Smaller Average Particle Size Research Articles

Preparation of mayonnaise with excellent thermal and storage stability from egg yolk-amino acid complex: Rheology, interfacial property, microstructure and lutein delivery.

In this paper, egg yolk-amino acid (betaine or proline) complex was prepared at different pasteurization temperatures (68, 72 and 76 °C). Then complexes were applied to stabilized mayonnaise emulsion system. The results demonstrated that liquid egg yolk (LEY) protein structure gradually aggregated, molecular flexibility increased by 5 %, interfacial tension and intermolecular force enhanced remarkably with growth of pasteurization temperature. Compared with LEY, egg yolk-amino acid complex exhibited a more flexible structure with lower interfacial tension and superior molecular wettability. Complexes stabilized mayonnaise emulsion displayed excellent rheological property, homogeneous droplet distribution, smaller average particle size and higher (about 10 °C) thermal denaturation temperature (Td). In terms of thermal stability, oil binding capacity (OBC) of heated betaine mayonnaise (HBM) and heated proline mayonnaise (HPM) was approximately 20 % higher than that of heated control mayonnaise (HCM). Notably, the group of HBM thermal stability was generally excellent. During storage, mayonnaise might be an intermediate unstable state before emulsion breakage. In vitro digestion results illustrated that bioaccessibility of lutein delivered by BM-72 and PM-72 was 48.9 % and 37.0 % higher than CM-72, respectively. The results will provide reference for preparation of mayonnaise by egg yolk-amino acid complex as a carrier to deliver fat-soluble substances to improve bioaccessibility.

Redispersible Acrylic Ester Polymers: Effect of Polymer Property Changes Due to Polymerization Method Modification and Functional Additives on the Performance of Polymer Cement Mortar

This paper presents an experimental study aimed at improving the performance of polymer cement mortar by evaluating the properties of acrylic ester redispersible polymers, synthesized using a change in polymerization method from emulsion monomer to monomer dropwise addition methods, along with the use of a functional additive in the form of a foaming agent. To achieve the research objectives, a polymer with a glass transition temperature of −11 °C was synthesized by fixing the monomer ratio, particle-size distribution, and glass transition temperature, and the physical properties of the polymer cement mortar were assessed. The results showed that polymers synthesized using the modified polymerization method increased elongation at break and possessed a 35% smaller average particle size. The use of the foaming agent also resulted in enhanced tensile strength. The polymer cement mortars made with these respective polymers demonstrated improvements in compressive strength 11~25%, flexural strength 53~77%, bond strength 78~113%, volumetric changes 65~88%, and water absorption 30~70%. These findings suggest that changes in the polymerization method and the incorporation of functional additives influence the average particle size and air entrainment control properties of the polymers, thereby positively impacting the performance of the cement hydrates.

Uncovering fantastic synergistic lithium adsorption with manganese-titanium based composite nanospheres: Mild synthesis and molecular dynamics simulation insights

In light of the burgeoning energy technology sector and the ever-growing demand for lithium across diverse industrial domains, conventional lithium extraction methods have been proven inadequate due to their limited production capacity and high operational costs. This work introduces a novel approach to the manganese-titanium based composite HMTO (Mn:Ti=1:4) lithium ion-sieve (LIS) nanospheres, employing lithium acetate dihydrate, manganese carbonate and titanium dioxide P25 as the primary materials. These nanospheres exhibit relatively uniform spherical morphology, narrow size distribution, small average particle size (ca. 55 nm), large specific surface area (43.58 m2 g−1) and high surface O2− content (59.01%). When utilized as the adsorbents for Li+ ions, the HMTO (Mn:Ti=1:4) LIS demonstrates a fast adsorption rate, approaching equilibrium within 6.0 h with an equilibrium adsorption capacity (qe) of 79.5 mg g−1 and a maximum adsorption capacity (qm) of 87.26 mg g−1 (initial concentration C0: 1.8 g L−1). In addition, the HMTO (Mn:Ti=1:4) also delivers a high lithium extraction from the simulated high magnesium-lithium molar ratio salt lake brine (Mg:Li = 103), achieving a qe of 33.85 mg g−1 along with a remarkable selectivity (αMgLi=2192.76). Particularly, the HMTO (Mn:Ti=1:4) LIS showcases a satisfactory recycling adsorption performance. The adsorption capacity remains at a high level, even that determined after the 5th cycle (55.45 mg g−1) surpasses that of the most recently reported adsorbents. Ultimately, the fantastic synergistic lithium adsorption mechanism is deliberately uncovered by leveraging the ion exchange principles and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations.

