Preparation Of Particles Research Articles

Honeycombed pomegranate-like sludge ceramsite particles: preparation with fly ash floating beads as the pore-forming template and performance optimization

Ceramsite used in construction and building are typically limited by high water absorption rates, the contradiction between lightweight and high strength, and severe performance fluctuations. This can be attributed to the fact that ceramsites are currently prepared by high-temperature sintering expansion, wherein viscosity and surface tension of the liquid phases shall perfectly match with the gas generation rate. On the other hand, sand washing sludge and fly ash are common solid wastes in construction and building and their environmentally friendly disposal are of great significance. In this study, honeycombed pomegranate-like sludge ceramsites with low density (packing density = 733.2-968.3kg/m3), high strength (cylinder compressive strength = 11.2-18.8MPa), and low water absorption rate (one-hour water absorption rate = 1.2-2.8%) were prepared with sand washing sludge and fly ash floating beads as the raw material and the pore-forming template, respectively. Also, the effects of particle size and content of fly ash floating beads on the structure and performance of the as-prepared ceramsite were investigated. The results indicated that the pore structure of the as-prepared ceramsite was directly dependent on size and content of the fly ash floating beads, suggesting that the performance of the as-prepared ceramsite can be customized by tuning size and content of the beads. Additionally, lightweight aggregate concrete prepared by using the as-prepared ceramsites exhibited improved 7-day and 28-day compressive strengths and reduced thermal conductivity compared with concrete prepared by using commercially available ceramsites. Overall, this study presents the preparation of ceramsite particles with both high strength and low density by using fly ash and sand washing sludge, both of which are abundant solid wastes in constructions, thus contributing to solid waste recycling in construction.

Optimizing CAR-NK Cell Transduction and Expansion: Leveraging Cytokine Modulation for Enhanced Performance.

Cellular immunotherapy has emerged as one of the most potent approaches to treating cancer patients. Adoptive transfer of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells as well as the use of haploidentical natural killer (NK) cells can induce remission in patients with lymphoma and leukemia. Although the use of CAR T cells has been established, this approach is currently limited for wider use by the risk of severe adverse events, including cytokine release syndrome and immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome. Moreover, the risk of triggering graft vs host reactions in settings of allogeneic T cell infusion limits the use to autologous CAR T cells if advanced CRISPR engineering is not applied. In contrast, NK cell-based cancer immunotherapy has emerged as a safe approach even in allogeneic settings. However, efficient transduction of primary blood NK cells with vesicular stomatitis virus G glycoprotein (VSV-G) pseudotyped lentivirus commonly used for T cell modification remains challenging. This article presents a detailed method that significantly enhances the transduction efficiency of NK cells by utilizing a short-term culture in cytokine-supplemented medium. It also encompasses the preparation of high-titer and high-quality lentiviral particles for optimal NK cell transduction. Overall, this protocol details the step-by-step culture of NK cells in cytokine-supplemented medium, their transduction with VSV-G lentiviral vectors, and subsequent expansion for functional assays. © 2024 Wiley Periodicals LLC. Basic Protocol 1: Isolation of NK cells from human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) Basic Protocol 2: NK cell expansion and transduction with lentivirus for generating CAR-NK cells Support Protocol 1: Plasmid amplification Support Protocol 2: Lentivirus preparation Support Protocol 3: Lentivirus titration.

Preparation of Near-Spherical α-Al2O3 Particles by Enhanced Precipitation of Gibbsite from Sodium Aluminate Solution Using Highly Dispersed Al2O3 as Seeds.

The near-spherical α-Al2O3 particles (∼200 nm) were prepared for the first time through the precipitation of gibbsite from a supersaturated sodium aluminate solution, with the addition of an acidic solution containing highly dispersed nanosized Al2O3 seeds. The near-spherical α-Al2O3 were achieved by employing seeds at 1100 °C, with the initial nucleation temperature being only 900 °C, due to the highly homogeneous dispersion of the seeds into gibbsite formation by in situ growth that can effectively enhance the role of the seeds in the phase transition. Moreover, the precipitation rate of sodium aluminate solution was significantly accelerated by 17-fold. This acceleration was due to the slightly acidic solution breaking the stability of sodium aluminate solution through a neutralization reaction on the seed surface, leading to the rapid formation of gibbsite nuclei on the seed surface. Our findings provide a feasible approach for the fabrication of well-dispersed α-Al2O3 particles and make the industrial production of well-dispersed α-Al2O3 from sodium aluminate solution a commercial reality.

