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At least 289 records · Page 16

Efficient crystal structure materials as reactive sorbent for the CO 2 and CH 4 adsorption and storage

The efficient dirubidium cobalt bis(dihydrogendiphosphate) dihydrate compound is successfully synthesized in a solution and used as a reactive sorbent for the CO 2 and CH 4 gases adsorption and storage. A crystal of this Rb 2 Co(H 2 P 2 O 7 ) 2 ·2H 2 O compound has been isolated and characterized by single X-ray diffraction analysis and was found to crystallize in the triclinic system (P$\overline{1}$) with the cell parameters (Å): 6.980(1), 7.370(1), 7.816(1), 81.74(1), 70.35(1), 86.34(1); V = 374.68(9) Å3, Z = 2. The crystal-packing consists of a three-dimensional framework made upon corners and edges sharing of [RbO 7 ], [H 2 P 2 O 7 ] and [CoO 6 ] entities, furthermore linked by a network of H-bonds. The UV–Vis spectroscopy revealed usual transitions between the ground state 4T1g and the upper levels 4T2g, 4A2g and 4T1g (P). Moreover, the CO 2 and CH 4 gases sorption measurements were successfully performed at two different temperatures (25 and 45 °C) and various pressures ranging from vacuum to 50 bar. Our results show that rate of CO 2 and CH 4 capturing was 3.10 mmol/g and 2.35 mmol/g at temperature 25 °C and pressure 50 bar, respectively. This compound showed a clear potential for CO 2 /CH 4 adsorption and storage thereby paving the way towards its exploration and adaptation for capturing and collecting carbon dioxide and greenhouse gases from the air, and their conversion into hydrocarbon fuels using existing mature technologies. We have also conducted density functional theory calculations to study the CO 2 and CH 4 adsorption properties of Rb 2 Co(H 2 P 2 O 7 ) 2 ·2H 2 O. The simulation results show enhanced adsorption of both types of molecules on the surface of the material.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Modulation of CO 2 adsorption in novel pillar-layered MOFs based on carboxylate–pyrazole flexible linker

Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) have attracted significant attention as sorbents due to their high surface area, tunable pore volume and pore size, coordinatively unsaturated metal sites, and ability to install desired functional groups by post-synthetic modification. Herein, we report three new MOFs with pillar–paddlewheel structures that have been synthesized solvothermally from the mixture of the carboxylate–pyrazole flexible linker (H 2 L), 4,4-bipyridine (BPY)/triethylenediamine (DABCO), and Zn(II)/Cu(II) ions. The MOFs obtained, namely [Zn II (L)BPY], [Cu II (L)BPY], and [Cu II (L)DABCO], exhibit two-fold interpenetration and dinuclear paddle–wheel nodes. The Zn(II)/Cu(II) cations are coordinated by two equatorial L linkers that result in two-dimensional sheets which in turn are pillared by BPY or DABCO in the perpendicular direction to obtain a neutral three-dimensional framework that shows one-dimensional square channels. The three pillar-layered MOFs were characterized as microporous materials showing high crystalline stability after activation at 120 °C and CO 2 adsorption. All MOFs contain uncoordinated Lewis basic pyrazole nitrogen atoms in the framework which have an affinity toward CO 2 and hence could potentially serve as CO 2 adsorption material. The CO 2 uptake capacity was initially enhanced by replacing Zn with Cu and then replacing the pillar, going from BPY to DABCO. Overall, all the MOFs exhibit low isosteric heat (Q st ) of adsorption which signifies an advantage due to the energy required for the adsorption and regeneration processes.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Adsorption and exchange reactions of iodine molecules at the alumina surface: modelling alumina-iodine reaction mechanisms

