Thermogravimetric Differential Thermal Analysis Research Articles

Synergistic modification of hydrolyzed keratin-based rigid polyurethane foam with zinc stannate and aluminum hypophosphite to improve its thermal stability and flame retardant properties

Abstract Zinc stannate (ZS) was prepared for flame retardant modified rigid polyurethane foam (RPUF). The flame retardancy and thermal stability performance of the modified RPUFs were investigated by limiting oxygen index (LOI), cone calorimeter (CONE), smoke density (Ds) test and thermogravimetric (TG) differential thermal analyzer. The LOI of RPUF5-7.5 AL/7.5 ZS with 5 wt% hydrolyzed keratin (HK), 7.5 wt% aluminum hypophosphate (AL) and 7.5 wt% ZS increased from 26.1 % to 27.2 %. At 50 kW/m2 radiant intensity, RPUF5-7.5 AL/7.5 ZS had the lowest peak heat release rate (PHRR) and heat release rate (THR), which were 108.17 kW/m2 and 2.56 MJ/m2, respectively. In addition, RPUF5-7.5 AL/7.5 ZS had the highest initial decomposition temperature of 191.24 °C and the largest activation energy (E) of 148.16 kJ/mol. Under flameless condition, the maximum Ds of RPUF5-7.5 AL/7.5 ZS was 31.25, and its light transmittance was also the highest, i.e., 57.89 %. Therefore, ZS/AL was selected as a synergistic flame retardant system to modify the RPUF, and promotes the development of high-performance building materials.

Investigation of Host-Guest Inclusion Complex of Mephenesin with α-Cyclodextrin for Innovative Application in Biological System.

The goal of this study was to use coevaporation to look into how polyether compounds like mephenesin (MEP) can be encapsulated into the host molecule α-cyclodextrin's nanohydrophobic cage. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) investigations, powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), and 1H NMR were among the spectroscopic techniques used to describe the inclusion complex. Additionally, Job's plot has been utilized to illustrate how MEP is encapsulated with α-cyclodextrin (α-CD) at a 1:1 molar ratio. The thermal stability of MEP increased after encapsulation according to thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential thermal analysis (DTA) experiments. Mephenesin fits into the cavity of α-cyclodextrin in a 1:1 ratio, as observed by molecular docking for the inclusion complex to find the most appropriate orientation. This observation is further supported by the Job plot. Furthermore, a comparison was carried out based on a cell viability study between the medication and its inclusion complex.

A comprehensive study of laser irradiated hydrothermally synthesized 2D layered heterostructure V2O5(1−x)MoS2(x) (X = 1–5%) nanocomposites for photocatalytic application

Abstract It has been studied that both two-dimensional (2D) MoS2 and V2O5, which are classified as transition metal dichalcogenides and transition metal oxides, are good photocatalyst materials. For this purpose, the hydrothermal method was practiced to synthesize V2O5(1−x)MoS2(x) (X = 1–5% w/w) nanocomposites with different 1–5% w/w weight percent of MoS2 as a prominent photocatalyst under laser irradiation for 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 min to tune photocatalytic degradation of industrial wastage water. The surface of the 2D molybdenum nanolayered matrix was efficaciously decorated with V2O5 nanoparticles. The crystal phase and layered structures of the V2O5(1−x)MoS2(x) (X = 1–5% w/w) nanocomposites samples were verified by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy respectively. In the range of the UV visible spectrum, the increment in light absorption from 3.6 to 14.5 Ω−1 cm−1 with an increase of active surface from 108 to 169 μ m 2 {{\rm{\mu }}{\rm{m}}}^{2} with increased MoS2 doping percentage. Furthermore, dielectric findings like the complex dielectric function, tangent loss, electrical conductivity, quality factors, and impedance of V2O5(1−x)MoS2(x) (X = 1–5% w/w) nanocomposites are studied. According to photoluminescence studies, the intensity of peaks decreases when laser irradiation time and doping percentages of MoS2 are increased. As a result, a small peak indicates a decrement rate of electron–hole pair recombination, which increases the capacity for separation. Thermo-gravimetric analysis and differential thermal analysis results revealed that weight loss decreased from 0.69 to 0.35 mg and thermal stability increased with increased doping concentrations. Methylene blue was degraded in 150 min, proving that the prepared MoS2-doped V2O5 material was a stable and economically low-cost nanocomposite for photocatalytic activity.

