Flow-gel approach enables rapid extraction of pure magnesium phase from seawater
Chemical separations are achieved by flowing a feedstock solution on top of a gel loaded with a precipitating agent.
37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
Engineering topics
Butreddy, Pravalika
Publications and source records attributed to Butreddy, Pravalika.
Ion Correlations Decrease Particle Aggregation Rate by Increasing Hydration Forces at Interfaces
The connection between solution structure, particle forces, and emergent phenomena at solid–liquid interfaces remains ambiguous. In this case study on boehmite aggregation, we established a connection between interfacial solution structure, emerging hydration forces between two approaching particles, and the resulting structure and kinetics of particle aggregation. In contrast to expectations from continuum-based theories, we observed a nonmonotonic dependence of the aggregation rate on the concentration of sodium chloride, nitrate, or nitrite, decreasing by 15-fold in 4 molal compared to 1 molal solutions. These results are accompanied by an increase in repulsive hydration forces and interfacial oscillatory features from 0.27–0.31 nm in 0.01 molal to 0.38–0.52 nm in 2 molal. Moreover, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations indicated that these changes correspond to enhanced ion correlations near the interface and produced loosely bound aggregates that retain electrolyte between the particles. In conclusion, we anticipate that these results will enable the prediction of particle aggregation, attachment, and assembly, with broad relevance to interfacial phenomena.
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