Harnessing aluminum oxidation energy requires navigating the particle's passivation shell composed of alumina. The shell is a barrier to aluminum oxidation but can also exothermically react with halogenated species and therefore contribute to the overall energy generated during aluminum particle combustion. Fluorination reactions with alumina have been studied because fluorine is abundant in binder formulations that commonly surround aluminum particles in an energetic mixture. However, iodine has emerged as an alternative halogenated-based binder or oxidizer because iodine gas provides ancillary benefits such as chemical neutralization of biological agents or sterilization of contaminated environments. Furthermore, this study used density functional theory (DFT) calculations to evaluate potential reaction pathways for aluminum–iodine combustion. Relative to fluorinated fragments such as HF and F – , the adsorption energies associated with HI and I– are nearly triple the exchange reaction energy available from fluorination reactions with alumina (–189 and –278 kJ mol –1 for HI and I – , respectively). However, exchange reactions between iodinated species and the alumina surface are energetically unfavorable. These results explain that through adsorption, alumina surface exothermic reactions with iodine are more energetic than with fluorine fragments. Experiments performed with differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) confirm the higher magnitude of energy generated for iodination compared with fluorination reactions with alumina. Additionally, strong adsorption energies can promote synthesis of new shell chemistries. Adsorption in solution will promote alumina dissolution and iodine precipitation reactions to produce hydroxyl complexes and iodinated species synthesized on the surface of the particle, thereby replacing alumina with alternative passivation shell chemistry.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Correcting implicit solvation at metal/water interfaces through the incorporation of competitive water adsorption

Conventional continuum solvation models are ubiquitous in computational catalysis, including for describing metal/water interfaces, which are relevant to both solution-phase heterogeneous catalysis and electrocatalysis. Nonetheless, we find that such continuum models qualitatively fail to describe both the adsorption free energy and conformational preference for many organic molecules at such interfaces, largely due to the failure of continuum models to incorporate the role of competitive water adsorption. We develop a simple phenomenological model that accounts for competitive water adsorption and show that the model, when used in conjunction with continuum solvation, provides a dramatic improvement in the description of both adsorption and conformational preference. The model is also extended to additionally incorporate the influence of applied potential at the electrode surface, thus facilitating computationally efficient applications to scenarios including electrocatalysis.

Chemistry↗

Initial Assessment of TeF 6 Adsorption

Research and development that supports the management of off-gases from nuclear fuel reprocessing has historically been focused on the off-gas streams that arise from aqueous reprocessing technology. However, as Gen-IV reactor development pathways move toward deployment, alternative spent nuclear fuel (SNF) processing and disposition pathways have been considered more actively. This work is focused upon aspects of fluoride volatility (FV) processing. The versatility of this method for deployment against multiple types of spent fuel encourages the continued advancement of both the primary separations processes and the secondary processes, including waste treatment, material control and accountability, and engineering designs. Recent work noted that TeF 6 , the most highly volatile fluorinated compound produced during FV processing, did not have a clear abatement technology recommended in the literature. Thus, this work performed scoping tests on activated alumina and copper shot to assess whether they could be used to remove TeF 6 from gas streams that bear F 2 . Previous work on this topic was not well described in the literature and was not performed with excess F 2 in the stream as would be typical of spent fuel processing via FV. To support an understanding of the concentration of TeF 6 contacting the adsorbent beds, a series of preliminary testing identified the TeF 6 production rate and the equilibrium concentration of TeF 6 in the gas stream contacting the adsorbent. Excess F 2 was determined to not affect the ability of activated alumina to remove TeF 6 from the gas stream quickly and completely. A determination of whether excess F 2 affected the distribution depth of Te in the sorbent bed is still pending analysis of the used sorbent. Literature suggests that when activated alumina is near saturation, TeF 6 could migrate from the sorbent bed. Future testing should investigate this possibility. Copper metal did not adsorb TeF 6 in the presence of F 2 across the sorbent temperature range of 50 to 335°C. F 2 was fully removed by the copper bed. Although preliminary thermodynamics would indicate adsorption to be energetically favorable, other factors that impact adsorption (e.g., slow kinetics, excess fluorine on the copper surface, an unfavorable transition state) are likely preventing the adsorption of TeF 6 at an easily measurable rate. The work also investigated TeF 6 production from multiple forms of Te in the temperature range of 100 to 250°C. No previous study had assessed the initial reaction rates for this process. A carefully designed study allowed determination of the activation energy for the production of TeF 6 from Te metal. The substantial amount of data collected during this study merits analysis beyond what is described here. A more in-depth kinetic analysis will be pursued. Additional analytical results will provide the ability to benchmark adsorption coefficients for TeF 6 , understand the distribution of TeF 6 within the alumina bed, and better understand the effect of F 2 partial pressure on Te fluorination. The data from this report, as supplemented by these additional analyses, will be submitted to a peer-reviewed journal.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

Preferential orientation of CO adsorption on Ni as determined by extended Hueckel calculations.