Physicochemical properties of 2-amino-5-methylpyridinium 3-carboxy-4-hydroxybenzenesulfonate single crystal: An efficient material for optoelectronic applications

A novel third-order organic nonlinear optical (NLO) material with promising excellent properties in the crucial NLO application. For the first time high NLO active 2-amino-5-methylpyridinium 5-sulfosalicylic acid (2A5MP3C4H) has been rationally designed and single crystals have been grown by the slow evaporation solution growth technique (SEST). X-ray diffraction analysis revealed that 2A5MP3C4H belongs to the category of triclinic system and has a Centro symmetric space group of P1. Remarkably, the grown crystal exhibits competitive and even superior physical properties including high thermal stability and wider transparency than the standard NLO single crystal. The morphology of the as-grown 2A5MP3C4H crystal was equivalent to the theoretically produced morphology. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) was used to investigate the molecular vibrations of 2A5MP3C4H. The optical characteristics of 2A5MP3C4H recorded optical transmittance spectrum reveals that the 2A5MP3C4H crystal possesses good optical transparency in the range between ultraviolet (UV) and near-infrared (NIR) regions. Intriguingly, the short cut-off edge of the grown crystal is found to be about 345 nm which is more favourable for developing modern photonic and optoelectronic devices application. The Laser Damage Threshold (LDT), were investigated to understand its effectiveness to be utilized in the area of optoelectronics and photonics. The thermal and mechanical stability of 2A5MP3C4H was tested using Thermo gravimetric Differential Thermal Analysis (TG-DTA) and Vickers hardness test. The third-order nonlinear optical properties of 2A5MP3C4H single crystals were analyzed, which involves studying the absorption coefficient and refractive index behaviour using a continuous wave laser. Additionally, the grown crystal exhibits outstanding third-order NLO response and wide LDT, which are crucial characteristics for developing practical NLO devices. There are various 2-amino-5-methylpyridine (2A5MP) derivative single crystals available in the literature. However 2A5MP3C4H crystal has not been reported earlier. So, we have carried out our researcher on this new novel crystal. Our findings consequently open a novel path for the logical design of enormous, thermally stable and NLO-active organic complexes for true NLO applications.

Croton macrostachyus leaf-mediated biosynthesis of copper oxide nanoparticles for enhanced catalytic reduction of organic dyes

Introduction. Owing to the increasing use of organic dyes, the biosynthesis of metal oxide nanocatalysts is urgently needed as an economical and environmentally friendly solution to reduce their waste release. Method. In this study, we synthesized copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO NPs) by the sol–gel method using Croton macrostachyus leaf extracts as capping and reducing agents. The biosynthesized CuO catalysts were characterized using x-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), thermogravimetric differential thermal analysis (TGA-DTA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Result. The result showed that the synthesized CuO NPs had a crystallite size of about 9 nm and had good crystalline texture. Furthermore, the catalyst showed the best catalytic reduction performance in 1 min for methylene blue (MB) and 3 min for methyl orange (MO). Furthermore, the CuO catalyst synthesized using Croton macrostachyus leaf extract resulted in apparent rate constant (Kapp) values for MB and MO of 0.06793 s−1 and 0.01877 s−1, respectively. Discussion. The recyclability of the CuO catalyst was investigated, and it was shown that the catalysts are suitable for reuse in dye reduction. Therefore, the catalytic activity of this study suggests that the CuO nanocatalysts prepared in this work are a potential candidate for controlling organic pollutants or trace amounts of naturally occurring active organic chemicals in all environmental dye wastes.

Acidic pathway in formation of SiO2–AlO2–PO2 geopolymeric ceramic: Investigation of structural evolution and electrical behaviour

The investigation into the acidic pathway in geopolymer formation has been overlooked compared to the alkaline pathway. This study seeks to fill the gap by exploring the development mechanism and electrical properties of this type of geopolymer. The microstructural properties of geopolymer ceramics were assessed through the deconvolution of attenuated total reflectance-Fourier-transform infrared spectra (ATR-FTIR), powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM/EDS), simultaneous thermogravimetric analysis and differential thermal analysis (TGA/DTA). Furthermore, the electrical properties of the prepared ceramics were monitored using solid-state impedance spectroscopy (ss-IS). Maintaining an Al to P molar ratio of 1:1, various post-treatment temperatures (60 °C, 105 °C, 300 °C, 1200 °C) were employed to observe their effects on the (micro)structural properties of the samples under investigation. This ratio ensures the formation of an amorphous structure of SiO2·Al2O3·P2O5·nH2O. Additionally, the emergence of new crystalline aluminium and phosphate phases was observed.

