Catalytic production of petrochemical products from bio-alcohols

Large-scale petrochemicals are typically produced using petroleum olefins as a feedstock. The desire to move toward a sustainable and environmentally friendly chemical industry has lead to interest in the use of bio-derived feedstocks such as alcohols which are currently being produced on an increasingly large scale by fermentation or from synthesis gas. The research investigated the direct catalytic production of ethylene, acetaldehyde, ethylene dichloride (EDC), and ethylene oxide (EO) from ethanol. Two approaches were considered: a) the use of a bi-functional catalyst that combines the dehydration capability with ethylene conversion and b) the use of a double catalytic bed system where ethanol was dehydrated over the 1st bed and the product ethylene was converted over the 2nd bed to yield the desired petrochemical product. The dehydration of ethanol was carried out over several zeolites at different operating temperatures, producing mainly ethylene and diethyl ether. The catalytic selective oxidation of ethanol was tested over silver and/or copper compounds supported on several zeolites. The effects of operating conditions, metal loading, and zeolite acidity were determined. High selectivity to acetaldehyde was achieved. Unfortunately, the direct production of EO from ethanol could not be achieved. The catalytic oxychlorination of ethanol was investigated using CuCl2 as the active compound and zeolites were used as either a support or as a pre-bed. EDC was produced via ethylene oxychlorination as well as the oxychlorination and disproportionation of ethyl chloride. The effects of operating conditions and CuCl2 loading were determined. Higher EDC yield was achieved over the dual-bed system compared to the bi-functional catalyst

Characteristics of audit committee and banking sector performance in Oman

PURPOSE: Oman is the first country among the GCC countries to implement corporate governance (CG) principles. Corporate governance regulates the fundamental principles that govern the activities of businesses, like the responsibilities and roles of the Board of Directors (BoD), financial reporting and auditing, remunerations, and internal control system. Banks play a vital role in the economic development of a country. Adopting CG practices and the audit function in banks paves the way for transparent financial reporting. Furthermore, the audit committee has an impact on the financial performance of a firm as they undertake the task of preventing fraudulent financial reporting. From the above discussion, the purpose of this study is to understand and examine the characteristics of the audit committee by exploring its association with its performance.METHODOLOGY: All the eight listed banks on the Muscat Stock Exchange (MSX) have been selected for the study, and data has been collected from the banks' annual reports for five years (2016-2020). The study has been conducted based on three CG characteristics such as the number of members in the committee, number of committee meetings and number of non-executive members in the committee. Measuring firm performance has been done by calculating Return on Asset (ROA) and Return on Equity (ROE). Correlation and regression analysis has been used to study the relationship between CG factors and bank performance. ROA and ROE are dependent variables. The three CG factors are independent variables, and bank size has been used as a control variable.RESULTS/FINDINGS: This study shows a positive relationship between the banks' performance and the number of committee meetings and non-executive members and a negative impact between the number of members in the committee and bank performance.ORIGINALITY AND PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: Further research on this study area can be conducted after 2021, considering the impact of audit committee characteristics on bank performance before and during COVID – 19.peer-reviewe

The Areas of Teacher Research in the Sultanate of Oman and the Reality of Benefiting from Them

The present study aims at understanding the reality of teacher research in the Sultanate of Oman, how to benefit from such research in the improvement of teacher development and the teaching-learning process, who should do that, as well as informing current literature with updates on teacher research, a topic that is not yet given adequate attention in Oman. The study implemented a qualitative approach for data collection and analysis of 50 researches done by school-teachers and 22 interviews with research teachers, school head-teachers and educational specialists. The study revealed that teachers are interested in doing research. Teachers, school administration and supervisors benefit from teacher research. Teachers use their own ways to take advantage from their own research and to share it with other teachers and help them value its results and recommendations. The study recommends that a culture of teacher research should be founded in schools, teachers should be supported to do research and more research should be done to explore the extent to which teacher research meets the  criteria of educational research so that it can be trustworthy and useable for schooling improvement

The Intransitive Requirements to Appliance the Electronic Supervision in the Ministry of Education in the Sultanate of Oman

This study aimed to investigate the intransitive requirements to appliance the electronic supervision in the Ministry of Education in the Sultanate of Oman. The study followed a descriptive approach, it used a questionnaire as a tool, which consisted of 36 items. The study sample consisted of 212 members of the administrators, educational supervisors, and performance evaluation and follow-up technicians, in Ministry of Education, the Governorate of Muscat, the Governorate of Al Buraimi, and the Governorate of South Al Batinah. The study found that the legislative requirements and technical requirements for the deployment and provide the necessary support and material requirements for the application of e-supervision represents an important and very much