The adsorption of CO on the nickel surface has been calculated using a modified extended Hueckel technique for a number of different orientations of the CO with respect to the nickel surface. The calculations show that double site adsorption with the CO molecule normal to the surface and the carbon atom closest to the metal gives the most stable configuration (2.57 eV). The single site absorbs with an energy of 2.39 eV. However, other configurations also give fairly large bonding energies. The CO normal to the surface with oxygen closest to the metal gives a heat of adsorption of 0.37 eV. Two-center adsorption with the CO axis parallel to the surface and the molecule symmetrically placed between the nearest neighbors gives a chemisorption energy of 1.34 eV. These values compare with an experimental value of 1.98 eV.

Robertson, J. C.↗

Virial expansion of the second layer in physical adsorption - An ab initio calculation for helium on argon crystal

A model of helium adsorption on an argon crystal is built up from the premise that local adsorption predominates in the first layer and nonlocal adsorption in the second. Application of the virial expansion theorem to the second layer gives a series in which the first term represents the motion of a single molecule in the external potential field and the second a two-body interaction under this field. The thermodynamic functions of the adsorbed phase are calculated ab initio, the gas-solid interaction potential being derived from lattice summation and the partition function from an appropriate choice of a site-spacing polynomial to describe the periodic potential. The mutual interaction of adsorbed molecules is calculated with a two-dimensional Lennard-Jones potential. The second virial coefficient is calculated and its dependence on temperature and choice of potential is studied. It is found that the second virial coefficient is very well approximated by a two-dimensional gas in free space. The adsorption isotherm, isosteric heat, and specific heat are obtained and compared with the results of Ross and Steele, giving excellent agreement.

Oh, B. K.↗

Asymmetric adsorption by quartz - A model for the prebiotic origin of optical activity

One mechanism previously proposed for the abiotic accumulation of molecules of one chirality in nature is asymmetric adsorption on the chiral surfaces of optically active quartz crystals. Earlier literature in this field is reviewed, with the conclusion that previous investigations of this phenomenon, using optical rotation criteria, have afforded ambiguous results. We now have studied the adsorption of radioactive D- and L-alanine on powdered d- and l-quartz, using change in radioactivity level as a criterion for both gross and differential adsorption, d-Quartz preferentially adsorbed D-alanine from anhydrous dimethyl-formamide solution, and l-quartz L-alanine. The differential adsorption varied between 1.0 and 1.8%. The implications of these observations are discussed from the viewpoint of early chemical evolution and the origin of optically active organic compounds in nature.

Bonner, W. M.↗

Adsorption and excess fission xenon

The adsorption of Xe and Kr on lunar soil 10084 was measured by a method that employs only very low fractions of monolayer coverage. Results are presented as parameters for calculation of the Henry constant for adsorption as a function of temperature. The adsorption potentials are about 3 kcal/mole for Kr and 5 kcal/mole for Xe; heating the sample in vacuum increased the Xe potential to nearly 7 kcal/mole. Henry constants at the characteristic lunar temperature are about 0.3 cu cm STP/g-atm. These data were applied to consider whether adsorption is important in producing the excess fission Xe effect characteristic of highland breccias. Sorption equilibrium with a transient lunar atmosphere vented fission Xe produces concentrations seven orders of magnitude lower than observed concentrations. Higher concentrations result because of the resistance of the regolith to upward diffusion of Xe. A diffusion coefficient of 0.26 sq cm/sec is estimated for this process.

