Oxidation Process Research Articles

Characterization and optimization of ultrasound assisted oxidative desulfurization of a model fuel using a novel magnetic deep eutectic solvent

ABSTRACT In various studies, researchers have utilised different solvents to extract sulfur compounds from the fuels. This paper introduces a novel magnetic deep eutectic solvent employed in the ultrasound-assisted oxidative desulfurisation of dibenzothiophene within a model fuel. The solvent, synthesised at 85°C by combining choline chloride, p-toluene sulfonic acid, and FeCl₃, underwent characterisation through Fourier transform-infrared, Vibrating-sample magnetometer, and Raman spectrometry. Exploration of the key parameters, including oxidant to model fuel volumetric fraction percentage (0.2–0.3), Iron (III) chloride to choline chloride mole fraction (0.1–0.3), and Magnetic deep eutectic solvent to model fuel volumetric fraction (0.2–0.3), was conducted to assess their impact on dibenzothiophene conversion rates. Employing response surface methodology based on central composite experimental design, optimal operational parameters for the ultrasound-assisted oxidative desulfurisation process were identified, resulting in a sulfur removal rate of 98.7%. The findings highlight the solvent sustained efficiency even at higher dibenzothiophene concentrations. Additionally, the solvent paramagnetic properties facilitated an expedited separation from the fuel, leading to the significantly reduced process times.

3,6‐Divinyl‐N‐arylcarbazoles‐bridged diruthenium complexes bearing two Ru(CO)Cl(PiPr3)2 moieties: Polyelectrochromism and electronic coupling

A series of five 3,6‐divinyl‐N‐arylcarbazoles‐bridged diruthenium complexes with a general formula of [{Ru(CO)Cl(PiPr3)2}2(μ‐(CH=CH)2‐(N‐arylcarbazole)‐3,6); aryl = 4‐anisyl; [1a], 4‐tolyl; [1b], phenyl; [1c], 4‐(trifluoromethyl)phenyl; [1d], and 4‐nitrophenyl; [1e]] were successfully synthesized. These new square‐pyramidal bis(ruthenium‐vinyl)‐type complexes were characterized in their neutral state via classical NMR, UV/Vis, and IR spectroscopic techniques and in their three various accessible oxidized states via electrochemical techniques and ESR spectroscopy along with UV/Vis/NIR and IR spectroelectrochemistry as well as with DFT calculations. Our obtained results were compared with the closely related bis(ruthenium‐vinyl)‐appended N‐(4‐anisyl)diphenylamine TAARu2 counterpart of [1a]. Electrochemical studies on complexes [1a]–[1e] revealed three consecutive, chemically and electrochemically, well‐separated, reversible one‐electron oxidation processes at low and well‐accessible potentials. Their half‐wave potential separations ΔE½ between the individual redox waves and the derived comproportionation constants Kc1–Kc3 attribute to noteworthy stability of every oxidized intermediate state. The concert electrochemical and UV/Vis/NIR/IR spectro(electro)scopic results on these rotationally restricted N‐arylcarbazoles‐bridged bis(ruthenium‐alkenyl)‐type complexes [1a]–[1e] confirmed the relative weakness influence of altering the para‐substituent on the peripheral aryl ring. This is most probably due to the sizable torsion with nearly 55° between the co‐planarity of the carbazole heterocycle core and the peripheral N‐bound aryl ring. In their mixed‐valent (MV) radical states [1a]+–[1e]+, the observed pattern of two well‐separated Ru(C≡O) bands mirrors the uneven distribution of the uni‐positive charge over the two chemically equivalent bis(ruthenium‐vinyl) moieties as indicated by classical class II of Robin–Day classification of MV states.

