Process Parameters Optimization, Characterization, and Application of KOH-Activated Norway Spruce Bark Graphitic Biochars for Efficient Azo Dye Adsorption

In this work, Norway spruce bark was used as a precursor to prepare activated biochars (BCs) via chemical activation with potassium hydroxide (KOH) as a chemical activator. A Box–Behnken design (BBD) was conducted to evaluate and identify the optimal conditions to reach high specific surface area and high mass yield of BC samples. The studied BC preparation parameters and their levels were as follows: pyrolysis temperature (700, 800, and 900 °C), holding time (1, 2, and 3 h), and ratio of the biomass: chemical activator of 1: 1, 1.5, and 2. The planned BBD yielded BC with extremely high SSA values, up to 2209 m2·g−1. In addition, the BCs were physiochemically characterized, and the results indicated that the BCs exhibited disordered carbon structures and presented a high quantity of O-bearing functional groups on their surfaces, which might improve their adsorption performance towards organic pollutant removal. The BC with the highest SSA value was then employed as an adsorbent to remove Evans blue dye (EB) and colorful effluents. The kinetic study followed a general-order (GO) model, as the most suitable model to describe the experimental data, while the Redlich–Peterson model fitted the equilibrium data better. The EB adsorption capacity was 396.1 mg·g−1. The employment of the BC in the treatment of synthetic effluents, with several dyes and other organic and inorganic compounds, returned a high percentage of removal degree up to 87.7%. Desorption and cyclability tests showed that the biochar can be efficiently regenerated, maintaining an adsorption capacity of 75% after 4 adsorption–desorption cycles. The results of this work pointed out that Norway spruce bark indeed is a promising precursor for producing biochars with very promising properties.

A Novel Epoxy Resin Composition as a Lost Circulation Material: Formulation, Lab Testing and Field Execution

The novel resin composition described in this paper has been designed to treat moderate to severe losses. The resin composition comprises an epoxy resin and a chemical activator that undergo a polymerization reaction without any addition of water. The polymerization was designed to delay and successfully controlled to gel up and form the target resin composition after the fluid goes inside the wellbore. This is very important to avoid early setting of the fluid. The objective of this paper is to discuss the formulation of epoxy resin as a lost circulation material and also detail the lab testing and field execution. In this study, we used two different epoxy resins to study the development of the novel loss circulation material. One contains two epoxy groups and the other contains only one epoxy group. Two different chemical activators have been used in this study as well; each of them differs in the number of amine groups and geometry. The effect of these differences on the polymerization in terms of time and properties were investigated. In addition, the effect of the chemical activator concertation on the setting time of the resin composition was investigated to accomplish a controlled and a delayed polymerization. Also, the chemical conditions were evaluated to simulate a variety of downhole conditions to prove the effectiveness of this novel resin composition as a loss circulation treatment. The lab testing includes thickening time measurements. The novel resin composition is designed to have a controlled thickening time under a variety of downhole conditions. This is important to have an accurate placement of the fluid inside the wellbore; thus, avoiding an early setting of the fluid. We found that the thickening time of the resin composition can be controlled by mainly varying the concertation of the chemical activator. We found as well that changing the type of epoxy resin or chemical activator produce different gelling time and properties. We designed the loss circulation composition to provide a predictable and controlled pumping time. This novel resin composition can remain in a liquid phase from a few minutes to several hours based on the desired conditions. This is favorable in order to have an accurate placement of the fluid inside the wellbore over a predictable and controlled period of time. The final and target resin composition, will appear and gel as a solid thereby preventing loss circulation. The resin was pumped from the BHA in a single stage which helped mitigate and reduce the dynamic losses from 260 bbl./hr. to 200 bbl./hr. using only 25 bbls and eventually to zero.

Mechanism on Activation of Coal Gangue Admixture

Coal gangue, an industrial waste, is rich in silicon and aluminum phase and may be used as a mineral admixture in concrete after moderately stimulating activity, allowing for efficient solid waste utilization. This study used a mortar strength and activity evaluation method to investigate single or compound activation methods to find the optimum activation method of coal gangue. FLIR, XRD, and SEM were used to investigate the activation mechanism of different modes, providing a theoretical foundation for the study of coal gangue as a concrete admixture. Results showed that mechanical ball milling, microwave, and chemical activator could activate coal gangue, and the composite activation effect was the best. The fineness of the coal gangue powder was more than 300 mesh, according to the optimal compounding method. Accordingly, the particle surface was smooth, the internal defects were reduced, and the microwave irradiation temperature was 700°C–800°C, causing the coal gangue particles to form a bonding surface and gradually agglutinate and densify. Meanwhile, the layered structure of kaolin minerals was destroyed, and a significant amount of glassy active SiO2 and Al2O3 was produced, enhancing the gel ability and activity of coal gangue. Finally, 8% Ca(OH)2 was added in the production of mortar specimens, which increased the alkalinity of the slurry, stimulated the rapid cracking and secondary hydration of the coal gangue, and enhanced the strength of mortar. At this time, the activity rate of coal gangue powder reached the highest, which was 90.5%.

