Qualitative Analysis of Nitrogen and Sulfur Compounds in Vacuum Gas Oils via Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry.

Analysis of the heavy fractions in crude oil has been important in petroleum industries. It is well known that heavy fractions such as vacuum gas oils (VGOs) include heteroatoms, of which sulfur and nitrogen are often characterized in many cases. We conducted research regarding the molecular species analysis of VGOs. Further refine processes using VGOs are becoming important when considering carbon recycling. In this work, we attempted to classify compounds within VGOs provided by Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research. Two VGOs were priorly distillated from Kuwait Export crude and Lower Fars crude. Quantitative analysis was performed mainly using matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOFMS). MALDI-TOF-MS has been developed for analyzing high-molecular-weight compounds such as polymer and biopolymers. As matrix selection is one of the most important aspects in MALDI-TOFMS, the careful selection of a matrix was firstly evaluated, followed by analysis using a Kendrick plot with nominal mass series (z*). The objective was to evaluate if this work could provide an effective classification of VGOs compounds. The Kendrick plot is a well-known method for processing mass data. The difference in the Kendrick mass defect (KMD) between CnH2n-14S and CnH2n-20O is only 0.0005 mass units, which makes it difficult in general to distinguish these compounds. However, since the z* value showed effective differences during the classification of these compounds, qualitative analysis could be possible. The analysis using nominal mass series showed the potential to be used as an effective method in analyzing heavy fractions.

Frequency-Selective, Multi-Channel, Self-Powered Artificial Basilar Membrane Sensor with a Spiral Shape and 24 Critical Bands Inspired by the Human Cochlea.

A spiral-artificial basilar membrane (S-ABM) sensor is reported that mimics the basilar membrane (BM) of the human cochlea and can detect sound by separating it into 24 sensing channels based on the frequency band. For this, an analytical function is proposed to design the width of the BM so that the frequency bands are linearly located along the length of the BM. To fabricate the S-ABM sensor, a spiral-shaped polyimide film is used as a vibrating membrane, with maximum displacement at locations corresponding to specific frequency bands of sound, and attach piezoelectric sensor modules made of poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene) film on top of the polyimide film to measure the vibration amplitude at each channel location. As the result, the S-ABM sensor implements a characteristic frequency band of 96-12,821 Hz and 24-independent critical bands. Using real-time signals from discriminate channels, it is demonstrated that the sensor can rapidly identify the operational noises from equipment processes as well as vehicle sounds from environmental noises on the road. The sensor can be used in a variety of applications, including speech recognition, dangerous situation recognition, hearing aids, and cochlear implants, and more.

Effective Removal of Acetaldehyde Using Piperazine/Nitric Acid Co-Impregnated Bead-Type Activated Carbon.

Acetaldehyde (CH3CHO) in the atmosphere is associated with adverse health effects. Among the various options for use in removing CH3CHO, adsorption is often employed because of its convenient application and economical processes, particularly when using activated carbon. In previous studies, the surface of activated carbon has been modified with amines to remove CH3CHO from the atmosphere via adsorption. However, these materials are toxic and can have harmful effects on humans when the modified activated carbon is used in air-purifier filters. Therefore, in this study, a customized bead-type activated carbon (BAC) with surface modification options via amination was evaluated for removing CH3CHO. Various amounts of non-toxic piperazine or piperazine/nitric acid were used in amination. Chemical and physical analyses of the surface-modified BAC samples were performed using Brunauer-Emmett-Teller measurements, elemental analyses, and Fourier transform infrared and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The chemical structures on the surfaces of the modified BACs were analyzed in detail using X-ray absorption spectroscopy. The amine and carboxylic acid groups on the surfaces of the modified BACs are critical in CH3CHO adsorption. Notably, piperazine amination decreased the pore size and volume of the modified BAC, but piperazine/nitric acid impregnation maintained the pore size and volume of the modified BAC. In terms of CH3CHO adsorption, piperazine/nitric acid impregnation resulted in a superior performance, with greater chemical adsorption. The linkages between the amine and carboxylic acid groups may function differently in piperazine amination and piperazine/nitric acid treatment.

Study on the applicability of pressurized physically activated carbon as an adsorbent in adsorption heat pumps.

