Separation Of Mixtures Research Articles

Confinement and Separation of Benzene from an Azeotropic Mixture Using a Chlorinated B←N Adduct.

Separations of azeotropic mixtures are typically carried out using energy-demanding processes (e.g., distillation). Here, we report the capacity of a self-assembled chlorinated boronic ester-based adduct to confine acetonitrile and benzene in channels upon crystallization. The solvent confinement occurs via a combination of hydrogen bonding and [π···π] interactions. Quantitative separation of benzene from an azeotropic 1:1 mixture of a benzene/acetonitrile (v/v), and methanol is achieved through crystallization with the chlorinated adduct by complementary [C-H···O] and [C-H···π] interactions. Inclusion behavior is rationalized by molecular modeling and crystallographic analysis. The chlorinated boronic ester adduct shows the potential of modularity via isosteric substitution for the separation of challenging chemical mixtures (e.g., azeotropes).

Исследование адсорбционного разделения газовых смесей в условиях нестационарности

The influence of the initial concentration, rate and temperature of adsorption on the adsorption separation of gas mixtures (CO2, CH4, N2, H2S) is investigated. Components: N2 – 5%, H2S – 5%, CO2 – 5% and CH4 – 85%. And as an adsorbent granule of clinoptilolite of irregular shape were used. Isothermal adsorption of CO2 was obtained at different temperatures (293, 313, and 323 K). The obtained isotherms of CO2 adsorption showed that with an increase in temperature, the adsorption of CO2 decreased. The type of isotherms corresponds to Langmuir. The output curves of gas mixture adsorption depending on the gas flow rate and various main components of CO2 were also experimentally studied. The output curves of the adsorption of the CO2 component were studied at various gas flow rates of 20, 50, and 80 mL/min. Equilibrium time increases with a decrease in the gas flow rate. Output curves were also obtained depending on the initial CO2 concentrations of 5%, 10% and 20%. It was determined that with a decrease in the initial concentration of CO2, the equilibrium time also increases. Gas mixture components sorbed downwards: H2S→CO2→CH4→N2. The resulting system of model equations describing the adsorption separation of gas mixtures in a fixed adsorbent layer represents a complete mathematical model of the process under unsteady conditions. The obtained regularities of the process of adsorption of gas mixtures testify to the fact that the process takes place under non-stationary conditions. The proposed models for the optimal design of industrial absorbers can be used for adsorption separation of gas mixtures in the conditions of their unsteady flow.

DNA Repair Protein XRCC1 Stimulates Activity of DNA Polymerase λ under Conditions of Microphase Separation.

Non-membrane compartments or biomolecular condensates play an important role in the regulation of cellular processes including DNA repair. Here, an ability of XRCC1, a scaffold protein involved in DNA base excision repair (BER) and single-strand break repair, to form protein-rich microphases in the presence of DNA duplexes was discovered. We also showed that the gap-filling activity of BER-related DNA polymerase λ (Pol λ) is significantly increased by the presence of XRCC1. The stimulation of the Pol λ activity was observed only at micromolar XRCC1 concentrations, which were well above the nanomolar dissociation constant determined for the XRCC1-Pol λ complex and pointed to the presence of an auxiliary stimulatory factor in addition to protein-protein interactions. Indeed, according to dynamic light scattering measurements, the stimulation of the Pol λ activity by XRCC1 was coupled with microphase separation in a protein-DNA mixture. Fluorescence microscopy revealed colocalization of Pol λ, XRCC1, and gapped DNA within the microphases. Thus, stimulation of Pol λ activity is caused both by its interaction with XRCC1 and by specific conditions of microphase separation; this phenomenon is shown for the first time.

Separation of an azeotropic mixture through the use of organic solvent nanofiltration

Experimental data, along with theoretical modelling, are combined to explore the potential for the separation of an azeotropic polar/non-polar solvent mixture through an OSN membrane. A mixture of toluene/butanol was used for the model development, and then applied to toluene/ethanol, and toluene/heptane mixtures. Experimental data was obtained at various testing conditions to validate simulation results from a non-ideal solution diffusion transport model incorporating the Flory–Huggins ternary equations. Accounting for the effects of non-ideality in the feed and permeate solutions generated a better fit to the experimental data. The system of equations was solved using parameters obtained from mono component membrane data only. The model developed can be used as a pre screening check for the separation of a potential solvent mixture that an OSN membrane can offer prior to embarking upon an extensive experimental program.