Preparation and characterization of Santa Barbara Amorphous-15 particles functionalized with mercaptopropyl groups and of their composites with poly(lactic acid)

Santa Barbara Amorphous-15 (SBA-15) particles functionalized with mercaptopropyl groups (named as SBASH) have been prepared by a synthetic one-pot approach, and then have been incorporated into poly(lactic acid) (PLA), comparing their characteristics with those shown by composites attained with neat SBA-15 (PLASBA). The silica including the mercaptopropyl groups exhibits a certain loss of regularity because of its functionalization, although displays a better interaction with PLA than the pristine SBA-15 particles in the resulting materials. These composites (PLASBASH and PLASBA) also show a thermal stability slightly higher than neat PLA. An important nucleation effect of SBASH silica in the crystallization of PLA has been deduced from cooling experiments as well as from the cold crystallization in heating runs and from the degree of crystallinity reached. Small Angle X-ray Scattering (SAXS) profiles show that the PLA long spacings are rather similar for the different composites and the neat PLA. Thus, crystal size is rather similar in all samples. Microhardness values show an evident effect of reinforcement in all the composites compared with that shown by neat PLA. Nevertheless, the increase in rigidity is smaller in the biobased PLASBASH composites, those containing the modified silica, than in the PLASBA materials with the pristine SBA-15 particles.

Preparation of bovine coronavirus virus-like particles and its immunogenicity in mice and cattle

The widespread prevalence of bovine coronavirus (BCoV) disease worldwide has impacted the livestock industry economically. No effective vaccine is available in China. In this study, we produced BCoV virus-like particles (VLPs) containing E, M, N, S, and hemagglutinin-esterase (HE) proteins using a baculovirus expression system. Five recombinant baculoviruses were co-infected with Sf9 cells, and the VLPs were assembled and characterized. Mice and cattle were immunized by VLPs mixed with MF59 and CpG 55.2 adjuvants. Two doses of the VLPs/MF59/CpG vaccine were administered in mice and cattle. The immune effect of the VLPs/MF59/CpG vaccine was measured using indirect ELISA and neutralization assays. After immunization, the serum IgG-specific antibody titer against S protein and neutralization antibody titer increased to 1:1.28 × 104 (p < 0.01) and 1:128 (p < 0.01) in mice, respectively. Interestingly, the high IgG antibody and neutralizing antibody titers were maintained for seven days in mice. In addition, the serum IgG-specific antibody titer against S proteins and neutralization antibody titer increased to 1:1.024 × 105 and 1:512 (p < 0.05) in cattle, respectively. The high IgG antibody and neutralizing antibody titers were maintained for 21 days in cattle. Notably, BCoV VLPs group interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) lymphocytes in spleens were significantly increased (p < 0.01). These findings suggest that BCoV VLPs induced strong cellular and humoral immune responses in mice and cattle. These findings suggest that BCoV VLPs could serve as a potent immunogen for vaccine development.

Acidic phosphonium-based ionic liquid encapsulated on titania particles with enhanced electrorheological response

Research on electrorheological (ER) fluids has led to significant advancements in the development of smart materials that adjust their viscosity in response to applied electric fields. This study focused on synthesizing titania ionogel-based particles (TiO2-IL) using an environmentally friendly sol-gel process involving tetrabutoxy-titanium (TBT) combined with an ionic liquid (IL), specifically 11-carboxyundecyl-triphenyl-phosphonium bromide. The successful incorporation of the IL into the TiO2 particles was confirmed through thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and zeta potential analysis. The electrorheologial properties of TiO2-IL ionogel suspension in silicone oil were compared with those of pure TiO2 suspension. The addition of the ionic liquid (IL) significantly enhanced the electrorheological (ER) properties of the fluid, achieving a shear stress of approximately 1340Pa at an electric field strength of 5kV/mm. The fluid also exhibited excellent reversibility and a rapid response to changes in the electric field, which is attributed to the higher polarizability by the IL. Furthermore, the study observed low current density during operation, which helps maintain the fluid’s integrity and longevity under high electric fields. The fluids demonstrated stable ER effect across a temperature range of 40 to 70 ℃ and a reasonable sedimentation stability of around 80%. These characteristics, combined with the moderate conditions for particle preparation, make the TiO2-IL fluid a promising candidate for ER applications.