Quantification of organic and inorganic hydrogen in mudstones: a novel approach using the difference between organic-rich and organic-free mudstones during pyrolysis process

Whether mudstone is rich in or free of organic matter has a great influence on the occurrence of water. Comparing different types of water in organic-rich and organic-free mudstones is helpful for further understanding the role of water in hydrocarbon generation. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential thermal analysis (DTA) combined with mass spectrometry (MS) afford the opportunity to identify the mass change, reactions and products of the sample in a real-time monitored heating process. This study compared the pyrolysis characteristics of an organic-rich mudstone (CN1) and an organic-free mudstone (CW1) by using the TGA/DTA-MS method to estimate the content of different types of H2O and CO2 in organic-rich mudstones. The results show that the mass changes in CN1 and CW1 can be divided into the three thermogravimetric (TG) stages of 0°C–200°C, 200°C–650°C, and 650°C–900°C, while the peak temperatures of H2O and CO2 obtained through MS are different for CN1 and CW1. The differences in mineral components and organic matter between CN1 and CW1 suggest that the MS peaks of H2O and CO2 in CW1 are mainly influenced by clay and carbonate minerals, and that those of CN1 are also influenced by organic matter. In addition, quantification equations for CO2 and H2O contents from both the organic and inorganic origin of the organic-rich mudstone can be established by using the MS peak area of CO2 and H2O, mass loss in TGA and the mineral composition of the organic-free mudstone. This work provides useful insights for further understanding the hydrocarbon generation mechanism, as well as quantifying different types of water in organic-rich mudstones.

Effect of calcination temperature on structural, optical, and morphological properties of RAlO3 (R = La, Sm) perovskite oxides

RAlO3 (R = La, Sm) have attracted the research community due to their interesting optoelectronic properties and viable applications. The solution combustion method allows for a faster process and lower calcination temperature than the traditional solid-state method and is an economical alternative to wet chemical synthesis for producing RAlO3. This work explores the thermal, structural, morphological, optical, and electrical properties of RAlO3 (R = La, Sm) synthesised by the solution combustion method using urea as fuel. Thermogravimetric analysis—differential thermal analysis (TGA-DTA) showed the crystallization temperatures of lanthanum aluminate (LaAlO3) and samarium aluminate (SmAlO3) at 864 and 887 °C, respectively. The x-ray diffraction (XRD) and Rietveld analysis revealed the structure of LaAlO3 as rhombohedral (R-3c) and SmAlO3 as orthorhombic (Pbnm). The LaAlO3 and SmAlO3 samples calcinated at 800 °C showed crystallite size (D) of 19.26 nm and 19.06 nm, respectively. The field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) images show a highly porous and large sheet-like morphology with voids and cracks. High resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM) images and the selective area electron diffraction (SAED) pattern show crystalline nature and the indexed planes agreed with the XRD results. The LaAlO3 and SmAlO3 samples had specific surface areas of 16.374 and 12.953 m2 g−1, respectively. The TGA-DTA results were affirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) results which showed only the presence of metal-oxide bonds for materials annealed at and above 800 °C. These results were further validated by the electron dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and the x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) showing no additional peaks. The band gap of 5.08 and 4.82 eV were calculated from ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV–vis) for LaAlO3 and SmAlO3, respectively. The results imply that the solution combustion technique using urea as fuel is a viable route for synthesising RAlO3.

Characterization and Photocatalytic Activity of Er2Ti2O7 Prepared by Sol-Gel Method

In this article, the erbium nitrate pentahydrate (Er(NO3)3·5H2O), tetrabutyl titanate (C16H36O4Ti), glacial acetic acid (CH3COOH), and anhydrous ethanol (C2H5OH) were used as the main raw materials. The Er2Ti2O7 was successfully prepared by the sol-gel method. The structure and morphology of the samples were characterized by thermogravimetric-differential thermal analyzer (TG-DSC), X-ray diffractometer (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT­IR). The 10 mg/L methyl orange solution was used as a simulated pollutant under UV light conditions. The effects of different temperatures and light times on the photocatalytic performance of the Er2Ti2O7 samples were investigated. The results showed that the pure Er2Ti2O7 samples could be successfully prepared by calcination in the temperature range of 750–1000 °C. The average grain size of Er2Ti2O7 was about 20–60 μm, and the photocatalytic performance of Er2Ti2O7 samples calcined at 900 °C was the best. When the illumination time is 90 min, the degradation rate of methyl orange reaches to about 100%. The preparation of Er2Ti2O7 by the sol-gel method is a kind of ultraviolet light photocatalyst with wide application prospects.

