Simple Treatment Process Research Articles

Construction of a Reciprocal-Supporting Phenol-amine@CuNW Network for Antisedimentation Conductive Ink.

Homogeneously dispersed copper nanowire (CuNW) materials are the basis for practical applications in many types of electronic devices. At present, the dispersion of CuNWs in water is achieved through polymeric spatial site resistance effects primarily and the electrostatic dispersion mechanism in a few. However, the electrical conductivity of CuNWs could be weakened by the excessive addition of polymers; therefore, it is difficult to maintain a stable dispersion enduringly for surface charge modifiers. Based on the coagulation mechanism of colloids, a novel antisedimentation mechanism is refined by this work. Directed by this mechanism, a stable reciprocal-supporting antisedimentation conductive CuNW ink was achieved enduringly and a uniform conductive coating (1.81-5.65 Ω·sq-1) was successfully manufactured. The tannic acid-polyethylene imine (TA-PEI) could support copper nanowires to maintain a stable height of 61.4% after 15 days best, while CuNWs in other systems would settle completely in one day. Meanwhile, the TA-PEI composite cluster antisedimentation network not only provided massive spatial potential resistance for CuNWs but also modified the surface charge of CuNWs. CuNWs were dispersed stably in this phenol-amine@CuNW network. Furthermore, the CuNWs were crosslinked more tightly with each other relying on the vigorous adhesive properties of TA-PEI. With this antisedimentation mechanism and simple treatment process, CuNW ink will be utilized in more applications.

Ginger Compress Therapy – A Painless Solution for Kidney Failure Patients

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is one of the most outgrowing diseases of all, and globally, about 10% of the world's population is affected. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) occurs when the kidney can no longer perform its function to full capacity. There are currently two treatment options for CKD: dialysis and transplantation. Both existing treatment options have their demerits, including high cost, pain, sleep disturbances, restlessness, graft rejection, and much more. Zingiber officinale, also commonly known as ginger, is one of the most commonly used household herbs and a potential medicinal herb. It contains various phytochemicals such as essential oils, phenolic compounds, alkaloids, glycosides, flavonoids, terpenoids, saponin, tannin, protein, and carbohydrates. Ginger has been reported for multiple medicinal properties such as antibacterial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, immune-modulatory, anti-hypertensive, anti-arthritic, hepatoprotective, and nephroprotective. The nephroprotective properties of ginger are less explored than their other therapeutic properties. Few research data suggest that the aqueous extracts of ginger lowered blood glucose, serum, urea, and creatinine levels in diabetic-induced rats. It also helped to restore the changes in the kidney due to toxicity. Thus, it protects renal tissues from structural damage caused by hypoglycemia, inhibits cholesterol absorption due to oxidative stress, and also boosts the kidney's defense mechanism. The in silico work performed on 64 phytochemicals against the Vitamin D3 receptor target protein of CKD showed the binding efficiency of phytochemicals against this target. Diterpene (Lactone) has shown a better binding score with optimal ADMET properties. Ginger compress therapy is a very simple treatment process, using pieces of ginger boiled in hot water, after which a towel is soaked in this ginger water and spread over the lower portion of the patient's back for around 30 minutes. After this, the area must be rubbed with a few drops of gingelly oil. Currently, many Siddha and Ayurveda practitioners in India and many other countries use this therapy to cure numerous patients. Deeper research into this therapy could enhance efficiency and provide a scientific approach.

Preclinical testing of an anal bulking agent coated with a zwitterionic polymer in a fecal incontinence rat model.

