving CO2 injection. This approach not only safeguards offshore infrastructure and coastal communities but also helps reduce CO2 emissions, aligning with global climate change mitigation efforts. In our model, CO2 injection occurs in the subsurface reservoir at the interface between the free water zone and hydrate-bearing formations. The CO2 hydrates formation process releases heat, which dissociates methane hydrates, allowing the methane to be replaced by CO2 molecules and move towards the production well.Our analysis reveals that increasing injection temperature and rate significantly reduces subsidence. Additionally, the range of investigated injection pressures, which included pressures equal to and more than double the initial reservoir pressure, showed inconsequential impacts on seabed subsidence.The effectiveness of subsidence reduction is significantly enhanced by injecting a CO2/N2 mixture compared to pure CO2 injection. The most substantial reduction in subsidence occurred when a mixture of CO2 and N2 in a 50/50 vol/vol ratio was injected at a high rate.These findings offer crucial insights for optimizing the efficiency and control of gas hydrate extraction methods. They emphasize the importance of employing balanced injection strategies to minimize environmental risks and ensure sustainable energy extraction.

Apparent effective ionization coefficient in N2 and O2 gas mixtures determined with two separate methods

N2:O2 gas mixtures are important for applications of atmospheric pressure plasmas such as ozone production, air purification from VOCs and NOx and surface treatments. Fundamental parameters such as the effective ionization coefficient are inputs for theoretical plasma models for applications and must thus be accurately known. This work determined the apparent effective ionization coefficient in N2:O2 mixtures in a broad reduced electric field strength E/N range of 150–1200 Td with two separate methods and compared with BOLSIG+ calculations of reduced effective ionization coefficient. Additionally, the equilibrium distance required to establish a steady-state electron energy distribution was estimated from spatial profiles of optical emission.

Low-NOx thermal plasma torches: A renewable heat source for the electrified process industry

Industrial thermal plasma torches can heat a gas up to 5000–20,000 K, i.e., well above the temperature needed to replace the heat generated from the combustion of traditional fossil fuels (e.g., coal, oil, and natural gas) in large-scale process industry furnaces producing construction materials (e.g., iron, steel, lime, and cement). However, there is a risk for significant NOx emissions when air or N2 are used as plasma-forming gas since the temperature somewhere in the furnace always will be higher compared to the threshold NOx formation temperature of ∼1800 K. Torch NOx forms inside the high temperature region of the plasma torch (>5000 K) when air is used as gas. Process NOx forms instead when the hot gas (when air or nitrogen is used as plasma forming gas) from the plasma torch mixes with process air downstream the torch. By analysing the complex chemistry of both the torch- and process NOx formation with thermodynamic equilibrium and one-dimensional chemical kinetic calculations it was shown that adding H2 to the plasma-forming N2 gas significantly reduces the NOx emissions with more than 90 %. Verifying experiments with air, pure N2, and mixtures of H2 and N2 as plasma-forming gas were performed in a laboratory scale insulated laboratory furnace with different pre-heating temperatures of process air (293, 673, and 1073 K) which the plasma gas mixes with downstream the torch. Depending on the pre-heating temperature the NOx emissions were between 12,000–14,000 mg NO2/MJfuel when air was used as plasma forming gas. Substantial NOx emission reduction occurs both when N2 replaces air, where the NOx emissions was in the span of 8000–11,500 mg NO2/MJfuel and furthermore when H2 was mixed into the N2 gas stream. For the highest degree of H2 mixing (28.6 vol-%), the NOx emissions were between 450–1700 mg NO2/MJfuel depending on the pre-heat temperature of the process air, i.e., a reduction of 88–96 % and 85–94 %, respectively when air or N2 was used as plasma forming gas. The measured NOx emissions are then of the same order of magnitude as would be expected from the combustion of traditional fuels (coal, oil, biomass and pure H2). Finally, by analysing the aerodynamics in an axisymmetric furnace with an experimentally validated computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model using reduced chemistry for the NOx formation (19 species and 70 reactions), further guidelines into the process of NOx reduction from thermal plasma torches are given.