Effect of lactic acid bacteria fermentation on spray-dried egg yolk powder: Powder characteristics, structural properties and gastrointestinal digestibility

Preparation of egg yolk powder with high solubility and high gastrointestinal digestibility is important for its effective utilization in the food industry. This study discovered that fermentation of egg yolks by lactic acid bacteria (LAB) resulted in a 54.3% increase in solubility, 110.6% increase in water dispersibility, and improved the stability of the dispersion to sedimentation. Fermentation resulted in smaller average particle size, enhanced hydrolysis of proteins and fats, and a more expansive protein structure in the egg yolk powder. Laser confocal microscopy showed increased hydrolysis of protein and fat in fermented egg yolk powder during simulated digestion, highlighting enhanced digestive properties due to LAB fermentation. This study validated the feasibility of LAB fermentation technology for modifying egg yolk powder, offering valuable insights for its processing and application in the food industry.

Green Synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles Using Cashew Nutshell Liquid (CNSL): Characterization and Methylene Blue Removal Studies.

In this work, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were synthesized from cashew nutshell liquid (CNSL) by varying the concentration of silver ions and the pH of the CNSL extract. The synthesized AgNPs were further characterized to study their surface, structural, and morphological properties and tested for the removal of methylene blue (MB) dye. The results of this study showed that depending on the conditions, particles of various sizes, ranging from 1 to 60 nm, and different degrees of stabilization and agglomeration were produced. The concentration of silver ions equal to 3 mM and the pH of the extract of ~4.5 (AgNP3) resulted in the most efficient synthesis, where particles appeared to be highly stabilized and homogeneously distributed on the surface, exhibiting a small average particle size and a narrow particle size distribution (6.7 ± 6.5 nm). Such particles further showed the highest percent removal of MB, where up to 80% removal was recorded within the first 20 min. Higher concentrations of silver ions and higher pH of the extract resulted in substantial particle agglomeration and particles being over-capped by the CNSL biomolecules, respectively, which further negatively affected the ability of particles to remove MB. Finally, the fact that visible light showed no significant effect on the removal of MB, with the average removal rates found to be about the same as in the dark, suggests the strong catalytic nature of AgNPs, which facilitates the electron transfer reactions leading to MB reduction.

Microbial response to the chronic toxicity effect of graphene and graphene oxide nanomaterials within aerobic granular sludge systems

Nanomaterials present in wastewater can pose a significant threat to aerobic granular sludge (AGS) systems. Herein, we found that compared to graphene nanomaterials (G-NMs), the long-term presence (95 days) of graphene oxide nanomaterials (GO-NMs) resulted in an increased proliferation of filamentous bacteria, poorer sedimentation performance (SVI30 of 74.1 mL/g) and smaller average particle size (1224.4 µm) of the AGS. In particular, the GO-NMs posed a more significant inhibitory effect to the total nitrogen removal efficiency of AGS (decreased by 14.3 %), especially for the denitrification process. The substantial accumulation of GO-NMs within the sludge matrix resulted in a higher level of reactive oxygen species in AGS compared to G-NMs, thereby inducing lactate dehydrogenase release, and enhancing superoxide oxidase and catalase activities. Such excessive oxidative stress could potentially result in a significant reduction in the activity of nitrogen metabolism enzymes (e.g., nitrate reductase and nitrite reductase) and the expression of key functional genes (e.g., nirS and nirK). Altogether, compared to G-NMs, prolonged exposure to GO-NMs had a more significant chronic toxicity effect on AGS systems. These findings implied that the presence of G-NMs and GO-NMs is a hidden danger to biological nitrogen removal and should receive more attention.

