Transport of Carbamazepine, Ciprofloxacin and Sulfamethoxazole in Activated Carbon: Solubility and Relationships between Structure and Diffusional Parameters

The transport of carbamazepine, ciprofloxacin and sulfamethoxazole in the different pores of activated carbon in an aqueous solution is a dynamic process that is entirely dependent on the intrinsic parameters of these molecules and of the adsorbent. The macroscopic processes that take place are analyzed by interfacial diffusion and reaction models. Modeling of the experimental kinetic curves obtained following batch treatment of each solute at 2 µg/L in tap water showed (i) that the transport and sorption rates were controlled by external diffusion and intraparticle diffusion and (ii) that the effective diffusion coefficient for each solute, with the surface and pore diffusion coefficients, were linked by a linear relationship. A statistical analysis of the experimental data established correlations between the diffusional parameters and some geometrical parameters of these three molecules. Given the major discontinuities observed in the adsorption kinetics, the modeling of the experimental data required the use of traditional kinetic models, as well as a new kinetic model composed of the pseudo first or second order model and a sigmoidal expression. The predictions of this model were excellent. The solubility of each molecule below 60 °C was formulated by an empirical expression.

Chemical Vapor Deposition of Graphene on Cu-Ni Alloys: The Impact of Carbon Solubility

Chemical vapour deposition (CVD) is the most promising graphene synthesis route for film and electronic applications but the growth mechanism is still not fully understood. Herein, we investigate the role of the solubility of carbon in the underlying growth substrate on the CVD growth of graphene. A range of Cu-Ni alloys compositions that cover the carbon (C) solubility range between low C solubility (pure Cu) and high C solubility (pure Ni) were used as the catalytic growth substrates. The CVD of graphene on Cu-Ni alloys showed a transition from bilayer graphene (BLG) to few-layer graphene (FLG) at a substrate Ni concentration of 45 wt.%, which was attributed to an increase in the bulk diffusion of C. The Cu-rich alloys had a high graphene coverage (BLG) at a fast-cooling rate (367 °C/min), while the Ni-rich alloys had a low coverage (FLG) under the same cooling condition. In contrast, at slow cooling rates (27 °C/min), the Cu-rich alloys had a low coverage of graphene (BLG) and the Ni-rich alloys had a high coverage of graphene (FLG). Glow discharge optical emission spectroscopy (GDOES) was used to profile the subsurface composition, particularly the C concentration, as a function of depth.

Behavior of Al4C3 Particles During Flotation and Sedimentation in Aluminum Melts

Al4C3 particles form during the primary production of aluminum via molten salt electrolysis due to the carbon solubility and direct contact between bath, metal, and carbon anodes. Additional Al4C3 may form during melt processing through direct contact between the melt and carbonaceous materials. As a result of their small size and similar density to aluminum, removal of aluminum carbide particles can be challenging. If not removed, carbides can produce inclusion defects or poor surface condition in aluminum products. The current work studies the removal and behavior of Al4C3 particles during flotation with different gas mixtures, as well as sedimentation. The interaction between carbide particles and Al2O3 films during the melt treatment processes was also studied and reported. Factsage thermochemical software was used to model the interactions at the interface of inclusions and bubbles covered by films. The highest degree of carbide removal was obtained after flotation with an H2O-containing argon gas mixture, where the carbide concentration dropped below the measured solubility limit of carbon at the corresponding temperature. Strong interaction between Al4C3 particles and Al2O3 films was observed during sedimentation which worked as an efficient removal method for the particles. Oxidation of carbides and formation of oxycarbides were suggested as the mechanisms promoting the attachment of carbides on oxide films.

Rational Design of Binary Alloys for Catalytic Growth of Graphene via Chemical Vapor Deposition

Chemical vapor deposition is the most promising technique for the mass production of high-quality graphene, in which the metal substrate plays a crucial role in the catalytic decomposition of the carbon source, assisting the attachment of the active carbon species, and regulating the structure of the graphene film. Due to some drawbacks of single metal substrates, alloy substrates have gradually attracted attention owing to their complementarity in the catalytic growth of graphene. In this review, we focus on the rational design of binary alloys, such as Cu/Ni, Ni/Mo, and Cu/Si, to control the layer numbers and growth rate of graphene. By analyzing the elementary steps of graphene growth, general principles are summarized in terms of the catalytic activity, metal–carbon interactions, carbon solubility, and mutual miscibility. Several challenges in this field are also put forward to inspire the novel design of alloy catalysts and the synthesis of graphene films bearing desirable properties.