Fecal incontinence is a disabling condition in which the passage of fecal material cannot be controlled. Although the condition is not life-threatening, it can seriously reduce the quality of life of a patient by isolating them from others. Though various surgical treatments are available for moderate to severe symptoms, a bulking agent is a minimally invasive technique that has attracted attention because of its safety and simple treatment process. However, the biocompatibility of bulking agent materials remains a central issue, with their durability questioned because immune responses and/or the circulatory system may remove the bulking agent in vivo. This study investigated a bulking agent composed of polydimethylsiloxane and hyaluronic acid as a microfiller and carrier gel, respectively. To improve the injectability of the bulking agent, the filler size was tuned using a suspension-based fabrication technique. To evade immune responses, the filler surface was treated with a zwitterionic polymer that simultaneously functionalized and stabilized the material interfaces. The resulting bulking agent exhibited good injectability and biocompatibility in vitro, with 58% lower protein adsorption and no cytotoxicity, leading to an improved bulking effect in a preclinical rat model compared with a bulking agent without surface treatment. These results illustrate the promising potential of bulking agents as a therapy for fecal incontinence with reduced foreign body reactions and long-lasting efficacy.

Adsorption performance of GO-doped activated ATP composites towards tetracycline.

Antibiotic-related environmental contamination directly threatens ecosystems and human health. Adsorption is an efficient and simple treatment process for removing antibiotics from water environments. Attapulgite (ATP) is a natural clay mineral extensively researched as a promising adsorbent material in the food industry, pharmaceutical sanitation, and organic wastewater treatment. Graphene oxide (GO) is widely employed in the treatment of organic wastewater due to its superior physicochemical properties. Here, using high temperature and HCl, ATP was activated (a-ATP), and a GO/a-ATP composite was prepared via hydrothermal synthesis. Using an adsorbent dosage of 0.75 g L−1, pH = 5, reaction time of 120 min, initial temperature = 35 °C, and initial TC concentration of 50 mg L−1, the adsorption capacity of GO/a-ATP for TC was 38.8 mg g−1. The pseudo-first-order model (PFO) and pseudo-second-order (PSO) model were fitted to the kinetic data, and yielded an R2-value of PSO (0.99991) > PFO (0.9389), indicating that the adsorption process is related to chemisorption. Adsorption was also well described by the mixed-order (MO) model (R2 = 0.9827), demonstrating that two rate-limiting adsorption reaction steps, diffusion and adsorption, occur; the former exerting greater influence. Equilibrium data was fitted to Langmuir, Freundlich, and Temkin isotherm models; the Langmuir model gave the best fit, suggesting the adsorption process is a homogeneous and monolayer adsorption process. Various thermodynamic parameters such as standard Gibbs free energy (ΔG0) and standard enthalpy (ΔH0) were also calculated, these results indicate the adsorption reaction is an endothermic process. Our study shows that GO/a-ATP is a promising adsorbent material for use in the adsorption of tetracycline in aquatic environments.

Formation and Growth Behavior Analysis of Slagging Rings in Rotary Kiln-Type Hazardous Waste Incineration Systems

Rotary kiln incineration technology has the advantages of strong material adaptability and a simple treatment process and has been widely used in hazardous waste treatment. However, the actual incineration process has caused problems such as ring formation in the treatment system due to the lack of research on the slagging mechanisms. In this paper, slagging phenomena occurring in the second half of the rotary kiln, the exit flue of the secondary combustion chamber, and the wall of the quench tower are analyzed and discussed in detail through characterization methods. The results indicate that the adhesion of low-melting alkali metal salts on the refractory surface in the second half of the rotary kiln is the key factor in forming the initial slagging layer. In the growth process of the slagging ring, the formed liquid phase can bond incineration residues of different sizes together and form a dense embryo body through liquid phase sintering. The deposition and solidification of molten/semi-molten fly ashes cause slagging formation in the exit flue of the secondary combustion chamber. The slagging phenomenon occurring in the inner wall of the quench tower belongs to the “crystalline-coalesce-hardening” process of the inorganic salts precipitating out of the high-salt wastewater.