Podosek, F. A.↗

Drastic reduction of adsorption of CO and H2 on (111)-type Pd layers

Clean surfaces of (111)-type Pd layers, grown from the vapor phase on Mo(110) at room temperature, were used to study the adsorption of CO and H2 by temperature-programmed desorption, Auger electron spectroscopy, and low-energy electron diffraction. Mild annealing of the as-grown layers during a single desorption cycle (to about 600 K) drastically reduces the adsorption for both adsorbates. Low-dose argon-ion bombardment introduces surface imperfections which restore a high adsorption probability. The results are interpreted in terms of particular (111)-type surface structures that persist tp layer thicknesses of about four monolayers; the results raise questions with respect to the surface structure of supported thin epitaxial islands and particles of Pd and possibly also with respect to conventional methods of preparing bulk surfaces of Pd for adsorption studies.

Poppa, H.↗

pH profile of the adsorption of nucleotides onto montmorillonite. I - Selected homoionic clays

The effect of pH and adsorbed ions on the adsorption of purine and pyrimidine nucleotides on montmorillonite clay was studied experimentally. The specific nucleotides examined were: 5 prime-AMP; 3-prime AMP; and 5 prime-CMP. The pH of the clay samples was adjusted to various levels in the 2-12 pH range using microliter volumes of concentrated acid (1N HCl) and base (1NHNaOH). It was found that preferential adsorption among nulceotides was dependent on the pH level and on the characteristics of the substituted metal cation and anion exchange mechanisms. Below pH 4, adsorption was attributed to cation and anion exchange mechanisms. Above pH 4, however, adsorption was attributed to the complexation mechanisms occurring between the metal cations in the clay exchange site and in the biomolecule. The possible role of homoionic clays in the concentration mechanisms of biomonomers in the prebiotic environment is discussed.

Lawless, J. G.↗

Adsorption and isotopic fractionation of Xe

A theoretical description of the mechanisms of isotopic fractionation arising during adsorption of noble gases in a Henry's Law pressure regime is given. Experimental data on the isotopic composition of Xe adsorbed on activated charcoal in the temperature range 220 K to 350 K are presented. Both theoretical considerations and the experimental data indicate that equilibrium adsorption does not significantly alter the isotopic structure of adsorbed structure of adsorbed noble gases. Therefore, if adsorption is responsible for the elemental noble gas pattern in meteorites and the earth, the heavy noble gas isotopic fractionation between them must have been produced prior to and by a different process than equilibrium adsorption.

Bernatowicz, T. J.↗

The adsorption and reaction of adenine nucleotides on montmorillonite

The binding of AMP to Zn(2+)-montmorillonite is investigated in the presence of salts and Good's zwitterion buffers, PIPES and MES. The initial concentrations of nucleotide and the percent adsorbtion are used to calculate the adsorption isotherms, and the Langmuir adsorption equation is used for the analysis of data. The adsorption coefficient was found to be three times greater in the presence of 0.2 M PIPES than in its absence. In addition, basal spacings measured by X-ray diffraction were increased by the buffer. These results are interpreted in terms of a model in which the adsorption of AMP is mediated by a Zn(2+) complex of PIPES in different orientations in the interlamellar region of the montmorillonite. Mixed ligand complexes of this type are reminiscent of the complexes observed between metal ions and biological molecules in living systems.

Ferris, James P.↗

Use of hydrophilic polymer coatings for control of electroosmosis and protein adsorption

The purpose of this project was to examine the utility of polyethylene glycol (PEG) and dextran coatings for control of electroosmosis and protein adsorption; electroosmosis is an important, deleterious process affecting electrophoretic separations, and protein adsorption is a factor which needs to be controlled during protein crystal growth to avoid multiple nucleation sites. Performance of the project required use of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy to refine previously developed synthetic methods. The results of this spectroscopic examination are reported. Measurements of electroosmotic mobility of charged particles in appropriately coated capillaries reveals that a new, one-step route to coating capillaries gives a surface in which electroosmosis is dramatically reduced. Similarly, both PEG and dextran coatings were shown by protein adsorption measurements to be highly effective at reducing protein adsorption on solid surfaces. These results should have impact on future low-g electrophoretic and protein crystal growth experiments.

