Synergistic reinforcement, crystallization and degradation of PVA-graphene-clay composites

 Initially, synergistic reinforcement PVA composite has been successfully developed by using graphene and MMT. Furthermore, new knowledge of the crystallization mechanism of the PVA and PVA composites was revealed. Finally, Isothermal degradation kinetics models and mechanism of the as-prepared composites were also proposed.

The effects of mechanical stress, environment and cathodic protection on the degradation and failure of coatings: An overview

Organic coatings have been used in conjunction with cathodic protection as the most economical method of corrosion protection by the oil and gas pipeline industry. In a bid to prolong the life of the pipelines, the degradation and failure of pipeline coatings under the effects of major influencing factors including mechanical stress, the environmental corrosivity and cathodic protection have been extensively investigated over the past decades. This paper provides an overview of recent research for understanding coating degradation under the effect of these factors, either individually or in combination. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy remains the primary and the most commonly used technique of studying the degradation of organic coatings, although there have been attempts to use other techniques such as electrochemical polarization (both dynamic and static), electrochemical noise, Scanning Kelvin Probe, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy, Differential Scanning Calorimetry and Dynamic Mechanical Analyser. Major knowledge and technological gaps in the investigation of the combined effects of mechanical stress, environmental corrosivity and cathodic protection on coating degradation have been identified.

Quick and low cost immobilization of proteinases on polyesters: comparison of lactobacilli cell-envelope proteinase and trypsin for protein degradation

Cell-envelope proteinases (CEPs) are a class of proteolytic enzymes produced by lactic acid bacteria and have several industrially relevant applications. However, soluble CEPs are economically unfavorable for such applications due to their poor stability and lack of reusability. In a quest to prepare stable biocatalysts with improved performance, CEP from Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. lactis 313 and trypsin (as a model enzyme) were immobilized onto nonwoven polyester fabrics in a three-step protocol including ethylenediamine activation and glutaraldehyde crosslinking. Immobilization gave protein loading yields of 21.9% (CEP) and 67.7% (trypsin) while residual activity yields were 85.6% (CEP) and 4.1% (trypsin). The activity of the immobilized enzymes was dependent on pH, but was retained at elevated temperatures (40-70°C). An increase in Km values was observed for both enzymes after immobilization. After 70 days of storage, the immobilized CEP retained ca. 62% and 96% of initial activity when the samples were stored in a lyophilized form at -20°C or in a buffer at 4°C, respectively. Both immobilized CEP and trypsin were able to hydrolyze proteins such as casein, skimmed milk proteins and bovine serum albumin. This immobilization protocol can be used to prepare immobilized biocatalyst for various protein degradation processes.

Degradation of organic dyes by P25-reduced graphene oxide: influence of inorganic salts and surfactants

Treatment of coloured effluent treatment is a major issue for the textile industry. In this study, catalyst P25-graphene was prepared and applied for degrading dye from an aqueous solution. Three types of dyes were selected to determine the feasibility of the catalyst for the dye degradation, including sulphonic, azoic, and fluorescent dyes. P25-graphene catalyst showed good ability to degrade all selected dyes. The influence of inorganic salts and surfactants on the photocatalytic degradation of rhodamine B using catalyst P25-graphene was also investigated. The degradation of rhodamine B was suppressed by the presence of NaCl, but the effect of Na2SO4 was negligible. The degradation of rhodamine B was significantly suppressed by all three types of surfactant, namely anionic, cationic and non-ionic surfactants. NMR technique was used to investigate the mechanisms associated with this suppression.

Degradation observations of encapsulated planar CH3NH3PbI3 perovskite solar cells at high temperatures and humidity

The stability of encapsulated planar-structured CH3NH3PbI3 (MAPbI3) perovskite solar cells (PSCs) was investigated under various simulated environmental conditions. The tests were performed under approximately one sun (100 mW cm^-2) illumination, varying temperature (up to 85 °C cell temperature) and humidity (up to 80%). The application of advanced sealing techniques improved the device stability, but all devices showed significant degradation after prolonged aging at high temperature and humidity. The degradation mechanism was studied by post-mortem analysis of the disassembled cells using SEM and XRD. This revealed that the degradation was mainly due to the decomposition of MAPbI3, as a result of reaction with H2O, and the subsequent reaction of hydroiodic acid, formed during MAPbI3 decomposition, with the silver back contact electrode layer.