مستوى المعرفة التدريسية للمحتوى لدى معلمات العلوم الجدد في ضوء عدد من المتغيرات - دراسة مسحية طولية

هدفت الدراسة إلى قياس مستوى المعرفة التدريسية للمحتوى لدى معلمات العلوم الجدد خلال العام الدراسي بواقع ثلاث مرات، في ضوء عدد من المتغيرات التصنيفية، هي: مؤسسة الإعداد، والمعدل التراكمي، والصفوف التي تدرسها المعلمة، وسنوات الخبرة، ومستوى الإنماء المهني، وشملت العينة (38) معلمة، واستُخدم المنهج المسحي الوصفي ذو التصميم الطولي (Longitudinal Descriptive Survey) الذي يتيح الفرصة لتعرف الظاهرة وقياس التغيرات عبر الزمن، وذلك بجمع البيانات من خلال مقياس كمي قائم على تحليل محتوى خطط الدروس والملاحظة الصفية والمقابلات، وأظهرت النتائج وجود تغير دال إحصائيا عند قيمة احتمالية أقل من (0.05) في مستوى المعرفة التدريسية للمحتوى لدى معلمات العلوم الجدد، إلا أن هذا التغير كان منحنيا (غير خطي)، كما أشارت النتائج إلى عدم وجود تفاعل دال إحصائيا عند قيمة احتمالية (0.05) للتغير في مستوى المعرفة التدريسية للمحتوى وجميع المتغيرات، وهي: مؤسسة الإعداد، وسنوات الخبرة، والصفوف التي تدرسها المعلمة، والمعدل التراكمي، ما عدا متغير مستوى الإنماء المهني لصالح المعلمات ذوات مستوى الإنماء المهني المرتفع، وقد أوصت الدراسة بضرورة تقديم جميع التربويين الدعم والمساندة للمعلمات الجدد في بيئة العمل، وتقديم برامج تنمية مهنية مستمرة تلبي احتياجات المعلمات الجدد خلال السنوات الأولى من التدريس

Pd/Ni-metal-organic framework-derived porous carbon nanosheets for efficient CO oxidation over a wide pH range

Metal nanocrystal ornamented metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) are of particular interest in multidisciplinary applications; however, their electrocatalytic CO oxidation performance over wide pH ranges is not yet reported. Herein, Ni-MOF-derived hierarchical porous carbon nanosheets (Ni-MOF/PC) with abundant Ni–Nx sites decorated with Pd nanocrystals (Pd/Ni-MOF/PC) were synthesized by microwave-irradiation (MW-I) followed by annealing at 900 °C and subsequent etching of Ni-MOF/C prior to Pd deposition. The fabrication mechanism comprises the generation of self-reduced reducing gases from triethylamine during the annealing and selective chemical etching of Ni, thereby facilitating the reduction of Ni-anchored MOF and Pd nanocrystal deposition with the aid of ethylene glycol and MW-I to yield Pd/Ni–Nx enriched MOF/PC. The synthetic strategies endear the Pd/Ni-MOF/PC with unique physicochemical merits: abundant defects, interconnected pores, high electrical conductivity, high surface area, Ni-deficient but more active sites for Pd/Ni–Nx in porous carbon nanosheets, and synergism. These merits endowed the CO oxidation activity and stability on Pd/Ni-MOF/PC substantially than those of Pd/Ni-MOF/C and Pd/C catalysts in wide pH conditions (i.e., KOH, HClO4, and NaHCO3). The CO oxidation activity study reveals the utilization of MOF/PC with metal nanocrystals (Pd/Ni) in CO oxidation catalysis.This work was supported by the Qatar University High Impact Internal Grant (QUHI-CAM-22/23-550), Qatar National Research Fund (NPRP13D-0117-200095) and NRF/DSI/Wits SARChi Chair in Materials Electrochemistry and Energy Technologies (MEET) (UID No. 132739). The statements made herein are solely the responsibility of the authors. The authors are grateful to the Environmental Science Center (ESC), Qatar University, for the ICP-OES analysis.Scopu

Facile one-step aqueous-phase synthesis of porous PtBi nanosponges for efficient electrochemical methanol oxidation with a high CO tolerance

