Total Conversion Research Articles

Production of liquid hydrocarbon fuels through catalytic cracking of high and low-density polyethylene medical wastes using fly ash as a catalyst

This study explores the potential of converting High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) and Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE) waste into liquid hydrocarbon fuels through catalytic degradation using fly ash. It achieves significant conversion rates, with HDPE reaching over 95% total conversion and a 66.4% oil yield at a catalyst-to-polymer ratio of 0.20, while LDPE shows a 100% conversion rate at ratios of 0.15 and 0.20. The process not only yields hydrocarbons with decreasing density and increasing calorific values, up to 55 MJ/kg for HDPE and 47 MJ/kg for LDPE at optimal conditions but also produces fractions with properties similar to diesel, notably in terms of density and viscosity. The flashpoint and fire point values further affirm these products' potential as viable fuel sources, aligning closely with diesel standards. 1H NMR spectroscopy analysis reveals a composition rich in long-chain alkanes and alkenes, indicating the efficient transformation of plastic waste into valuable energy resources. This research presents a promising avenue for recycling plastic waste into alternative fuels, highlighting a sustainable approach to waste management and energy recovery.

Si3N4 preparation from photovoltaic kerf loss silicon waste by copper collaborative nitriding method

In this work, Si3N4 powders were prepared by collaborative direct nitriding method from photovoltaic kerf loss silicon waste. The catalytic effect of copper (Cu) on the direct nitriding reaction of photovoltaic Si waste and the morphologies of the nitriding products were investigated. The quantitative analysis of XRD results and thermogravimetric results demonstrate that Cu significantly reduces the initial nitriding temperature, and Cu has a positive effect on the nitriding of silicon waste. At 1300 °C, the sample without Cu had almost no nitriding reaction, while the total conversion rate of kerf loss waste Si was 100 %, and the yield of (α+β) Si3N4 was up to 79.2 % with 8 wt% Cu additive. The thermodynamic analysis of the Si-O-N-Cu and nitriding process was carried out by FactSage software. Moreover, the morphologies of the nitride products were observed by SEM. The addition of copper promoted the generation of Si3N4 nanorods, and the number and diameter of α-Si3N4 nanorods increased with the increase in copper content. Three reaction mechanisms of Si nitridation were discussed. This work provides a feasible method to reuse and recycle the kerf lost silicon waste.

CYP116B5-SOX: An artificial peroxygenase for drug metabolites production and bioremediation.

CYP116B5 is a class VII P450 in which the heme domain is linked to a FMN and 2Fe2S-binding reductase. Our laboratory has proved that the CYP116B5 heme domain (CYP116B5-hd) is capable of catalyzing the oxidation of substrates using H2O2. Recently, the Molecular Lego approach was applied to join the heme domain of CYP116B5 to sarcosine oxidase (SOX), which provides H2O2 in-situ by the sarcosine oxidation. In this work, the chimeric self-sufficient fusion enzyme CYP116B5-SOX was heterologously expressed, purified, and characterized for its functionality by absorbance and fluorescence spectroscopy. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) experiments revealed a TM of 48.4 ± 0.04 and 58.3 ± 0.02°C and a enthalpy value of 175,500 ± 1850 and 120,500 ± 1350 cal mol-1 for the CYP116B5 and SOX domains respectively. The fusion enzyme showed an outstanding chemical stability in presence of up to 200 mM sarcosine or 5 mM H2O2 (4.4 ± 0.8 and 11.0 ± 2.6% heme leakage respectively). Thanks to the in-situ H2O2 generation, an improved kcat/KM for the p-nitrophenol conversion was observed (kcat of 20.1 ± 0.6 min-1 and KM of 0.23 ± 0.03 mM), corresponding to 4 times the kcat/KM of the CYP116B5-hd. The aim of this work is the development of an engineered biocatalyst to be exploited in bioremediation. In order to tackle this challenge, an E. coli strain expressing CYP116B5-SOX was employed to exploit this biocatalyst for the oxidation of the wastewater contaminating-drug tamoxifen. Data show a 12-fold increase in tamoxifen N-oxide production-herein detected for the first time as CYP116B5 metabolite-compared to the direct H2O2 supply, equal to the 25% of the total drug conversion.