Hydrophobic Deep Eutectic Solvents for Ethanol, Propan-1-ol, and Propan-2-ol Recovery from Aqueous Solutions

Separating hydroalcoholic mixtures remains a significant challenge in engineering. Liquid–liquid extraction has emerged as an appealing alternative method, because it avoids the need for the large energy inputs, volatile organic compounds, and high pressures that are typically required by other separation processes. This study explores the use of hydrophobic deep eutectic solvents (HDESs) composed of terpenes and 10-undecenoic acid as extraction agents for the liquid–liquid separation of hydroalcoholic mixtures composed of alcohols (ethanol, propan-1-ol, and propan-2-ol) and water. The water content in the solvents studied was notably low, reflecting their hydrophobic nature. For the dried HDES samples, the water content ranged from 553 to 4901 ppm. In contrast, the water-saturated samples exhibited higher water contents, ranging from 7250 to 20,864 ppm. The HDES based on thymol, DL-menthol, and L-menthol displayed a eutectic point at an xterpenes of approximately 0.67. These mixtures maintained a liquid state up to a mole fraction of terpenes around 0.75. In contrast, the HDES composed of carvacrol, fenchyl alcohol, and α-terpineol exhibited their eutectic point at an xterpenes near 0.5. Notably, these mixtures remained in a liquid state across the entire composition range studied. The 2:1 molar ratio (HBA:HBD) presented the best values for extracting alcohols, reaching 34.04%, 36.59%, and 39.78% for ethanol, propan-2-ol, and propan-1-ol, respectively. These results show that HDES can be applied to overcome issues with existing extraction solvents, increasing the separation efficiency and making the process eco-friendly.

On the increased interfacial resistance of hydrogen in carbon nanotube arrays and its effect on gas mixture separation

We outline a surface scattering kernel for rarefied gas flows through ideally ordered nanomaterials, such as high aspect ratio carbon nanotubes. The derived model allows for a comparison of the tangential momentum accommodation coefficient, and, hence, the total effective friction, for different species of gases as a function of the particle diameter. This surface kernel is incorporated with a Fokker–Planck model as an approximation to transport of a rarefied gas through ideally ordered carbon nanotubes. The results of this analysis predict that H2 experiences higher friction in such systems in comparison with larger molecules such as CH4. The results are proposed as a potential explanation of the reduced gas transport of hydrogen gas in nanoporous systems.

All-weather self-healing superhydrophobic coating functionalized with the cauliflower-like PPy and TiN on cotton fabric for efficient oil-water separation

Superhydrophobic materials are currently undergoing rapid development in various industries, with increasing attention being paid to their service life. Herein, we report an all-weather self-healing superhydrophobic cotton fabric based on photothermal and Joule-heating effects, which can be used for efficient oil-water separation. With the assistance of Safranine T, unique cauliflower-like polypyrrole (PPy) was prepared. Subsequently, titanium nitride (TiN) was loaded to enhance the photothermal performance of the fabric, and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) was grafted onto surface to improve the water repellency of PPy@TiN/PDMS fabric. The fabric not only has strong light absorption in visible-near infrared region, but also has good Joule-heating effect, up to 116.3 °C (light intensity of 5 sun) and 128.5 °C (voltage of 8 V). Due to unique all-weather heating performance, the migration of low surface energy PDMS chains is accelerated, so that the PPy@TiN/PDMS fabric after air plasma etching and oxydation can quickly heal its water contact angle (WCA) to 156° under light or low voltage conditions. Additionally, the fabric demonstrates an outstanding performance for the separation of various oil-water mixtures and in multiple cycle separation experiments. This study presents a novel approach for extending the longevity of superhydrophobicity and addressing the issue of waste oil treatment.