Preparation of tenofovir amibufenamide fumarate spherical particles to improve tableting performance and sticking propensity by designing a spherical crystallization process

Tenofovir amibufenamide fumarate (TMF) is the first oral drug developed in Asia for the treatment of adult patients with chronic viral hepatitis B, however, further applications are limited by poor tableting performance and high sticking propensity. In this work, the spherulitic growth process of TMF has been designed and explored with the help of molecular dynamics simulation and process analysis technologies (ATR-FTIR, FBRM and EasyViewer). The spherical particles with high bulk density, good flowability and uniform particle size distribution are prepared by a simple quenching process. More importantly, experimental results show that spherical particles have higher average tensile strength (100.8% increase), higher plastic deformability and lower amount of punch sticking (87.4% decrease in 30 tablets) compared to the commercial powder products. These contributions not only shed light on the design principle of drug spherulitic growth processes, but also provide guidance for the manufacture of high-quality tablet products.

Effect of carbon dot on preparation of dual-functional Janus particles via photo-initiated seed swelling polymerization

With the development of industry, the detection and removal of heavy metal ions from water has received much attention. Janus particles are distinguished from many other materials by their unique structure and functionalization. We proposed a simple photo-initiated seed swelling polymerization method for preparing carbon dot-coated dual-functional Janus particles (Janus@CD), using glycyl methacrylate (GMA) as monomer and ethylene dimethacrylate (EDMA) as crosslinker. In order to modulate the particle morphology during the phase separation process, carbon dot (CD) was added to the reaction system. The results demonstrated that the presence of CD had a significant effect on the shape of Janus particles. Furthermore, Janus@CD could be directly applied in the adsorption and detection for MnO4−. The limit of detection (LOD) was 6.39 nmol L−1, and the maximum adsorption capacity was 23.9 mg g−1, in line with the Langmuir adsorption model. The adsorption equilibrium reached within 30 min. The results demonstrated that dual-functional Janus@CD would present great potential in the detection and enrichment for metal ions.

Formation mechanism of Hf-based ceramic particles in tungsten alloys

Abstract To meet the requirements of high strength of tungsten (W) based alloys at high temperature applied in the aerospace field, the preparation and formation of Hf-related ceramic particles in W were studied. It is found that the HfO2 phase with a size of about 500 nm was observed at the grain boundary in both W-0.26 wt.% HfC and W-0.25 wt.% HfH2-0.125 wt.% C systems. Further study of phase stability and thermodynamic properties of Hf(W)-O(C) compounds reveals that the HfO2 phase possesses the most stability of all the Hf-related compounds, and the oxidation of Hf is preferred to the carbonization. It is predicted that more stability of W base metal, higher temperature, and higher carbon concentration can reduce the formation of HfO2 while promoting the formation of the HfC particle phase.

Ultrasound-assisted preparation of zein particles: Insight into the effects and mechanisms of thermal factors

The research on the application of ultrasound in food processing has been increasing in recent years. In particular, using ice-bath temperature-controlled ultrasound (IBU) to minimize the effects of thermal aspects has been the main focus. However, this approach does not maximize the utilization of energy. Therefore, this study aims to compare the effect of non-temperature-controlled ultrasound (NTU) and temperature-controlled ultrasound (TU), with IBU on the structure and properties of zein. To further explore the role and mechanism of thermal effects in ultrasound processes. Firstly, particle size, zeta potential, hydrophobicity, and thermal stability of zein nanoparticles prepared using various ultrasound-assisted methods were characterized. Compared to the particle size in the IBU group, the NTU group consistently had smaller particles under the same power conditions (e.g., 197 nm versus 176 nm at U1). The particle size in the TU group changes depending on the temperature (e.g., from native 225 nm down to 185 nm). As for the denaturation temperatures, the NTU group (88.9 °C) was significantly higher than that of the IBU (75.76 °C) and TU groups (e.g., 76.9 °C at treatment temperatures of 30 °C). In all, IBU reduces the thermal stability, while NTU treatment enhances it. Furthermore, UV, fluorescence, and CD spectra results indicate that both NTU and TU groups significantly reduce the α-helix structure by unfolding and exposing more internal hydrophobic groups of zein than the IBU group. These results indicate that the effects of ultrasound on zein are closely related to the heating source during the ultrasonic process. IBU could be utilized to maximize the reduction of denaturation levels, but NTU may exhibit superior performance such as protein modification, reducing particle size, or enhancing stability in industrial production.

Preparation and Characterization of Preformed Polyelectrolyte and Polyampholyte Gel Particles for Plugging of High-Permeability Porous Media.