The kinetics and mechanism of the combustion of the carbon in biochar from oak, as studied in an electrically heated, fluidised bed of sand

The oxidation of small particles (size 200 μm) of char from oak has been studied, by adding a small batch of them to an electrically heated bed of inert, silica sand, fluidised by mixtures of O2 and N2. The concentrations of CO, CO2, and O2, in the off-gases from the bed were continuously monitored, enabling the rate of combustion and also the fraction, X, of the carbon oxidised in each particle to be measured throughout combustion at different, well-controlled temperatures. The rate of oxidation declined as (1 – X) during burnout,becausethe O2 freely contacted the carbon in these tiny particles, whose oxidation was kinetically controlled at 700 °C and below. In fact, these tiny char particles burned in the fluidised bed at 500–700 °C in Zone 1 according to S0(1 – X)(k5CO2 + k6) per g of char. This matches Hurt and Calo’s three-step mechanism, whereby a porous char burns at a rate controlled by two reactions, one first-order in O2, the other zeroth-order in O2. Reactions (V) and (VI) were found to be, respectively, k5 = 1.7 × 103 exp (−139 ± 18 kJ mole−1/RT) m s−1 and k6 = 1.5 exp (−92 ± 20 kJ mole−1/RT) mole s−1 m−2. Reaction (V), between O2 and a surface complex containing oxygen, became faster as X increased, if the temperature exceeded 600 °C; catalysis by potassium was suspected as providing this extra reactive boost.

The iron nitrogenase reduces carbon dioxide to formate and methane under physiological conditions: A route to feedstock chemicals.

Nitrogenases are the only known enzymes that reduce molecular nitrogen (N2) to ammonia. Recent findings have demonstrated that nitrogenases also reduce the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide (CO2), suggesting CO2 to be a competitor of N2. However, the impact of omnipresent CO2 on N2 fixation has not been investigated to date. Here, we study the competing reduction of CO2 and N2 by the two nitrogenases of Rhodobacter capsulatus, the molybdenum and the iron nitrogenase. The iron nitrogenase is almost threefold more efficient in CO2 reduction and profoundly less selective for N2 than the molybdenum isoform under mixtures of N2 and CO2. Correspondingly, the growth rate of diazotrophically grown R. capsulatus strains relying on the iron nitrogenase notably decreased after adding CO2. The in vivo CO2 activity of the iron nitrogenase facilitates the light-driven extracellular accumulation of formate and methane, one-carbon substrates for other microbes, and feedstock chemicals for a circular economy.

New compound XeN14 with high energy density

As a high-energy density material, polymeric nitrogen has attracted considerable attention, while the exceptionally high synthesis pressure hinders its studies and applications. A significant discovery indicates that the insertion of noble gas elements can effectively reduce the synthesis pressure of polymeric nitrogen compounds. This work utilized the particle swarm optimization algorithm and first-principles calculations to extensively explore the stoichiometry of Xe–N compounds under high pressures. Two phases of XeN14, P6mm and P-62m, have been discovered, which are energetically more stable than the basic mixture of Xe and N2. Evidence of charge transfer between Xe and N was found, verifying that Xe plays a crucial role in forming polymeric nitrogen compounds. These two compounds are kinetically stable at pressures ranging from 50 to 200 GPa and exhibit semiconductor properties. A unique channel-like structure was discovered in the P6mm phase. The energy densities of P6mm and P-62m phases are 7.39 and 7.59 kJ/g, respectively, significantly exceeding those of TNT (Trinitrotoluene) and HMX (Octogen), indicating their potential as high-energy density materials.

Characterization and electrochemical performance of plasma-nitrided titanium alloy for bipolar plates

Ti-N layer with a thickness about 1 ∼ 2.2 μm was formed on titanium alloys through plasma nitriding at 750 °C in NH3 and a mixture of NH3 and N2 (1:2) for 4 h. SEM and XRD were employed to characterize the microstructure and phase composition of nitrided layer. Electrochemical tests evaluated the anti-corrosion properties of the samples before and after nitrided in a simulated proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC) environment. Interface contact resistance (ICR) was also measured. Results indicated that the corrosion potential in cathodic conditions was increased from −415 mV for untreated titanium to 148 mV for that nitrided in mixture gas. While, the corrosion current density was reduced from 6.64 μA to 0.86 μA. Under a pressure of 140 N cm−2, the interfacial contact resistance of the untreated sample increased from 22.1 mΩ cm2 before corrosion testing to 40.5 mΩ cm2 after corrosion at cathodic conditions. The nitrided sample, on the other hand, saw its contact resistance rise from 4.5 mΩ cm2 before corrosion to 7.3 mΩ cm2 after corrosion. The Ti-N compound layer effectively diminished the corrosion current density and sustained an exceptionally low ICR under the simulated operating conditions of a bipolar plate.