Chromatographic propane-propylene separation by different zeolites obtained from rice husk ashes

Chromatographic separation of propane and propylene is accomplished by three low-cost zeolite X (microporous, hierarchical and acidic). The materials were synthetized from rice husk ash, and characterized by X-ray powder diffraction, high-resolution transmission and scanning electron microscopies, N2 adsorption–desorption isotherms at −196 °C, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, infra-red spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis. From chromatographic data, the differential adsorption heats involved, the separation factors and the corresponding partition coefficients were estimated. Preferential adsorption of propylene was found in all samples and also favorable separation factors were computed for the studied separation. The higher interaction energy values were obtained for the hierarchical zeolite possessing a wide range of micro and mesopores. The results indicate the potential of these materials obtained from an agro-industrial waste for the separation of propane-propylene mixtures.

Engineering superhydrophobicity: a survey of coating techniques for silicone-based oil-water separation membranes.

Oil spills in the ocean and the release of contaminated wastewater from industries cause significant harm to the ecosystem and water sources. To tackle this environmental problem, oil-water mixture separation has been the subject of extensive research over the past few decades. Improving oil absorbents is crucial in removing organic contaminants from wastewater produced by industrial activities. To this end, there is an increasing need for materials that can efficiently and flexibly recover oils from contaminated ocean waters, industrial wastewater, and other sources. Silicones are often used for this purpose because of their exceptional mechanical and thermal durability, as well as their low toxicity. The materials produced from silicones, such as foam, sponge, or substrate, exhibit excellent oil-absorbing properties (maximum oil absorption range, 23.2-77g/g) and outstanding compression cycles. This article review highlights the advancements in the manufacturing of silicone-based products that have been extensively researched for oil-water separation. Understanding the interdependencies that determine the structure, performance, and manufacturing strategy is essential to producing selective oil absorbents with more commercial potential in the future. Recycling of silicones has also become increasingly important as a goal for the circular economy.

Fabrication of superhydrophobic all-biomass aerogels with ultralight, elasticity and degradability for efficient oily wastewater treatment

Oily wastewater has seriously threatened the water ecology and human health. Superhydrophobic biomass-based aerogels are ideal candidates to remedy the oily wastewater, but facing challenges for the usage of toxic small molecules crosslinker and the rational construction of elasticity. Herein, we employed the natural non-toxic citral as crosslinker, and then constructed a superhydrophobic chitosan/bamboo cellular fibers aerogel (S-CS/BCF-A) with ultra-light, high elasticity and degradation performances. Wherein the hydrolysis of methyltrichlorosilane produced silicon hydride and hydrogen chloride, enhanced the hydrophobicity of the aerogel surface and partially reduced rigidity of the pore walls, respectively. The S-CS/BCF-A displayed outstanding fatigue durability, which benefited for its lamellar-fiber interweaved structure. In addition, this aerogel could undergo tape-peeling, UV radiation, and organic solvents immersion without superhydrophobic variation, even in seriously abrasing that the surface still maintained high hydrophobicity. The as-made aerogel possessed high oil adsorption capacity (17.95–44.57 g/g), combined with pump-supported device for effectively recovering large-area oil spills (66,348 L·m−2·h−1). Furthermore, the resultant aerogel could efficiently separate the immiscible oil-water mixture and emulsifying wastewater (types of Oil-in-Water and Water-in-Oil emulsions). This work provides a rational design method for constructing the elastic, durable and biodegradable aerogels, used for speedy and economical separation of oil-water mixtures.

Determination of separation power for the separation of a multicomponent isotope mixture

Determination of separation power for the separation of a multicomponent isotope mixture

Reaching Quantum Accuracy in Predicting Adsorption Properties for Ethane/Ethene in Zeolitic Imidazolate Framework-8 at Low Pressure Regime.