Efficient and selective adsorption of methylene blue and methyl violet dyes by yellow passion fruit peel

ABSTRACT As an important biomass resource, agricultural waste is of great significance to improve the application value. In this study, the yellow passion fruit peel (Y-PFP) was used as a biosorbent to remove cationic dyes (methylene blue (MB) and methyl violet (MV)) by the simple treatment process. And the effects of pH, contact time, initial dye concentration, ionic strength, and temperature on the adsorption performance of Y-PFP were studied. The adsorption process was consistent with the pseudo-second-order kinetic model and Langmuir isotherm. What’s more, the maximum adsorption capacity for MB and MV was 324.7 and 485.4 mg·g−1, respectively. And Y-PFP still exhibited high removal efficiency after five desorption–adsorption cycles. Thus, Y-PFP had highly valuable for the removal of cationic dyes from wastewater with a simple preparation process, low cost, excellent adsorption capacity and selectivity.

Synthesis of Dual-Responsive Alginate-Inspired Hydrocomposites for the Absorption of Blue Methylene

Dual-responsive hydrogel composites, hydrocomposites (HC), composed of magnetite particles and alginate, which undergo drastic changes in volume in response to pH and magnetic fields, were prepared and employed for the removal of methylene blue (MB) from the aqueous environment. The use of magnets allowed for the control of the MB absorption mechanism and the removal of HCs following their application in water, thereby preventing secondary contamination. The HC capacity for water absorption was found to be dependent on the amount of magnetite and could be altered with the application of a magnetic field. In a 25 mg/L MB solution at pH 6.3 and 8, 20 mg of HC removed 97.7% of MB. The presence of 1% magnetite (w/w) is sufficient for composites to be guided by magnetic stimuli, and the resulting material could be reused at least four times through a simple treatment process.

Durability and Recoverability of Soft Lithographically Patterned Hydrogel Molds for the Formation of Phase Separation Membranes.

Hydrogel-facilitated phase separation (HFPS) has recently been applied to make microstructured porous membranes by modified phase separation processes. In HFPS, a soft lithographically patterned hydrogel mold is used as a water content source that initiates the phase separation process in membrane fabrication. However, after each membrane casting, the hydrogel content changes due to the diffusion of organic solvent into the hydrogel from the original membrane solution. The absorption of solvent into the hydrogel mold limits the continuous use of the mold in repeated membrane casts. In this study, we investigated a simple treatment process for hydrogel mold recovery, consisting of warm and cold treatment steps to provide solvent extraction without changing the hydrogel mold integrity. The best recovery result was 96%, which was obtained by placing the hydrogel in a warm water bath (50 °C) for 10 min followed by immersing in a cold bath (23 °C) for 4 min and finally 4 min drying in air. This recovery was attributed to nearly complete solvent extraction without any deformation of the hydrogel structure. The reusability of hydrogel can assist in the development of a continuous membrane fabrication process using HFPS.

Occurrence and Fate of Micropollutants in Private Wastewater Treatment Facility (WTF) and Their Impact on Receiving Water.

This study investigated the occurrence and removals of micropollutants in the sewage treatment tank (STT) which is a typical private wastewater treatment facility used in the rural communities in Korea, and their impact on receiving water. STTs were selected in eight provinces to examine the regional difference in the composition of micropollutant occurrence. We measured ten selected micropollutants in influents and effluents of STTs, as well as upstream and downstream of its receiving surface water. The dominant micropollutants in the influent of the STTs were caffeine (13,346 ng/L), acetaminophen (11,331 ng/L), ibuprofen (1440 ng/L), and naproxen (1313 ng/L), in agreement with the amounts produced annually in Korea. In the effluent, caffeine (1912 ng/L), acetaminophen (1586 ng/L), naproxen (475 ng/L), and ibuprofen (389 ng/L) were detected in relatively high concentrations. The composition of micropollutants in STT influents showed little regional variation by provinces, suggesting that the consumption pattern of these micropollutants did not show regional variation. The removal efficiencies of the selected micropollutants at the STTs ranged from 12% (carbamazepine) to 88% (acetaminophen), lower than typical removal by sewage treatment plants (STPs). This result is probably due to the automatic operation systems and simple treatment processes in STTs compared with STPs. The concentrations of selected micropollutants upstream of the receiving water were generally lower compared with those observed downstream, indicating that effluent from STTs was the main source. The per capita discharge loads of STTs and annual emissions rates (kg/year) from private wastewater treatment facilities were estimated for the selected micropollutants.