Activated carbon is a suitable adsorbent for adsorption heat pumps (AHPs) with ethanol refrigerants. Although chemically activated carbon with highly developed pore structures exhibits good ethanol adsorption, the associated high production costs inhibit its practical application as an AHP adsorbent. Moreover, although physical activation can produce inexpensive activated carbon, the limited pore development limits the ethanol uptake. Recently, we developed a pressurized physical activation method that can produce activated carbon with a well-developed pore structure and characteristic pore size distribution. In this study, we investigated the applicability of the pressurized physically activated carbon as an adsorbent in activated carbon-ethanol AHP systems. Because of the large number of pressurization-induced pores of appropriate size, the pressurized physically activated carbon showed effective ethanol uptake comparable with that of chemically activated carbon on a weight basis. Furthermore, on a volume basis, the pressurized physically activated carbon, with a high bulk density, showed much higher effective ethanol uptake than chemically activated carbon. These results confirm the potential of the pressurized physically activated carbon as a relatively inexpensive high-performance adsorbent for AHP systems with ethanol refrigerants.

Preparation of Isotropic Carbon Fibers from Kerosene-Purified Coal Tar Pitch by Co-Carbonization with Pyrolysis Fuel Oil.

An inexpensive and general-purpose carbon fiber was prepared using coal tar pitch. In contrast to the solvent extraction process employing expensive solvents, a low-cost centrifugal separation method facilitated the reduction of loss due to the pitch purification and an overall yield increase. The coal tar pitch purified by centrifugation and subsequently co-carbonized with pyrolysis fuel oil improved in spinnability. Moreover, the resulting spinnable pitch had a softening point of 250 °C. The obtained carbon fibers were heat-treated at 1000 °C for 5 min, resulting in a tensile strength of approximately 1000 MPa and an average diameter of 9 µm. In this study, we present an effective method for obtaining low-cost general-purpose isotropic carbon fibers.

Highly Chlorinated Polyvinyl Chloride as a Novel Precursor for Fibrous Carbon Material.

Pure, highly chlorinated polyvinyl chloride (CPVC), with a 63 wt % of chlorine, showed a unique-thermal-pyrolytic-phenomenon that meant it could be converted to carbon material through solid-phase carbonisation rather than liquid-phase carbonisation. The CPVC began to decompose at 270 °C, with a rapid loss in mass due to dehydrochlorination and novel aromatisation and polycondensation up to 400 °C. In this study, we attempted to prepare carbon fibre (CF) without oxidative stabilisation, using the aforementioned CPVC as a novel precursor. Through the processes of solution spinning and solid-state carbonisation, the spun CPVC fibre was directly converted to CF, with a carbonisation yield of 26.2 wt %. The CPVC-derived CF exhibited a relatively smooth surface; however, it still demonstrated a low mechanical performance. This was because the spun fibre was not stretched during the heat treatment. Tensile strength, Young's modulus and elongation values of 590 ± 84 MPa, 50 ± 8 GPa, and 1.2 ± 0.2%, respectively, were obtained from the CPVC spun fibre, with an average diameter of 19.4 µm, following carbonisation at 1600 °C for 5 min.

Effects of the Hydrophobicity of Key Residues on the Characteristics and Stability of Glucose Oxidase on a Graphene Surface.

Glucose oxidase (GOx) is one of the most widely investigated enzymes in the field of bioelectrochemistry. It is mainly used for the detection of glucose in solutions and enzyme-based biofuel cells. On the basis of the combination of GOx with graphene, novel nanodevices exceeding conventional limits can be developed. To develop a hybrid enzyme-graphene nanodevice with a good performance, it is important that GOx is deposited well on the graphene surface while maintaining its structure and not impeding the oxidation activity of the GOx. In this study, we propose a method to improve the stability of GOx and secure its immobility on the graphene sheet and its glucose-binding affinity by single-point mutation of GOx using molecular dynamics simulations. We confirm that the structural stability, immobility, and substrate binding affinity of GOx can be modified by changing the hydrophobicity of a key residue. We demonstrate that biosensors or biofuel cells can be redesigned and their properties can be improved by using molecular dynamics simulation.

Evolution of Phosphorus-Containing Groups on Activated Carbons during Heat Treatment.