Nanoporous materials in the form of metal-organic frameworks such as zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8) are promising membrane materials for the separation of hydrocarbon mixtures. To compute the adsorption isotherms in such adsorbents, grand canonical Monte Carlo simulations have proven to be very useful. The quality of these isotherms depends on the accuracy of adsorbate-adsorbent interactions, which are mostly described using force fields owing to their low computational cost. However, force field predictions of adsorption uptake often show discrepancies from experiments at low pressures, providing the need for methods that are more accurate. Hence, in this work, we propose and validate two novel methodologies for the ZIF-8/ethane and ethene systems; a benchmarking methodology to evaluate the performance of any given force field in describing adsorption in the low-pressure regime and a refinement procedure to rescale the parameters of a force field to better describe the host-guest interactions and provide for simulation isotherms with close agreement to experimental isotherms. Both methodologies were developed based on a reference Henry coefficient, computed with the PBE-MBD functional using the importance sampling technique. The force field rankings predicted by the benchmarking methodology involve the comparison of force field derived Henry coefficients with the reference Henry coefficients and ranking the force fields based on the disparities between these Henry coefficients. The ranking from this methodology matches the rankings made based on uptake disparities by comparing force field derived simulation isotherms to experimental isotherms in the low-pressure regime. The force field rescaling methodology was proven to refine even the worst performing force field in UFF/TraPPE. The uptake disparities of UFF/TraPPE improved from 197% and 194% to 11% and 21% for ethane and ethene, respectively. The proposed methodology is applicable to predict adsorption across nanoporous materials and allows for rescaled force fields to reach quantum accuracy without the need for experimental input.

Pressure swing adsorption of Li exchange hierarchical X zeolite for pure hydrogen from binary gas mixture

This study reports the separation of pure hydrogen (H2) employing pressure swing adsorption (PSA). The Li-X and Li-hierarchical X (Li–H-X) zeolite were prepared by an ion exchange process. The sorbents were evaluated through several experiments including, breakthrough, empty bed contact time (EBCT), single-bed, and two-bed PSA with different steps. The effect of pressure, purity, and recovery relationship was developed. The high-pressure PSA study was performed at 4, 6, and 10 bar with varying feed flow rates to assess their efficacy in pure H2 separation using binary gas stream (H2/CO2, 75/25 vol.%). The breakthrough adsorption capacity of Li–H-X exhibited 3.4 mmol g−1 and 0.212 mmol g−1 of CO2 and H2, respectively. Li–H-X shows ∼8% higher CO2 sorption capacity than the Li-X sorbent at 1 bar and 300 K due to the large meso-microporous structure of the sorbent. The two-bed PSA purity and recovery were found higher than single-bed PSA. Using two-bed PSA, the Li–H-X achieved a 99.5% of purity, 92.9% of recovery, and 10.4 mL min−1 g−1 of productivity, which was ∼16% higher recovery and productivity than single-bed PSA at a flow rate of 1200 mL min−1 at 6 bar. With increasing the pressure and flow rate, the recovery of Li–H-X was enhanced up to 93.7% with 99.1%–99.9% H2 purity. The long-term PSA was run using Li–H-X sorbent for 7.5 h with 230 cycles with H2 purity between 98.5 and 99.5% at 6 bar. Interestingly, the adsorbent shows the scalability of PSA for efficient H2 separation for a binary mixture of H2/CO2.

Atmospheric pressure plasma-treated polyester fabrics for enhanced oil-water mixture separation

In this study, superhydrophilic polyester textiles through atmospheric pressure plasma treatment, targeting their use in oil-water mixture separation was developed. The effect of fabric treatment and grammage variations—79, 103, and 125 g m−2—on the efficiency of separation, flux rates, and overall performance of the separation column was evaluated. The surface properties of the fabricated polyester fabrics were evaluated using scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy to analyze their topographical and elemental composition. These analyses indicate APP treatment creates surface micropits and evenly distributes active oxygen, enhancing polyester's hydrophilicity without altering its elemental makeup. The investigation further explored the antifouling capabilities and durability of both the modified and unmodified textiles. Remarkably, the research revealed that utilizing a dual-layer arrangement of the modified textile, possessing a grammage of 125 g m−2, resulted in a flux recovery ratio of 98.66 %. Additionally, the application of a quintuple-layer structure of the modified fabric markedly augmented the separation efficacy to an excess of 99.90 %. Impressively, this high level of efficiency was maintained at 92.20 % even after five usage cycles, a testament to the increased hydrophilicity imparted by the atmospheric pressure plasma processing. Therefore, atmospheric pressure plasma-treated polyester fabrics have shown a promising behavior in the field of oil-water mixture separatrtion.