Electron density measurement of Ar, N2, O2, and Ar mixtures (with N2 and O2) gas in inductively coupled plasma (ICP) using terahertz time domain spectroscopy

In this study, an inspection method using terahertz waves was proposed for the diagnosis of electron density using inductively coupled plasma (ICP). Plasma with low and high electron density for Ar, N2, O2, and Ar mixed (with N2 and O2) gases was generated by varying the RF power of the ICP and mass flow rate. Based on the theoretical analysis about propagation characteristics of the THz waves in Ar, N2, O2, and Ar mixed (with N2 and O2) gas plasma, the electron density of the ICP was measured according to RF power and mass flow rate. These results were verified using a Langmuir probe that can measure the electron density distribution.

Emission Spectra of Ammonia Laminar Flames in Spherically Propagating Flames and a Modified McKenna Burner

ABSTRACT Ammonia (NH3) has received significant attention recently as a promising carbon-free, low-cost, and safe candidate as a chemical energy storage element and/or fuel alternative. As for any new fuel, fundamental aspects of the combustion process, such as the detailed chemical kinetic pathways of NH3 oxidation, flame propagation and stability, and emissions, are to be understood to predict its combustion behavior in practical systems. One aspect of improving our understanding of the combustion behavior of NH3 is to explore the emission spectra of spherically expanding and/or Bunsen-type flames under controlled laboratory conditions. In this study, flame spectra from NH3-containing mixtures were obtained utilizing two different experimental flame configurations, namely a spherically propagating flame and a modified Mckenna burner flame. Two different fuel mixtures were investigated. The first was an oxy-ammonia mixture consisting of NH3 + (25% O2 +75% N2) with the goal of studying neat ammonia. The second mixture consisted of H2:NH3:N2 with a ratio of 45:40:15 by volume. Several excited-state species within the UV-visible spectral region were identified. For instance, NO* emission features were found between 220 and 280 nm. In addition, OH* emission was detected around 310 nm, and an NH* feature was seen around 337 nm. Moreover, a broadband intensity was reported over the visible range (400 ~ 800 nm), where several NH2* features were also detected. The effect of the mixture on the flame spectra was investigated by examining the two different mixtures utilizing the same experimental apparatus (spherical flame in this case), and it was shown that the mixture has an effect on the presence of NH2* features, which was also backed by chemical kinetics predictions for the NH2* mole fraction profiles. It was shown (from kinetics) that the oxy-ammonia mixture produced more NH2* than the H2:NH3:N2 mixture by up to 113%. Additionally, the effects of the flame configuration were also investigated by studying the same mixture (the H2:NH3:N2 mixture in this case), and it was revealed that the spectra produced using the modified Mckenna burner had less noise, and all features were easily identified. Lastly, laminar flame speeds of the oxy-ammonia mixture were measured using the spherical flame apparatus. The laminar flame speed followed the expected pattern, peaking near a 1.1 equivalence ratio with a measured flame speed of 22.7 cm/s.

Novel superhard BC10N synthesized by microwave plasma CVD

Microwave Plasma Chemical Vapor Deposition (MPCVD) was used to synthesize novel superhard BC10N on silicon substrates. Feedgas mixtures of H2, CH4, N2, and B2H6 were used for a range of systematically varied microwave power, chamber pressure, and flow rate conditions. Optical Emission Spectroscopy (OES) was used to guide the synthesis of BC10N. Plasma optical emission from the C2 peak increases with pressure up to 80 Torr and saturates in the 80–100 Torr range. The C2 emission also follows the same trend, growing non-linearly with increasing microwave power (for fixed chamber pressure of 30 Torr). The presence of abundant C2 in the plasma is advantageous under specific growth conditions to produce superhard carbon-rich BC10N, a material that has been theoretically predicted but not yet synthesized. Findings obtained from X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) elucidate the existence of BC, CN, BN, and B-N-C bonding in the synthesized coating. Nanoindentation hardness measurements are within the superhard regime, showing an average hardness of 63 GPa.

