Efficient adsorption of chromium ions from aqueous solutions by plant-derived silica

Nowadays, there is great interest in the use of plant waste to obtain materials for environmental protection. In this study, silica powders were prepared with a simple and low-cost procedure from biomass materials such as horsetail and common reed, as well as wheat and rye straws. The starting biomass materials were leached in a boiling HCl solution. After washing and drying, the samples were incinerated at 700 degrees C for 1 h in air. The organic components of the samples were burned leaving final white powders. These powders were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering (DLS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and low-temperature nitrogen sorption. The amorphous powders (biosilica) contained mainly SiO2, as indicated by FTIR analysis. Horsetail-derived silica was chosen for testing the removal of dichromate ions from water solutions. This biosilica had a good ability to adsorb Cr(VI) ions, which increased after modification of the powder with the dodecylamine surfactant. It can be concluded that the applied procedure allowed obtaining high purity biosilica from plant waste with good efficiency. The produced biosilica was helpful in removing chromium ions and showed low cytotoxicity to human endothelial cells, suggesting that it can be safely used in environmental remediation

The effect of precursor system on the resistivity and oxidation susceptibility of C/SiC nanocomposites en route to electronic grade nanomaterials

Abstract Presented are results of a study on specific technological properties of affordable C/SiC composite nanomaterials obtained via pyrolysis of several pitch/silicon-bearing precursor systems (elemental Si, silica SiO 2 , poly(carbomethylsilane) [-CH 2 -Si(H)CH 3 -] n , commercial SiC). For pyrolysis at 1300°C, the formation of nanosized SiC is detected in the systems with elemental Si and poly(carbomethylsilane) while 1650°C pyrolysis is required for silica to achieve such conversion. In situ formed nano-SiC is homogeneously dispersed in the simultaneously evolving graphitic carbon matrix of the composites. Reactivities vs. CO 2 , electrical resistivities, and surface properties of the nanocomposites are determined. Significant differences and patterns in the properties among the materials obtained from these precursor systems and at the selected pyrolysis temperatures are clearly established. Among others, the data suggest potential for carbon removal from the most reactive nanocomposites via reactions with CO 2 to yield unique nano-SiC powder products for further processing towards electronic and ceramic applications

Activated Carbon as a Support of Catalysts for the Removal of Nitrogen Oxides

Activated carbon was oxidised with concentrated nitric acid and impregnated with urea to form nitrogen-containing groups. Such a support was impregnated with cobalt, copper or silver nitrates to obtain catalysts for the selective catalytic reduction of nitrogen oxides with ammonia. Infrared spectra confirmed the formation of carboxylic and other organic oxygen-containing groups during oxidation. Nitrogen-containing species resulted from urea thermal decomposition. The metal-containing samples were hydrophilic. Cobalt and copper were present in the samples as small Co3O4 and CuO crystallites, while silver occurred in the form of large metallic crystallites, as seen from the X-ray diffraction patterns. Low temperature N2 sorption revealed that all samples were microporous solids, and the chemical and thermal treatment did not change their textural properties. The copper admixture caused the highest NO conversion, but worsened the selectivity and thermal stability of functionalised carbon support

The influence of the modification of acidic montmorillonites with polyacrylamide and copper deposition on SCR-NH3 catalytic performance

The aim of this work was to study the influence of the modification of montmorillonites by carbonaceous and Al species as well as copper deposition. Commercial acid-treated montmorillonites, K5 and K30 (Sigma-Aldrich GmBH), were modified and used as catalysts in Selective Catalytic Reduction process of nitrogen oxides by ammonia. The characterisation was carried out by low-temperature nitrogen sorption, Fourier-transform-infrared spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. Catalytic performance in SCR-NH3 of so-modified montmorillonites was compared under the following conditions: mass of catalyst: 200 g, flow 100 cm3/min, reaction mixture: 800 ppm NO, 800 ppm NH3, 3 % O2, and He. The modification with copper and polyacrylamide led to the increase in NO conversion. The studied catalysts showed low N2O formation

Copper Aluminum Spinels Doped with Cerium as Catalysts for NO Removal

Cu-Ce(Mn)-Al oxide catalysts to NO removal in the broad temperature range were synthesized and tested. The precursor of copper aluminium spinel was obtained with the coprecipitation method. By this method, Cu–Al spinels with various amounts of manganese and cerium were synthesized as well. These oxides crystallized in the structure of inverse spinel; however, Ce doping caused the appearance of additional CeO2 phase as determined by XRD. The samples were mesoporous solids with moderate surface area and porosity measured by low temperature sorption of nitrogen. The addition of another metal to Cu–Al spinel caused an increase of activity in selective catalytic reduction of nitrogen oxide with ammonia. The presence of manganese caused the formation of a higher amount of N2O by-product. The catalytic activity increased with the cerium concentration. For the sample with the atomic ratio Ce0.15Cu0.18, ca. 90% of NO conversion was registered between 200 and 350 °C. As examined with XPS spectroscopy, such conversion was attained due to the good dispersion of copper on the catalyst surface. This copper was placed mainly in spinel octahedral positions which enable its easier reduction. The spinel structure causes the presence of cerium as the trivalent cation important in redox cycles with the participation of copper