Stiffness and strength degradation of damaged truss core composites

Truss core laminates display stiffness and strength/density ratios superior to those seen in foam cored laminates. However, this superiority is held only for ideal shaped struts. If the truss core is damaged, its performance rapidly decreases towards that of a foam. The present study investigates the stiffness and strength degradation with imposed core deformation/damage. This is done for a pyramidal core structure made by electro-discharge machining from AA5083 alloy. The experiments are compared with finite element predictions. The effect of the strain rate sensitivity is studied by performing the tests at different temperatures and by FE simulations with different material data sets. The results show reasonable agreement between experiments and modeling. The stiffness of a damaged truss core rapidly degrades and reaches the performance levels seen in foams after ≈8% of deformation. The results show that a high strain rate sensitivity significantly influences post-buckling core behavior and is able to decrease the stiffness and strength degradation rate.

An improved and fast UHPLC-PDA methodology for determination of L-ascorbic and dehydroascorbic acids in fruits and vegetables: evaluation of degradation rate during storage

This study provides a versatile validated method to determine the total vitamin C content, as the sum of the contents of L-ascorbic acid (L-AA) and dehydroascorbic acid (DHAA), in several fruits and vegetables and its degradability with storage time. Seven horticultural crops from two different origins were analyzed using an ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatographic–photodiode array (UHPLC-PDA) system, equipped with a new trifunctional high strength silica (100% silica particle) analytical column (100 mm×2.1 mm, 1.7 μm particle size) using 0.1% (v/v) formic acid as mobile phase, in isocratic mode. This new stationary phase, specially designed for polar compounds, overcomes the problems normally encountered in HPLC and is suitable for the analysis of large batches of samples without L-AA degradation. In addition, it proves to be an excellent alternative to conventional C18 columns for the determination of L-AA in fruits and vegetables. The method was fully validated in terms of linearity, detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) limits, accuracy, and inter/intraday precision. Validation experiments revealed very good recovery rate of 96.6±4.4% for L-AA and 103.1±4.8 % for total vitamin C, good linearity with r2-values >0.999 within the established concentration range, excellent repeatability (0.5%), and reproducibility (1.6%) values. The LOD of the method was 22 ng/mL whereas the LOQ was 67 ng/mL. It was possible to demonstrate that L-AA and DHAA concentrations in the different horticulture products varied oppositely with time of storage not always affecting the total amount of vitamin C during shelf-life. Locally produced fruits have higher concentrations of vitamin C, compared with imported ones, but vegetables showed the opposite trend. Moreover, this UHPLC-PDA methodology proves to be an improved, simple, and fast approach for determining the total content of vitamin C in various food commodities, with high sensitivity, selectivity, and resolving power within 3 min of run analysis.

Estudo de reatores eletroquímicos para remoção de Cu2+ , Zn2+, Fenol e BTEX em água produzida

The production of water has become one of the most important wastes in the petroleum industry, specifically in the up stream segment. The treatment of this kind of effluents is complex and normally requires high costs. In this context, the electrochemical treatment emerges as an alternative methodology for treating the wastewaters. It employs electrochemical reactions to increase the capability and efficiency of the traditional chemical treatments for associated produced water. The use of electrochemical reactors can be effective with small changes in traditional treatments, generally not representing a significant additional surface area for new equipments (due to the high cost of square meter on offshore platforms) and also it can use almost the same equipments, in continuous or batch flow, without others high costs investments. Electrochemical treatment causes low environmental impact, because the process uses electrons as reagent and generates small amount of wastes. In this work, it was studied two types of electrochemical reactors: eletroflocculation and eletroflotation, with the aim of removing of Cu2+, Zn2+, phenol and BTEX mixture of produced water. In eletroflocculation, an electrical potential was applied to an aqueous solution containing NaCl. For this, it was used iron electrodes, which promote the dissolution of metal ions, generating Fe2+ and gases which, in appropriate pH, promote also clotting-flocculation reactions, removing Cu2+ and Zn2+. In eletroflotation, a carbon steel cathode and a DSA type anode (Ti/TiO2-RuO2-SnO2) were used in a NaCl solution. It was applied an electrical current, producing strong oxidant agents as Cl2 and HOCl, increasing the degradation rate of BTEX and phenol. Under different flow rates, the Zn2+ was removed by electrodeposition or by ZnOH formation, due the increasing of pH during the reaction. To better understand the electrochemical process, a statistical protocol factor (22) with central point was conducted to analyze the sensitivity of operating parameters on removing Zn2+ by eletroflotation, confirming that the current density affected the process negatively and the flow rate positively. For economical viability of these two electrochemical treatments, the energy consumption was calculated, taking in account the kWh given by ANEEL. The treatment cost obtained were quite attractive in comparison with the current treatments used in Rio Grande do Norte state. In addition, it could still be reduced for the case of using other alternative energy source such as solar, wind or gas generated directly from the Petrochemical Plant or offshore platforms