Surface treatment of Cu nanowires using hydroxy acids to form oxide-free Cu junctions for high-performance transparent conductive films

Copper nanowires (Cu NWs) are promising materials for fabricating low-cost, flexible, transparent, and conductive films. However, their synthesis typically requires capping agents and their surfaces are easily oxidized, hindering NW performance. In this study, the surfaces of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP)-stabilized Cu NWs were treated with hydroxy acids to create impurity-free Cu junctions between the NWs. The PVP on the NW surfaces was removed in hydroxy acid solutions under neutral conditions, followed by surface oxidation. The oxides were more stable than the adsorbed PVP; therefore, this treatment completely converted PVP-stabilized surfaces into oxide-covered surfaces. The oxides were then eliminated and their surfaces were stabilized by hydroxy acids under acidic conditions. Among the tested acids, citric acid completely removed the surface oxides and best protected the NW surfaces, resulting in oxide-free Cu NWs. This treatment was then applied in combination with vacuum filtration to fabricate transparent conductive films comprised of Cu NWs. The surface treatment substantially improved the sheet resistance and transmittance of the film from 583.3 Ω/sq and 84% (at 550 nm) to 81.7 Ω/sq and 86%, respectively. The simple treatment process developed herein is expected to be widely applied to improve Cu NW performance.

Evaluating some Quality Parameters of a Surface Water Source by Applying Simple Treatment Processes

The purpose of the research was to identify the most convenient treatment applied to a surface water source which is permanently under the influence of contamination, in order to reduce organic matter, temporary hardness and TNG/ml water. Following the sedimentation process, temporary hardness values are close to those of the control samples (raw water) but, reductions and extremely significant differences (*** P <0.001) were found after coagulation. The same, extremely significant differences are found in the CCOMn parameter after the same process, coagulation. Applying just a single treatment like: sedimentation, coagulation of raw water without being followed by disinfection does not guarantee the removal or reduction of the total number of germs in water. Disinfection with UV dose (3.40-3.88 mj/cm2) of control samples indicates a significant reduction in bacterial load depending on exposure time, with the best values obtained at the 30 minute exposure. The same positive results were obtained from samples subjected to sedimentation where, compared to the initial values (4159.2±1860.0 TNG/ml water), bacterial load is reduced by 78-99.82%. In 60% of samples coagulated and after that exposed to 30 minutes of UV irradiation, was found 0 TNG / ml water. In conclusion, the best option for reducing TNG/ml water is coagulation using alum, followed by UV disinfection for 30 minutes.

Compositional core-shell design by nickel leaching on the surface of Ni-rich cathode materials for advanced high-energy and safe rechargeable batteries

Ni-rich layered oxides are promising cathode candidates for Li-ion batteries because of their high discharge capacity, high energy density, and low cost. However, poor cycling stability and thermal instability during cycling limit their commercial application in electric vehicles. To overcome these drawbacks, Ni-rich transition metal hydroxide precursors comprising a Ni-rich core and Ni-less surface region are successfully prepared in this study by a simple treatment process with dilute sulfuric acid. The final cathode materials have a compositional core-shell design, taking advantage of the stable cyclability and high thermal stability of the Ni-less surface layer as well as the high capacity of the Ni-rich core. The cycling stability of this Ni-rich cathode significantly improves after leaching, showing a capacity retention of 82.3% after 150 cycles at a rate of 0.5C and elevated temperature of 60 °C, much higher than that of a pristine Ni-rich cathode (65.4%). Furthermore, the thermal stability of the prepared Ni-rich cathode improves remarkably after leaching. These results suggest that the prepared cathode meets the energy storage demands of electric vehicles in terms of energy density, power, and cycling life; therefore, it is a promising cathode material for electric vehicle applications.