Biological and computational exploration of a hydrogen-bonded charge transfer complex between 8-Hydroxyquinoline and Benzene-1,4-diol in different polar solvents: Synthesis and spectrophotometric analysis

The formation and characterization of a charge transfer complex (CTC) between 8-Hydroxyquinoline and Benzene-1,4-diol (Quinol) in various polar solvents. CTCs, marked by weak yet significant interactions, are pivotal in understanding electron transfer processes and molecular recognition phenomena. The choice of 8-Hydroxyquinoline (8HQ) as the donor and Quinol (Q) as the acceptor facilitates the investigation of their interaction, given their respective electron-rich and electron-poor properties. The spectroscopic analysis, including Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) and UV-visible spectroscopy, reveals shifts in molecular vibrations and electronic transitions, indicating the formation of the CTC. Additionally, thermal analysis techniques, such as thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential thermal analysis (DTA), provide insights into the thermal stability and decomposition behavior of the CTC. Powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) analysis offers data on the crystalline structure and morphology of the complex. Furthermore, the manuscript explores the biological significance of the synthesized CTC, including its antioxidant, antibacterial, and antifungal activities. Conductivity measurements and computational studies, such as Density Functional Theory (DFT) and molecular docking, provide further insights into the electronic properties and structural characteristics of the CTC. Overall, the study contributes to advancing the understanding of CTCs and their applications, particularly in the context of novel donor-acceptor systems. The insights gained have implications in diverse fields, including materials science, biomedical engineering, and fundamental chemistry, paving the way for tailored molecular design and functional applications.

Enhancing photovoltaic applications through precipitating agents in ITO/CIS/CeO2/Al heterojunction solar cell

In this groundbreaking study, we successfully synthesized both cerium oxide and copper indium sulphate nanoparticles via co-precipitation method and the same is spray coated on ITO substrate by Jet Nebulizer Spray Pyrolysis (JNSP) technique. A comprehensive characterization of the structural, morphological and Photo-diode properties was conducted using a range of advanced techniques. X-ray diffraction revealed a superior mono-crystalline cubic fluorite structure with a preferred orientation along the (111) plane, indicating exceptional crystal quality. Scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy images showed the formation of disk-shaped particles with sharp rounded edges, averaging ∼ 5 nm in size. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy identified the phonon band envelope of the metal oxide (CeO2) network at 848 cm−1 while photoluminescence spectroscopy revealed blue and blue-green emission in the visible spectrum. Thermogravimetric-differential thermal analysis exhibited a total weight loss of 19.52 % with four distinct exothermic and endothermic peaks. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy confirmed the presence of Ce and O elements, with a minor amount of carbon absorbed from the atmosphere and revealed the dominant occurrence of Ce4+ and minority occurrence of Ce3+. The maximum power conversion efficiency of 0.23 % was achieved for samples prepared using NH3 precipitant making them highly suitable for photovoltaic applications. This work paves the way for future research in optimizing cerium oxide nanoparticles for high-performance photovoltaic devices potentially leading to breakthroughs in renewable energy harvesting.