HPLC-DAD method for concurrent estimation of netarsudil, latanoprost and benzalkonium chloride: Stability indicating study, impurity separation, assay of ophthalmic preparations and greenness/whiteness valuation

A validated, stability indicating, multiuse and sustainable HPLC-DAD method was developed for simultaneous determination and separation of the ophthalmic ternary mixture of netarsudil (NTS), latanoprost (LTP) and benzalkonium chloride (BZC) in presence of four related compounds and suspected impurities. Effectual liquid chromatographic separation was accomplished by using a Zorbax-SB Phenyl column with gradient elution of a mobile phase consisting of buffer mixture solution of phosphate and sodium pentane sulfonate (pH 3.0) and acetonitrile at flow rate 1.5 mL/min. DAD was tuned at 254 nm for measuring peak area of NTS and 210 nm for LTP and BZC. The proposed procedure showed to be effective in the stability investigation of the cited drugs. The suggested HPLC procedure was validated based on the International Council for Harmonization (ICH) guiding principles. The three analytes were determined within linearity ranges of 1–100 µg/mL, 5–200 µg/mL and 10–200 µg/mL for NTS, LTP and BZC respectively with excellent analytical performance. Assay of several ophthalmic preparations was successfully carried out using the validated method, which was further appraised together with some relevant reported methods in regard to green and white analytical chemistry aspects using AGREE and RGB-12 tools. Very few published analytical records were found for NTS/LTP mixture. After surveying the scientific literature, no documentation was retrieved for a similar inclusive stability-indicating impurity-profiling separative method for the synchronized quantitation of NTS, LTP together with co-formulated preservative BZC.

Mechanistic Analysis and Process Simulation of Ethyl Acetate-Ethanol Separation by Complex Solvent Extractive Distillation.

Developing high-performance solvents for extraction and optimizing process technologies is crucial for efficient extractive distillation (ED) separation of azeotrope mixtures. In this paper, computer-aided screening was used to study the ED of azeotrope mixtures in ethyl acetate and ethanol systems using organic solvent dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and ionic liquid (IL) ([EMIM][Ac]). The structural relationship between the ILs and the azeotrope mixture was analyzed by σ-profile, molecular surface electrostatic potential, interaction energy, and separation gradient. Subsequently, process simulation was carried out using Aspen Plus software and global optimization was performed with genetic algorithm, which found that both traditional organic solvents and ILs have good separation effects. But considering the high volatility of organic solvents and low saturation vapor pressure of ILs, it is considered to combine them to further explore the cost and carbon emission advantages in extractive distillation separation. Compared with pure organic solvent and pure ILs separation processes, the TAC of the process using an IL-based mixed solvent process decreased by 5.11 and 21.98%, respectively. The carbon emissions of the mixed extractant process were slightly higher than those of the pure organic solvent process, but the addition of ILs made very little volatilization of organic solvents, saving a charge for extractant use. By improving the process, waste heat is effectively recovered, which can save most of the utility engineering costs, and compared with the previous process, the total alkali consumption and carbon dioxide emissions are reduced by 9.43 and 27.17%, respectively. This exploration provides a theoretical reference for the development application and industrial research of ED processes using IL-based mixed solvents.

Automated identification of pesticide mixtures via machine learning analysis of TLC-SERS spectra

Identification of components in pesticide mixtures has been a major challenge in spectral analysis. In this paper, we assembled monolayer Ag nanoparticles on Thin-layer chromatography (TLC) plates to prepare TLC-Ag substrates with mixture separation and surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) detection. Spectral scans were performed along the longitudinal direction of the TLC-Ag substrate to generate SERS spectra of all target analytes on the TLC plate. Convolutional neural network classification and spectral angle similarity machine learning algorithms were used to identify pesticide information from the TLC-SERS spectra. It was shown that the proposed automated spectral analysis method successfully classified five categories, including four pesticides (thiram, triadimefon, benzimidazole, thiamethoxam) as well as a blank TLC-Ag data control. The location of each pesticide on the TLC plate was determined by the intersection of the information curves of the two algorithms with 100 % accuracy. Therefore, this method is expected to help regulators understand the residues of mixed pesticides in agricultural products and reduce the potential risk of agricultural products to human health and the environment.