Performance analysis of a novel solar Linear Fresnel concentrator system based on spectral beam splitting

Photothermal and photovoltaic are the most common and commercialized ways of utilizing solar energy. However, they cannot use solar energy efficiently. SBS (spectral beam splitting) technology is an efficient solar energy utilization technology that can realize the full spectrum utilization of solar energy. The current work involved: (1) Proposing a SBS-LFCs (linear Fresnel concentrator system) based on spectral beam splitting. In this system, the SBS photovoltaic panel replaces the conventional linear Fresnel concentrator lens, which can realize photovoltaic and photothermal utilization at the same time; (2) Developing a spectral splitting thin films configuration using the Needle method whose transmittance is higher than 90% against 380 nm-1100 nm band range; (3) Designing the SBS photovoltaic panel structure. The cover glass surface is covered with a SBS thin film. The SBS photovoltaic panel replaces the concentrator lens of LFCs; (4) Taking four typical days as examples, the annual power generation of a SBS linear Fresnel focusing system was predicted. The outcome indicates that the total conversion efficiency of solar thermal power in the system is 23.8%, 23.5%, 23.5%, and 23.6% on the spring equinox, summer solstice, autumn equinox, and winter solstice, respectively. Compared to conventional monocrystalline silicon cells, the photoelectric conversion efficiency has been improved by 14.6%, 12.8%, 12.5%, and 14.1%, respectively.

Conversion Factors for Physical Property Measurements in different Rest Frames Using a Revised Version of Relativity Theory Based on the Uniform Scaling Method

The history of the development of the Uniform Scaling Method is reviewed. It has its beginning with the Law of Causality and Newton’s First Law of Kinetics (Law of Inertia). On this basis it can be concluded that the rates of clocks do not change spontaneously, i.e. without the application of some external force. Since the ratio Q of the rates of any two such (inertial) clocks must therefore itself be a constant, it follows that whenever they are used to measure a specific time difference between two events, their respective results must always be in the same ratio: Δt’=Δt/Q. This relationship is referred to as Newtonian Simultaneity since it guarantees that if one of the clocks finds that the events occurred simultaneously (Δt’=0), the other must do so as well (Δt=0). A useful way to interpret Q is as a conversion factor between the different units of time employed in the two rest frames. If we assume that the value of the speed of light is the same in both rest frames, it follows that they must agree on the unit of speed, i.e. the conversion factor in this case is unity (Q0 ). It therefore follows that the conversion factor for the unit of distance must be exactly the same as that for time, namely also Q. This claim of the Uniform Scaling Method is thus seen to be in direct contradiction to the length contraction tenet of Einstein’s theory of relativity introduced in 1905. Experiments with accelerated electrons carried out by Bucherer in 1909 indicate that their inertial mass increase in direct proportion to γ (v) = (1-v2 c-2)-0.5 (v is the speed of the electrons and c = 299792458 ms-1 is the speed of light in free space), the same ratio as observed for the periods of atomic lines by Ives and Stilwell in 1938. Consistency therefore requires that the conversion factor for inertial mass is the same (Q) as for time. Since inertial mass, time and distance are the three fundamental quantities on which all other physical properties are defined (mks system), it follows that the conversion factor for any other property must be an integral multiple of Q. An analogous set of definitions can also be justified for the corresponding conversion factors in the same two rest frames caused by gravitational effects. In this case the conversion factors are always integral multiples of the quantity S, which therefore plays as analogous role as Q in kinetic scaling. Since experiments with circumnavigating atomic clocks carried out in 1971 by Hafele and Keating found that the two types of effects are completely independent of one another, it is therefore useful to define a product Z of the corresponding Q and S factors for each physical property, including those that are used to define the results of electromagnetic measurements. These total conversion factors are stored in Tables 1 and 2 of the manuscript. They are shown to guarantee that if a physical law is valid in one of the rest frames, it will also hold in the other. This relationship allows for an Addendum to Galileo’s Relativity Principle: The laws of physics are the same in all inertial rest frames, but the units in which their results are expressed can differ from one rest frame to another.

Core-Shell Gold Nanoparticles@Pd-Loaded Covalent Organic Framework for In Situ Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy Monitoring of Catalytic Reactions.