Textile dyes removing from the wastewater by green synthesized Cu-doped ZnO photocatalysts under the simulated sunlight illumination

Herein, Cu-doped ZnO photocatalysts were prepared via green synthesis method with utilization of Cannabis Sativa leaves. The catalytic activity was evaluated through the degradation of methylene blue (MB) and rhodamine B (RhB) under the simulated sunlight illumination. XRD, FESEM, EDAX, FTIR, BET-BJH and DRS were used for characterizations of Cu-doped ZnO. The results showed that, 3 wt % Cu-doped ZnO (CuZn3) displayed the excellent characterizations such as uniform dispersion, lower energy bandgap, smaller average particle size and greater surface area. For the photocatalysts with higher Cu loading (more than 3 wt %), non-uniform dispersion with larger particles, lower specific surface area and higher energy bandgap were found. The average particle size and energy bandgap for CuZn3 were 37.7 nm and 2.9 eV, respectively. Due to the superior properties, CuZn3 presented the highest amount of dyes degradations. After 180 min test, MB and RhB degradations by CuZn3 were 92.1 and 94.2 %, respectively. Moreover, it was found that optimum amount of CuZn3 was 100 ppm. Furthermore, applying of various scavengers revealed that hydroxyl radicals, superoxide radicals, and photo-generated electrons were the primary forms of radicals involved in dyes degradation using Cu-doped ZnO photocatalysts.

Efficient formation of propylene oxide under low hydrogen concentration in propylene epoxidation over Au nanoparticles supported on V-doped TS-1

The direct epoxidation of propylene to propylene oxide (PO) represents a unique feature of gold nanoparticle catalysts. Different amounts of vanadium were introduced into TS-1 using a hydrothermal method to give V-TS-1, and the effect of various vanadium loadings on the catalytic performance of Au/V-TS-1 was investigated in the epoxidation of propylene under different reaction conditions. The obtained characterization results indicate that the molecular sieve pore structure and crystalline phase structure of TS-1 were maintained after vanadium incorporation, and vanadium was incorporated into the molecular sieve framework. The introduction of an appropriate amount of vanadium resulted in the homogeneous dispersion of gold particles with a small average particle size, which facilitated the epoxidation reaction. When V was introduced into TS-1, the propylene conversion decreased under the condition of 10 % H2 concentration (C3H6/H2 = 1/1) in the reaction atmosphere, but the PO selectivity was maintained. Interestingly, when the H2 concentration in the reaction atmosphere was lowered to 2 % (C3H6/H2 = 3/1), the propylene conversion in Au/TS-1 was significantly decreased compared to 10 % H2 concentration condition, while in Au/V-TS-1, the propylene conversion was maintained in 2 % H2 concentration condition compared to 10 % H2. Au/V-TS-1 also maintained its selectivity for PO even when the H2 concentration was lowered. Therefore, under low hydrogen concentration conditions, the PO formation rate of Au/V-TS-1 was much higher than that of Au/TS-1. More, the same trend was observed when Mo was added in place of V. Our strategy will guide the design of future catalysts as a way to utilize hydrogen more effectively while maintaining PO productivity.

Electro-spinnability study of polymer slurry system for proton exchange membrane fuel cell

The electro-spinnability of catalyst slurry determines fabrication availability and the catalyst layer's quality. It was affected by the ink composition, ambient condition, and electrospinning parameters. Abnormal electrospinning behaviors, including blocking, dripping, dripping with spinning, semi-floating fibers, and standing fibers, were observed under the unfavorable combination of the factors. The high blocking frequency can be avoided by using a slurry with higher ionomer content, lower solid content and smaller average particle size. Dripping and dripping with electrospinning phenomena can be solved by restricting the applied voltage above 10 kV. Semi-floating fibers can be avoided by limiting the ambient temperature between 20-30°C and relative humidity between 15-25%. Standing fibers can be prevented by restricting the total applied voltage (the difference between the positive voltage on the needle and the negative voltage on the drum) to a level lower than 15 kV.