Deliberate control in the composition and morphology of Pt-based catalysts is an efficient route for enhancing the methanol oxidation reaction (MOR). Herein we developed a facile method for rational one-step aqueous-phase synthesis of PtBi nanosponges with tunable composition, based on the prompt reduction of an aqueous solution of Pt and Bi precursors using NaBH4. Mechanistically, the high-reduction power of NaBH4 formed multiple small colloidal PtBi nanocrystals (NCs), which coalesce together to reduce their interfacial energy resulting in oriented attachment growth. The fabrication process is simple, quick (2 min), productive, and free of surfactants or organic solvents. PtBi nanosponges showed 3D network-like architectures with a rough surface and interconnected pores (mesopore and macropore). The MOR mass (specific) activity of Pt67Bi33, 1.8 A/mgPt (15.4 mA cm−2), outperformed Pt78Bi22, Pt, and Pt/C, by 2.3 (1.2), 4.8 (3.6), and 5.1 (24.7) times, respectively besides greater stability and CO tolerance. This method could be extended to synthesize other binary Pt-based catalysts for various electrocatalytic applications

Ternary PdNiO nanocrystals-ornamented porous CeO2/onion-like carbon for electrooxidation of carbon monoxide: unveiling the effect of supports and electrolytes

Porous ternary Pd-based catalysts are highly promising for various electrocatalytic applications, due to their low Pd mass, high surface area, accessible active sites, and tunable electronic structure; however, their activity for CO oxidation (COoxid) in different electrolytes is yet to be reported. Herein, ternary PdNiO nanocrystals supported on porous CeO2/onion-like carbon nanostructures (PdNiO-CeO2/OLC) were prepared by the sol-gel and impregnation approaches for electrochemical COoxid in different electrolytes at room temperature. Notably, porous CeO2/OLC acts as a support and nanoreactor for supporting the growth of PdNiO without the need for reducing agents or surfactants. The as-obtained PdNiO-CeO2/OLC had a porous sponge-like structure composed of ultra-small PdNiO nanocrystals (8 ± 1 nm) distributed on porous flower-like CeO2 and OLC, which possessed unique merits of multifunctional structure, clean surface, low mass of Pd (10 wt%), porosity (0.30 cm3 g−1), and high surface area (155.66 m2 g−1). The COoxid activity of PdNiO-CeO2/OLC was higher than those of PdNiO/OLC, PdNiO-CeO2, and commercial Pd/C catalyst, owing to the electronic interaction of PdNiO with CeO2/OLC support, which eases CO adsorption/activation alongside activation/dissociation of H2O to generate active oxygenated species (i.e., OH) needed for accelerating COoxid kinetics. The COoxid activity of PdNiO-CeO2/OLC in acidic electrolyte (HClO4) was better than those in alkaline (KOH) and neutral (NaHCO3) electrolytes. This study may open new doorways for understanding the effect of electrolytes and supports on the COoxid activity of porous ternary Pd-based catalysts.This work was supported by Qatar University High Impact Internal Grant (QUHI-CAM-22/23-550), Qatar National Research Fund (NPRP13S-0117-200095), and NRF/DSI/Wits SARChI Chair in Materials Electrochemistry and Energy Technologies (MEET) (UID No. 132739)

Pt-Based Nanostructures for Electrochemical Oxidation of CO: Unveiling the Effect of Shapes and Electrolytes

Direct alcohol fuel cells are deemed as green and sustainable energy resources; however, CO-poisoning of Pt-based catalysts is a critical barrier to their commercialization. Thus, investigation of the electrochemical CO oxidation activity (COOxid) of Pt-based catalyst over pH ranges as a function of Pt-shape is necessary and is not yet reported. Herein, porous Pt nanodendrites (Pt NDs) were synthesized via the ultrasonic irradiation method, and its CO oxidation performance was benchmarked in different electrolytes relative to 1-D Pt chains nanostructure (Pt NCs) and commercial Pt/C catalyst under the same condition. This is a trial to confirm the effect of the size and shape of Pt as well as the pH of electrolytes on the COOxid. The COOxid activity and durability of Pt NDs are substantially superior to Pt NCs and Pt/C in HClO4, KOH, and NaHCO3 electrolytes, respectively, owing to the porous branched structure with a high surface area, which maximizes Pt utilization. Notably, the COOxid performance of Pt NPs in HClO4 is higher than that in NaHCO3, and KOH under the same reaction conditions. This study may open the way for understanding the COOxid activities of Pt-based catalysts and avoiding CO-poisoning in fuel cells