A core-shell nanostructure of gold nanoparticles@covalent organic framework (COF) loaded with palladium nanoparticles (AuNPs@COF-PdNPs) was designed for the rapid monitoring of catalytic reactions with surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). The nanostructure was prepared by coating the COF layer on AuNPs and then in situ synthesizing PdNPs within the COF shell. With the respective SERS activity and catalytic performance of the AuNP core and COF-PdNPs shell, the nanostructure can be directly used in the SERS study of the catalytic reaction processes. It was shown that the confinement effect of COF resulted in the high dispersity of PdNPs and outstanding catalytic activity of AuNPs@COF-PdNPs, thus improving the reaction rate constant of the AuNPs@COF-PdNPs-catalyzed hydrogenation reduction by 10 times higher than that obtained with Au/Pd NPs. In addition, the COF layer can serve as a protective shell to make AuNPs@COF-PdNPs possess excellent reusability. Moreover, the loading of PdNPs within the COF layer was found to be in favor of avoiding intermediate products to achieve a high total conversion rate. AuNPs@COF-PdNPs also showed great catalytic activities toward the Suzuki-Miyaura coupling reaction. Taken together, the proposed core-shell nanostructure has great potential in monitoring and exploring catalytic processes and interfacial reactions.

Facile encapsulation of a cobalt complex inside the micropores of ZIF-8 through the bottle around the ship method: A novel heterogeneous catalyst for epoxidation of alkenes

A novel and stable heterogeneous catalyst for alkene epoxidation reaction, named as CoDMG@ZIF-8, has been synthesized by facile encapsulation of Co(III) complex i.e. [Co(DMGH)(DMGH2)Cl2] (abbreviated as CoDMG, DMGH2 denotes for dimethylglyoxime and DMGH denotes for dimethylglyoxime mono anion) inside the ZIF-8 micropores via a solvothermal process. Based on the results of fourier transform-infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD) technique and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), it was observed that the catalyst has maintained the structure, crystallinity and morphology of the parent ZIF-8 as well. Furthermore, CHN, DRS (diffuse reflectance spectra), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), induced coupled plasma (ICP-OES), thermal gravimetric (TGA) and nitrogen adsorption-desorption (BET method) analyses have confirmed the encapsulation of the CoDMG complex. The epoxidation reaction was performed using tert‑butyl hydroperoxide (TBHP) in CH3CN solvent in the presence of catalyst. By optimizing the reaction parameters, a total conversion of 96 % with 82 % selectivity towards the epoxide product, was achieved. It was found that both CoDMG complex and ZIF-8 exhibited lower efficiency individually, while the encapsulation of this complex inside the ZIF-8 micropores has resulted to superior activity. Finally, the epoxidation of various alkenes such as cyclohexene, 2-norbornene, α-pinene, styrene and 1-hexene under the optimized reaction condition, have been studied and the catalytic mechanism was also proposed.

Advances in the development of few-cycle gigawatt-peak-power mid-IR optical parametric amplifiers pumped by Cr:Forsterite laser using non-oxide nonlinear crystals

We demonstrate an experimental and theoretical comparison of non-oxide LiGaS2, HgGa2S4, and AgGaS2 crystals performance for wavelength conversion into the near and mid-IR range 1.5–8 μm in optical parametric amplifier pumped by Cr:Forsterite laser, delivering 100 fs pulses at 1.24 μm. It is shown that exceptionally high total energy conversion efficiency into the idler (4–5 μm) and signal (1.65–1.8 μm) waves up to 18% can be achieved using the HGS crystal, providing high nonlinearity, while the LGS crystal is more preferable for generating few-cycle mid-IR pulses due its unique dispersive properties. Our source features high peak power in gigawatt regime (0.4–2.4 GW) with pulse duration below 80 fs and optical synchronization with high harmonic generation (HHG) and THz beamlines, which is ideal for pump-probe experiments of nonlinear and strong-field physics.