Two types of activated carbons have been prepared by H3PO4 activation of lignocellulose and by H3PO4 modification of activated carbon, and then heat-treated at temperatures from 400 to 900 °C in an atmosphere of N2 or H2 to investigate the evolution of phosphorus-containing groups. Elemental analysis, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, 31P nuclear magnetic resonance, nitrogen adsorption, and scanning electron microscopy have been used to analyze the physicochemical properties of the activated carbons. The results show that C-O-P linkages of phosphorus-containing groups can progressively evolve into C-P-O, C3-P═O, C3-P, and eventually elemental phosphorus as a result of heat treatment. Phosphate-like groups are much more thermally stable in an N2 than in an H2 atmosphere. In N2, C-O-P linkages significantly evolve into C-P-O and C3-P═O at up to 800 °C, whereas C3-P linkages are not formed even at 900 °C. In H2, the corresponding evolution remarkably occurs at 500 °C, forming C3-P linkages and eventually elemental phosphorus. Moreover, the two activated carbons exhibit different evolution trends, suggesting that the evolution happens more easily for phosphorus-containing groups located on the edges of graphite-like crystallites than those in the lattice. Finally, we propose different evolution pathways of phosphorus-containing groups upon heat treatment in N2 and H2 atmospheres.

Fast Water Relaxation through One-Dimensional Channels by Rapid Energy Transfer.

Water in carbon nanotubes is surrounded by hydrophobic carbon surfaces and shows anomalous structural and fast transport properties. However, the dynamics of water in hydrophobic nanospaces is only phenomenologically understood. In this study, water dynamics in hydrophobic carbon nanotubes is evaluated based on water relaxation using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and molecular dynamics simulations. Extremely fast relaxation (0.001 s) of water confined in carbon nanotubes of 1 nm in diameter on average is observed; the relaxation times of water confined in carbon nanotubes with an average diameter of 2 nm (0.40 s) is similar to that of bulk water (0.44 s). The extremely fast relaxation time of water confined in carbon nanotubes with an average diameter of 1 nm is a result of frequent energy transfer between water and carbon surfaces. Water relaxation in carbon nanotubes of average diameter 2 nm is slow because of the limited number of collisions between water molecules. The dynamics of interfacial water can therefore be controlled by varying the size of the hydrophobic nanospace.

Methanol-Tolerant Platinum-Palladium Catalyst Supported on Nitrogen-Doped Carbon Nanofiber for High Concentration Direct Methanol Fuel Cells.

Pt-Pd catalyst supported on nitrogen-doped carbon nanofiber (N-CNF) was prepared and evaluated as a cathode electrode of the direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC). The N-CNF, which was directly synthesized by the catalytic chemical vapor deposition from acetonitrile at 640 °C, was verified as having a change of electrochemical surface properties such as oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activities and the electrochemical double layer compared with common carbon black (CB). To attain the competitive oxygen reduction reaction activity with methanol tolerance, the Pt and Pd metals were supported on the CB or the N-CNF. The physical and electrochemical characteristics of the N-CNF-supported Pt-Pd catalyst were examined and compared with catalyst supported on the CB. In addition, DMFC single cells using these catalysts as the cathode electrode were applied to obtain I-V polarization curves and constant current operating performances with high-concentration methanol as the fuel. Pt-Pd catalysts had obvious ORR activity even in the presence of methanol. The higher power density was obtained at all the methanol concentrations when it applied to the membrane electrode assembly (MEA) of the DMFC. When the N-CNF is used as the catalyst support material, a better performance with high-concentration methanol is expected.

Formation of single-layered Pt islands on Au(111) using irreversible adsorption of Pt and selective adsorption of CO to Pt.

This communication compares two different multiple deposition routes of Pt on Au(111), using irreversible adsorption of Pt precursor ions and selective adsorption of CO. A scanning tunneling microscopy study revealed that the conventional route, not utilizing CO, produced multiple-layered Pt cluster islands, while the CO route, employing CO, formed single-layered Pt islands exclusively. The role of CO selectively adsorbed on pre-existing Pt islands was to prevent additional irreversible adsorption of Pt precursor ions onto Pt islands. Cyclic voltammetric works disclosed that the CO and hydrogen coverages on single-layered Pt islands were higher than those on multiple-layered ones, and that the Pt islands on Au were more effective in adsorbing CO than hydrogen.