Bimetallic electrocatalysts based on polyoxometalate for hydrogen evolution and urea oxidation reaction

Electrochemical water decomposition is an efficient and environmentally friendly method for producing hydrogen. Because of the high voltage required for water electrolysis, using anodic urea oxidation process (UOR) to replace the oxygen evolution reaction can significantly cut energy usage. In this paper, hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and urea oxidation process (UOR) electrocatalysts were synthesized by one-step carbonization using giant polyoxomolybdate cluster Mo132 and triethylamine at different temperatures. Ni/MoN@NC obtained at 800 °C shows good HER effect in the acidic electrolyte, an overpotential of 94 mV can provide the current density of 10 mA cm−2. Ni/NiO@NC obtained by calcination at 400 °C exhibits good UOR performance, in which the potential is 1.41 V when the current density is 10 mA cm−2. Efficient HER performance depends on the synergy of Ni and MoN. The highly efficient UOR is derived from the hierarchical structure of Ni and NiO. Furthermore, the porous structure also enhances the full contact between electrolyte and active sites, the catalytic performance of the catalyst was improved benefit to improve the catalytic activity. This work affords a general approach to simply synthesize efficient hydrogen producing materials for HER and small molecules oxidation fields.

In-situ groundwater remediation of contaminant mixture of As(III), Cr(VI), and sulfanilamide via electrochemical degradation/transformation using pyrite

Electrochemical advanced oxidation processes (EAOPs) are effective in removing persistent contaminants from groundwater. However, their practical applicability depends significantly on various site-specific characteristics. Therefore, the primary objective of this investigation was to study the feasibility of EAOPs and pyrite, which is a sulfide mineral, to effectively remove the mixture of arsenic (As (III)), chromium (Cr (VI)), and sulfanilamide in groundwater. We conducted a comparison of three systems: (1) EAOP alone, (2) pyrite alone, and (3) a combined EAOP and pyrite system. In EAOP alone, sulfanilamide was effectively oxidized (80%), while the electrochemical transformation of As(III)/Cr(VI) into As(V)/Cr(III) was limited. In just the pyrite system, As(III), Cr(VI), and sulfanilamide were adsorbed onto the surface of pyrite (60%, 20%, and 18%). Neither the EAOP nor the pyrite system alone could effectively treat the contaminants mixture. Nonetheless, the combined system completely removed As(III), Cr(VI), and sulfanilamide by the synergistic reaction. This could be attributed to the formation of green rust, a natural adsorbent mineral produced as a reaction of dissolved iron, generated via electrochemical pyrite oxidation, with the groundwater electrolyte (e.g., CO3 or SO4). This system harmonized the combined approach of EAOP and pyrite to effectively eliminate both organic and inorganic contaminants. Environmental implicationA paper proposed electrochemical oxidation (EO) with pyrite to remove both organic and inorganic contaminants from groundwater. The removal performance of the combined system was evaluated, and the synergistic mechanism was revealed. The combination of EO and pyrite with synergistic removal effectively removed the mixture of both contaminants. This could be attributed by the formation of green-rust by electrochemical activation for pyrite. Compared to the single system of EO and pyrite alone, the combined system with EO and pyrite improved removal performance. Results suggested that the combined system could be used for green groundwater remediation.

Sestrin2 remedies neuroinflammatory response by inhibiting A1 astrocyte conversion via autophagy.

Most central nervous diseases are accompanied by astrocyte activation. Autophagy, an important pathway for cells to protect themselves and maintain homeostasis, is widely involved in regulation of astrocyte activation. Reactive astrocytes may play a protective or harmful role in different diseases due to different phenotypes of astrocytes. It is an urgent task to clarify the formation mechanisms of inflammatory astrocyte phenotype, A1 astrocytes. Sestrin2 is a highly conserved protein that can be induced under a variety of stress conditions as a potential protective role in oxidative damage process. However, whether Sestrin2 can affect autophagy and involve in A1 astrocyte conversion is still uncovered. In this study, we reported that Sestrin2 and autophagy were significantly induced in mouse hippocampus after multiple intraperitoneal injections of lipopolysaccharide, with the elevation of A1 astrocyte conversion and inflammatory mediators. Knockdown Sestrin2 in C8-D1A astrocytes promoted the levels of A1 astrocyte marker C3 mRNA and inflammatory factors, which was rescued by autophagy inducer rapamycin. Overexpression of Sestrin2 in C8-D1A astrocytes attenuated A1 astrocyte conversion and reduced inflammatory factor levels via abundant autophagy. Moreover, Sestrin2 overexpression improved mitochondrial structure and morphology. These results suggest that Sestrin2 can suppress neuroinflammation by inhibiting A1 astrocyte conversion via autophagy, which is a potential drug target for treating neuroinflammation.