Experimental study of calcium carbonate solution saturation in the separation process of palm kernel-shell mixtures using water clay bath systems

Abstract Continual use of CaCO3 in the separation of the palm kernel-shell mixture causes CaCO3 solution saturation. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the causes of CaCO3 solution saturation during the separation process of palm kernel-shell mixtures. The process was carried out in the laboratory clay bath system using several factors in the separation process, including calcium carbonate to water ratios (1:2 and 1:3), palm kernel-shell mixture feed rates (2.5, 3.0, and 3.5 kg/batch), and times (1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 h) with density, pH, and oil content as the quantitative control. The results show that the density and pH of the separating solution dropped per unit length of processing, with the lowest values being around 1.0916 g/ml and 6.65 (CaCO3 to H2O ratios of 1:3; feed rates 3.0 kg/batch; and times 5 h), respectively. In addition, the oil content of the separating solution was raised from 0.145 mg/L to 571.87 mg/L. Owing to the results, the dissolved oil in the solution was discovered as the cause of the saturation of the separating solution (decanting agent) during the process, corresponding to the inefficient separation of palm kernels and shells.

Thermally induced phase separation of UHMWPE mixture with dioctyl adipate: Competition of liquid–liquid phase separation and polymer crystallization

The thermal behavior of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) with dioctyl adipate (DOA) was investigated by the differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) method. Capillary-porous bodies were obtained via thermally induced phase separation of DOA mixtures with polyethylenes of different molecular weight at different cooling rates. Analysis of the morphology of the prepared porous bodies together with DSC data and results of cloud point estimation revealed an unexpected effect of a cooling rate on the type of phase separation occurring in the mixture during its cooling from homogeneous state. Particularly it was shown that increase in the cooling rate reduces the probability of realization of liquid – liquid phase separation in the mixture. It was argued that such behavior, different from the standard semicrystalline polymers, is a result of kinetic hindrance of liquid – liquid phase separation in mixtures containing a polymer with such a high molecular weight.

Solvent-responsive switching wettability of superoleophobic/superhydrophilic quartz sand filter medium facilitates rapidly oil/water separation and demulsification

Oil-spill accidents occur frequently, and the oil pollution caused by oil spills is attracting extensive attention from all circles of society. To resolve this problem, solvent-responsive superoleophobic/superhydrophilic quartz sand (SSQS) was manufactured by introducing ZnO nanoparticles, short-chain fluorinated compounds, and hydrophilic-induced units into the surface of quartz sand. Experimental results showed that SSQS can reversibly convert the superoleophobic/superhydrophilic surfaces into superoleophilic/underoil superhydrophobic surfaces within 10 s. The solvent-responsive surface of SSQS demonstrated selective separation performance for mixtures of oil/water and various surfactant-stabilized oil-in-water emulsions and water-in-oil emulsions before and after wettability conversion. Oil/water solutions were separated synchronously and continuously using the "┴" type of oil/water separating system, with a separation efficiencies of 99.33 % at high flux. After ten runs of the wettability transition, the oil/water mixture's separation efficiency remained over 99 %. More importantly, SSQS can accomplish the on-demand, gravity-driven demulsification and separation of oil/water emulsions with excellent separation efficiency and flux. The directional migration of oil droplets on the SSQS surface could possibly be described by the wetting performance of oil phase on the special wettability surface, and the solvent-responsive wettability transition of the SSQS surface. SSQS also exhibited brilliant mechanical durability, anticorrosion ability, and wetting stability under severe conditions. Therefore, this work provided a new research direction for the reversible wettability transition of granular filter media.