Dynamic coil switching strategies for significant efficiency increases in electromagnetic energy generators

The development of self-powering systems has been recognized as critical such that innovative stand-alone emerging technologies can operate sustainably from scavenged ambient energy. Electromagnetic generators (EMGs) using magnetic levitation architectures for mechanical vibration energy harvesting are a promising technology that can be tailored to specific needs and provide low-cost electric powering for both small-scale and large-scale devices. They also present non-complex design, with low maintenance requirements and can operate with stable performance for long periods of time. Despite these prominent features, their complex non-linear and hysteresis-based resonant characteristics makes performance optimization hard to achieve and still needs to be addressed as a function of the input excitation. Numerical and experimental results are here provided to demonstrate the effectiveness of a new concept of EMG that aims to dynamically adapt the coil-array architecture throughout its operation to ensure maximum harvested power and to optimize the transduction mechanism efficiency. The self-adaptive motion-driven levitation-based autonomously rearranges each coil independently as a function of the instantaneous time-varying characteristics of the levitating magnet (LM) position. The mechanism features two dynamic coil switching strategies: (i) on/off switching, by short circuiting, with transmission gate switches, the coils without influence on the electromotive force; and (ii) reversing polarity switching, to avoid the sum of electromotive forces cancels each other. Average output powers of 635 mW (up to ∼4.1 W of peak power) were obtained with only the 4-centre (out of 14) permanently active coils, while only 292 mW (up to 833 mW of peak power) were achieved with the 14-coils permanently connected under optimal load conditions and harmonic translational input excitations with 15 Hz frequency and 20 mm amplitude. However, the adaptive generator was able to provide an impressive average power output of 3 W under the same conditions. Up to 14-fold larger output average power and 5.5-fold larger electric efficiency demonstrate the potential of the proposed coil switching self-adaptation system for enhancing the total energy conversion from general widespread mechanical vibrations.

Does working capital management improve financial performance in China's agri-food sector during COVID-19? A comparison with the 2008 financial crisis.

The objective of this study is to explore the impact of working capital management on firms' financial performance in China's agri-food sector from 2006 to 2021. In addition, we analyze whether this impact is the same during the 2008 financial crisis and the 2020 COVID-19 crisis. Working capital management is measured by working capital investment policy (measured by current assets to total assets ratio), working capital financing policy (measured by current liabilities to total assets ratio), cash conversion cycle, and net working capital ratio. The results reveal that current assets to total assets ratio and net working capital ratio positively influence financial performance measured through return on assets (ROA), while current liabilities to total assets ratio and cash conversion cycle negatively influence ROA. We also find that the relationship between working capital management and financial performance is more affected during COVID-19 than in the 2008 financial crisis. The findings might provide important implications for company managers to make optimal working capital management practices, depending on the economic environment.

Actual Adsorptive Efficiency of Aqueous Cr(VI) Using Modified Banana Pseudostems

A wide application of chromium (Cr) in industries has discharged large quantity of Cr(VI) into the environment. Cr(VI) is a strong oxidizing agent that can react rapidly to produce toxic compounds to humans. Various agricultural products and byproducts have been studied for the sorptive removal of Cr(VI). However, less attention has been given to the presence of Cr(III) in solution after the adsorption with significant effect to actual adsorption capacity of the material. Here the Cr(VI) removal efficiency was investigated by using modified banana pseudostems (m-BP). Banana pseudostems were treated with 0.08 M HCl for 4 h and washed thoroughly. The maximum adsorption capacity of Cr(VI) was found at pH 2, adsorbent dose 34 g/L, contact time of 180 min and 100 mg/L initial Cr(VI) concentration. The adsorption efficiency of Cr(VI) onto m-BP was recorded to be 73.6% while the total conversion of Cr(VI) was 99.6%. The adsorption efficiency was lower than the total conversion of Cr(VI) due to the reduction of Cr(VI) to Cr(III) by the presence of organic groups in banana pseudostems. Owing to relatively high efficiency, m-BP can be used as effective and very low cost adsorbent for Cr(VI) removal from wastewater.

