Specific Surface Area Of Microspheres Research Articles

Development of high reusability trifunctional polyethersulfones microspheres for the removal of methyl orange

This study focused on the synthesis of trifunctional microspheres with adsorption, degradation, and magnetic responsive properties. Firstly, polyethersulfones (PES) encapsulated poly(diallyldimethyl ammonia) chloride (PDDA) functionalized iron oxide (Fe3O4) microspheres were produced via phase inversion method. The PDDA/Fe3O4-PES microspheres were further coated with Fe3O4 nanoparticles (NPs) on the surface to provide the degradation ability to the formed c-PDDA/Fe3O4-PES microspheres. Characterization results such as FTIR analysis confirmed the coating of PDDA on Fe3O4 NPs, while the TGA analysis proved the excellent thermal stability of microspheres after the incorporation of PDDA/Fe3O4 NPs. BET specific surface area of microspheres was measured at 13.90 m2/g. Besides, the pH drift method confirmed the presence of positive charge on microspheres surface, which is important for the removal of anionic pollutants. Moreover, porous structure of microspheres was also observed under SEM. Formulation study was also carried out to investigate the suitable concentration for the synthesis of microspheres, including the concentration of PES polymer (1–20 wt%), the loading of PDDA/Fe3O4 NPs (1–5 wt%), and the concentration of polyethylene glycol (PEG) (1–20 wt%). The microspheres synthesized from different formulations were subjected to the batch removal of methyl orange (MO). Results showed that a 72.53 % removal of MO can be obtained under the following microspheres synthesis formulations: 10wt% of PES polymer, 2 wt% of PDDA/Fe3O4 NPs, and 5 wt% of PEG polymer. Lastly, the c-PDDA/Fe3O4-PES microspheres also demonstrated an excellent reusability as compared to pure PES microspheres. The c-PDDA/Fe3O4-PES microspheres could be reused up to 5 cycles without the need of regeneration while still maintaining high MO removal efficiency.

Preparation of Mn3O4 microspheres via glow discharge electrolysis plasma as a high-capacitance supercapacitor electrode material

Manganic manganous oxide (Mn3O4) microspheres were prepared at 550 V discharge voltage in 2 g L−1 NaNO3 solution by one-step method via cathode glow discharge electrolysis (CGDE) plasma technique for high-capacitance supercapacitor electrode materials, in which Mn foil and Pt needle point were served as anode and cathode, respectively. The structure, phase composition and morphology of as-prepared products were characterized by FT-IR, XRD, XPS, SEM, TEM and BET analysis. A mechanism for the fabrication of Mn3O4 microspheres was proposed. The electrochemical behaviors of the Mn3O4 microspheres were examined in 1.0 mol L−1 Na2SO4 electrolyte. The results showed that Mn3O4 microspheres are composed of small nanospheres with sizes of about 20 nm and large nanospheres with sizes of about 177 nm. Specific surface area of microspheres is 48.03 m2 g−1. The Mn3O4 microsphere as an electrode has an outstanding specific capacitance of 360 F g−1 at 0.5 A g−1 and a superior cycling property of 83.6 % capacity retention after 1000 cycles at 1 A g−1, evidencing the potential as an electrode material for supercapacitor.

Facile preparation of polybenzoxazine-based carbon microspheres with nitrogen functionalities: Effects of mixed solvents on pore structure and supercapacitive performance

In this study, polybenzoxazine (PBZ)-based carbon microspheres were prepared via a facile method using a mixture of formaldehyde (F) and dimethylformamide (DMF) as the solvent. The PBZ microspheres were successfully obtained at the F/DMF weight ratios of 0.4 and 0.6. These microspheres exhibited high nitrogen contents after carbonization. The microstructures of all the samples showed an amorphous phase and a partial graphitic phase. The porous carbon with the F/DMF ratio of 0.4 showed significantly higher specific capacitance (275.1 F·g−1) than the reference carbon (198.9 F·g−1) at 0.05 A·g−1. This can be attributed to the synergistic electrical double-layer capacitor and pseudo-capacitor behaviors of the porous carbon with the F/DMF ratio of 0.4. The presence of nitrogen/oxygen functionalities induced pseudo-capacitance in the microspheres, and hence increased their total specific capacitance. After activation with CO2, the specific surface area of the carbon microspheres with the F/DMF ratio of 0.4 increased from 349 to 859 m2·g−1 and the specific capacitance increased to 424.7 F·g−1. This value is approximately two times higher than that of the reference carbon. The results indicated that the F/DMF ratio of 0.4 was suitable for preparing carbon microspheres with good supercapacitive performance. The nitrogen/oxygen functionalities and high specific surface area of the microspheres were responsible for their high capacitance.