Simultaneous oxidative degradation of toxic acid wastewater from production of nitrocellulose and release of Mn2+ from low-grade MnO2 ore as oxidant

BACKGROUND To develop low cost and simple treatment process is necessary for the toxic organic effluents. This work investigated the feasibility of the oxidative degradation of toxic nitrocellulose acid wastewater (NAW) using low-grade MnO2 ore as a cheap oxidant and the simultaneous release of Mn2+ for preparation of electrolytic manganese metal (EMM). RESULTS Under optimal conditions of 100 g L−1 MnO2 ore, 200-mesh ore particles, concentrated H2SO4 to NAW ratio of 0.12:1, contact time of 120 min, stirring speed of 160 rpm and temperature of 90 °C, the total organic carbon (TOC) removal of the NAW and Mn release efficiency reached 98% and 97%, respectively. The TOC removal was significantly correlated with the release of Mn. The inert layer model best described the extraction behavior of Mn and apparent activation energy was 54.1 kJ mol −1. Concomitant with TOC removal, the degradation of polysaccharide, phenol, protein and nitrocellulose occurred; meanwhile, the MnO2 totally dissolved owing to reductive extraction of Mn. CONCLUSION A highly significant correlation occurred between TOC removal and Mn2+ release, suggesting a reciprocal causation. The present process was competent to simultaneously realize oxidation degradation of NAW and reductive dissolution of Mn2+ for EMM production, displaying a promising application prospect.

Unexpected Efficient Synthesis of Millimeter-Scale Single-Wall Carbon Nanotube Forests Using a Sputtered MgO Catalyst Underlayer Enabled by a Simple Treatment Process.

An unexpected 5000% increase in growth efficiency and high (95%) single-wall selectivity synthesis of vertically aligned carbon nanotubes (CNTs) was shown from Fe catalysts supported on a sputtered MgO underlayer from a simple underlayer treatment, i.e., annealing treatment. In this way, millimeter-scale single-wall carbon nanotube "forests" could be synthesized in a 10 min time, which has never been previously reported for MgO catalyst underlayer or any underlayer besides Al2O3. This level of efficiency and characterized SWCNT properties were similar to those grown using Al2O3 underlayers. Spectroscopic and microscopic analyses revealed that the treatment improved stability of the catalyst nanoparticle array by the suppressing catalyst subsurface diffusion and retaining the metallic state of the surface Fe atoms. Taken together, these results reveal a new route in achieving highly efficient SWCNT synthesis.

Preparation of N-doped graphene by reduction of graphene oxide with mixed microbial system and its haemocompatibility

A steady, effective and environment friendly method of introducing nitrogen into graphene is by microbial reduction of graphene oxide with mixed microorganisms from the anode chamber of microbial fuel cells (MFC). Using this method, N-doped graphene is easily obtained under mild conditions and by simple treatment processes, with the N/C ratio reaching 8.14%. Various characterizations demonstrate that the as-prepared N-doped graphene has excellent properties and is comparable with, and in some aspects, even better than, pristine graphene (containing only elemental C) prepared by chemical methods. The N-doped graphene (mainly substitution of C in the plane of the graphene sheet) with uniform distribution of N was haemocompatible, nontoxic, and water-dispersible, all of which are desirable properties for biomaterials and attributable to a synergetic metabolic effect of mixed microorganisms.