Visible-Light-Triggered Synthesis of N-α-Ketoacylated Sulfoximines by Denitrogenative and Oxidative Functionalization of Vinyl Azides.

We have introduced a sulfoximidation reaction initiated by visible light between α-phenyl vinyl azides and NH-sulfoximines. The cost-effective and readily accessible hypervalent iodine reagent (PIDA) easily promoted the oxidative sulfoximidation process to afford N-α-ketoacylated sulfoximines in good to high yields, involving the formation of two new C-O bonds and one C-N bond. Additionally, the protocol offers noteworthy advantages, including its metal-free and photocatalyst-free reaction and its broad substrate compatibility.

Recent Research on Pore Sealing

Abstract: The article underscores the pivotal significance of sealing membrane pores in augmenting material performance and delves into the foundational principles governing membrane pore sealing. It thoroughly scrutinizes the evolution of membrane pore sealing technology, with a particular emphasis on anodization and micro-arc oxidation processes. Methods for sealing membrane pores are classified into hydration, organic, inorganic techniques, and other approaches to foster comprehension. Furthermore, the article deliberates on novel techniques for sealing membrane coatings, assesses their merits and demerits, and proposes enhancement strategies. These endeavors are geared towards propelling the advancement of membrane pore sealing technology, thereby enhancing efficiency, sustainability, and multifunctionality.

Development of a novel polydopamine-imprinted MOFs targeted for removal of refractory organic pollutants: Synergistic mechanisms of adsorption and degradation

In this study, a novel dopamine-imprinted MOFs (metal organic frameworks) was developed for the first time to achieve targeted degradation of refractory organic pollutants (ROPs) in advanced oxidation process. The targeted adsorption and degradation capacity of sulfamethoxazole (SMX) by molecularly imprinted catalyst (Fe-MOFs@MIP) was 3.17 times and 5.47 times that of Fe-MOFs, respectively. The results showed that the polydopamine (PDA) imprinted layer not only enhanced the targeted adsorption of SMX, but also improved the activity of the catalyst by promoting electron transfer. The physicochemical properties of Fe-MOFs@MIP were investigated. In situ Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and molecular dynamics theory were used to investigate targeted adsorption mechanism. The active species were identified by quenching experiments and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR). The reaction sites of SMX were predicted using density functional theory (DFT) and the possible degradation pathways of SMX were proposed. Finally, the targeted degradation mechanism of Fe-MOFs@MIP was elucidated. This study has a guiding significance for the deep removal of refractory organic pollutants in wastewater.

Combustor shape optimization and NO emission characteristics for premixed NH3-CH4 turbulent swirling flame towards sustainable combustion

Ammonia is considered an attractive carbon-free fuel for energy generation in aerospace gas turbine engines. However, ammonia is often used with methane fuel blend due to its low combustion limits. The formation of nitrogen oxides (NOx) during the combustion of ammonia-methane fuel blend is a fundamental problem of interest in the scientific community. To date, there have been several studies of ammonia-methane fuel blend, but none of them have considered the effect of combustor shape on NO emission. In this work, large eddy simulations (LES) are carried out at stoichiometric condition to analyze the flame structure and NO emission characteristics of the ammonia-methane premixed turbulent swirling flame in box and cylindrical shaped combustors. The fuel blend used in this study is 70% ammonia and 30% methane by volume. The LES solver employs a dynamic thickened flame (DTF) combustion model along with Okafor's reduced mechanism, which consists of 43 species and 130 elementary reactions. The flame shape and stabilization are discussed for both combustors, along with the effects of flowfield on the flame. The characteristics of the swirl stabilized flame are illustrated using several time-averaged and instantaneous contours of parameters, including heat release rate, local equivalence ratio, axial velocity, and NO emission. The effect of mixing and reaction rate distribution in the premixed configuration is studied quantitatively, subsequently identifying several flame regions. It is identified from the LES results that the NO emission is 1.6 times higher in the cylindrical combustor compared to the box combustor. While a typical V-shape flame is observed for both combustors, a flame tail also co-exits for the cylindrical combustor. The heat release rate in the flame tail is about 33% higher than the main flame which reignites the unburnt gases for a secondary combustion and generates NO. Thus, a box combustion chamber design is beneficial to minimize the NO emission. The residence time is also analyzed in both combustor to understand the oxidation process and identify the key reaction pathways for NH3/CH4 premixed flames.