Harris, J. Milton↗

Argon adsorption and the lunar atmosphere

The results of Ar adsorption experiments on a terrestrial labradorite and lunar rock 15415 crushed in vacuo are reported. The experiments were designed to test lunar atmosphere simulation models for the behavior of Ar on the lunar surface, as determined from the Apollo 17 mass spectrometer results. These models (Hodges, 1980, 1982) used a single adsorption potential to characterize the surfaces of lunar soil grains, with the result that high (6-7 kcal/mol) heats of adsorption were inferred. The present experimental results show that very high adsorption potentials are indeed associated with fresh mineral surfaces, but that these energetic surfaces occupy only small fractions of the total surface area. Nonetheless, these small fractions of surface, if they can be maintained in the lunar regolith in steady-state condition, could be sufficient to account for the Apollo 17 mass spectrometer observations.

Bernatowicz, T. J.↗

Surface Analysis of 4-Aminothiophenol Adsorption at Polycrystalline Platinum Electrodes

Formation of self-assembled monolayer (SAM) of 4-aminothiophenol (4-ATP) on polycrystalline platinum electrodes has been studied by surface analysis and electrochemistry techniques. The 4-ATP monolayer was characterized by cyclic voltammetry (CV), Raman spectroscopy, reflection absorption infrared (RAIR) spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Cyclic voltammetry (CV) experiments give an idea about the packing quality of the monolayer. RAIR and Raman spectra for 4-ATP modified platinum electrodes showed the characteristic adsorption bands for neat 4-ATP indicating the adsorption of 4-ATP molecules on platinum surface. The adsorption on platinum was also evidenced by the presence of sulfur and nitrogen peaks by XPS survey spectra of the modified platinum electrodes. High resolution XPS studies and RAIR spectrum for platinum electrodes modified with 4-ATP indicate that molecules are sulfur-bonded to the platinum surface. The formation of S-Pt bond suggests that ATP adsorption gives up an amino terminated SAM. Thickness of the monolayer was evaluated via angle-resolved XPS (AR-XPS) analyses. Derivatization of 4-ATP SAM was performed using 16-Br hexadecanoic acid.

Rosario-Castro, Belinda I.↗

Sub-Scale Adsorption and Compression CO2 Removal System Re-Design

This system is a re-design of NASA’s previously developed Thermally Coupled Temperature Swing Adsorption and Compression (TC-TSAC) systems, providing an air revitalization alternative to assist in the agency’s Moon to Mars exploration objectives. The system consists of two half-cycles whereby packed beds of regenerable bulk sorbents and heat cycles simultaneously adsorb and compress carbon dioxide. The team designed the adsorption and compression beds in a cylindrical shape to maximize airflow. A desiccant bed helps lower humidity and the sorbent Zeolite 13X is used to capture carbon dioxide. Both are monitored by sensors. There is a custom heater within the system that lies in the adsorption bed to regenerate the sorbent, and there is a cooler around the compression bed. The system produced for NASA modeling, experimental test results, and operational results to be able to be scaled up to 4kg CO2 removal per day. The system was found to be 1/16 scale for 1kg of CO2 removal per day. The adsorption and desorption processes were successful, however issues with making the compression bed airtight resulted in an inability to demonstrate full compression. The team provided design suggestions and alternative solutions given these results. This paper describes the final design, fabrication, assembly, and testing of the TC-TSAC re-design.

Joaquin Pesqueira↗

A simple and practical process modeling methodology for pressure swing adsorption

Although many dynamic models exist for the design and simulation of pressure swing adsorption (PSA) processes, these models involve the solution of a complex system of coupled partial differential equations. Process engineers need a simple, practical, and yet robust short-cut model that helps decide whether to implement a PSA system in a process flowsheet. This work presents a “virtual” moving bed modeling methodology that considers only mass and energy balances and adsorption isotherms to describe the cyclic steady state behavior of PSA systems. Similar to tray efficiencies in distillation calculations, adsorption efficiencies are further introduced to account for system “non-ideality.” Finally, a lab-scale air separation system is used to illustrate the application of this modeling methodology.

42 ENGINEERING↗