Характеристика микросфер золы уноса для их использования в качестве сорбента

Работа посвящена изучению физико-химических свойств микросфер золы уноса (зольныхмикросфер) тепловых электростанций с целью последующего их использования в качестве сорбентадля очистки сточных вод от примесей различной природы. Определены химический и минералогический состав зольных микросфер. Выполнена оценка химической и механической стойкости, удельной поверхности, сорбционной способности материала. Анализ физических и химических свойств зольных микросфер показал, что исследованный материал соответствует требованиям ГОСТ Р 51641-2000 «Материалы фильтрующие зернистые. Общие технические условия» и является эффективным для использования, как в качестве самостоятельного сорбента, так и составляющей в системах водоочистки.

Preparation and characterization of paclitaxel microspheres in situ gel and its antitumor efficacy by local injection

The current difficulties in the treatment of tumor include repeated administration and high recurrence rate after tumor resection. In order to reduce the number of doses, avoid side effects of chemotherapeutic drugs, suppress tumor growth and delay tumor recurrence after surgery, a temperature-sensitive in situ gel with paclitaxel microspheres (PTX/M gel) was prepared. PTX/M gel was administered by intratumoral injection once a month. First of all, paclitaxel microspheres (PTX/M) were prepared by emulsion solvent evaporation method. A laser particle size distribution analyzer was used to investigate the size, distribution, specific surface area of microspheres. Paclitaxel content was determined by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Then encapsulation efficiency of paclitaxel was calculated and in vitro release characteristics were studied. Secondly, PTX/M gel was prepared by cold dissolution method. The phase transition temperature, elastic modulus, dissolution curve, correlation between dissolution and release were measured. Finally, U87 MG and 4T1 subcutaneous tumor models were established respectively to study the efficacy of PTX/M gel in suppressing tumor growth and delaying tumor recurrence after surgery. The median diameter of the selected PTX/M was (32.24±1.09) μm, the specific surface area was (206.61±10.23) m2/kg, the encapsulation efficiency was 85.29%±1.34%, and the cumulative release percentage of paclitaxel from PTX/M was 33.56%±3.33% in one month. Phase transition temperature of PTX/M gel was 33 °C. The elastic modulus of PTX/M gel at 25 °C and 37 °C were 4.2×103 Pa and 18×103 Pa, respectively. The gel could stay in the body for up to 48 hours. It could be seen from the results of animal experiments that were compared with the saline group and the Taxol group, and the tumor-bearing mice of the PTX/M gel group had the slowest tumor growth (P<0.05). Similarly, in the tumor recurrence experiments, the mice of PTX/M gel group had the latest tumor recurrence after surgery. As a local sustained-release preparation, PTX/M gel can effectively suppress tumor growth and delay postoperative recurrence of tumors. It has potential advantages in tumor treatment.

Flower-like nickel cobalt sulfide microspheres modified with nickel sulfide as Pt-free counter electrode for dye-sensitized solar cells

The nickel cobalt sulfide/nickel sulfide (NiCo2S4/NiS) microspheres which exhibit flower-like morphologies are synthesized by a two-step hydrothermal method. Then the NiCo2S4/NiS microspheres are deposited on a fluorine doped SnO2 substrate by spin-casting the isopropyl alcohol solution of as-prepared microspheres. The cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and Tafel tests are employed to measure the electrochemical performance of NiCo2S4/NiS counter electrode. The NiCo2S4 and NiS all are used to improve the conductivity and electrocatalytic ability of the films, and the NiS can also increase the specific surface area of microspheres. The dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) with the NiCo2S4/NiS counter electrode exhibite a power conversion efficiency of 8.8%, which is higher than that of DSSC with Pt counter electrode (8.1%) under the light intensity of 100 mW cm−2 (AM 1.5 G).

In situ one-pot preparation of superparamagnetic hydrophilic porous microspheres for covalently immobilizing penicillin G acylase to synthesize amoxicillin