Conductive polypyrrole: synthesis, characterization, thermal, and electrical properties for different applications

Pyrrole monomer (mPPy) in an aqueous solution was used to create the conductive polymer polypyrrole (a homo-PPy) using a chemical oxidative polymerization process over a period of several hours at room temperature. Ferric chloride (FeCl3) oxidant was used, and sodium dodecyl sulphate (C12H25NaO4S), a surfactant. The produced PPy samples were characterized using a variety of methods, including X-ray diffraction (XRD), the Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), Differential Thermal analysis (DTA), Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). SEM images revealed that nanoparticles of a homo-PPy with radii of 60–90 nm were well evenly distributed in the structure. The thermal stability and electrical conductivity of homo-PPy nanoparticles were observed to rise with a solvent ethylene glycol. As temperature rises, the conductivity of homo-PPy samples is significantly raised, and electrical conductivities ranging from.0.44 to 2.2 (Ω.m)−1. Results from FTIR and XRD analysis confirmed the structural formation of a homo-polypyrrole during synthesis from pyrrole monomer. Because of their improved electrical conductivity and thermal stability, homo-PPy nanoparticles have potential applications in energy storage, adsorption and contamination elimination, electromagnetic protection, and resistance to corrosion.

Musa acuminata free tepal (MAFT) crop- mediated synthesis of copper oxide nanocatalyst (MAFT-CuO nanocatalyst): Investigation of aerobic oxidation and dye decolourization via eco-friendly approach

Crop development is used to address environmental problems in the industry. Environmental pollutants, particularly humble or toxic chemicals and dyes, are contaminants in industrial wastewater. Recently, green technology has become important for controlling the chemical risks associated with environmental issues. This study focused on valuable crop materials to form green catalysts that can be used to control chemical toxicity in industrial wastewater. In this study, Musa acuminata-free tepal (MAFT) crops and musa were used to mediate the formation of copper nanocatalyst for environmental pollution. The synthesised nanocatalyst was analysed by XPS, XRD, TEM, SEM, FT-IR, GC-EI-MS, and TGA-DSC. The production of Cu–O in the 512 cm−1 peak range was verified by FT-IR analysis. The XRD peaks associated with the cubic crystalline structures of copper (110) and (200) were used to confirm the Musa acuminata-free tepal CuO nanocatalyst. The SEM images of the Cu and CuO nanocatalyst in the Musa acuminata free tepal showed that the particles were almost spherical. The size of the synthesised Musa acuminata free tepal CuO nanocatalyst core-shell nanostructures was identified using HR-TEM. GC-MS investigations also verified the aerobic oxidation of the main alcohol to aldehyde, with a retention time of 30.34. The MAFT was 80 % of CBB G250 dye decolourised at 24 h, and the MAFT-CuO nanocatalyst was decolourised the CBB G250 dye at 80 % in 20 min and aerobic oxidation at the same time (dual application). Furthermore, our nanocatalyst could be effectively recycled without significant loss of catalytic activity, and the use of safe, environmentally benign MAFT-Cu and CuO nanocatalyst is considered a green chemistry approach that helps avoid wastewater treatment. MAFT-Cu and CuO nanocatalyst were successfully synthesised using Musa acuminata free tepal extract assisted by reflux sample preparation system instruments as a new, green, eco-friendly, and fast process for nanocatalyst synthesis. In the past, there have been no reported applications of MAFT-Cu and CuO nanocatalyst for decolourisation and aerobic oxidation. Nevertheless, we were able to accomplish these procedures with the help of CuO and MAFT-Cu nanocatalyst. Therefore, the most effective naturally occurring environmental catalysts for aerobic oxidation processes are MAFT-CuO nanocatalyst. They are non-toxic and environmentally benign, exhibit strong aerobic oxidation catalytic performance, and have long-lasting benefits for water quality. Additionally, they are more recoverable and biodegradable.