Chemoselective hydrogenation of functionalized nitroarenes and imines by using carbon nanofiber-supported iridium nanoparticles.

The reaction of three types of carbon nanofibers (CNFs; platelet: CNF-P, tubular: CNF-T, herringbone: CNF-H) with Ir4(CO)12 in mesitylene at 165 °C provided the corresponding CNF-supported iridium nanoparticles, Ir/CNFs (Ir content=2.3-2.6 wt.%). Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) studies of these Ir/CNF samples revealed that size-controlled Ir nanoparticles (average particle size of 1.1-1.5 nm) existed on the CNFs. Among the three Ir/CNF samples, Ir/CNF-T showed an excellent catalytic activity and chemoselectivity towards hydrogenation of functionalized nitroarenes and imines; the corresponding aniline derivatives were obtained with high turnover numbers at ambient temperature under 10 tm of H2 , and the catalyst is reusable. Ir/CNF-T was also effective for the reductive N-alkylation of anilines with carbonyl compounds.

Hollow fibers networked with perovskite nanoparticles for H2 production from heavy oil.

Design of catalytic materials has been highlighted to build ultraclean use of heavy oil including liquid-to-gas technology to directly convert heavy hydrocarbons into H2-rich gas fuels. If the H2 is produced from such heavy oil through high-active and durable catalysts in reforming process that is being constructed in hydrogen infrastructure, it will be addressed into renewable energy systems. Herein, the three different hollow fiber catalysts networked with perovskite nanoparticles, LaCr(0.8)Ru(0.2)O3, LaCr(0.8)Ru(0.1)Ni(0.1)O3, and LaCr(0.8)Ni(0.2)O3 were prepared by using activated carbon fiber as a sacrificial template for H2 production from heavy gas oil reforming. The most important findings were arrived at: (i) catalysts had hollow fibrous architectures with well-crystallized structures, (ii) hollow fibers had a high specific surface area with a particle size of ≈50 nm, and (iii) the Ru substituted ones showed high efficiency for H2 production with substantial durability under high concentrations of S, N, and aromatic compounds.

Toward an effective adsorbent for polar pollutants: formaldehyde adsorption by activated carbon.

Due to increasing concerns about environmental pollutants, the development of an effective adsorbent or sensitive sensor has been pursued in recent years. Diverse porous materials have been selected as promising candidates for detecting and removing harmful materials, but the most appropriate pore structure and surface functional groups, both important factors for effective adsorbency, have not yet been fully elucidated. In particular, there is limited information relating to the use of activated carbon materials for effective adsorbent of specific pollutants. Here, the pore structure and surface functionality of polyacrylonitrile-based activated carbon fibers were investigated to develop an efficient adsorbent for polar pollutants. The effect of pore structure and surface functional groups on removal capability was investigated. The activated carbons with higher nitrogen content show a great ability to absorb formaldehyde because of their increased affinity with polar pollutants. In particular, nitrogen functional groups that neighbor oxygen atoms play an important role in maximizing adsorption capability. However, because there is also a similar increase in water affinity in adsorbents with polar functional groups, there is a considerable decrease in adsorption ability under humid conditions because of preferential adsorption of water to adsorbents. Therefore, it can be concluded that pore structures, surface functional groups and the water affinity of any adsorbent should be considered together to develop an effective and practical adsorbent for polar pollutants. These studies can provide vital information for developing porous materials for efficient adsorbents, especially for polar pollutants.

Pt nanoparticle-reduced graphene oxide nanohybrid for proton exchange membrane fuel cells.

A platinum nanoparticle-reduced graphene oxide (Pt-RGO) nanohybrid for proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) application was successfully prepared. The Pt nanoparticles (Pt NPs) were deposited onto chemically converted graphene nanosheets via ethylene glycol (EG) reduction. According to the powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis, the face-centered cubic Pt NPs (3-5 nm in diameter) were homogeneously dispersed on the RGO nanosheets. The electrochemically active surface area and PEMFC power density of the Pt-RGO nanohybrid were determined to be 33.26 m2/g and 480 mW/cm2 (maximum values), respectively, at 75 degrees C and at a relative humidity (RH) of 100% in a single-cell test experiment.