Optimized global reaction mechanism for H2+NH3+N2 mixtures

Hydrogen and ammonia are playing an increasingly vital role in combustion technologies. Recently, some detailed reaction mechanisms (DRMs) can predict reliable laminar burning velocities (LBVs). Meanwhile, despite their broad applicability in practical combustion engineering, global reaction mechanisms (GRMs) suitable for ammonia and its mixtures with hydrogen or nitrogen have yet to be reported. This study aims to address this gap by investigating new GRMs. Five DRMs were used to calculate the LBVs, and their average values were employed as a reference. First, a single-step GRM was developed for hydrogen (H2 + 0.5O2 → H2O), and another single-step GRM was developed for ammonia (NH3 + 0.75O2 → 0.5N2 + 1.5H2O). However, their combined GRM did not provide reasonable predictions of LBVs for the H2+NH3 mixtures. Therefore, a 4-step GRM was developed consisting of the single-step hydrogen and three additional reactions, i.e., an endothermic ammonia decomposition (NH3 + 0.5O2 → NO + 3H), an exothermic NO reduction (NO + 2H → 0.5N2 + H2O), and an exothermic H recombination (H + H → H2). In conclusion, this 4-step GRM and its revisions could predict reasonable LBVs, flame temperatures, and primary product compositions for mixtures of hydrogen, ammonia, and cracked ammonia gas over a wide range of temperatures (300–600 K) and pressures (1–5 atm).

Enhanced CH4/N2 Separation Efficiency of UiO-66-Br2 through Hybridization with Mesoporous Silica.

Efficient separation of CH4 from N2 is essential for the purification of methane from nitrogen. In order to address this problem, composite materials consisting of rod-shaped SBA-15-based UiO-66-Br2 were synthesized for the purpose of separating a CH4/N2 mixture. The materials were characterized via PXRD, N2 adsorption-desorption, SEM, TEM, FT-IR, and TGA. The adsorption isotherms of CH4 and N2 under standard pressure conditions for the composites were determined and subsequently compared. The study revealed that the composites were formed through the growth of MOF nanocrystals on the surfaces of the SBA-15 matrix. The enhancements in surface area and adsorption capacity of hybrid materials were attributed to the structural modifications resulting from the interactions between surface silanol groups and metal centers. The selectivity of the composites towards a gas mixture of CH4 and N2 was assessed utilizing the Langmuir adsorption equation. The results of the analysis revealed that the U6B2S5/SBA-15 sample exhibited the greatest selectivity for CH4/N2 adsorption compared to the other samples, with an adsorption selectivity parameter (S) of 20.06. Additional research is necessary to enhance the enrichment of methane from CH4/N2 mixtures using SBA-15-based metal-organic framework materials.

Relay Adsorption in Metal-Organic Frameworks for One-Step Helium Purification at Ambient Temperature.

One-step He purification from natural gas represents a crucial solution for addressing the global He shortages. The prevailing method to produce high-grade He involves cryogenic distillation and ultralow temperature adsorption processes, which is highly cost- and energy-intensive. Separating and purifying He at ambient temperature is a great challenge because the fundamental limitation lies in the boiling point, polarizability, and kinetic diameters of CH4/N2/He gases. In this study, we seek to implement a relay adsorption strategy using Ni(ina)2 and MIL-100(Cr) metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) to produce high-purity He from ternary mixtures (CH4, N2, and He) at ambient temperature. The CH4/He selectivity in Ni(ina)2 and N2/He selectivity in MIL-100(Cr) both reach record 15.39 and 128.49, respectively, making the relay adsorption for helium purification highly efficient. The breakthrough experiments show that the two MOFs can sequentially adsorb CH4 and N2 in ternary mixtures, producing He with a purity of up to 99.99% in one step. The remarkable separation performance and stability of these MOFs underscore the industrial potential in purifying He at ambient temperature.