Performance and mechanistic studies of rapid atenolol degradation through peroxymonosulfate activation by V, Co, and bamboo carbon catalyst.

Developing the Co-based catalysts with high reactivity for the sulfate radical (SO4-·)-based advanced oxidation processes (SR-AOPs) has been attracting numerous attentions. To improve the peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activation process, a novel Co-based catalyst simultaneously modified by bamboo carbon (BC) and vanadium (V@CoO-BC) was fabricated through a simple solvothermal method. The atenolol (ATL) degradation experiments in V@CoO-BC/PMS system showed that the obtained V@CoO-BC exhibited much higher performance on PMS activation than pure CoO, and the V@CoO-BC/PMS system could fully degrade ATL within 5min via the destruction of both radicals (SO4-· and O2-··) and non-radicals (1O2). The quenching experiments and electrochemical tests revealed that the enhancing mechanism of bamboo carbon and V modification involved four aspects: (i) promoting the PMS and Co ion adsorption on the surface of V@CoO-BC; (ii) enhancing the electron transfer efficiency between V@CoO-BC and PMS; (iii) activating PMS with V3+ species; (iv) accelerating the circulation of Co2+ and Co3+, leading to the enhanced yield of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Furthermore, the V@CoO-BC/PMS system also exhibited satisfactory stability under broad pH (3-9) and good efficiency in the presence of co-existing components (HCO3-, NO3-, Cl-, and HA) in water. This study provides new insights to designing high-performance, environment-friendly bimetal catalysts and some basis for the remediation of antibiotic contaminants with SR-AOPs.

Influences and Diffusion Effects of Lithium Contamination during the Thermal Oxidation Process of Silicon

Due to the increasing number of application fields using lithium compounds in the microelectronics sector, it is necessary to investigate the contamination influence and the effects of lithium on silicon and silicon oxide. To be able to use lithium in a controlled manner in complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor clean room environments, the various diffusion effects during an important process in semiconductor manufacturing, the thermal oxidation of silicon to form silicon oxide, are investigated herein. This includes the diffusion within the wafer, between wafers, and into the furnace environment. For this purpose, wafers are intentionally contaminated, oxidized, and then analyzed with vapor phase decomposition inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The results of this study are correlated with typical contamination levels in state‐of‐the‐art cleanroom facilities to enable classifications of the results for the semiconductor sector. Furthermore, the effect on the growth rate and uniformity of silicon oxide is evaluated by ellipsometry and topography measurements. Finally, electrical measurements of the oxide layer have shown that there is a significant influence on the silicon oxide quality, meaning that lithium can have a detrimental effect on devices.

Neuroprotective and neuroregenerative drugs after severe traumatic brain injury : Anarrative review from aclinical perspective.

Traumatic brain injuries cause enormous individual and socioeconomic burdens. Survivors frequently struggle with motor handicaps as well as impaired cognition and emotion. In addition to the primary mechanical brain damage, complex secondary mechanisms are the main drivers of functional impairment. Many of these pathophysiological mechanisms are now well known: excitotoxic amino acids, breakdown of the blood-brain barrier, neuroinflammation with subsequent damage to cell organelles and membranes, cerebral edema, and apoptotic processes triggering neuronal death; however, paracrine resilience factors may counteract these processes. Specific neuroprotective and neuroregenerative intensive care therapies are few. This review highlights medical approaches aimed at mitigating secondary damage and promoting neurotrophic processes in severe traumatic brain injury. Some pharmacologic attempts that appeared very promising in experimental settings have had disappointing clinical results (progesterone, cyclosporineA, ronopterin, erythropoietin, dexanabinol). Thus, the search for drugs that can effectively limit ongoing posttraumatic neurological damage is ongoing. Some medications appear to be beneficial: N‑methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDA) antagonists (esketamine, amantadine, Mg++) reduce excitotoxicity and statins and cerebrolysin are known to counteract neuroinflammation. By supporting the impaired mitochondrial energy supply, oxidative processes are inhibited and neuroregenerative processes, such as neurogenesis, angiogenesis and synaptogenesis are promoted by citicoline and cerebrolysin. First clinical evidence shows an improvement in cognitive and thymopsychic outcomes, underlined by own clinical experience combining different therapeutic approaches. Accordingly, adjuvant treatment with neuroprotective substances appears to be apromising option, although more randomized prospective studies are still needed.