Excessive reservoir water poses significant challenges in the oil and gas industry by diminishing hydrocarbon recovery efficiency and generating environmental and economic complications. Conventional polymer flooding techniques, although beneficial, often prove inadequate under conditions of elevated temperature and salinity, highlighting the need for more resilient materials. In this research, two types of acrylamide-based preformed particle gels (PPGs) were synthesized, as follows: polyelectrolyte and polyampholyte. These PPGs were engineered to improve plugging efficiency and endure extreme reservoir environments. The polyelectrolyte gels were synthesized using acrylamide (AAm) and sodium acrylate (SA), while the polyampholyte gels incorporated AAm, AMPS, and APTAC, with crosslinking achieved through MBAA. The swelling properties, modulated by temperature, salinity, and pH, were evaluated using the Ritger-Peppas and Yavari-Azizian models. The mechanical characteristics and surface morphology of the gels were analyzed using SEM and BET techniques. In sand pack experiments designed to mimic high-permeability reservoirs, the inclusion of 0.5 wt.% of fine PPGs substantially reduced water permeability, outperforming traditional hydrogels. Notably, the polyampholyte PPGs demonstrated superior resilience and efficacy in plugging. However, the experiments were limited by the low test temperature (25 °C) and brine salinity (26.6 g/L). Future investigations will aim to apply these PPGs in high-temperature, fractured carbonate reservoirs.

A Review on the Driving Forces in the Formation of Bioactive Molecules-Loaded Prolamin-Based Particles.

Prolamin-based particles loaded with bioactive molecules have attracted widespread attention from scientists due to their novel properties in chemistry, physics, and biology. In the self-assembly process of biopolymer-based nanocapsules, noncovalent interactions are the main driving forces for reducing bulk materials to the nanoscale and controlling the release of bioactive molecules. This article reviews the types of interaction forces, binding strength, binding active sites, molecular orientation, and binding affinity that affect the release profile of bioactive molecules during the preparation of protein stabilizer particles. Different preparation formulations, the use of different biopolymers, the inherent nature of the loaded bioactive molecules, and external factors (including pH, biopolymer concentration, temperature, salt, ultrasonication, and atmospheric cold plasma treatment) lead to different types and strengths of intra- and intermolecular interactions. Strategies, such as pH, ultrasonication, and atmospheric cold plasma, to change the protein conformation are key to improving the binding strength between proteins and bioactive substances or stabilizers. This review provides some guidance for scientists and technicians dedicated to improving loading efficiency, delaying release, enhancing colloidal stability, and exploring the binding behavior among proteins, stabilizers, and bioactive molecules.

Preparation of Block Copolymer-Stabilized Microspheres from Commercial Plastics and Their Use as Microplastic Proxies in Degradation Studies.

This study presents a novel one-pot procedure for preparing sub-10 μm poly(ethylene glycol) (MPEG)-stabilized glycol-modified poly(ethylene terephthalate), poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET), poly(lactic acid) (PLA), polycarbonate, and polycaprolactone (PCL) particles from commercial plastics. The prepared particles can be dried and directly resuspended in water, making them easy to handle and relevant mimics of microplastics. In addition, the method was extended to the preparation of unstabilized PET particles and somewhat larger polyethylene (PE)-based particles. Selected stabilized microparticles were subjected to aerobic biodegradation studies and compared with nonstabilized PET particles. All of the particles exhibited some degradation. For PLA and PET particles, the degradation corresponded well to the amount of surface-stabilizing MPEG groups or known impurities, confirming that these polymers do not degrade under the applied conditions but that the stabilizing groups do. PCL particles degraded relatively rapidly, which is consistent with the literature data and their relatively small size. PE-based particles degraded more than expected if only degradation of the stabilizing groups was taken into account, indicating that the surface chemistry of these particles plays a role in bulk degradation.

Strategies for alkali-free synthesis, surface modification, and electrophoretic deposition of composite films for biomedical applications