Tuning thermal and structural properties of nano‐filled PDMS elastomer

AbstractIncreasing the thermal stability and thermal conductivity of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) is a crucial issue for thermal applications. This paper focuses on enhancing PDMS's thermal and structural properties by incorporating nanocomposite into the PDMS matrix. An investigation of the impact of rGO‐CaCO3 nanocomposite on the thermal and structural properties of PDMS was performed using Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM), X‐ray diffraction (XRD), the thermogravimetric analysis and differential thermal analysis (TGA‐DTA), and thermal analyzer tests. It was observed that PDMS doped with rGO‐CaCO3 nanocomposite shows better thermal stability, thermal conductivity, and higher crystallinity. The thermal stability was enhanced significantly by adding a 5% rGO‐CaCO3 nanocomposite, and the initial and end degradation temperatures rose to 492°C and 605°C, respectively. The thermal conductivity of pure PDMS is approximately 0.17 W/mK, whereas a conductive elastomer filled with 5% rGO‐CaCO3 nanocomposite exhibits a thermal conductivity of 0.44 W/mK at a temperature of 20°C. In contrast, the thermal diffusivity is enhanced from 0.13 mm2/s to 0.366 mm2/s. Additionally, the Fourier Transform Infra‐Red (FTIR) spectrum at 1411 cm−1 becomes sharp and noisy, and an additional peak arises at 1398 cm−1, corresponding to the vibrational rocking of the CC bond and COC bond in CaCO3 and rGO.Highlights The manuscript focuses on the development of conductive elastomer by incorporating rGO‐CaCO3 doped and its effect on the morphology, structure, and thermal properties of PDMS. The variation in peak intensity observed in XRD attributed to disparities in the crystalline structure of PDMS due to the inclusion of nanocomposite. The thermal degradation range is observed to shift toward the upper end. The degradation temperature at the beginning and end of the process is observed to move to 492°C and 605°C, respectively, upon introducing a 5% rGO‐CaCO3 nanocomposite. The addition of 5% rGO‐CaCO3 filled conductive elastomers shows a significant improvement of approximately 2.6 times in heat conductivity than bare PDMS.

Development and characterization of novel CS-ZnO-Alg polyelectrolyte complex for enhanced removal of Cd(II), Cu(II), and Ni(II) from simulated paint industrial wastewater

In this study, we developed and characterized a novel chitosan-alginate-based polyelectrolyte complex impregnated with zinc oxide nanoparticles (CS-ZnO-Alg PEC) for the enhanced removal of Cd(II), Cu(II), and Ni(II) from simulated paint industrial wastewater. The prepared PEC was characterized by X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Fourier-Transform Infrared (FTIR) Spectroscopy, Scanning Electron Microscopy/Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (SEM/EDS), X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), and Thermogravimetric analysis/Differential Thermal Analysis (TGA/DTA). The equilibrium data for said metal ions was best appropriated by Freundlich isotherm with maximum adsorption capacity of 217.72 mg/g for Cd(II), 130.41 mg/g Cu(II), and 159.06 mg/g for Ni(II), illustrating the multilayer adsorption of metal ions on the heterogeneous surface sites of the adsorbent. The kinetics of all three metal ions adsorption process onto discussed PEC was consistent with pseudo-second-order model. The thermodynamics results illustrate exothermic and spontaneous processes for Cd(II) (ΔH° = −3.57 KJ/mol, ΔS° = 0.009 KJ/mol*K, ΔG° = −6.42 to −6.61 KJ/mol) and Cu(II) (ΔH° = −3.32 KJ/mol, ΔS° = 0.006 KJ/mol*K, ΔG° = −5.25 to −5.37 KJ/mol), and spontaneous but less favorable adsorption for Ni(II) (ΔH° = −0.82 KJ/mol, ΔS° = −0.001 KJ/mol*K, ΔG° = −0.39 to −0.36 KJ/mol). Notably, the PEC could be easily recycled and regenerated, maintaining adsorption efficiency after five cycles. Overall, the CS-ZnO-Alg PEC, due to its amphoteric nature, high adsorption efficiency, cost-effectiveness, excellent recyclability, and biodegradability, could be a promising adsorbent for paint industrial wastewater.

Effects of mixing water and environmental pH value on the properties of sulfoaluminate cement-based ultra-high water materials

In order to grasp the influence of the pH value of mixing water and environmental water on the properties of ultra-high water materials, this article separately carried out the influence of different pH values of mixing water on the properties of ultra-high water materials and the conservation of high-water materials in water environments with different pH values. Using test methods such as loss of flow time, compressive strength, Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Thermogravimetric-Differential Thermal Analysis (TG–DTA), to conduct regular exploration and mechanism analysis. The study found that with the continuous increase of the pH value of the mixing water, the loss of flow time of the ultra-high water material gradually decreased, and the compressive strength of the samples at the same age continued to increase. A lower pH value will affect the compressive strength of the consolidated body of the ultra-high water material, but when the pH = 13 in the reaction solution, the compressive strength of the consolidated body will no longer increase and begin to produce a weakening effect. The pH of the construction water for ultra-high water materials is recommended to be 4–13. At the same time, it was found that under the conservation of an acidic environment, the consolidated body was severely eroded and the strength loss was large. The acid–base environment of the goaf suitable for filling with the ultra-high water material should be between pH = 7–10 to ensure that the filling body is not weakened by erosion.

