From tar sands to synthetic crude: Applications of microscopy

Author(s):  
R.J. Mikula ◽  
V.A. Munoz

The production of synthetic crude oil from tar sands is a complex process involving initial separation of the bitumen from the sand via the hot water process, separation of the bitumen from the water and finally coking of the residual bitumen to maximize the yield of crude oil. Many of the processing concerns center around decreasing the amount of water and clay which is carried with the bitumen product and decreasing the amount of bitumen which is carried with the water, sand and clay tailings. The crude oil yield in the final coking step is then dependent upon the efficiency of these preliminary steps as well as the coking conditions.Both electron and optical microscopy have important applications in understanding these systems. Direct observation of frozen hydrated samples in the electron microscope has been utilized for evaluation of both the size distribution of the dispersed phase and the chemical composition.

2019 ◽  
Vol 2 (98) ◽  
pp. 81-84
Author(s):  
K. Szmajnta ◽  
M. Szindler

Purpose: The main purpose of this publication is to bring closer method of synthesis and examining basic properties of TiO2, ZnO and NiO nanoparticles (NPs), and investigate their possible biomedical application. Design/methodology/approach: Nanopowders were made with sol-gel method. Surface morphology studies of the obtained materials were made using Zeiss's Supra 35 scanning electron microscope and the structure using S/TEM TITAN 80-300 transmission electron microscope. In order to confirm the chemical composition of observed nanopowders, qualitative tests were performed by means of spectroscopy of scattered X -ray energy using the Energy Dispersive Spectrometer (EDS). The DLS (Dynamic Light Scattering) method was used to analyse the particle size distribution using the AntonPaar Litesizer 500 nanoparticle size analyser. Changes in particle size distribution at elevated temperatures were also observed. The TiO2, ZnO and NiO NPs with spherical shape were successfully produced by sol-gel method. Findings: The diameter of the as prepared nanoparticles does not exceed 25 nm which is confirmed by the TEM analysis. The highest proportion among the agglomerates of the nanoparticles has been shown to show those with a diameter of 80 to 125 nm. The qualitative analysis of EDS confirmed the chemical composition of the material. Practical implications: Nanoparticles (NPs) has been receiving an incrementally increasing interest within biomedical fields researchers. Nanoparticles properties (physical, chemical, mechanical, optical, electrical, magnetic, etc.) are different from the properties of their counterparts with a larger particle size. Originality/value: The nanoparticles were prepared using sol-gel method which allows the particle size to be controlled in a simple way.


2016 ◽  
pp. 3287-3297
Author(s):  
Tarek El Ashram ◽  
Ana P. Carapeto ◽  
Ana M. Botelho do Rego

Tin-bismuth alloy ribbons were produced using melt-spinning technique. The two main surfaces (in contact with the rotating wheel and exposed to the air) were characterized with Optical Microscopy and AFM, revealing that the surface exposed to the air is duller (due to a long-range heterogeneity) than the opposite surface. Also the XPS chemical composition revealed many differences between them both on the corrosion extension and on the total relative amounts of tin and bismuth. For instance, for the specific case of an alloy with a composition Bi-4 wt % Sn, the XPS atomic ratios Sn/Bi are 1.1 and 3.7 for the surface in contact with the rotating wheel and for the one exposed to air, respectively, showing, additionally, that a large segregation of tin at the surface exists (nominal ratio should be 0.073). This segregation was interpreted as the result of the electrochemical process yielding the corrosion products.


Author(s):  
J R Santos-Mallet ◽  
T D Balthazar ◽  
A A Oliveira ◽  
W A Marques ◽  
A Q Bastos ◽  
...  

Abstract The aim of the present study was to describe the morphology of the eggs of Culex (Culex) saltanensis Dyar that occurs in the Neotropical region. Eggs of the Cx. (Cux.) saltanensis were collected at the Mata Atlântica FIOCRUZ campus, fixed in 1% osmium tetroxide, prepared for mounting on metal supports, observed under a scanning electron microscope, and described morphologically. The eggs had a coniform shape with a length of approximately 0.5 mm (505–510 µm) and a width in the median portion of 117 µm (113–123 µm). Upper portion is lined with tubers of irregular shape and varying sizes (0.64–1.31 µm), located on a cross-linked matrix forming bands observed under optical microscopy. The micropyle is encased in a necklace of approximately 6.6-µm plates arranged in a flower-like shape. Comparing Cx. (Cux.) saltanensis eggs with several species of different genera, important divergent characteristics can be observed. However, this study points to the need for new descriptions of eggs of species belonging to the same subgenus in order to analyze if there will be differences between them. Culex (Cux.) saltanensis eggs have particular characteristics not observed in eggs of other Culicidae genera.


2011 ◽  
Vol 45 (6) ◽  
pp. 1251-1258 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jianjun Li ◽  
Gehui Wang ◽  
Bianhong Zhou ◽  
Chunlei Cheng ◽  
Junji Cao ◽  
...  

2014 ◽  
Vol 98 ◽  
pp. 271-282 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yolanda González-Castanedo ◽  
Teresa Moreno ◽  
Rocío Fernández-Camacho ◽  
Ana María Sánchez de la Campa ◽  
Andrés Alastuey ◽  
...  

2011 ◽  
Vol 415-417 ◽  
pp. 1265-1272
Author(s):  
Wen Biao Zhang ◽  
Wen Zhu Li ◽  
Bing Song Zheng

Miscanthus is a highly productive, rhizomatous, C4 perennial grass that should be considered as an excellent active carbon precursor. This paper compares the charcoal characterization and chemical composition between M. sinensis and M. floridulus. Species differed in water content, hot water extract, 1% NaOH extract, organic solvent extract, cellulose, lignin and ash. Carbonization temperatures have effects on charcoal yields of Miscanthus, which ranged from 23.5% to 48.0% for M. sinensis and 11.3% to 37.2% for M. floridulus. Water content, charcoal density, pH value, and specific surface area of charcoal characterization varied between two species of Miscanthus. The specific surface area increased with the increase of carbonization temperature. The highest specific surface area of M. sinensis and M. floridulus was 351.74 m2g−1and 352.74 m2g−1, respectively, when the carbonization temperature was 800°C.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document