This investigation addresses increasing interest in composites for biomedical applications and advanced methods for their synthesis and electrophoretic deposition (EPD). The feasibility of preparation of hydroxyapatite (HA), titania and zirconia particles using branched polyethylenimine polymer (BPEI) or L-arginine amino acid as organic alkalizers is demonstrated. In this new approach, BPEI and L-arginine are used as alkalizers-capping agents instead of inorganic alkalis. The use of BPEI facilitates synthesis of HA nanorods with reduced size. This approach opens an avenue for the fabrication of nanoparticles of other functional inorganic materials using alkalizers-capping agents. It offers advantages of simple procedure, environmental benefits and improved control of particle size. Composite films are obtained by cathodic EPD using linear polyethylenimine (LPEI) as a charging and film-forming agent. A conceptually new approach is developed for anodic EPD of alginic acid polymer (AlgH) and composite films containing drug molecules in AlgH matrix. This strategy involves the use of L-arginine as an alkalizer for solubilization of drugs, which exhibit poor solubility in water. AlgH and drug molecules are solubilized in water and deposited by anodic EPD. Testing results confirm the fabrication of composite films, containing drug molecules. This method allows reduced gas evolution at the electrode, elimination of film porosity, improved stabilization of bioceramic particles in polymer solutions and facilitates composite film formation from stable suspensions. The deposition methods developed in this investigation can be used for deposition of other cationic and anionic polymers and their co-EPD with bioceramics, drugs and other functional materials.

Laser-Assisted Preparation of TiO2/Carbon/Ag Nanocomposite for Degradation of Organic Pollutants.

The ever-increasing expansion of chemical industries produces a variety of common pollutants, including colors, which become a global and environmental problem. Using a nanocatalyst is one of the effective ways to reduce these organic contaminants. With this in mind, a straightforward and effective method for the production of a novel nanocatalyst based on lignin-derived carbon, titanium dioxide nanoparticles, and Ag particles (TiO2/C/Ag) is described. The preparation of carbon and Ag particles (in sub-micro and nano size) was carried out by laser ablation in air. The nanocomposite was synthesized using a facile magnetic stirrer of TiO2, C, and Ag. According to characterization methods, a carbon nanostructure was successfully synthesized through the laser irradiation of lignin. According to scanning electron microscope images, spherical Ag particles were agglomerated over the nanocomposite. The catalytic activities of the TiO2/C/Ag nanocomposite were tested for the decolorization of methylene blue (MB) and Congo red (CR), employing NaBH4 in a water-based solution at 25 °C. After adding fresh NaBH4 to the mixture of nanocomposite and dyes, both UV absorption peaks of MB and CR completely disappeared after 10 s and 4 min, respectively. The catalytic activity of the TiO2/C/Ag nanocomposite was also examined for the reduction of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) using a NaBH4 reducing agent, suggesting the complete reduction of 4-NP to 4-aminophenol (4-AP) after 2.30 min. This shows excellent catalytic behavior of the prepared nanocomposite in the reduction of organic pollutants.

Preparation of microgel particles from egg yolk components by combining phospholipase A2 with high-pressure homogenization: Physicochemical, structural properties and their effects on foaming, processing stability of egg white protein

In this study, two types of microgel particles from egg yolk components were prepared by combining enzymatic hydrolysis with high-pressure homogenization (HPH), and their differences in physicochemical properties, foaming properties, and microstructure were compared. Results showed that the particle size of both types of microgel particles had decreased from 2744.07 ± 408.26 nm (egg yolk, EY) to 144.97 ± 3.19 nm (PLA2 hydrolyzed egg yolk microgel particles, PYM) and 535.07 ± 46.07 nm (egg yolk microgel particles hydrolyzed by PLA2, YMP), from 736.24 ± 34.61 nm (EG) to 182.76 ± 4.12 nm (PLA2 hydrolyzed egg yolk granules microgel particles, PGM) and 443.98 ± 27.09 nm (egg yolk granules microgel particles hydrolyzed by PLA2, GMP). Besides, their interfacial adsorption abilities were significantly improved, reflected in the increase values in overrun, from161.90 % ± 9.84 % (EY) to 269.64 % ± 16.73 % (PMY) and 307.20 % ± 16.09 % (YMP), from 189.21 % ± 5.02 % (EG) to 280.38 % ± 36.05 % (PGM) and 261.91 % ± 34.03 % (GMP). Their structural properties showed higher stabilities after treatments. When the microgel particles are applied to cakes, the specific volume was increased from 2.05 ± 0.1 mL/g (EY) to 2.25 ± 0.13 mL/g (PYM) and 2.45 ± 0.03 mL/g (YPM), and from 2.00 ± 0.09 mL/g (EG) to 2.51 ± 0.13 mL/g (PGM) and 2.75 ± 0.21 mL/g (GMP), respectively. The hardness and chewiness were reduced with both types of microgel particles from egg yolk components, which indicated their potential value as edible foam stabilizers in the baking industry.