Magnetic hydrophilic porous microspheres were successfully one-pot synthesized for the first time via in situ inverse suspension polymerization of glycidyl methacrylate, N,N′-methylene bisacrylamide and 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate in the presence of Fe3+ and Fe2+ dispersed in formamide, which were denoted as magnetic Fe3O4-GMH microspheres. The morphology and properties of magnetic Fe3O4-GMH microspheres were characterized by SEM, VSM, XRD, FTIR, and so on. The formamide content had an important influence on the morphology of Fe3O4-GMH, and nearly perfectly spherical Fe3O4-GMH particles were formed when the amount of formamide was 15ml. The diameters of the microspheres were in the range of 100–200μm and Fe3O4-GMH exhibited superparamagnetic behavior with the saturation magnetization of 5.44emu/g. The specific surface area of microspheres was 138.7m2/g, the average pore diameter and pore volume were 15.1nm and 0.60cm3/g, respectively. The content of oxirane groups on Fe3O4-GMH was 0.40mmol/g. After penicillin G acylase (PGA) was covalently immobilized on Fe3O4-GMH microspheres, the catalytic performance for amoxicillin synthesis by 6-aminopenicillanic acid and d-hydroxyphenylglycine methyl ester was largely improved. As a result, 90.1% amoxicillin yield and 1.18 of the synthesis/hydrolysis (S/H) ratio were achieved on PGA/Fe3O4-GMH with ethylene glycol as solvent, but only 62.6% amoxicillin yield and 0.37 of the S/H ratio were obtained on free PGA under the same reaction conditions. Furthermore, the amoxicillin yield and S/H ratio were still kept at 88.2% and 1.06, respectively after the immobilized PGA was magnetically separated and recycled for 10 times, indicating that PGA/Fe3O4-GMH had a very good reusability.

Microsphere integrated microfluidic disk: synergy of two techniques for rapid and ultrasensitive dengue detection.

The application of microfluidic devices in diagnostic systems is well-established in contemporary research. Large specific surface area of microspheres, on the other hand, has secured an important position for their use in bioanalytical assays. Herein, we report a combination of microspheres and microfluidic disk in a unique hybrid platform for highly sensitive and selective detection of dengue virus. Surface engineered polymethacrylate microspheres with carefully designed functional groups facilitate biorecognition in a multitude manner. In order to maximize the utility of the microspheres’ specific surface area in biomolecular interaction, the microfluidic disk was equipped with a micromixing system. The mixing mechanism (microballoon mixing) enhances the number of molecular encounters between spheres and target analyte by accessing the entire sample volume more effectively, which subsequently results in signal amplification. Significant reduction of incubation time along with considerable lower detection limits were the prime motivations for the integration of microspheres inside the microfluidic disk. Lengthy incubations of routine analytical assays were reduced from 2 hours to 5 minutes while developed system successfully detected a few units of dengue virus. Obtained results make this hybrid microsphere-microfluidic approach to dengue detection a promising avenue for early detection of this fatal illness.

Hypercrosslinked polystyrene microspheres by suspension and dispersion polymerization

AbstractTo determine the influence of particle size on the specific surface area of hypercrosslinked poly(styrene-co-divinylbenzene) (PS) microspheres, two methods were chosen for preparation of particles, suspension and dispersion polymerization. While the former method produced hundred micrometer-sized PS-S microspheres, the latter yielded PS-D particles of ca. 1-μm size. Dispersion copolymerization of styrene (St) and divinylbenzene (DVB) in ethanol was stabilized by (hydroxypropyl)cellulose (HPC) and initiated with dibenzoyl peroxide (BPO). Monodisperse 1.4-μm PS-D microspheres were prepared only in the presence of 3.6 wt% HPC. All microspheres were chloromethylated with chloromethyl methyl ether (CMME), chloromethyl ethyl ether (CMEE) or chloromethyl octyl ether (CMOE) to investigate the effect of the chloromethylation agent on the specific surface area of microspheres. Chloromethylated microspheres were hypercrosslinked in 1,2-dichloroethane (DCE) in the presence of a Lewis acid (SnCl4). The effects of the crosslinker (DVB) and DCE/microsphere ratio on properties of the product were studied. The specific surface area, pore volume and pore size distribution of the microspheres were analyzed by dynamic desorption of nitrogen, cyclohexane regain and mercury porosimetry.

Investigation of production conditions of ThO 2–UO 3 microspheres via the sol–gel process for pellet type fuels

The aim of the present study is the preparation of ThO 2–UO 3 gel microspheres up to 40% UO 3, suitable as press feed for producing homogeneous and sinterable ThO 2 and thorium based (Th,U)O 2 pellet type fuels using sol–gel process. Without reducing the uranium oxidation state to (IV) and without using any complexing agent, a simple external gelation process was studied taking full advantage of the gelation features of thorium. The source sols used for the processes were prepared by the ammonia addition method where starting thorium and uranium nitrate solutions were heated and partially neutralized by aqueous ammonia under pH control at different pH set and neutralization mode for each uranium mole ratio. Crackfree microspheres suitable for gelation were obtained using a hexone–(10%) CCl 4 mixture as the drop formation medium and ammonia as the gelling agent. The dimensions, sphericity, bulk densities and specific surface area of microspheres were determined. The microspheres were compacted and then the pellets were sintered in a 75% Ar–25% H 2 atmosphere at 1100°C for 150 min.