Kajian Pengaruh Temperatur Sintering terhadap Peningkatan Derajat Kristalinitas Karbon dari Limbah Kulit Kemiri

Allotropes of carbon has advantages in the ability to intercalate ions, atoms or molecules that potentially to apply in various technological applications. Graphite one of allotrope carbon which has well intercalation and ion transport capabilities. In case, the synthesis of activated carbon made from candlenut shell was carried out with carbonization temperatures at 700C and used a chemical activator in form of 30% KOH. After the activation process, given the sintering treatment for activating carbon with temperature of 950C and 1000C, respectively, which this process is expected to increase the crystalline phase of activated carbon close to the graphite phase. The result showed that dominantion of the structures were amorphous, with varying degrees of crystallinity ranging 35.23% and 35.44%, respectively, and the degrees of graphitization 36% and 37% for the vertical and horizontal directions, respectively. The treatment of the sintering process with a temperature of 1000C has the highest degree of crystallinity, 35.44%. This indicates that the sintering process has an effect on the activated carbon

Nanosilica-Based Loss Circulation Composition to Cure Moderate to Severe Losses

The loss circulation composition comprising a combination of a nanoparticle-based dispersion and a chemical activator has been designed to treat moderate to severe losses. The nanomaterial used is an environmentally friendly nanosilica-based dispersion. The composition is designed to give delayed gelling of the nanoparticle-based dispersion. A major advantage of this technology is its ability to place the composition into the target loss circulation zone before the nanoparticle-based dispersion gels up. Premature gelling of the nanoparticle-based dispersion would avoid premature setting of the treatment fluid before it reaches the target zone. The newly developed system can be used effectively up to 300 °F. In this paper, experiments have been performed with three different types of nanoparticles differing in their surface charges and particle sizes. Two negatively charged nanoparticle-based dispersions with a particle size of 5 nm and 17 nm, respectively, and one positively charged nanoparticle-based dispersion with a particle size greater than 17 nm have been evaluated as loss circulation materials. Two different types of chemical activators, one organic and the other inorganic, have been used in this study, and their effect on the gelling time has been evaluated. The gelling time experiments have been done at four different temperatures viz. 150 °F, 200 °F, 250 °F, and 300 °F. The effect of activator concentration and different shear rates on the gelling time of the three nanoparticle-based dispersions has been studied. Permeability plugging tests have been performed using 2 mm slotted disks to evaluate the effectiveness in controlling moderate to severe losses.

Sir James Whyte Black OM. 14 June 1924—22 March 2010

James Whyte Black was a Scottish pharmacologist who trained in medicine at St Andrews University and had a career in drug invention and academic pharmacology, moving several times between universities and the pharmaceutical industry. He was awarded the 1988 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his drug invention method, which was to build molecules around the structure of a natural chemical activator of a pathway involved in the aetiology of a disease. This produced two extremely useful drug categories, beta-blockers and histamine H 2 -antagonists, with huge impact on the previously intractable diseases of angina, hypertension and stomach ulcers. In 2000 he was awarded the UK's highest honour, the Order of Merit (OM). His ideas on analytical pharmacology had a significant effect on the development of the discipline in the late twentieth century.

Influence of Phosphorus Slag on Physical and Mechanical Properties of Cement Mortars

Influences of phosphorus slag from 10% to 50% (by mass) on the setting time and the water requirement of the normal consistency of cement pastes, flowability, resistance to carbonation, and the compressive strength of cement mortars were investigated. The physical activation by improving fineness and the chemical activation by adding the chemical activator were evaluated by the compressive strength of cement mortars with 30% by mass of phosphorus slag. Hydration heat, X-ray diffraction, and scanning electron microscopy were used to study the microstructure of cement pastes and mortars with 30% by mass of phosphorus slag and the chemical activator. Results showed that the setting time of cement pastes was delayed by phosphorus slag from 10% to 50%. Phosphorus slag had nearly no effects on the water requirement of the normal consistency of cement pastes and the flowability of cement mortars. The resistance to carbonation of cement mortars was decreased by phosphorus slag from 10% to 50% according to the acceleration carbonation. The compressive strength of cement mortars was also decreased by phosphorus slag from 10% to 50% and the low activity of phosphorus slag was concluded based on compressive strength of cement mortars. The effect of the chemical activator on the compressive strength of cement mortars with 30% by mass of phosphorus slag was better than improving fineness of phosphorus slag from 300 m2/kg to 450 m2/kg. Both hydration heat and cement hydrates were inhibited by phosphorus slag and could be partly compensated by the chemical activator. Loose morphology and propagations of microcracks were found in cement pastes and mortars with 30% by mass of phosphorus slag.

Seasonal changes in NRF2 antioxidant pathway regulates winter depression-like behavior

Seasonal changes in the environment lead to depression-like behaviors in humans and animals. The underlying mechanisms, however, are unknown. We observed decreased sociability and increased anxiety-like behavior in medaka fish exposed to winter-like conditions. Whole brain metabolomic analysis revealed seasonal changes in 68 metabolites, including neurotransmitters and antioxidants associated with depression. Transcriptome analysis identified 3,306 differentially expressed transcripts, including inflammatory markers, melanopsins, and circadian clock genes. Further analyses revealed seasonal changes in multiple signaling pathways implicated in depression, including the nuclear factor erythroid-derived 2-like 2 (NRF2) antioxidant pathway. A broad-spectrum chemical screen revealed that celastrol (a traditional Chinese medicine) uniquely reversed winter behavior. NRF2 is a celastrol target expressed in the habenula (HB), known to play a critical role in the pathophysiology of depression. Another NRF2 chemical activator phenocopied these effects, and an NRF2 mutant showed decreased sociability. Our study provides important insights into winter depression and offers potential therapeutic targets involving NRF2.