Catalytic degradation of toxic organic dye using an aluminum-doped Cu0.4Zn0.6-xAlxFe2O4 (x = 0.0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6) spinel ferrite in a photo-Fenton system

Catalytic activity of spinel ferrite in breaking down toxic dye materials are promising due to their uniqueness. In this study, aluminum-doped copper zinc ferrite, Cu_0.4Zn_0.6-xAl_xFe₂O₄ (x = 0.0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6), a catalyst for toxic dye degradation is synthesized through chemical co-precipitation route. The formation of the spinel ferrite catalyst is initially confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectra, which shows the frequency of metal-oxygen bond vibration at 539 and 427 cm⁻¹ attributed to the tetrahedral and octahedral sites respectively. Higher intensity sharp peak of X-ray diffraction for (311) plane is the evidence for the phase purity and the formation of spinel ferrite. The crystallite size is found to decrease with the increase of Al³⁺ ion. The surface structure of the obtained particles is investigated using a scanning electron microscope. Analyses of the material's magnetic characteristics using a vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) revealed that it is, in fact, a soft magnet, as evidenced by the loop of its hysteresis, which is narrow. The catalytic degradation of methylene blue dye under the mechanism of the photo-Fenton process is studied with the obtained spinel ferrites and the result is found to be as high as 96.5%. The process follows pseudo-second order kinetics and the Langmuir isotherm.     

Feasibility of honeycomb monolith supported sugar catalyst to produce biodiesel from palm fatty acid distillate (PFAD)

Carbon coated monolith was prepared by sucrose solution 65 wt.% via dip-coating method. Sulfonation of incomplete carbonized carbon coated monolith was carried out in order to synthesize solid acid catalyst. The textural structure characteristics of the solid acid catalyst demonstrated a low surface area and pore volume. Palm fatty acid distillate (PFAD), a by-product of palm oil refineries, was utilized as oil source in biodiesel production. The esterification reaction subjected to different reaction conditions was performed by using the sulfonated carbon coated monolith as heterogeneous catalyst. The sulfonation process had been performed by using vapour of concentrated H₂SO₄ that was much easier and efficient than liquid phase sulfonation. Total acidity value of carbon coated monolith was measured for unsulfonated sample (0.5 mmol/g) and sulfonated sample (4.2 mmol/g). The effect of methanol/oil ratio, catalyst amount and reaction time were examined. The maximum methyl ester content was 89% at the optimum condition, i.e. methanol/oil molar ratio (15:1), catalyst amount (2.5 wt.% with respect to PFAD), reaction time (240 min) and temperature 80 °C. The sugar catalyst supported on the honeycomb monolith showed comparable reactivity compared with the sugar catalyst powder. However, the catalyst reusability studies showed decrease in FFA% conversion from 95.3% to 68.8% after four cycles as well as the total acidity of catalyst dropped from the value 4.2 to 3.1 mmol/g during these cycles. This might be likely due to the leaching out of SO₃H group from the sulfonated carbon coated monolith surface. The leaching of active species reached a plateau state after fourth cycle.     

Safety assessment of the film boiling chemical vapor infiltration (FB-CVI) process through a system-theoretic accident model and process (STAMP)

Film boiling chemical vapor infiltration (FB-CVI) is considered as one of the fastest process methodologies for manufacturing carbon-carbon (C–C) composite products and possesses various advantages compared to conventional methodologies. However, there are safety concerns associated with this process for large-scale manufacturing, mainly owing to the intrinsic nature of the precursor and the process conditions. Considering the multifunctional interactions of the various systems during the process, a system-theoretic process analysis (STPA)/system theoretic accident model and process (STAMP) model is used to perform a safety analysis of the hazardous states of the FB-CVI process at the system level. As a case study, the FB-CVI process equipment employed for the manufacturing of C–C composites is considered. The safety constraints present in the system are assessed for adequacy through a hazard analysis by STPA/STAMP. The analysis through STPA/STAMP demonstrated the capability to create proactive strategies for the design and realization of process equipment that can be employed to manufacture C–C composite products through the FB-CVI process.     

