Growth kinetics and structure of a colloidal silica-based network: in situ RheoSAXS investigations

Silica gels have a multitude of applications ranging from cosmetics and food science to oil and gas recovery. For proper design and application, it is important to have a thorough understanding of the underlying mechanisms of gel formation under different circumstances. The growth and structure of colloidal silica gels has been investigated using RheoSAXS to study the effect of silica concentration, NaCl concentration, temperature and shear rate. Additionally, SAXS in combination with a strong magnetic field has been applied to investigate the effect of magnetic microparticles and magnetic field on the development of the gel structure. Results indicate that the strongest effect on the gel kinetics are achieved by altering the activator concentration, here in the form of NaCl, followed by silica concentration and temperature. Small structural effects were also observed, with larger cluster sizes being produced at lower silica concentration and at higher NaCl concentration. Applying shear caused major changes both in structure as well as the macroscopic behavior of the silica, preventing the gel from reaching an arrested state, instead forming a viscous liquid. Applying a magnetic field appears to suppress the formation of larger clusters. The same effect is observed for increasing magnetic microparticle concentrations.publishedVersio

CO2 Adsorption Enhanced by Tuning the Layer Charge in a Clay Mineral

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Intercalation of CO2 Selected by Type of Interlayer Cation in Dried Synthetic Hectorite

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Caracterização de filmes finos por difração de raios-X com baixo ângulo de incidência

Orientador: Iris Concepcion Linares de TorrianiDissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Fisica "Gleb Wataghin"Resumo: Este trabalho apresenta um estudo de filmes finos e ultrafinos por difração de raios-X com reflexão as simétrica e baixo ângulo de incidência através da utilização do Goniômetro de Guinier. O objetivo principal deste trabalho foi estudar de maneira geral as propriedades da difração por reflexão as simétrica com o intuito de mostrar as possibilidades da técnica na aplicação ao estudo de filmes finos. São apresentados resultados da caracterização de filmes finos de Ge nanocristalino crescidos por sputtering sobre lâmina monocristalina do mesmo material. As análises permitem identificar um perfil de profundidade com relação à textura. Tanto nestas amostras como também em filmes de Au sobre Si monocristalino foi possível subtrair completamente as reflexões do substrato. Outro aspecto interessante desta técnica abordado neste estudo é mostrado com os resultados de uma amostra de GaAs não dopado crescido epitaxialmente sobre substrato de Si monocristalino. Foi obtida uma caracterização da epitaxia sob diferentes ângulos azimutais. Além de mostrar a aplicação desta geometria no estudo dos filmes mencionados, uma grande contribuição desta tese foi, sem dúvida, a implementação da técnica no Laboratório de Cristalografia Aplicada e Raios-X do IFGW onde será usado como importante instrumento de pesquisaAbstract: In this work we present a study of thin and ultrathin3 films by X-Ray diffraction with asymmetric ref1ection and small incidence angle using a Guinier goniometer. The main purpose of this work was to study, in general, the properties of the diffraction by asymmetric ref1ection showing alI the possibilities of this technique when applied to the study of thin films. We present results on characterization of nanocrystalline Germanium thin films deposited by sputtering on aGe substrate. The analyses allow us to identify a depth profile of the films texture. Both for these Germanium samples and for Gold thin films on monocrystalline Silicon it was possible to suppress the substrate ref1ection. Another interesting aspect of this technique is revealed by the results obtained in the study of an undoped GaAs epitaxial layer grown on a monocrystalline Silicon substrate. A characterization of the epitaxy under different azimuths was obtained. Besides showing the application of this geometry in the study of thin films, another contribution of this thesis as the implementation of the technique in the 'Laboratório de Cristalografia Aplicada e Raios-X' (IFGW) where it is going to be used as an important research toolMestradoFísicaMestre em Físic

A nano-silicate material with exceptional capacity for CO2 capture and storage at room temperature