Preparation and characterization of hydrophobic waterborne polyurethane self‐matting coating

AbstractA green method to synthesize self‐matting waterborne polyurethane acrylic hybrid emulsion with hydrophobic function is introduced in this study. A reactive waterborne polyurethane (RWPU) dispersion containing unsaturated CC double bonds was prepared from epoxidized soybean oil. Subsequently, the RWPU dispersion was copolymerized with fluorinated monomers of different carbon chain lengths to prepare polyurethane acrylic hybrid emulsion (PUF). The results revealed the gloss levels of PUF films to be as low as 12.4 gloss units at 60°. The morphology of PUF films was observed by scanning electron microscope and three‐dimensional surface profilometer, and the relationship between surface roughness and gloss was discussed in detail. In addition, thermal gravimetric analysis was conducted to determine the thermal stability of the PUF films, and the results denoted that these PUF films exhibited excellent thermal stability. Comprehensive performance tests indicated that the RWPU dispersion, which was copolymerized with hexafluorobutyl methacrylate at a weight of 10%, exhibited a low gloss, a high contact angle of 120°, and a high elongation percentage of 423%. Furthermore, the dynamic light scattering results showed small average particle size, revealing the excellent storage stabilities.

Assessment of hemostatic ability of biomaterial based on chitosan and Eclipta prostrata L. extract

The biomaterials based on chitosan and Eclipta prostrata L. extract have been prepared by microemulsion method and solution method (with and without sodium tripolyphosphate (STPP) as a cross-linking agent). The main component in Eclipta prostrata L. extract is flavonoid groups. The structure of the chitosan/extract biomaterials was studied by infrared spectroscopy. The chitosan/extract biomaterial using STPP cross-linker appeared an absorption band at 1152 cm−1 attributed to the vibrations of C–O–P bonds, which proved that chitosan has crosslinked with STPP. The morphology of the biomaterials was investigated by the dynamic light scattering technique and field emission scanning electron microscopy. The obtained results showed that the particle size of the chitosan/extract biomaterials prepared by microemulsion method and solution method with STPP ranged from 68.06 nm to 1484 nm, with an average particle size of 304.9–1019 nm. The microemulsion method produced biomaterials with much smaller average particle size than the solution method using cross-linkers. The hemostatic ability of the biomaterials was better than that of the control sample based on the time of blood clotting formation and glomerular aggregation ability. The sample with the ratio of E. prostrata L. extract: chitosan of 1:30 had the lowest hemostasis time (6 min 46 s) and its glomerular aggregation rate after 5 min was 13.05%. This indicated that the biomaterials based on chitosan and E. prostrata L. extract are promising for application in biomedicine as hemostatic materials.

Morphology, Crystal Structure and Thermal Properties of Nano-Sized Amorphous Colemanite Synthesis

It is important to utilize the raw colemanite (RC) mineral, which has abundant reserves in the world, and to reduce its particles to smaller sizes for nanotechnology. However, not only the particle size of the produced colemanite powder but also its other properties need to be elucidated. By using the Taguchi design, the RC mineral was ground in a high-energy ball mill. From signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio, the smallest average particle size was found to be 3.10 µm for the experiment E04/nano-sized amorphous colemanite (NAC) powder. The characteristics of as-received RC mineral and synthesized NAC material were investigated using laser particle size analyzer, optical microscopes, SEM–EDS, XRD, TEM, HRTEM, and TGA–DTA devices. It was found that the NAC powder was not homogeneous, a small peak within the 300–20 nm range appeared, and d90, d50, d10, and dmin values were, respectively, 14.6 µm, 3.08 µm, 232 nm, and 26 nm. In the XRD analysis, the pure colemanite, calcite, and silica minerals were determined. The crystal structure of the NAC powder almost turned amorphous, and the crystallite size of (031) peak was reduced to 7.3 nm. It was deduced that the average particle size was 8.29 nm (R2 = 0.86), and the d-spacing value was 0.307 nm. This significant finding was attributed to the mobility of balls and moreover it was interpreted with an equation. An unknown transition in TGA–DTA was referred to the calcite mineral. Finally, it is believed that the synthesized NAC material will be beneficial to engineering studies as a natural/mineral additive.