The influence of the modification of acidic montmorillonites with polyacrylamide and copper deposition on SCR-NH3 catalytic performance

The aim of this work was to study the influence of the modification of montmorillonites by carbonaceous and Al species as well as copper deposition. Commercial acid-treated montmorillonites, K5 and K30 (Sigma-Aldrich GmBH), were modified and used as catalysts in Selective Catalytic Reduction process of nitrogen oxides by ammonia. The characterisation was carried out by low-temperature nitrogen sorption, Fourier-transform-infrared spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. Catalytic performance in SCR-NH3 of so-modified montmorillonites was compared under the following conditions: mass of catalyst: 200 g, flow 100 cm3/min, reaction mixture: 800 ppm NO, 800 ppm NH3, 3 % O2, and He. The modification with copper and polyacrylamide led to the increase in NO conversion. The studied catalysts showed low N2O formation

Amorphous Silicon Oxynitride-Based Powders Produced by Spray Pyrolysis from Liquid Organosilicon Compounds

Silicon oxynitrides (SiOxNy) have many advantageous properties for modern ceramic applications that justify a development of their new and efficient preparation methods. In the paper, we show the possibility of preparing amorphous SiOxNy-based materials from selected liquid organosilicon compounds, methyltrimethoxysilane CH3Si(OCH3)3 and methyltriethoxysilane CH3Si(OC2H5)3, by a convenient spray pyrolysis method. The precursor mist is transported with an inert gas or a mixture of reactive gases through a preheated tube reactor to undergo complex decomposition changes, and the resulting powders are collected in the exhaust filter. The powders are produced in the tube at temperatures of 1200, 1400, and 1600 °C under various gas atmosphere conditions. In the first option, argon Ar gas is used for mist transportation and ammonia NH3 gas serves as a reactive medium, while in the second option nitrogen N2 is exclusively applied. Powder X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) results confirm the highly amorphous nature of all products except those made at 1600 °C in nitrogen. SEM examination shows the spheroidal particle morphology of powders, which is typical for this method. Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy reveals the presence of Si–N and Si–O bonds in the powders prepared under Ar/NH3, whereas those produced under N2 additionally contain Si–C bonds. Raman spectroscopy measurements also support some turbostratic free carbon C in the products prepared under nitrogen. The directly determined O- and N-contents provide additional data linking the process conditions with specific powder composition, especially from the point of view of oxygen replacement in the Si–O moieties formed upon initial precursor decomposition reactions by nitrogen (from NH3 or N2) or carbon (from the carbonization of the organic groups)

Selective catalytic reduction of NO with ammoniaat low temperature over Cu-promotedand N-modified activated carbon

Catalytic properties of activated carbons oxidized, treated with N-compounds, and promoted withcopper were studied in selective catalytic reduction NOXby ammonia (NH3-SCR). The modificationof the catalysts consisted of a series of steps (pre-oxidation of activated carbon, impregnation with urea,impregnation with copper). The physicochemical properties of the obtained samples were determinedusing X-ray diffraction, FT-IR spectroscopy, and low-temperature N2sorption. The modification withcopper improved the catalytic activity and stability of the catalysts. All the functionalized carbon dopedwith copper reached more than 90% of NO conversion and CO2did not exceed 240 ppm at 220◦C.The sample doped with 5 wt.% Cu had the maximum NO conversion of 98% at 300◦C. The maximumN2O concentration detected for the same sample was only 55 ppm, which confirmed its selectivity

Carbothermally-assisted Aerosol Synthesis of Semiconducting Materials in the System GaN/Mn

Abstract Aerosol-assisted vapor phase synthesis aimed at preparation of magnetic semiconductor nanopowders of Ga 12x Mn x N is carried out both from aqueous and methanol solution mixtures of gallium nitrate and manganese (II) nitrate. After an additional pyrolysis at 1000 8C under an ammonia flow, the light colored products are characterized with XRD, SEM/EDX, EPR, BET surface area determinations, helium pycnometry, and oxygen analyses. The characterization data for the powders are consistent with the formation of composites of nanosized manganese-doped hexagonal GaN and regular MnO phases.