Synthesis of silicon monoxide-pyrolytic carbon-carbon nanofiber composites and their hybridization with natural graphite as a means of improving the anodic performance of lithium-ion batteries.

Novel composites of silicon monoxide, pyrolytic carbon and carbon nanofiber (SiO/PyC/CNF) were hybridized with natural graphite (NG) as a means of improving the anodic performance of Li-ion batteries. Samples were made with hybridization levels of 10-30 wt% of NG exhibited excellent cyclability with a discharge capacity of 389-522 mAh g(-1) in a Li-ion battery system. SiO/PyC/CNF composite hybrids showed better cyclability than other carbon composites containing SiO/PyC and SiO/CNF. These hybridization effects were attributed to the lower contact resistance of SiO/PyC/CNF in the electrode. The internal spaces created throughout the SiO/PyC/CNF composite and their effect on material dispersion in the hybridized electrodes may have prevented electrode damage by relieving tensions induced by the expansion of SiO particles in the electrode over the course of repeated charge and discharge processes.

Structure and electrochemical applications of boron-doped graphitized carbon nanofibers.

Boron-doped graphitized carbon nanofibers (CNFs) were prepared by optimizing CNFs preparation, surface treatment, graphitization and boron-added graphitization. The interlayer spacing (d002) of the boron-doped graphitized CNFs reached 3.356 Å, similar to that of single-crystal graphite. Special platelet CNFs (PCNFs), for which d002 is less than 3.400 Å, were selected for further heat treatment. The first heat treatment of PCNFs at 2800 °C yielded a d002 between 3.357 and 3.365 Å. Successive nitric acid treatment and a second heat treatment with boric acid reduced d002 to 3.356 Å. The resulting boron-doped PCNFs exhibited a high discharge capacity of 338 mAh g⁻¹ between 0 and 0.5 V versus Li/Li⁺ and 368 mAh g⁻¹ between 0 and 1.5 V versus Li/Li⁺. The first-cycle Coulombic efficiency was also enhanced to 71-80%. Such capacity is comparable to that of natural graphite under the same charge/discharge conditions. The boron-doped PCNFs also exhibited improved rate performance with twice the capacity of boron-doped natural graphite at a discharge rate of 5 C.

High magnetic field solid-state NMR analyses by combining MAS, MQ-MAS, homo-nuclear and hetero-nuclear correlation experiments.

A general strategy of structural analysis of alumina silicate by combining various solid-state NMR measurements such as single pulse, multi-quantum magic angle spinning, double-quantum homo-nuclear correlation under magic angle spinning (DQ-MAS), and cross-polarization hetero-nuclear correlation (CP-HETCOR) was evaluated with the aid of high magnetic field NMR (800 MHz for (1) H Larmor frequency) by using anorthite as a model material. The high magnetic field greatly enhanced resolution of (27) Al in single pulse, DQ-MAS, and even in triple-quantum magic angle spinning NMR spectra. The spatial proximities through dipolar couplings were probed by the DQ-MAS methods for homo-nuclear correlations between both (27) Al-(27) Al and (29) Si-(29) Si and by CP-HETCOR for hetero-nuclear correlations between (27) Al-(29) Si in the anorthite framework. By combining various NMR methodologies, we elucidated detailed spatial correlations among various aluminum and silicon species in anorthite that was hard to be determined using conventional analytical methods at low magnetic field. Moreover, the presented approach is applicable to analyze other alumina-silicate minerals.

IVS6+5G>A found in Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome and X-linked thrombocytopenia in a Korean family.

Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome (WAS) and X-linked thrombocytopenia (XLT) are caused by a mutation in the WAS gene on Xp11.22. We report two patients with IVS6+5G>A of WAS in a Korean family. The proband presented with classic WAS, whereas his maternal cousin had symptoms limited to XLT. Their mothers were proved to be carriers. The IVS6+5G>A mutation was reported to result in incomplete splicing of the donor site and typically associated with mild form of disease, XLT. Our observation of the intrafamilial variability of clinical manifestations of WAS further expands the genotype-phenotype correlations and suggests the presence of modifying genetic factors.