A novel positively charged membrane based on polyamide thin-film composite made by cross-linking for nanofiltration.

In this paper, a novel positively charged membrane was prepared through interfacial polymerization technique between polyethyleneimine in aqueous phase and trimesoyl chloride in organic phase. Next, cross-linking of polyamide (PA) layer using ρ-xylylene dichloride (XDC) and glutaraldehyde (GA) was studied. The influences of cross-linking concentrations on the separation and permeation performance of membrane were also investigated. Membranes were characterized in terms of their chemical structure, the cross-sectional and surface morphologies, contact angles, molecular weight cut-off (MWCO) and effect of pH feed solution. The salt rejection sequence of CaCl2 >NaCl > Na2SO4 showed a positive charge at the membrane surface after cross-linking reaction. The MWCO of primary PA membrane decreased from 1,135 to 775 and 885 Da for XDC and GA, respectively. XDC membrane shows highest CaCl2 divalent cationic rejection (95.5%) and lowest water flux (21.1 L/m(2).h). This study illustrates a promising method for fabrication of positively charged membrane in cation separation.

Preparation, characterisation and thermal properties of calcium alginate/n-nonadecane microcapsules fabricated by electro-coextrusion for thermo-regulating textiles.

The objective of this study is to develop a new technique for producing a phase change material (PCM) loaded biopolymer capsule for thermo-regulating textiles. Electro-coextrusion process fabricated a series of microencapsulated phase change material (MEPCM) based on n-nonadecane core and alginate shell. The influence of the flow rate ratio of the shell/core on the formation, encapsulation efficiency and thermal behaviour of a microencapsulated PCM has been investigated. The MEPCM was characterised using optical microscopy and differential scanning calorimetry (DCS). The size and the encapsulation efficiency of a capsule decreased as the flow rate ratio of the shell/core increased. The PCM microcapsules contained 56-84% n-nonadecane and the size range from 200 to 400 µm, as evaluated by DSC and optical microscopy, respectively. The experimental results show that the electro-coextrusion method has a potential technology for the encapsulation of PCMs for thermal storage.

Canonical Monte Carlo simulation of adsorption of O2 and N2 mixture on single walled carbon nanotube at different temperatures and pressures.

Adsorption of pure and mixtures of O(2) and N(2) on isolated single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) have been investigated at the subcritical (77 K) and different supercritical (273, 293, and 313 K) temperatures for the pressure range between 1 and 31 MPa using (N,V,T) Monte Carlo simulation. Both O(2) and N(2) gravimetric storage capacity exhibit similar behaviors, gas adsorption is higher on outer surface of tube, compared to the inner surface. Results are consistent with the experimental adsorption measurements. All adsorption isotherms for pure and mixture of O(2) and N(2) are characterized by type I (Langmuir shape), indicating enhanced solid-fluid interactions. Comparative studies reveal that, under identical conditions, O(2) adsorption is higher than N(2) adsorption, due to the adsorbate structure. Excess amount of O(2) and N(2) adsorption reach to a maximum at each temperature and specified pressure which can be suggested an optimum pressure for O(2) and N(2) storage. In addition, adsorptions of O(2) and N(2) mixtures have been investigated in two different compositions: (i) an equimolar gas mixture and (ii) air composition. Also, selectivity of nanotube to adsorption of O(2) and N(2) gases has been calculated for air composition at ambient condition.