In order to mitigate climate change driven by the observed high levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere, many micro and nano-porous materials are being investigated for CO2 selectivity, capture and storage (CCS) purposes, including zeolites, metal organic frameworks (MOFs), functionalized polymers, activated carbons and nano-silicate clay minerals. Key properties include availability, non-toxicity, low cost, stability, energy of adsorption/desorption, sorbent regeneration, sorption kinetics and CO2 storage capacity. Here, we address the crucial point of the volumetric capture and storage capacity for CO2 in a low cost material which is natural, non-toxic, and stable. We show that the nano-silicate Nickel Fluorohectorite is able to capture 0.79 metric tons of CO2 per m3 of host material - one of the highest capacities ever achieved - and we compare volumetric and gravimetric capacity of the best CO2 sorbent materials reported to date. Our results suggest that the high capture capacity of this fluorohectorite clay is strongly coupled to the type and valence of the interlayer cation (here Ni2+) and the high charge density, which is almost twice that of montmorillonite, resulting in the highest reported CO2 uptake among clay minerals

A nano-silicate material with exceptional capacity for CO2 capture and storage at room temperature

In order to mitigate climate change driven by the observed high levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere, many micro and nano-porous materials are being investigated for CO2 selectivity, capture and storage (CCS) purposes, including zeolites, metal organic frameworks (MOFs), functionalized polymers, activated carbons and nano-silicate clay minerals. Key properties include availability, non-toxicity, low cost, stability, energy of adsorption/desorption, sorbent regeneration, sorption kinetics and CO2 storage capacity. Here, we address the crucial point of the volumetric capture and storage capacity for CO2 in a low cost material which is natural, non-toxic, and stable. We show that the nano-silicate Nickel Fluorohectorite is able to capture 0.79 metric tons of CO2 per m3 of host material - one of the highest capacities ever achieved - and we compare volumetric and gravimetric capacity of the best CO2 sorbent materials reported to date. Our results suggest that the high capture capacity of this fluorohectorite clay is strongly coupled to the type and valence of the interlayer cation (here Ni2+) and the high charge density, which is almost twice that of montmorillonite, resulting in the highest reported CO2 uptake among clay minerals

Periodic bilayer organization in the complexes of Beta-2 Glycoprotein I with anionic lipid membranes

β2 glycoprotein I (β2GPI) is a soluble protein that participates in blood coagulation, clearance of apoptotic bodies and generation of antigens in antiphospholipid syndrome among many other functions. We studied the aggregates formed by β2GPI with the anionic phospholipids palmitoyloleoylphosphatidyl glycerol, dimyristoylphosphatidyl glycerol, dipalmitoylphosphatidyl glycerol and cardiolipin using small angle X-ray scattering. The complexes obtained in a medium containing 0.01 M NaCl showed Bragg peaks up to the sixth order in a well-defined integer sequence indicating the presence of a lamellar stacking with a periodicity of 17.8 nm and with largely reduced membrane fluctuations. Modeling the complex signal allowed us to conclude that the coherence length was only two bilayers and that about 15% of the total surface was actually stacked. The space between bilayers allows accommodating an extended β2GPI molecule making a bridge between the interacting bilayers. The interactions between membranes mediated by β2GPI was favored when the membranes were in the liquid crystalline state.Fil: Oliveira, Rafael Gustavo. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Centro de Investigaciones en Química Biológica de Córdoba. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas. Centro de Investigaciones en Química Biológica de Córdoba; ArgentinaFil: Paolorossi Nucci, Mariana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Centro de Investigaciones en Química Biológica de Córdoba. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas. Centro de Investigaciones en Química Biológica de Córdoba; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba; ArgentinaFil: Cavalcanti, Leide Passos. Isis Neutron And Muon Source; Reino UnidoFil: Malfatti Gasperini, Antonio. Brazilian Synchrotron Light Laboratory; BrasilFil: Montich, Guillermo Gabriel. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Centro de Investigaciones en Química Biológica de Córdoba. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas. Centro de Investigaciones en Química Biológica de Córdoba; Argentin