Review on Microwave-Matter Interaction Fundamentals and Efficient Microwave-Associated Heating Strategies

Microwave heating is rapidly emerging as an effective and efficient tool in various technological and scientific fields. A comprehensive understanding of the fundamentals of microwave–matter interactions is the precondition for better utilization of microwave technology. However, microwave heating is usually only known as dielectric heating, and the contribution of the magnetic field component of microwaves is often ignored, which, in fact, contributes greatly to microwave heating of some aqueous electrolyte solutions, magnetic dielectric materials and certain conductive powder materials, etc. This paper focuses on this point and presents a careful review of microwave heating mechanisms in a comprehensive manner. Moreover, in addition to the acknowledged conventional microwave heating mechanisms, the special interaction mechanisms between microwave and metal-based materials are attracting increasing interest for a variety of metallurgical, plasma and discharge applications, and therefore are reviewed particularly regarding the aspects of the reflection, heating and discharge effects. Finally, several distinct strategies to improve microwave energy utilization efficiencies are proposed and discussed with the aim of tackling the energy-efficiency-related issues arising from the application of microwave heating. This work can present a strategic guideline for the developed understanding and utilization of the microwave heating technology

Preparation of well-developed mesoporous activated carbon with high yield by ammonium polyphosphate activation

Ammonium polyphosphate was used as a novel activating agent for producing activated carbons (APACs) with well-developed mesoporous structure and high carbon yield from a renewable biomass (Enteromorpha). The influences of activation temperature and chemical impregnation ratio on the carbon yield and porous structure were investigated. APACs were characterized by pore structural analysis and scanning electron microscopy. The results showed that ammonium polyphosphate promoted the development of mesopore at lower temperature (around 600 degrees C) and the average pore diameter concentrated around 37 nm. All the APACs were prepared with high carbon yield (maximum 71%) and high mesopore fraction (>60%). The advantage of the generated mesoporous carbon was demonstrated by the high adsorption capacity for acid brilliant scarlet up to 416.7 mg/g. These results indicated that ammonium polyphosphate holds promise for producing activated carbon with excellent yield and mesoporous structure. (C) 2016 Taiwan Institute of Chemical Engineers. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Synthesis and characterization of heteroatom-enriched biochar from keratin-based and algous-based wastes

In this work, human hair and Enteromorpha prolifera were firstly used to synthesize heteroatom-doped biochars. The effects of pyrolysis temperature and holding time on the yield and pore structure of the obtained biochars were investigated. The different pyrolysis characteristics of hair and E. prolifera were compared through thermogravimetric analyser under nitrogen atmosphere. The pore properties, surface morphology and surface chemical composition were studied by N2 adsorption, scanning electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The biochar from hair was typical dual O, N-doped material, which possessed 21.14 at.% of O-doped and 9.61 at.% of N-doped on the surface, while the biochar from E. prolifera was typical dual O, S-doped material, which possessed 30.68 at.% of O-doped and 5.18 at.% of S-doped on the surface. The present study provides a good prospect for development of heteroatomenriched biochar materials from renewable biomass wastes. (C) 2016 The Society of Powder Technology Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. and The Society of Powder Technology Japan. All rights reserved

Utilization of ferric groundwater treatment residuals for inorganic-organic hybrid biosorbent preparation and its use for vanadium removal

Abstract Ferric groundwater treatment residual (Fe-GWTR) collected from a Finnish groundwater treatment plant were recovered for use after acid dissolution as an iron source for an inorganic-organic hybrid material. Acid dissolution, performed with 1 mol/L hydrochloric acid and mixing for one hour at room temperature, was determined as the optimal condition based on a high Fe concentration and low concentration of interfering elements. Peat modification was conducted at pH values of 3, 5 and 7 with both a commercial iron reagent (FeCl3·6H2O) and Fe-GWTR solution for comparison. A modification pH of 3 resulted in the highest vanadium removal efficiency for both iron sources. The isoelectric point (pHIEP) of Fe-GWTR-modified peat at pH 3 (Fe-GWTR-P3) was found to be 5.0. After modification, it was confirmed that BET surface area and pore volume of the peat were enlarged. Maximum capacity was found to be around 16 mg/g with a 24-hour contact time at pH 4 and a good fit was achieved with the Redlich-Peterson isotherm model. The kinetic data followed the Elovich equation, which refers to the chemisorption mechanism. According to intra-particle diffusion and Boyd models, the adsorption was a two-step diffusion process, with intra-particle diffusion being the slowest step. This study demonstrates that Fe-GWTR could safely be used as an iron source for biomass modification, and Fe-GWTR-P3 could be used as a low-cost and effective sorbent for vanadium-containing wastewater treatment

The Preliminary Study on the Mechanism about Piperine Regulating the Knee Osteoarthritis Based on Network Pharmacological Methods

Abstract:Objective: To explore the target of anti-knee osteoarthritis (KOA) in the effective chemical compounds of piper longum L based on network pharmacological methods.Methods: The active chemical compounds of piper longum L were collected employing database retrieval on TCMSP, TCM-PTD, and literature mining. The Swiss Target Prediction service predicts the targets of active chemical compounds, and at the same time, the targets of the drugs treating knee osteoarthritis were collected by retrieving the OMIM and CTD databases. The targets were subjected to an alignment analysis to screen out piperine and we simulated the binding sites in vivo of compounds and proteins via AutoDock. After that, the rat models of knee osteoarthritis were established. The rats in model groups were given piperine treatment. The verification of the anti-KOA target PPARG and MAPK1 was done by Western blot and co-immunoprecipitation.Results: Nine active ingredients were predicted. According to Lipinski\u27s rule, piperine was speculated as a possible active ingredient. According to the possible targets of piperine and the KOA\u27s possible targets, three co-targets of them were confirmed, PPARG and MAPK1 were related to knee osteoarthritis (KOA). Molecular docking results show that piperine can hinder the binding of PPARG protein ARG-212 and GLN-420 amino-acid residues to each other. After 20 weeks of piperine treating, Western blot found that piperine can significantly increase the expression level of PPARG and reduce the expression level of MAPK1 in model rats. The endogenous interaction between PPARG and MAPK1 was verified by co-immunoprecipitation.Conclusion: Piper longum L can regulate the progression of knee osteoarthritis (KOA) by its active ingredient piperine，can affect the expression of PPARG and MAPK1 proteins, and PPARG and MAPK1 proteins have endogenous interactions.</p