Pirólise termoquímica de pós da fibra de coco seco em um reator de cilindro rotativo para produção de bio-óleo

This master thesis aims at developing a new methodology for thermochemical degradation of dry coconut fiber (dp = 0.25mm) using laboratory rotating cylinder reactor with the goal of producing bio-oil. The biomass was characterized by infrared spectroscopy with Fourier transform FTIR, thermogravimetric analysis TG, with evaluation of activation energy the in non-isothermal regime with heating rates of 5 and 10 °C/min, differential themogravimetric analysis DTG, sweeping electron microscopy SEM, higher heating value - HHV, immediate analysis such as evaluated all the amounts of its main constituents, i.e., lignin, cellulose and hemicelluloses. In the process, it was evaluated: reaction temperature (450, 500 and 550oC), carrier gas flow rate (50 and 100 cm³/min) and spin speed (20 and 25 Hz) to condensate the bio-oil. The feed rate of biomass (540 g/h), the rotation of the rotating cylinder (33.7 rpm) and reaction time (30 33 min) were constant. The phases obtained from the process of pyrolysis of dry coconut fiber were bio-oil, char and the gas phase non-condensed. A macroscopic mass balance was applied based on the weight of each phase to evaluate their yield. The highest yield of 20% was obtained from the following conditions: temperature of 500oC, inert gas flow of 100 cm³/min and spin speed of 20 Hz. In that condition, the yield in char was 24.3%, non-condensable gas phase was 37.6% and losses of approximately 22.6%. The following physicochemical properties: density, viscosity, pH, higher heating value, char content, FTIR and CHN analysis were evaluated. The sample obtained in the best operational condition was subjected to a qualitative chromatographic analysis aiming to know the constituents of the produced bio-oil, which were: phenol followed by sirigol, acetovanilona and vinyl guaiacol. The solid phase (char) was characterized through an immediate analysis (evaluation of moisture, volatiles, ashes and fixed carbon), higher heating value and FTIR. The non-condensing gas phase presented as main constituents CO2, CO and H2. The results were compared to the ones mentioned by the literature.

Molecular analysis of the bacterial diversity in a specialized consortium for diesel oil degradation

Diesel oil is a compound derived from petroleum, consisting primarily of hydrocarbons. Poor conditions in transportation and storage of this product can contribute significantly to accidental spills causing serious ecological problems in soil and water and affecting the diversity of the microbial environment. The cloning and sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene is one of the molecular techniques that allows estimation and comparison of the microbial diversity in different environmental samples. The aim of this work was to estimate the diversity of microorganisms from the Bacteria domain in a consortium specialized in diesel oil degradation through partial sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene. After the extraction of DNA metagenomics, the material was amplified by PCR reaction using specific oligonucleotide primers for the 16S rRNA gene. The PCR products were cloned into a pGEM-T-Easy vector (Promega), and Escherichia coli was used as the host cell for recombinant DNAs. The partial clone sequencing was obtained using universal oligonucleotide primers from the vector. The genetic library obtained generated 431 clones. All the sequenced clones presented similarity to phylum Proteobacteria, with Gammaproteobacteria the most present group (49.8 % of the clones), followed by Alphaproteobacteira (44.8 %) and Betaproteobacteria (5.4 %). The Pseudomonas genus was the most abundant in the metagenomic library, followed by the Parvibaculum and the Sphingobium genus, respectively. After partial sequencing of the 16S rRNA, the diversity of the bacterial consortium was estimated using DOTUR software. When comparing these sequences to the database from the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), a strong correlation was found between the data generated by the software used and the data deposited in NCBI.

Performance and carcass characteristics of Nellore young bulls fed different sources of oils, protected or not from rumen degradation

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Desenvolvimento de um reator fotoquímico aplicável no tratamento de efluentes fenólicos presentes na indústria do petróleo