Preparation of polystyrene microplastic particles by solvent-dissolution-precipitation

The reliable characterisation of the physicochemical properties of micro-sized plastic particles requires quality reference materials for establishing, calibrating, and validating methods. Heterogeneity in particle size, shape and surface chemistry are important factors for reference materials for them to mimic environmental microplastics. This paper introduces a method for preparing model polystyrene micro and nano plastic reference materials using a solvent dissolution-precipitation approach. Polystyrene microplastic particles with mean particle sizes of 0.35, 15.7, 30.0 and 52.3 micron were produced using solvent precipitation under different synthesis conditions with the particle present in a well dispersed and partially dispersed system. The particle size can be controlled by reducing the initial polystyrene-cyclohexane concentration and adjusting the volume of methanol. At a fixed polystyrene-cyclohexane ratio, particles within the specified size range were consistently produced. Chemical analysis using pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry revealed that synthesized microplastics maintain their chemical properties, aligning with the original composition of virgin polystyrene pellets. A similar conclusion was drawn after examining the surface chemistry of the virgin and synthesised microplastic particles using ATR-FTIR analysis. The polystyrene particles produced in this way may be of use as reference materials and might be of interest for toxicological studies.

One-step spray solution combustion synthesis of nanostructured spherical Ca3Co4O9: The fuel effect

In the research, a one-step method for the rapid preparation of spherical nanostructured particles of Ca3Co4O9, involving the combustion of reactive aerosol drops containing calcium and cobalt nitrates as the metal precursors and hexamethylenetetramine as the fuel, is reported. The results of thermodynamic analysis and study of crystalline structure of obtained materials suggest that the reaction in the investigated system proceeds with heat release, which indicates its self-sustaining nature. Applying hexamethylenetetramine fuel at φ range of 0.4 – 0.6 and ambient temperature of 900 ℃ resulted in formation of Ca3Co4O9 powders with narrow particle size distribution of 0.2 – 1 µm. Microstructural studies revealed that the Ca3Co4O9 particles are hollow with nanometer-scale wall thicknesses and their surface consists of lamellar grains with sizes ranging from 14 to 100 nm.

Study on the key parameters of ice particle air jet ejector structure

Existing ice particle jet surface treatment technology is prone to ice particle adhesion during application, significantly affecting surface treatment efficiency. Based on the basic structure of the jet pump, the ice particle air jet surface treatment technology is proposed for the instant preparation and utilization of ice particles, solving the problem of ice particle adhesion and clogging. To achieve efficient utilization of ice particles and high-speed jetting, an integrated jet structure for ice particle ejection and acceleration was developed. The influence of the working nozzle position (Ld), expansion ratio (n), and acceleration nozzle diameter ratio (Dn) length-to-diameter ratio (Ln) on the ice particle ejection and acceleration was systematically studied. The structural parameters of the ejector were determined using the impact kinetic energy of ice particles as the comprehensive evaluation index, and the surface treatment test was conducted to verify the results. The study shows that under 2 MPa air pressure, the ejector nozzle parameters of n = 1.5, Dn = 4.0, Ld = 4, and Ln = 0 mm can effectively eject and accelerate the ice particles. The aluminum alloy plate depainting test obtained a larger paint removal radius and resulted in a smoother aluminum alloy plate surface, reducing the surface roughness from 3.194 ± 0.489 μm to 1.156 ± 0.136 μm. The immediate preparation and utilization of ice particles solved the problems of adhesion and storage in the engineering application of ice particle air jet technology, providing a feasible technical method in the field of material surface treatment.

Optimization of green spherical agglomeration process based on response surface methodology for preparation of high-performance spherical particles

Spherical agglomeration (SA) is a processing technique that enhances the physical properties of particles, reduces the number of unit operations in pharmaceutical manufacturing, and improves process efficiency. However, one of the limitations of SA is its high nonlinearity, which makes scalability a challenge. This prospective study was designed to realize the optimization of SA process parameters of aspirin, the world’s first and most widely used nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, by developing a green SA model through response surface methodology. First, Plackett-Burman experiments were conducted to identify the key operating variables affecting SA, and Sustainability Index (STI) was defined to evaluate the effects of these operating variables on the SA and the energy input to the environment during the post-processing process. Furthermore, the effects of three independent variables on mean size, yield, and STI were investigated based on Box-Behnken design. A second-order regression equation with response values was developed to optimize the above three objectives. As a result, the spherical products were obtained with excellent powder properties, including anti-caking property, filtration property, and tableting performance compared to the raw materials. This work provides an experimental and modelling basis for the further application of this environmentally-friendly SA technology.