Direct oxidation of alcohols to carboxylic acids using simple and economical Pd@Glu-HTC catalyst: Practical and scalable approach towards biomass based value added chemicals

Sustainable catalytic transformation of bio-based alcohols to high value-added fine chemicals is an important topic of research. This work described preparation of simple and economical Pd@Glu-HTC catalyst from biomass derived low cost d-glucose. Hydrothermal carbonization of glucose was carried out in first step to synthesize Glu-HTC support in a simpler, greener, economical and efficient manner followed by incorporation of palladium metal on surface of the catalyst in second step. The catalyst was characterized using techniques such as Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR), Solid-state Cross-Polarization Magic Angle Spinning Carbon-13 (13C CPMAS), Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDAX), Powder X-ray diffraction (P-XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Thermogravimetric/Differential Thermal Analyzer (TG-DTA), Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and High-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM). The catalyst was evaluated for direct oxidation of alcohols to yield carboxylic acids and exhibited very good catalytic activity for wider substrate scope. Oxidation of alcohols was carried out using milder base, molecular oxygen and water as a solvent to achieve 92–99 % excellent yields. The practical utility of current strategy was also studied for gram scale synthesis of bio-based value added industrially important chemicals such as furoic acid (flavouring agent and preservative in industry), 2, 5-furan-dicarboxylic acid (monomer to 100 % fossil-free, recyclable polymer polyethylene furanoate (PEF), tetrahydro-2-furoic acid (production of many drugs) and vanillin (important product of flavor and fragrance industry). Pd@Glu-HTC catalyst was found to be reusable for four recycles and the catalytic performance was retained without any loss in its activity after four cycles.

Optimization of Water Hyacinth Stem-Based Oxygen-Functionalized Activated Carbon for Enhanced Supercapacitors.

In the current world, storing and converting energy without affecting the natural ecosystem are considered a sustainable and efficient green energy source production technology. Especially, using low-cost, environmentally friendly, and high-cycle stability activated carbon (AC) from the water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) waste material for charge storage application is the current attractive strategy for renewable energy generation. In this study, preparation of AC from water hyacinth using a mixed chemical activation agent followed by activation time was optimized by the I-optimal coordinate exchange design model based on a 3-factor/3-level strategy under nine experimental runs. The optimum conditions to prepare AC were found to be potassium hydroxide (≈17 g) and potassium carbonate (≈11 g), and the carbonization time was approximately 1 h. Under these augmented conditions, the maximum specific capacitance suggested by the designed model was found to be ≈75.2 F/g. The regression coefficient (R 2 = 0.9979), adjusted (R 2 = 0.9917), predicted (R 2 = 0.8706), adequate precision (39.2795), and p-values (0.0062) proved the good correlation between actual and predicted values. The physicochemical and electrochemical properties of the final optimized AC were characterized by thermogravimetric/differential thermal analysis (TGA/DTA), X-ray diffractometry (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high-resolution TEM (HRTEM), selected area electron diffraction (SAED), and potentiostat (CV and EIS) instruments. Finally, the optimized AC electrode after 100 cycles at a current density of 2 A g-1 retains an efficiency of 71.57%, indicating the good stability and sustainability of this material.

Synthesis of Low-Silicon X-Type Zeolite from Lithium Slag and Its Fast Exchange Performance of Calcium and Magnesium Ions.

Without the addition of silicon and aluminum sources, a pure-phase KNaLSX zeolite was successfully synthesized from the residue (lithium slag), which was produced from spodumene in the production process of lithium carbonate. The KNaLSX samples were characterized by an X-ray Diffractometer (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometer (XRF), Thermogravimetric Differential Thermal Analysis (TG-DTA), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometer (FT-IR), and N2 adsorption measurement. The ion exchange capacity and the ion exchange rate of calcium and magnesium ions were measured as used for a detergent builder, and the results were compared with the standard zeolites (KNaLSX and 4A). The experimental results show that the pure-phase KNaLSX synthSynthesis and characterization of co-crystalline zeolite composite of LSX/esized from lithium slag has a SiO2/Al2O3 ratio of 2.01 with a grain size of 3~4 μm, which is close to the commercial KNaLSX sample of a SiO2/Al2O3 ratio of 2.0. The BET-specific surface area of KNaLSX is 715 m2/g, which is larger than the low-silicon X-type zeolite (LSX) synthesized from waste residue reported in the literature. The ion exchange rate constant of calcium and magnesium ions in KNaLSX is 5 times and 3 times that of 4A zeolite, respectively. KNaLSX also has a high ion exchange capacity for magnesium ion of 191 mgMgCO3/g, which is 2 times than that of 4A zeolite, and a high ion exchange capacity for calcium ion of 302 mgCaCO3/g, which meets the first-grade standard of zeolite for detergent builders in China. The work provides the basis for high-value resource utilization of lithium slag and the development of a detergent builder for rapid washing.