Optimizing oil recovery with CO2 microbubbles: A study of gas composition

Microbubbles represent a feasible method for enhancing oil recovery (EOR). To further investigate microbubble displacement and interaction mechanisms between gas and oil, in this study, EOR experiments were conducted on normal (NB) and microbubble (MB) CO2 and CO2–N2 mixtures using NMR. The CO2 flooding process and the mechanism of microbubble CO2-oil interaction were examined, the contributions of small and large pores to oil recovery and CO2 storage were quantified. Importantly, economic benefits were analyzed under different injection conditions for the first time. The results show CO2 injection formed a stable displacement front and the maximum oil recovery was obtained from MB CO2. The oil swelling and “jamin effect” increased MB CO2 sweep area and the efficiency of small pore utilization was 20.9 % higher than NB CO2. Compared to CO2 injection, the oil recovery gradually decreased with increasing N2 concentration due to the reduced sweep area. The maximum CO2 storage efficiency achieved under MB CO2 injection was 35.92 %. Economic analysis revealed that MB CO2-EOR could provide significant economic benefits of approximately US $492.5 per ton of CO2 injected. This study provides data for the commercial application of microbubble technology.

Synthesis and Mechanism Study of Carbon Nanowires, Carbon Nanotubes, and Carbon Pompons on Single-Crystal Diamonds

Carbon nanomaterials are in high demand owing to their exceptional physical and chemical properties. This study employed a mixture of CH4, H2, and N2 to create carbon nanostructures on a single-crystal diamond using microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition (MPCVD) under high-power conditions. By controlling the substrate surface and nitrogen flow rate, carbon nanowires, carbon nanotubes, and carbon pompons could be selectively deposited. The results obtained from OES, SEM, TEM, and Raman spectroscopy revealed that the nitrogen flow rate and substrate surface conditions were crucial for the growth of carbon nanostructures. The changes in the plasma shape enhanced the etching effect, promoting the growth of carbon pompons. The CN and C2 groups play vital catalytic roles in the formation of carbon nanotubes and nanowires, guiding the precipitation and composite growth of carbon atoms at the interface between the Mo metal catalysts and diamond. This study demonstrated that heterostructures of diamond–carbon nanomaterials could be produced under high-power conditions, offering a new approach to integrating diamond and carbon nanomaterials.

Foaming of thermoplastic polyurethane using supercritical CO2 AND N2: Antishrinking strategy

The transformation of thermoplastic polyurethanes into polymeric foams is attracting great interest nowadays. However, this technology has some challenges that it is necessary to resolve, being one of the most important the shrinkage suffered by the polymeric foams over time. For that reason, this work explores several alternatives to mitigate this phenomenon. These alternatives are divided into two groups: on the one hand, the refoaming of the shrunken foams using supercritical CO2 and N2 was explored; on the other hand, the foaming using mixtures of supercritical CO2 and N2 as foaming agents was carried out. After experiments, it was seen that, the refoaming with N2 of shrunken foams obtained by supercritical CO2 technology can increase and keep constant the initial expansion ratio of the shrunken foams. Moreover, it was also observed that ratios of CO2/N2 between 80/20 and 60/40 can avoid the shrinking issues suffered by the polymeric foams after foaming using supercritical technology.

Calculations of solubilities of pure noble gases and He–CO2/CH4/N2 gas mixtures in aqueous solutions with accurate thermodynamic models