Low complexity on-board vector calibration network for optimal microwave wireless power transmission and enhanced RF-to-DC conversion efficiency

A low complexity on-board vector calibration network for optimal microwave wireless power transmission (MWPT) efficiency is proposed in this work. The proposed technique is based on sequentially tracking the minimum power level of two antenna elements in an array for both phase and amplitude error discrimination. Unlike conventional vector calibration networks based on a down-conversion topology, the proposed architecture can perform vector calibration by only monitoring the magnitude of each antenna element. Thus, high system efficiency can be achieved by reducing hardware costs and eliminating any unnecessary power consumption by extra active devices. Further, phase and amplitude imbalances between antenna elements in an array can be accurately captured with higher precision compared to the conventional rotating-element electric-field vector (REV) method. The proposed technique achieved higher resolutions for both amplitude and phase error detection than REV, which suffers from low resolution near the maximum or minimum field crests. To verify the MWPT efficiency improvement based on the proposed calibration network, a 1 × 4 phased array MWPT system was fabricated and tested at 5.8 GHz with a reference rectenna. With the calibrated power transmission, the total RF-DC conversion efficiencies at ± 45° beamforming angles were improved by up to a maximum of 138.79%.

Tolerance of hyperosmolar Candida krusei

The utilization of industrial microorganisms for the conversion of lignocellulose into high value-added chemicals is an essential pathway towards achieving carbon neutrality and promoting sustainable bioeconomy. However, the pretreated lignocellulase hydrolysate often contains various sugars, salts, phenols/aldehydes and other substances, which requires microorganisms to possess strong tolerance for direct fermentation. This study aims to investigate the tolerance of Candida krusei to substrate, salt, and high temperature shock, in order to validate its potential for utilizing the enzymatic hydrolysate of Pennisetum giganteum in seawater for fermentation. The experimental results showed that the adaptively domesticated C. krusei exhibited tolerance to glucose at a concentration of 200 g/L and became a hypertonic strain. When seawater was used instead of freshwater without sterilization, the yield of glycerol in fermentation was 109% higher than that in freshwater with sterilization. Moreover, the combined thermal shock at 32 hours of fermentation and addition of 10 Na2SO3 at 48 hours resulted in a yield of glycerol to glucose 0.37 g/g, which was 225% higher than the control group. By fermenting the enzymatic hydrolysate of P. giganteum pretreated in seawater, the total conversion rate of glucose into glycerol and ethanol reached 0.45 g/g. This study indicates that hypertonic C. krusei exhibits remarkable adaptability to substrate, salt, and temperature. It not only can directly utilize complex lignocellulosic hydrolysates, but also exhibits strong tolerance to them. Therefore, it provides a potential candidate strain for the production of bio-based chemicals using lignocellulosic processes.

Synthesis of an innovative SF/NZVI catalyst and investigation of its effectiveness on bio-oil production in liquefaction process alongside other parameters

Today, new energy sources alternative to fossil fuels are needed to meet the increasing energy demand. It is becoming increasingly important to constitute new energy sources from waste biomass through the liquefaction process. In this study, walnut shells (WS) were liquefied catalytically and non-catalytically under different parameters using the liquefaction method. In this process, the effect of silica fume/nano zero-valent iron (SF/NZVI) catalysts on the conversion rates was investigated. The catalyst was synthesized by reducing NZVI using a liquid phase chemical reduction method on SF. The SF/NZVI catalyst was characterized by scanning electron microscopy- energy dispersive X-ray (SEM–EDX), transmission electron microscope (TEM), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis. The effect of various process parameters on the liquefaction process was investigated. In this context, the reaction temperature ranged from 300 to 400 °C, the solid/solvent ratio ranged from 1/1 to 1/3, the reaction time ranged from 30 to 90 min, and the catalyst concentration ranged from 1 to 6%. According to the results obtained, the most suitable operating conditions for non-catalytic experiments in liquefaction of WS were found to be temperature of 400 °C, reaction time of 60 min, and solid/solvent of 1/3. In catalytic conditions, the optimum values were obtained as temperature of 375 °C, reaction time of 60 min, solid/solvent ratio of 1/3, and catalyst concentration of 6%. The highest total conversion and (oil + gas) % conversion were 90.4% and 46.7% under non-catalytic conditions and 90.7% and 62.3% under catalytic conditions, respectively. Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) analysis revealed the bio-oil was mainly composed of aromatic compounds (benzene, butyl-, indane and their derivatives,) and polyaromatic compounds (naphthalene, decahydro-, cis-, naphthalene, 1-methyl-.). The aim of increasing the quantity and quality of the light liquid product in the study has been achieved.