Study on Assessing Economic Vulnerability of Small Island Regions

The main purpose of this study is to assess economic vulnerability of small island development regions as part of their sustainability constraints. By combining economic and environmental time series data, we assessed a composite index of economic vulnerability which is constructed from three exogenous variables, namely economic exposure, economic remoteness, and economic impact of environmental and natural disasters. We used the Amami Islands, Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan as the case studies for this paper.The results indicated that using a gross island products based valuation index, Kikaijima is the most vulnerable island in the Amami Islands with a composite economic vulnerability index (CEVI) value of 0.678, while by using a per capita based index, Okinoerabujima is considered the most vulnerable island with a CEVI value of 0.680. From the results we also revealed that smaller islands have relative higher vulnerability than the bigger one, which also confirms some previous country-level vulnerability studies.However, it is matter of fact that some islands that have relatively high vulnerability also have good economic performance as shown by their per capita income. In this regard, it can be argued that the success of these small islands could have been achieved in spite of and not because of their inherent vulnerability conditions as an indicator of sustainability constraint. Regarding these findings, we also examined a comparison between vulnerability results and the preliminary concept of an island's resilience in order to capture another perspective on sustainability assessment in a small island region.     

Density functional theory (DFT) studies of vanadium-titanium based selective catalytic reduction (SCR) catalysts

Based on density functional theory (DFT) and basic structure models, the chemical reactions on the surface of vanadium-titanium based selective catalytic reduction (SCR) denitrification catalysts were summarized. Reasonable structural models (non-periodic and periodic structural models) are the basis of density functional calculations. A periodic structure model was more appropriate to represent the catalyst surface, and its theoretical calculation results were more comparable with the experimental results than a non-periodic model. It is generally believed that the SCR mechanism where NH₃ and NO react to produce N₂ and H₂O follows an Eley-Rideal type mechanism. NH₂NO was found to be an important intermediate in the SCR reaction, with multiple production routes. Simultaneously, the effects of H₂O, SO₂ and metal on SCR catalysts were also summarized.     

Effects of calcination temperature on physicochemical property and activity of CuSO4/TiO2 ammonia-selective catalytic reduction catalysts

CuSO_4/TiO_2 catalysts with high catalytic activity and excellent resistant to SO_2 and H_2 O,were thought to be promising catalysts used in Selective catalytic reduction of nitrogen oxides by NH_3.The performance of catalysts is largely affected by calcination temperature.Here,effects of calcination temperature on physicochemical property and catalytic activity of CuSO_4/TiO_2 catalysts were investigated in depth.Catalyst samples calcined at different temperatures were prepared first and then physicochemical properties of the catalyst were characterized by N2 adsorption-desorption,X-ray diffraction,thermogravimetric analysis,Raman spectra,Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy,X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy,temperature-pro grammed desorption of NH_3,temperature-programmed reduction of H_2 and in situ diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy.Results revealed that high calcination temperature had three main effects on the catalyst.First,sintering and anatase transform into rutile with increase of calcination temperature,causing a decrement of specific surface area.Second,decomposition of CuSO_4 under higher calcination temperature,resulting in disappears of Br(?)nsted acid sites(S-OH),which had an adverse effect on surface acidity.Third,CuO from the decomposition of CuSO_4 changed surface reducibility of the catalyst and favored the process of NH_3 oxidation to nitrogen oxides(NO_x).Thus,catalytic activity of the catalyst calcined under high temperatures(≥600℃) decreased largely.     