Enhancement of N2O decomposition performance by co-doping of Ni and Y to Co3O4 catalyst

Co3O4, Y2O3-Co3O4 and NiO-Y2O3-Co3O4 samples were prepared by the simple co-precipitation method, and their N2O catalytic decomposition performance was evaluated. Experimental results disclose that the order of catalytic activity among the three catalysts is NiO-Y2O3-Co3O4 > Y2O3-Co3O4 >> Co3O4. N2O conversion over NiO-Y2O3-Co3O4 catalyst reached 100 % at 360 °C, which was 20 °C and 60 °C lower than those over Y2O3-Co3O4 and Co3O4, respectively. In addition, NiO-Y2O3-Co3O4 catalyst shows better water resistance compared with Co3O4 and Y2O3-Co3O4. Systems-based characterization techniques, it is confirm that Y and Ni were successfully doped into Co3O4, where Y was on the surface and Ni was mainly in the bulk phase. Due to the co-doping of Y and Ni, NiO-Y2O3-Co3O4 catalyst has smaller average particle size and reinforced surface alkalinity. Furthermore, the surface modification of Y enhances the electron-donating capacity of Co2+ and oxygen desorption ability, while bulk phase doping of Ni facilitates the reduction of Co3+ to Co2+ and weakens Co-O bond in Co3O4, which endow NiO-Y2O3-Co3O4 sample with lower Ea for N2O decomposition. Therefore, NiO-Y2O3-Co3O4 catalyst exhibits the best N2O catalytic decomposition performance.

Experimental Study on Dispersion Stability and Polishing Performance of Polishing Solution Based on Micro-Abrasive Water Jet Polishing

In micro-abrasive water jet polishing (MAWJP) technology, where abrasive particles serve as polishing tools, particles tend to form large clusters, leading to increased nozzle wear and diminished material polishing quality. Achieving a polishing solution with good dispersion stability is crucial for enhancing polishing accuracy and minimizing nozzle wear. Therefore, this study employed three dispersants with distinct dispersion mechanisms to examine the impact of each dispersant’s concentration on the dispersion stability of the polishing solution across various abrasive concentrations. Through experimentation, the optimal dispersant type and concentration ratio of abrasive to dispersant were determined, and the effect of the selected dispersant on jet polishing performance was validated. The results of the dispersion stability experiment indicated that, in comparison to Na(PO3)6 and polyethylene glycol (PEG), the polishing solution containing 1.0–2.0 wt% phosphoric ester compounds exhibited a more stable dispersion effect (zeta potential < −50 mV) and superior dispersibility, characterized by a smaller average particle size. Furthermore, K9 optical glass was subjected to fixed-point and local polishing using phosphoric ester compounds as the dispersant. The fixed-point polishing experiment revealed that, at a dispersant concentration of 1.0 wt% and an abrasive concentration of 20 wt%, a smooth and symmetrical material removal profile could be achieved. In the local polishing experiment, the reduction rate of the root mean square of the surface roughness (RMS) increased from 54.33% to 82.24%, and the reduction rate of peak-to-valley height difference in surface (PV) increased from 38.84% to 68.97%. In conclusion, the incorporation of a dispersant proves effective in enhancing the dispersion stability of the polishing solution and dispersibility of the abrasive particles, thereby improving the surface quality of the materials in MAWJP.

Exploring the synergistic effect of palladium nanoparticles and highly dispersed transition metals on carbon nitride/super-activated carbon composites for boosting electrocatalytic activity

In the present work, multifunctional electrocatalysts formed by palladium nanoparticles (Pd NPs) loaded on Fe or Cu-containing composite supports, based on carbon nitride (C3N4) and super-activated carbon with a high porosity development (SBET 3180 m2/g, VDR 1.57 cm3/g, and VT 1.65 cm3/g), were synthesised. The presence of Fe or Cu sites favoured the formation of Pd NPs with small average particle size and a very narrow size distribution, which agreed with Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations showing that the interaction of Pd clusters with C3N4 flakes is weaker than with Cu- or Fe-C3N4 sites. The electroactivity was also dependent on the composition and, as suggested by preliminary DFT calculations, the Pd-Cu catalyst showed lower overpotential for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) while bifunctional oxygen reduction reaction/ oxygen evolution reaction (ORR/OER) behaviour was superior in Pd-Fe sample. The Pd-Fe electrocatalyst was studied in a zinc-air battery (ZAB) for 10 h, showing a performance similar to a commercial Pt/C + RuO2 catalyst with a high content of precious metal. This study demonstrates the synergistic effect between Pd species and transition metals and shows that transition metals anchored on C3N4-based composite materials promote the electroactivity of Pd NPs in HER, ORR and OER due to the interaction between both species.