With water pollution increment at the last years, so many progresses in researches about treatment of contaminated waters have been developed. In wastewaters containing highly toxic organic compounds, which the biological treatment cannot be applied, the Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOP) is an alternative for degradation of nonbiodegradable and toxic organic substances, because theses processes are generation of hydroxyl radical based on, a highly reactivate substance, with ability to degradate practically all classes of organic compounds. In general, the AOP request use of special ultraviolet (UV) lamps into the reactors. These lamps present a high electric power demand, consisting one of the largest problems for the application of these processes in industrial scale. This work involves the development of a new photochemistry reactor composed of 12 low cost black light fluorescent lamps (SYLVANIA, black light, 40 W) as UV radiation source. The studied process was the photo-Fenton system, a combination of ferrous ions, hydrogen peroxide, and UV radiation, it has been employed for the degradation of a synthetic wastewater containing phenol as pollutant model, one of the main pollutants in the petroleum industry. Preliminary experiments were carrier on to estimate operational conditions of the reactor, besides the effects of the intensity of radiation source and lamp distribution into the reactor. Samples were collected during the experiments and analyzed for determining to dissolved organic carbon (DOC) content, using a TOC analyzer Shimadzu 5000A. The High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) was also used for identification of the cathecol and hydroquinone formed during the degradation process of the phenol. The actinometry indicated 9,06⋅1018 foton⋅s-1 of photons flow, for 12 actived lamps. A factorial experimental design was elaborated which it was possible to evaluate the influence of the reactants concentration (Fe2+ and H2O2) and to determine the most favorable experimental conditions ([Fe2+] = 1,6 mM and [H2O2] = 150,5 mM). It was verified the increase of ferrous ions concentration is favorable to process until reaching a limit when the increase of ferrous ions presents a negative effect. The H2O2 exhibited a positive effect, however, in high concentrations, reaching a maximum ratio degradation. The mathematical modeling of the process was accomplished using the artificial neural network technique

The relationship between pasture degradation and soil properties in the Brazilian amazon: a case study

Pasture degradation is one of the greatest problems related to land use in the Amazon region, forcing farmers to open new forest areas. Many studies have identified the causes and the factors involved in this degradation process, in an attempt to reverse the situation. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between pasture degradation and some soil properties, to try to identify the most significant soil features in the degradation process. A cattle raising farm in the eastern Amazon region, with pastures of different ages and degrees of degradation, was used as the site for this study: a primary forest area, PN; three Guinea grass (Panicum maximum Jacq.) pastures in an increasingly degraded sequence-P1, P2 and P3; one Gamba grass (Andropogon gayanus Kunth) pasture following an extremely degraded Guinea grass pasture, P4. Aboveground phytomass data showed differences between the pastures, reflecting initially observed degradation levels. Grass biomass decreased sharply from P1 to P2 and disappeared at P3. Pasture recovery with Gamba grass at P4 was very successful, with grass biomass higher than P1 and weed biomass smaller than P2 and P3. Root biomass also decreased with pasture degradation. Soil bulk density increased with pasture decrease at the topsoil layer. Results from the soil chemical analysis showed that there were no signs of decrease in organic carbon and total nitrogen after the forest was transformed into pasture. In all pastures, degraded or not, the soil pH, the sum of bases and the saturation degree were higher than in the forest soil. The extractable phosphorus content, lower in forest soil, remained quite stable in pasture soils, but it could become a limiting factor for the maintenance of Guinea grass. Results indicated that pasture degradation does not seem to be directly related to the modification of the chemical features of soils. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Estudo da influência da temperatura na degradação termoquímica da biomassa de avelós

The bio-oil obtained from the pyrolysis of biomass has appeared as inter-esting alternative to replace fossil fuels. The aim of this work is to evaluate the influence of temperature on the yield of products originating from the pyrolysis process of the powder obtained from the dried twigs of avelós (Euphorbia tirucalli), using a rotating cylinder reactor in laboratory scale. The biomass was treated and characterized by: CHNS, moisture, volatiles, fixed carbon and ashes, as well as evaluation of lignin, cellulose and hemicellulose, besides other instrumental techniques such as: FTIR, TG/DTG, DRX, FRX and MEV. The activation energy was evaluated in non-isothemichal mode with heating rates of 5 and 10 oC/min. The obtained results showed biomass as feedstock with potential for biofuel production, because presents a high organic matter content (78,3%) and fixed-carbon (7,11%). The activation energy required for the degradation of biomass ranged between 232,92 392,84 kJ/mol, in the temperature range studied and heating rate of 5 and 10°C/min. In the pyrolysis process, the influence of the reaction temperature was studied (350-520 ° C), keeping constant the other variables, such as, the flow rate of carrier gas, the centrifugal speed for the bio-oil condensationa, the biomass flow and the rotation of the reactor. The maximum yield of bio-oil was obtained in the temperature of 450°C. In this temperature, the results achieved where: content of bio-oil 8,12%; char 32,7%; non-condensed gas 35,4%; losts 23,8%; gross calorific value 3,43MJ/kg; pH 4,93 and viscosity 1,5cP. The chromatographic analysis of the bio-oil produced under these conditions shows mainly the presence of phenol (17,71%), methylciclopentenone (10,56%) and dimethylciclopentenone (7,76%)