Preparation and Evaluation of FeMnTi Monolithic Catalysts for High‐Efficiency CO Oxidation

AbstractA comprehensive study was conducted on the synthesis of FeMnTi monolithic catalysts using plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) process combined with hydrothermal method followed by depositing active nanostructures. As synthesized catalysts were characterized using a series of techniques for morphology, structure and surface chemical state investigations. Meanwhile, the CO light‐off curves demonstrate that they possess excellent low‐temperature catalytic performance compared with TiO2 based single transition oxides. Specifically, FeMnTi(0.10, 4) can achieve 100 % conversion at 201 °C, which is due to the homogeneous elements distribution, large surface area and high surface activity. The supersaturation of the deposited solution and deposition time determine the growth of MnOx and the FeMnTi(0.10, 4) has the most suitable Fe/Mn atom ratio of 2.5. Furthermore, the electron transfer between Fe (Fe2+ and Fe3+) and Mn (Mn2+, Mn3+ and Mn4+) ensures the excellent redox properties. The synthetic strategy proposed in this work has general applicability for synthesizing multiple transition oxides monolithic catalysts not only for CO oxidation.

Additive effect of poly(N-methylaniline) coated Fe3O4 composite particles on carbonyl iron based magnetorheological fluid

Poly(N-methylaniline) (PNMA) coated magnetite (Fe3O4) (PNMA@Fe3O4) composite particles synthesized through both chemical oxidative polymerization and chemical co-precipitation processes were used as a magnetic additive for carbonyl iron (CI)-based magnetorheological (MR) fluid. The effect of the additive’s content on the rheological characteristics of the MR fluid in the presence of an externally applied magnetic field was studied along with its effect on the sedimentation ratio compared with that of CI-based MR fluid. Shear stress curves as a function of the shear rate of the CI-based MR fluids with the additive were found to be well-fitted by the Herschel–Bulkley equation and the slope of the dynamic yield stress was determined to be 2.0. The curves also showed yield stresses higher than those of the CI-based MR fluid for different magnetic field strengths. Specifically, the CI-based MR fluid with 1.0 wt% additive showed the highest yield stress and the best solid-like properties among the tested samples. Furthermore, the sedimentation issue for the CI-based MR fluid was found to improve significantly, especially for the lowest settling rate of the MR fluid with 1.0 wt% additive. The addition of 1.0 wt% PNMA@Fe3O4 additive resulted in the CI-based MR fluid exhibiting the best properties, owing to improved rheological features and a reduced sedimentation rate.

Efficacy of novel bacterial consortia in degrading fipronil and thiobencarb in paddy soil: a survey for community structure and metabolic pathways

IntroductionFipronil (FIP) and thiobencarb (THIO) represent widely utilized pesticides in paddy fields, presenting environmental challenges that necessitate effective remediation approaches. Despite the recognized need, exploring bacterial consortia efficiently degrading FIP and THIO remains limited.MethodsThis study isolated three unique bacterial consortia—FD, TD, and MD—demonstrating the capability to degrade FIP, THIO, and an FIP + THIO mixture within a 10-day timeframe. Furthermore, the bioaugmentation abilities of the selected consortia were evaluated in paddy soils under various conditions.ResultsSequencing results shed light on the consortia’s composition, revealing a diverse bacterial population prominently featuring Azospirillum, Ochrobactrum, Sphingobium, and Sphingomonas genera. All consortia efficiently degraded pesticides at 800 µg/mL concentrations, primarily through oxidative and hydrolytic processes. This metabolic activity yields more hydrophilic metabolites, including 4-(Trifluoromethyl)-phenol and 1,4-Benzenediol, 2-methyl-, for FIP, and carbamothioic acid, diethyl-, S-ethyl ester, and Benzenecarbothioic acid, S-methyl ester for THIO. Soil bioaugmentation tests highlight the consortia’s effectiveness, showcasing accelerated degradation of FIP and THIO—individually or in a mixture—by 1.3 to 13-fold. These assessments encompass diverse soil moisture levels (20 and 100% v/v), pesticide concentrations (15 and 150 µg/g), and sterile conditions (sterile and non-sterile soils).DiscussionThis study offers an understanding of bacterial communities adept at degrading FIP and THIO, introducing FD, TD, and MD consortia as promising contenders for bioremediation endeavors.