Self-motivated photoaging of microplastics by biochar-dissolved organic matter under different pyrolysis temperatures

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) released from biochar (BDOM) can interact with microplastics (MPs) in the environment, inevitably affecting their environmental behaviour. Information regarding the influence of BDOM on MPs during photoaging and associated variations in the MP aging mechanism remains unclear. This study evaluated the effect of BDOM on the aging of polystyrene (PS) MPs. The results showed that among three pyrolysis temperatures, low-temperature BDOM significantly enhanced the photoaging process of PS MPs, with the smallest average particle size and highest carbonyl index value after 15 days of aging under light conditions. The DOM level decreased after 5 days, increased after 5–10 days, and stabilised after 15 d. BDOM accelerates PS MPs aging, leading to more DOM released from PS, which can be transformed into 1O2 via triplet-excited state (3DOM⁎ and 3PS⁎) to further enhance PS MPs aging, resulting in the realisation of the self-accelerated aging process of PS MPs. 1O2 plays a crucial role in the self-motivated accelerated aging process of PS MPs. These findings provide new insights into the effects of the DOM structure and composition on reactive oxygen species generation during MPs aging.

Fabrication of an amino-modified MWCNTs grafted with chlorosulfonated PMIA nanofibrous membrane via electrospinning for efficient high-temperature dust filtration

The development of nanofibrous membrane with exceptional filtration efficiency, excellent mechanical properties, and high-temperature resistance poses a significant challenge in the field of industrial dust removal. Incorporating multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) into poly(m-phenylene isophthalamide) PMIA enhances the mechanical properties of nanofibrous membrane fabricated via electrospinning. However, the application of MWCNTs is limited due to their poor dispersion and self-aggregation in solvents. Herein, amino-modified MWCNTs (MWCNTs-NH2) grafted with chlorosulfonated PMIA (PMIA-SO2Cl) nanofibrous membrane was fabricated via electrospinning. The results demonstrated that the coupling effect of PMIA-SO2Cl and MWCNTs-NH2 significantly enhanced the stability of MWCNTs in the PMIA electrospinning solution, resulting in a more homogeneous dispersion of MWCNTs and a smaller average particle size (D50 = 198.03 nm). The filtration efficiency of the most penetrating particle size (MPPS) and the tensile strength of PMIA-SO2Cl/MWCNTs-NH2 nanofibrous membrane were 99.990 % and 57.514 MPa, respectively. The tensile strength retention rates in 30 wt% H2SO4 and 10 wt% NaOH were 52.56 % and 80.25 %, respectively. The MWCNTs-NH2/PMIA-SO2Cl nanofibrous membrane exhibited significantly enhanced mechanical property, filtration efficiency and high-temperature resistance (approximately 250 °C) compared to the unmodified nanofibrous membranes. This study was instructive for the application of electrospinning nanofibrous membranes in the field of high-temperature dust removal.

PH-Sensitive Acrylic Terpolymers for the Coating of Orally Administered Drugs Used for Colonic Release.

Polymeric coatings are a promising option for the development of delivery systems for orally administered drugs. However, the gastrointestinal conditions to which they are subjected, which include low pH and solubility as well as peristaltic movements, can limit their applications. In this work, different formulations of polymeric coatings were produced using pH-sensitive materials consisting of copolymers of methyl acrylate, methyl methacrylate, and methacrylic acid. The polymers were synthesized by the emulsion polymerization technique, obtaining small average particle sizes (56-190 nm), molecular weights between 200,000 and 400,000 g/mol, and a glass transition temperature above 35 °C, which are suitable for film formation at room temperature. Thus, they were assessed as coatings for hydroxypropyl methylcellulose capsules (HPMC) using the immersion method, showing adequate capacity to protect the capsule at gastric pH (pH 1.2) and dissolve at the simulated intestinal pH (pH= 7.2). In particular, the higher the content of the acidic monomer, the higher the release time of the test molecule contained in the acrylic terpolymer-coated HPMC capsules proposed, which was a curcuminoid derivative due to their bright color and potential medical benefits. In addition, a minimum number of immersions was required for coating the HPMC capsules at high acidic concentrations, which further facilitates the delayed release needed for colonic treatment. However, too high proportions of methacrylic acid may result in cytotoxicity issues. Consequently, a biocompatible formulation containing a proportion of methyl acrylate, methyl methacrylate, and methacrylic acid of 7:3:3 is proposed as the most adequate for colonic release. Thus, by chemically modulating the molar percentages of the acrylic monomers, it was possible to obtain tailored acrylic terpolymer coatings with different characteristics and desired properties in order to modulate the release kinetics of an active substance in a colonic environment.