Determining solubilities of pure noble gases and He–CO2/CH4/N2 gas mixtures in aqueous solutions is essential for various applications of noble gases in geological processes and for understanding the migration and accumulation of helium. This study developed two thermodynamic models for calculations of solubilities of five pure noble gases (i.e. He, Ne, Ar, Kr, and Xe) and He–CO2/CH4/N2 gas mixtures in water and in aqueous NaCl solution. The first model is constructed by extending the improved SAFT-LJ equation of state (EOS) to five binary H2O-noble gas systems and four ternary systems (i.e. H2O–He–NaCl, H2O–He–CO2, H2O–He–CH4, and H2O–He–N2). Both the non-ideality of aqueous phase and that of vapor phase of these systems were described using the improved SAFT-LJ EOS (φ-φ model). The second model is developed by modifying the gas solubility model proposed by Duan and his coworkers (one type of γ-φ model). The Pitzer theory was used to describe the non-ideality of aqueous phase and the improved SAFT-LJ EOS was used to describe the non-ideality of vapor phase. Both binary adjustable parameters of the improved SAFT-LJ EOS and parameters of the modified solubility model for pure gas were evaluated from experimental solubility data for pure gas. Both models are predictive for solubilities of gas mixtures since there is no need to evaluate their parameters from solubility data of gas mixtures.Comparisons of calculations of two models with experimental data show that both models can well represent solubilities and Henry's coefficients of five noble gases in pure water, as well as the solubility of He in aqueous NaCl solutions over a wide P-T range (273–600 K, 1–2000 bar for the solubility of He in water). The absolute average deviation of the improved SAFT-LJ EOS from experimental solubility data for five noble gases in pure water is 3.14% and that of the modified solubility model is 2.21%. Predictions of the improved SAFT-LJ EOS for Henry's coefficients for He in the He–CO2–H2O system are consistent with available experimental data. According to predictions of the improved SAFT-LJ EOS, Henry's coefficient for He in the He–CO2–H2O system is always lower than that in the He–H2O system at the same depth. Within 0–5 km depth, He solubility of He–CO2 gas mixture is much greater than that of pure He at the same depth and He partial pressure, He solubility of He–N2 mixture is a little greater than that of pure He, and He solubility of He–CH4 mixture is between that of He–CO2 mixture and that of He–N2 mixture. A computer program for calculations of solubilities of pure noble gases and He–CO2/CH4/N2 gas mixtures in pure water and in aqueous NaCl solutions can be obtained from the corresponding author via email.

Towards low-cost and sustainable activated carbon production: Influence of microwave activation time on yield and CO2 uptake of PET-derived adsorbents

Microwave (MW) heating is proposed as a method to transform polyethylene terephthalate (PET) into porous adsorbents. The yield, textural properties, and CO2 uptake of the PET-derived adsorbents irradiated at different durations (3 – 35 min) at 400 °C were assessed. MW activation time influenced both the physical properties and CO2 uptake capacities of the resulting adsorbents. The yield decreased with activation time, but the surface area, total pore volume, micropore volume, and CO2 uptake capacities all increased with MW activation time before declining. The optimal sample (produced with 5 min of MW activation time) showed improved textural properties as well as higher equilibrium and dynamic CO2 uptakes than the commercial activated carbon used as reference. This adsorbent also possesses good selectivity for CO2 in the binary 10:90%vol/vol CO2: N2 mixture. Additionally, an excellent recyclability over 20 cycles, (Regeneration Efficiency > 97%) was observed, and the CO2 adsorption kinetics best fits Lagergren’s pseudo-second-order model. This study has shown that a low activation temperature (400 °C), a short MW activation time (5 min), and a low amount of chemical agent (KOH, 0.72 M) could produce CO2 adsorbents from a cheap and abundant material (PET-waste) with better CO2 uptake to that of a commercial activated carbon.

Arc erosion behavior and mechanism of Cu/Ti3SiC2 composites in air and c-C4F8/N2 mixture after multiple arc discharges

The arc erosion behavior of Cu/Ti3SiC2 composites in air and c-C4F8/N2 (75/25) mixture was investigated after arc discharges of 1, 100, and 200 cycles. Arc erosion parameters such as breakdown strength, arc duration and breakdown current were recorded. Whether in air or C-N-75-25, the value of the breakdown strength fluctuated with an increase in the number of operations owing to the change in the height of the highest protrusion point, and the breakdown strength remains basically stable after each arc discharge. The arc energy in the C-N-75-25 mixture is lower than that in air. After multiple arc discharges, the erosion pits were scattered over the entire surface within a large area in air. In c-C4F8/N2 (75/25) mixture, although the material surface appeared black owing to carbon deposition, only one crater-like pit was found. In both air and c-C4F8/N2 (75/25) mixture, only a small number of cracks were observed after multiple arc discharges owing to the self-healing effect of the molten Cu liquid flowing into the cracks and condensation. After multiple arc discharges, variations in the ability of the experimental atmosphere to capture electrons resulted in differences in breakdown strength and erosion area. Surface roughness affects breakdown strength but does not play a decisive role. The addition of Ti3SiC2 enhanced the viscosity of the molten pool and increased the work function of the material.