Catalytic potential of green ordered mesoporous carbons, obtained from biomass-derived xylose, glucose, and lignin

Green high-surface area Ordered Mesoporous Carbons (OMCs) (576–948 m2/g) were successfully synthesized by the hard template method using xylose, glucose and lignin solutions obtained from almond shells, a local biomass waste, as carbon precursors, and SBA-15 as a template. The catalytic potential of OMCs, as catalytic supports or as catalysts, has been preliminarily tested for different reactions of interest. A dried sulfonic-acid treated OMC, obtained from xylose extract, led to full conversion and 92% selectivity to di- and tri-ethers of glycerol for the glycerol etherification with isobutene at 80 °C. A sulfonic-acid treated OMC, obtained from glucose, presented a higher turnover frequency (TOF) value and slightly lower selectivity to levulinic acid than commercial Amberlyst-15 for the conversion of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural at 180 °C. The use of an OMC obtained from lignin as catalytic support of a nickel catalyst combined with H-Beta led to 78% of selectivity to cyclohexane at total conversion for the hydrodeoxygenation of guaiacol at 180 °C.

Role of oxophilic metal ions (Mo, Zr, Ti) impregnated Ni/γ-Al2O3 catalysts for hydrothermal liquefaction of kraft lignin

In this study, the effect of oxophilic metal ions (Mo, Zr, and Ti) loaded Ni/γ-Al2O3 (Al) catalysts was explored for the first time for the hydrothermal liquefaction of kraft lignin using IPA for 30 min/280 °C. The liquefaction of lignin was noticed to be 65.4 wt% with 10 wt% loaded Ni/Al with an 81.3% total conversion. The performance of Ni/Al was enhanced remarkably by using the oxophilic metal ions as promoters owing to an increase in the Lewis character of the catalyst's surface. The bio-oil yield was a maximum of 72 wt% with a 91.5% conversion using 3 wt% loaded Ti–10Ni/Al. The different alcoholic solvents such as methanol, ethanol, and IPA were also examined for the same. However, the best liquefaction was noticed with IPA owing to better H-donor tendency. Additionally, a series of IPA-water co-solvent examinations attributed to a significant improvement in the liquefaction to 74.8 wt% (50:50) IPA-water system. The optimum catalyst 10Ni–3Ti/Al was tested for four catalytic cycles, which indicated a slight loss in the catalytic activity because of blockage of the catalytic active site by char deposition. The GC-MS investigation of optimum catalytic bio-oil showed the highest selectivity of acetosyringone (68.5%) and 2-methoxy-phenol (22.8%), which was observed to be only 30.1 and 5.1% for non-catalytic bio-oil. The 1H NMR and FT-IR investigation of raw lignin and bio-oil proved the breakage of lignin's 3D structure into respective G-and S-type monomeric compounds. Additionally, catalysts were characterized using the XRD, BET, and XPS analysis.

A novel energy recovery and storage approach based on turbo-pump for a natural gas pressure reduction station

In this research, a direct energy harvesting and storage strategy was proposed for the recovered energy from the natural gas pressure reduction station. For this purpose, a novel turbo-pump system is proposed, which consists of a turbo-expander and a water pump. The proposed plan was integrated into a gas pressure reduction station with a capacity of 300,000 Nm3/hr. In gas pressure reduction stations, a regulator reduces gas pressure, which wastes natural gas energy in the depressurization process. To recover this wasted energy, a turbo-expander has been used instead of the regulator. The designed turbo-expander shaft is connected to the pump shaft. By receiving mechanical energy from the turbo-expander, the pump transfers the water into the water towers and thus stores the energy. For this purpose, water towers with different sizes were designed and their energy storage capacity and efficiency was calculated. The obtained results showed that 15.3 GWh energy can be recovered annually, which this amount of energy is currently wasted. While harvesting this significant amount of energy from a gas pressure reduction station, emissions are also prevented. The analysis results of the designed energy storage system also showed that the total energy conversion efficiency of recovered energy from natural gas in the pressure reduction process to electrical energy in the discharge stage of the energy storage system is about 52%. Also, the average daily electrical power generated during peak consumption hours is between 0.7 and 17.9 MW. By recovering and storing wasted energy from just one gas pressure reduction station, in addition to generating electrical energy during peak hours, the emission of 4620 tons of carbon dioxide can be prevented annually. The designed energy storage system can be installed as discrete packs of energy storage in different capacities, which have high installation and flexibility.