Synthesis of biphenyl via sustainable Suzuki-Miyaura coupling reaction using mesoporous MCF-supported tin-palladium nanoparticles

The current work presents a novel approach to synthesizing monometallic palladium (Pd) and bimetallic tin-palladium (Sn-Pd) nanoparticles anchored to mesostructured cellular foam silica (MCF). The monometallic catalyst Pd@MCF was prepared by the impregnation method, whereas the bimetallic catalyst Pd@MCF(Sn) was prepared by a green electroless reduction method. Our findings demonstrate that the bimetallic Sn-Pd nanoparticles produced through green electroless reduction exhibit no aggregation or clustering, and possess high and uniform dispersion, smaller average particle size and a narrower distribution of particle size than Pd nanoparticles obtained via impregnation. The synthesis of Pd@MCF(Sn) used tin as one of the metallic components of the catalyst and also as a reducing agent rather than conventionally used harmful reducing agents in the electroless reduction method. Remarkably, the introduction of tin into the catalyst system also displays a synergistic effect in the Suzuki-Miyaura coupling (SMC) reaction. The monometallic Pd@MCF catalyst was outperformed by the bimetallic Pd@MCF(Sn) catalyst in terms of catalytic activity for SMC reaction of phenylboronic acid with iodobenzene to produce biphenyl without using toxic reagents, organic solvents, costly phosphine ligands or protective atmospheres. This study also explored and optimized the factors controlling the reaction rate, offering insightful information to improve the production of biphenyl. The reaction follows a second-order kinetics with an apparent activation energy of 8.2 Kcal/mol by applying the Langmuir-Hinshelwood-Hougen-Watson (LHHW) mechanism. Here, we present a promising strategy for formulating a highly effective and eco-friendly catalyst for sustainable production of biphenyl using Suzuki-Miyaura coupling reaction.

Effect of in situ ultrasonic wave and influent ammonia nitrogen fluctuation on stability of aerobic granular sludge

ABSTRACT This study elucidates the impact of fluctuating influent conditions and in situ ultrasonic wave exposure on the stability of aerobic granular sludge (AGS) in the treatment of simulated wastewater emanating from rare earth mining operations. During a stable influent period spanning from Day 1 to Day 95, the seed granules underwent an initial disintegration followed by a re-granulation phase. The secondary granulation was achieved on Day 80 and Day 40 for the ultrasonic reactor (R1) and the control reactor (R2), respectively. Notably, granules formed in R1 exhibited a more porous structure compared to those generated in R2. Subsequently, when the ammonia nitrogen in the influent oscillated between 100 and 500 mg/L during Days 96-140, both reactors yielded compact and densely structured granules. Nitrogen removal profiles were comparable between the two reactors: the removal efficiencies for ammonia nitrogen and total inorganic nitrogen escalated from 95% and 80%, respectively, during Days 1-95, to 95% and 90%, respectively, post-Day 140. A suite of performance metrics indicated that steady-state granules from R1 outperformed those from R2 across several parameters. Specifically, the nitrification/denitrification rates, and relative abundance of denitrifying bacteria were all higher in granules from R1. Conversely, the relative abundance of nitrifying bacteria was comparable between granules from both reactors. However, R1 granules demonstrated lower sludge concentration and smaller average particle size than their R2 counterparts. In conclusion, the AGS system demonstrated robust resilience to fluctuating ammonia nitrogen, and the application of ultrasonic waves significantly enhanced granular activity while achieving in situ sludge reduction.