Influence of Different Proportions of the Addition of Electrocoagulated Metal Sludge (EMS) Obtained from Oily Wastewater Treatment on the Properties of Laboratory Bricks

Electrochemical wastewater treatment technologies are increasingly being used in practice, and the combination of electrocoagulation with advanced oxidation processes has been shown to increase treatment efficiency. The treatment of oily wastewater produces electrocoagulated metal sludge (EMS). In this work, the possibility of using different ratios of EMS produced during oily wastewater treatment was investigated. EMS was dried conventionally in an oven at 105 °C and used as a partial substitute for clay in the manufacture of laboratory bricks. The main research objectives of this study were to examine the possibility and justification of introducing EMS in brick production. The results show that an increase in the proportion of EMS in the manufacturing of bricks leads to a deterioration in the quality of the bricks. Bricks with an addition of 1 wt% and 5 wt% EMS showed the best properties. The loss on ignition (LOI), compressive strength, boiling water absorption and initial water absorption were determined at 5.7%; 49 N/mm2, 16%, 14 g/min/200 cm2, 15% for modified bricks with 1 wt% EMS and 6.3%, 48 N/mm2, 20%, 15 g/min/200 cm2 for modified brick with 5 wt%.

Tuning Structure and Properties of a Ferromagnetic Organic Semiconductor via a Magnetic Field-Modified Reduction Process

The development of novel synthesis and assembly strategies is critical to achieving a ferromagnetic organic semiconductor with high Curie temperature. In this study, we report a high magnetic field (HMF)-modified solvothermal approach for the reduction in neutral perylene diimide (PDI) into the dianion species to prepare the PDI magnets comprising radical anions after subsequent oxidation processes. The PDI materials, assembled from the dianion solution by an HMF-modified reduction, exhibit a smaller crystallite size and an enlarged distance of the π-π stacking in the PDI aggregates. Furthermore, the PDI magnets obtained from the process under a 9T field reveal weakened ferromagnetism and the rapid degradation of electrical conductivity compared to those prepared without a magnetic field. Based on spectral and structural characterizations, such performance deterioration originates from the enhanced instability of the radical anions exposed to air, as well as the decreased crystallinity for the radical PDIs synthesized from the HMF-modified reduction process. This work demonstrates that magnetic fields offer an effective way in the material synthesis process to manipulate the structure and magnetic properties of the radical-based organic magnets.

Solvothermally Grown Oriented WO3 Nanoflakes for the Photocatalytic Degradation of Pharmaceuticals in a Flow Reactor.

Contamination by pharmaceuticals adversely affects the quality of natural water, causing environmental and health concerns. In this study, target drugs (oxazepam, OZ, 17-α-ethinylestradiol, EE2, and drospirenone, DRO), which have been extensively detected in the effluents of WWTPs over the past decades, were selected. We report here a new photoactive system, operating under visible light, capable of degrading EE2, OZ and DRO in water. The photocatalytic system comprised glass spheres coated with nanostructured, solvothermally treated WO3 that improves the ease of handling of the photocatalyst and allows for the implementation of a continuous flow process. The photocatalytic system based on solvothermal WO3 shows much better results in terms of photocurrent generation and photocatalyst stability with respect to state-of-the-art WO3 nanoparticles. Results herein obtained demonstrate that the proposed flow system is a promising prototype for enhanced contaminant degradation exploiting advanced oxidation processes.