Investigation of the Diffusion Couple Ductile Cast Iron / Iron

Forging of ductile cast iron with pure iron by the Damascus technique, results in a new composite material. The combination of cast iron and pure iron is unusual because of its rather different properties. After forging these two materials a small diffusion zone of about 150 µm was observed. Various heat treatments at 900 °C for 2, 4 or 20 hours and 950 °C for 4 h were performed to increase the diffusion zone up to 2.4 mm. At 900 °C carbon solubility in austenite is about 1.2 wt. % and at 950 °C 1.4 wt. %. During the heat treatment carbon diffuses from cast iron into the pure iron and the diffusion gradient grows with time and temperature. Furthermore, the samples were air cooled or water quenched. In the ductile cast iron, graphite nodules are surrounded by ferrite. During the heat treatment graphite is dissolved and pores are observed. In the diffusion gradient layer, a broad range of microstructures observed in hyper- and hypoeutectoid steels could be found. The microstructures were revealed by different etchants and moreover, hardness measurements were performed.

Fluid-mediated carbon release by infiltration of serpentinite dehydration fluids during subduction: insights from thermodynamic models of serpentinite-hosted carbonate rocks

<p>Serpentinites can significantly modulate the carbon fluxes in subduction zones because they occasionally host substantial concentrations of carbonate formed during the oceanic stage of subducting oceanic lithosphere (ophicalcite; [1]) or during metasomatic reaction with CO<sub>2</sub>-bearing fluids at the subduction plate interface (e.g. hybrid carbonate–talc rocks; [2]). At subarc depth, fluid-mediated carbon release from lithologies like serpentinite-hosted carbonates is critical to understand the global carbon balance and magnitude of carbon fluxes from the subducting plate into the deep mantle. However, the solubility of carbon and the open-system metasomatic reactions during fluid-rock interactions in carbonated serpentinites at high P are not fully understood. In line with previous studies of prograde devolatilization [3], newer models show that the carbon release during prograde devolatilization reactions of serpentinite-hosted carbonate rocks is limited even if accounting for the higher carbon solubility of electrolytic fluids compared to molecular fluid models [4]. Therefore, devolatilization reactions driven by infiltration of Atg-serpentinite dehydration fluids into serpentinite-hosted meta-carbonate rocks determines how much carbon in the mantle lithosphere subducts deep into the mantle. Here we present the results of thermodynamic modelling – using the implementation of the DEW aqueous database in Perple_X [5] – to explore subduction fluid compositions and metasomatism of serpentinite-hosted carbonate rocks during prograde and infiltration-driven devolatilization reactions. The chemical system of serpentinite + carbonate is ideal to understand the interplay of changes in fluid composition, pH, bulk chemical modification and mineral assemblage during open-system fluid infiltration metamorphism. Our models provide new insights into the interaction of carbon-bearing subduction fluids with the cold hydrated mantle wedge, and the carbon release from serpentinite-hosted carbonates related to infiltration of serpentinite dehydration fluids at subarc depths. Our results further show that even though high fluid fluxes from serpentinite dehydration will transform meta-ophicalcites and talc-carbonate rocks into carbonate-garnet-clinopyroxene-olivine rocks and carbon-bearing orthopyroxenites, these rocks can subduct carbon beyond subarc depths into the deeper mantle where they may be related to the formation of deep diamonds, carbonatites and kimberlites.</p><p>REFERENCES</p><p>[1] Menzel et al., 2019, JMG 37, 681– 715.</p><p>[2] Spandler et al., 2008, CMP 155, 181-198.</p><p>[3] Kerrick & Connolly, 1998, Geology 26, 375-378.</p><p>[4] Menzel et al., 2020, EPSL 531.</p><p>[5] Connolly & Galvez, 2018, EPSL 501, 90-102.</p>