Biofunctional calcium titanate coating on titanium by simple chemical treatment process using calcium-hydroxide slurry—Effects of the heating temperatures

The present study investigates the effect of the heating temperature on the characteristics of the surface layer in a simple treatment process using calcium-hydroxide slurry. Furthermore, biofunctions of the treated titanium surfaces, such as bioactivity in a simulated body fluid and corrosion resistance under a bio-environment, are also investigated. Our treatment process using calcium-hydroxide slurry is as follows: a titanium substrate is buried in calcium hydroxide slurry, and the slurry is then heated in air. The calcium hydroxide slurry was prepared by mixing of calcium hydroxide powder and water. When treated at heating temperature beyond 873 K, a crystallized calcium titanate coating is formed on a titanium substrate and further, the thickness increases with the increase of heating temperature. On the crystallized calcium titanate coating, calcium phosphate is precipitated in a simulated body fluid; therefore, the treated titanium surface has bioactivity. Furthermore, anodic current density of the treated surface is 10–10 3 times lower than that of the non-treated surface.

Decolourization of reactive azo dyes with microorganisms growing on soft wood chips

The decolourization of a mixture of 200 mg L −1 each of Reactive Black 5 and Reactive Red 2 dye was studied in batch experiments using microorganisms growing on forest residue wood chips in combination with or without added white-rot fungus, Bjerkandera sp. BOL 13. The study was performed as a first stage in the development of a relatively simple treatment process for textile wastewater, designed to work in developing countries. Forest residue wood chips contain a mixture of fungi and bacteria which is an advantage when complex molecules should be degraded. The wood chips furthermore provide the microorganisms with carbon source which make the addition of e.g. glucose unnecessary. The results showed that the microorganisms growing on the forest residue wood chips decolourized the mixture of the two dyes; adding extra nutrients approximately doubled the decolourization rate. The time needed for decolourization was approximately 18 days when nutrients were added. Lignocellulosic material is complex and so were the analysis, microorganisms were therefore transferred to ordinary soft wood chips from forest residue wood chips. Decolourization was measured with spectrophotometer and in order to determine intermediates HPLC was used.

Operational Simulation and Calculation of the Characteristics of a Commercial Plasmatron for Case Hardening

gy fluxes (laser radiation, low-temperature plasma flows, and electron-beam technology). Plasma cutting and welding with electric-arc plasmatrons are applied extensively. We shall explore the possibility of using high-temperature jets for case hardening of parts as an alternative to laser or electric-arc treatment with lower equipment costs, smaller size, and a simple treatment process. Problems: • the plasma flow must be focused to obtain a power density of the order of 10–10 W·m, which ensures ultrafast hardening in the solid phase or from the liquid state. The plasma flow may be squeezed by an exit nozzle, but in that case the thermal stability of the nozzle will be severely limited; • the short lifetime of the plasmatron cathodes, which is less than several hours of continuous operation. The cathode erosion is known to depend exponentially on the arc discharge current. This is why it is preferred to have operating conditions in which the Joule heating power IU is attained at high charging voltages U and low arc current I, i.e., electric-field strength E = dν /dz. These problems can be solved by using a special plasmatron design with cathode and anode separated by an interelectrode insert (Fig. 1) of a porous electric insulating material through the walls of which a plasma-forming gas is blown at a rate m [1]. An alternating strong gas flow, acting on the entire arc discharge column can be assumed to cause insulation of the column walls from the walls of the channel and the nozzle and squeezing, i.e., gasdynamic focusing. Moreover, the use of an interelectrode insert to fix the arc length by and the gasdynamic effect on the arc discharge, i.e., turbulization and cooling of the flow increase the electric field strength. That means the plasmatron can operate in a high-voltage mode that ensures a long cathode life. Let us consider the mathematical model and the results of numerical simulation of the operating process in the plasmatron channel when there is a strong blast of plasma-forming gas through the porous wall. In [1], we demonstrated experimentally that the use of a strong blast, when the bulk of the gas flow rate is through the porous wall and the axial gas flow rate G1 is zero or is a small part of the total, the energy release can be accelerated substantially by the higher electric field strength and heat losses in the interelectrode insert can be eliminated by regeneration of heat in the porous wall. In that case, the mass flow rate through a unit surface of the channel is commensurate with the flow rate through a unit area of the cross Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, Vol. 37, Nos. 3–4, 2001