Synthesis of 3,4-dihydropyrimidines and octahydroquinazolinones by SBA-15 supported schiff-base iron (III) complex as durable and reusable catalyst under ultrasound irradiation

Biginelli-type heterocyclic compounds are particularly important due to their several chemical reactivities and various range of pharmacological activity. Therefore Biginelli reaction has witnessed several modification and numerous investigations are continuing in this field to develop more effective and efficient methodologies. In this research, Iron (III) schiff base immobilized SBA-15 has been prepared as a valuable, efficient, and recoverable catalyst for the Biginelli reaction. The morphology of the prepared catalyst was identified by spectroscopic characterization techniques and structural microscopic analysis including Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) patterns, X-ray diffraction (XRD) by powder crystal method, Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) study, Thermogravimetric-Differential thermal analysis (TGA-DTA), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) images. Biginelli compounds containing 3,4-dihydropyrimidines and octahydroquinazolinones were conveniently synthesized by this catalyzed protocol from the cycloaddition of aromatic aldehydes with the 1,3-dicarbonyl substrates and urea via ultrasonic waves. The several advantages of the presented approach are high yields and easy isolation of products, shorter reaction times, and milder conditions, structural stability and reusable catalyst. The combination of heterogeneous catalyst and ultrasonic radiation can make catalytic reactions more efficient than traditional ways attractive for academic researchers and application scholars in the industry.

Fabrication of pesticide/LDH-LAP composite assisted by zwitterionic surfactant

Using zinc-aluminum layered double hydroxides-laponite (LDH-LAP) complex as matrix, with the assistance of zwitterionic surfactants of hexadecyl dimethyl sulfobetaine (SB) and dodecyl dimethyl carboxyl betaine (DCB), the pesticides beta-cypermethrin (BCT) and imidacloprid (IMP) were inserted into the LDH-LAP to obtain BCT/SB-LDH-LAP, BCT/DCB-LDH-LAP, BCT/SB-DCB-LDH-LAP and IMP/DCB-LDH-LAP composites, respectively. Powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), thermogravimetric/differential thermal analysis (TGA/DTA) and scanning electron microscope (SEM) were used to characterize the structural properties of composites. BCT/SB-LDH-LAP, BCT/DCB-LDH-LAP, BCT/SB-DCB-LDH-LAP and IMP/DCB-LDH-LAP had larger interlayer distances of 4.29, 4.33, 4.33 and 4.61 nm, which were bigger than those of SB-LDH-LAP (3.87 nm), DCB-LDH-LAP (3.83 nm) and LDH-LAP (1.65 nm). The FT-IR and TGA/DTA results further confirmed the existence of SB, DCB, BCT and IMP into LDH-LAP. The pesticide releases were investigated and analyzed in pH 5.0 and 6.8 buffer solutions. The release behaviors can be fitted by pseudo second-order and parabolic diffusion models. The composites based on LDH-LAP could be suggested to potential application for controlled-release of the pesticide.

Green synthesis of silver oxide nanoparticles using Trigonella foenum-graecum leaf extract and their characterization

The unique physical and chemical properties of silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) of different sizes and shapes made their synthesis expedient. The most important method of NPs synthesis is the chemical process. However, the disadvantages of this method are the need for specific conditions such as high temperatures, to ensure formation and stability of NPs, as well as use of heavy aromatic solvents. Biosynthesis of NPs is considered advantageous over the traditional chemical approach. In this paper, the first report of the synthesis of silver oxide (AgO) NPs using Trigonella foenum-graecum leaf extract as a reducing agent is presented. The NPs were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis/differential thermal analysis (TA/DTA), UV, photolumines-cence, SEM, EDX and high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). The XRD confirmed the formation of high-purity AgO fine crystals. The average crystal size ranged from 27 to 32 nm as was revealed by HRTEM. From the Tauc plot, the optical band gap of the AgO crystals of 3.3 eV was determined. Thermal analysis provided the optimum temperature for calcination of the AgO NPs to be 400 °C.