中国报废汽车中铂族金属回收潜力估算

基于Gompertz模型预测中国2018~2050年民用汽车的社会保有量;在此基础上,采用物质流分析方法估算得出我国汽车高峰报废年限大约为9a.然后,通过市场供给A模型预测我国2018~2025年汽车报废量,结果显示,我国汽车报废量到2025年将达到2535.05万辆,并且地理空间分布极不均衡.基于上述汽车报废量的时空分布,测算不同技术发展情景下废汽车三元催化剂中的铂族金属回收潜力和需求量.结果显示：如果按照当前催化剂消耗水平,全国铂族金属的需求量均在2019年达到峰值,铂钯铑分别达到4.57,65.70,7.92t,有望实现行业内闭环供应;如果以欧盟汽车尾气治理标准为目标,而现有汽车技术不发生根本变化,需求量将大幅增加,铂钯铑分别在2020年达到峰值85.01,109.38,8.37t,存在严重的供需矛盾.为此,建议在汽车生产者责任延伸制度中,关注废催化剂的回收和再生利用,以促进前端生产环节在不同技术选择中考虑稀贵金属的供给限制.     

预磁化强化ZnO@Fe3O4活化PMS降解AO7

为了研究预磁化对ZnO@Fe_3O_4活化过一硫酸盐(PMS)去除水中酸性橙7(AO7)性能的影响,考察了预磁化强度、ZnO@Fe_3O_4投量、PMS投量及初始pH对Mag-ZnO@Fe_3O_4/PMS体系降解AO7效果的影响.结果表明,当预磁化强度由0 T逐渐增大至2 T时,催化剂去除AO7的表观速率常数由0.0463 min~(-1)逐渐增大至0.1832 min~(-1),反应速率提高倍数达到1.4～4.0倍; Mag-ZnO@Fe_3O_4和PMS投量的增加对AO7的去除率均有提升效果,在最优条件下反应20 min后AO7的去除率达92%;体系初始pH对AO7降解有显著影响, pH为6～8条件下有利于Mag-ZnO@Fe_3O_4催化PMS氧化反应的进行.通过投加不同种类的猝灭剂,证实了AO7的降解主要是各种自由基共同作用的结果.经过预磁化处理后的催化剂产生感应磁场,从而影响了反应体系中自由基的复合概率,使得污染物被自由基氧化的速率提高.     

包装箱用碳纤维增强复合材料贮存寿命研究

目的研究碳纤维增强复合材料贮存条件下的性能变化趋势和寿命评估。方法对碳纤维增强复合材料开展四个不同温度条件下的热氧老化试验,按试验周期定期取样开展冲击性能测试,对试验数据采用寿命预估方法进行处理,对材料性能进行预估。结果通过数据计算分别得到我国热带海洋、干热沙漠等典型气候条件下的碳纤维增强复合材料贮存寿命分别为17.21~35.89年。结论碳纤维增强复合材料具有较好的贮存性能,在较为严酷的热带海洋气候和给定的失效判据条件下,寿命预计为17.21年。试验和数据处理方法可以较好地预计材料的性能变化趋势和开展寿命评估。     

Preparation of rare-earth metal complex oxide catalysts for catalytic wet air oxidation

Catalytic wet air oxidation (CWAO) is one of the most promising technologies for pollution abatement. Developing catalysts with high activity and stability is crucial for the application of the CWAO process. The Mn/Ce complex oxide catalysts for CWAO of high concentration phenol-containing wastewater were prepared by coprecipitation. The catalyst preparation conditions were optimized by using an orthogonal layout method and single-factor experimental analysis. The Mn/Ce serial catalysts were characterized by Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) analysis and the metal cation leaching was measured by inductively coupled plasma torch-atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES). The results show that the catalysts have high catalytic activities even at a low temperature (80°C) and low oxygen partial pressure (0.5 MPa) in a batch reactor. The metallic ion leaching is comparatively low (Mn<6.577 mg/L and Ce<0.6910 mg/L, respectively) in the CWAO process. The phenol, COD_Cr, and TOC removal efficiencies in the solution exceed 98.5% using the optimal catalyst (named CSP). The new catalyst would have a promising application in CWAO treatment of high concentration organic wastewater. Translated from Techniques and Equipment for Environmental Pollution Control, 2005, 6(2): 40–44 [译自: 环境污染治理技术与设备]