Scalable Synthesis and Characterisation of a Liquid 2,3,5,6-tetraallylbenzene-1,4-diol Quinone

Organic redox species are finding uses in numerous research and development applications, such as electrochemical sensors, batteries, and production of chemicals. This paper presents a synthesis pathway of a redox-active liquid of 2,3,5,6-tetraallylbenzene-1,4-diol. The synthesis of 2,3,5,6-tetraallylbenzene-1,4-diol was found repeatable at approximately 60 g scale, with a total conversion of 92% across four synthesis steps. High purity was achieved with no further purification. The intermediates and compounds were characterized using attenuated total reflectance infrared spectroscopy, proton nuclear magnetic resonance, differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis, cyclic voltammetry, rotating disk electrode voltammetry, density, and viscosity measurements. The structural characterization verified the structure of 2,3,5,6-tetraallylbenzene-1,4-diol. Electrochemical characterization revealed a quasi-reversible response, a diffusion coefficient similar to the diffusion coefficient of hydroquinone.

Spaced Double Hydrogen Bonding in an Imidazole Poly Ionic Liquid Composite for Highly Efficient and Selective Photocatalytic Air Reductive H2O2 Synthesis

AbstractPhotocatalytic oxygen reductive H2O2 production is a promising approach to alternative industrial anthraquinone processes while suffering from the requirement of pure O2 feedstock for practical application. Herein, we report a spaced double hydrogen bond (IC−H‐bond) through multi‐component Radziszewski reaction in an imidazole poly‐ionic‐liquid composite (SI‐PIL‐TiO2) and levofloxacin hydrochloride (LEV) electron donor for highly efficient and selective photocatalytic air reductive H2O2 production. It is found that the IC−H‐bond formed by spaced imino (−NH−) group of SI‐PIL‐TiO2 and carbonyl (−C=O) group of LEV can switch the imidazole active sites characteristic from a covered state to a fully exposed one to shield the strong adsorption of electron donor and N2 in the air, and propel an intenser positive potential and more efficient orbitals binding patterns of SI‐PIL‐TiO2 surface to establish competitive active sites for selectivity O2 chemisorption. Moreover, the high electron enrichment of imidazole as an active site for the 2e− oxygen reduction ensures the rapid reduction of O2. Therefore, the IC−H‐bond enables a total O2 utilization and conversion efficiency of 94.8 % from direct photocatalytic air reduction, achieving a H2O2 production rate of 1518 μmol/g/h that is 16 and 23 times compared to poly‐ionic‐liquid composite without spaced imino groups (PIL‐TiO2) and TiO2, respectively.

Spaced Double Hydrogen Bonding in an Imidazole Poly Ionic Liquid Composite for Highly Efficient and Selective Photocatalytic Air Reductive H2O2 Synthesis.

Photocatalytic oxygen reductive H2O2 production is a promising approach to alternative industrial anthraquinone processes while suffering from the requirement of pure O2 feedstock for practical application. Herein, we report a spaced double hydrogen bond (IC-H-bond) through multi-component Radziszewski reaction in an imidazole poly-ionic-liquid composite (SI-PIL-TiO2) and levofloxacin hydrochloride (LEV) electron donor for highly efficient and selective photocatalytic air reductive H2O2 production. It is found that the IC-H-bond formed by spaced imino (-NH-) group of SI-PIL-TiO2 and carbonyl (-C=O) group of LEV can switch the imidazole active sites characteristic from a covered state to a fully exposed one to shield the strong adsorption of electron donor and N2 in the air, and propel an intenser positive potential and more efficient orbitals binding patterns of SI-PIL-TiO2 surface to establish competitive active sites for selectivity O2 chemisorption. Moreover, the high electron enrichment of imidazole as an active site for the 2e- oxygen reduction ensures the rapid reduction of O2. Therefore, the IC-H-bond enables a total O2 utilization and conversion efficiency of 94.8 % from direct photocatalytic air reduction, achieving a H2O2 production rate of 1518 μmol/g/h that is 16 and 23 times compared to poly-ionic-liquid composite without spaced imino groups (PIL-TiO2) and TiO2, respectively.