Five organic CO₂-philic functional groups were incorporated in silica matrixes for preparation of functionalized silica membranes to explore the CO₂ separation performance. Chemical groups including acetate, trifluoromethyl, methacrylate, urea and vinyl groups were anchored in the silica network using the co-condensation method.

The information from ²⁹Si solid-state NMR and FTIR analyses indicates the successful formation of a covalent bond between functional groups and the silica network. The thickness of the functionalized silica layers was measured by SEM and the thermal stability of the organic groups was determined by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA).

The gas permeance and mixed gas selectivity of CO₂/N₂ was measured in the temperature range of 253–373 K with a feed pressure of 9 bar. A maximum selectivity of as high as 10 was observed for a trifluoromethyl functionalized silica membrane with a CO₂ permeance of 5.5 × 10⁻⁷ mol s⁻¹ m⁻² Pa⁻¹. Permporometry measurements indicated that the contribution of flow through micropores to the total flow for all the functionalized silica membranes varied between 62 and 82%. All membranes were CO₂ selective.

Dispersion and aggregation of nanomagnetite (Fe₃O₄) and silica (SiO₂) particles are of high importance in various applications, such as biomedicine, nanoelectronics, drug delivery, flotation, and pelletization of iron ore. In directly probing nanomagnetite–silica interaction, atomic force microscopy (AFM) using the colloidal probe technique has proven to be a suitable tool. In this work, the interaction between nanomagnetite and silica particles was measured with AFM in aqueous Ca²⁺ solution at different pH levels. This study showed that the qualitative changes of the interaction forces with pH and Ca²⁺ concentrations were consistent with the results from zeta-potential measurements. The repulsion between nanomagnetite and silica was observed at alkaline pH and 1 mM Ca²⁺ concentration, but no repulsive forces were observed at 3 mM Ca²⁺ concentration. The interaction forces on approach were due to van der Waals and electrical double-layer forces. The good fitting of experimental data to the DLVO model and simulations supported this conclusion. However, contributions from non-DLVO forces should also be considered. It was shown that an increase of Ca²⁺ concentration from 1 to 3.3 mM led to a less pronounced decrease of adhesion force with increasing pH. A comparison of measured and calculated adhesion forces with a few contact mechanics models demonstrated an important impact of nanomagnetite layer nanoroughness.

A novel procedure for the preparation of high-flux zeolite membranes was developed. This method relies on rendering the support hydrophobic, and thereby protected from the synthesis mixture and invasion of the support pores, while the cationic polymer on the surface still allowed deposition of zeolite seeds. Both high-flux MFI and CHA zeolite films were grown on both discs and tubular supports, which illustrates the applicability of the method to arbitrary membrane geometries. Typically, MFI disc membranes showed a very high CO2permeance of 85 × 10−7 mol m−2 s−1 Pa−1 and a CO2/H2 separation selectivity of 56 at 278 K and CHA disc membranes showed a very high CO2 permeance of 79 × 10−7 mol m−2 s−1 Pa−1 and a CO2/CH4 separation selectivity of 76 at 249 K. As the method is applicable to supports with complex geometries, it is suitable for preparation of membranes for industrial applications.

Arginine was produced via fermentation of sugars using the engineered microorganism Escherichia coli. Zeolite-Y adsorbents in the form of powder and extrudates were used to recover arginine from both a real fermentation broth and aqueous model solutions. An adsorption isotherm was determined using model solutions and zeolite-Y powder. The saturation loading was determined to be 0.2 g/g using the Sips model. Arginine adsorbed from a real fermentation broth using either zeolite-Y powder or extrudates both showed a maximum loading of 0.15 g/g at pH 11. This adsorbed loading is very close to the corresponding value obtained from the model solution showing that under the experimental conditions the presence of additional components in the broth did not have a significant effect on the adsorption of arginine. Furthermore, a breakthrough curve was determined for extrudates using a 1 wt % arginine model solution. The selectivity for arginine over ammonia and alanine from the real fermentation broth at pH 11 was 1.9 and 8.3, respectively, for powder, and 1.0, and 4.1, respectively, for extrudates. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time recovery of arginine from real fermentation broths using any type of adsorbent has been reported.

Absorption modes and reactivity of non-halogenated ionic liquids (ILs) at inorganic oxide surfaces of γ-Al2O3, MgO and SiO2 particles were characterized using multinuclear (11B, 31P and 29Si) solid-state magic-angle-spinning NMR, FTIR and Raman spectroscopy. ILs are composed of the trihexyl(tetradecyl)phosphonium cation, [P6,6,6,14]+, and bis(mandelato)borate, [BMB]-, or bis(salicylato)borate, [BScB]-, anions. Spectroscopic measurements were performed on room temperature (298 K) samples and samples exposed to 15 hours of heating at 373 K. The single pulse 11B NMR data of heated [P6,6,6,14][BMB] mixed with the inorganic oxides showed a significant change in spectra of the anion for all three oxides. In contrast, no such spectral changes were detected for heated [P6,6,6,14][BScB] mixed with the inorganic oxides. 31P MAS NMR data for the IL/metal oxide systems revealed interactions between [P6,6,6,14]+ and the surfaces of oxides. A significant intensity of 31P CP-MAS NMR signals indicated a low mobility of cations in these systems. The existence of strongly adhered surface layers of ILs on SiO2 particles was also confirmed by 1H-29Si CP-MAS NMR spectroscopy. FTIR and Raman spectroscopic data revealed strong interactions between the anions and the inorganic surfaces and there is strong correlation with the data obtained from NMR spectroscopy. Although their chemical structures are rather similar, the [BScB]- anion is more stable than the [BMB]- anion at the inorganic oxide surface.

A promising route for sustainable 1-butanol (butanol) production is ABE (acetone, butanol, ethanol) fermentation. However, recovery of the products is challenging because of the low concentrations obtained in the aqueous solution, thus hampering large-scale production of biobutanol. Membrane and adsorbent-based technologies using hydrophobic zeolites are interesting alternatives to traditional separation techniques (e.g., distillation) for energy-efficient separation of butanol from aqueous mixtures. To maximize the butanol over water selectivity of the material, it is important to reduce the number of hydrophilic adsorption sites. This can, for instance, be achieved by reducing the density of lattice defect sites where polar silanol groups are found. The density of silanol defects can be reduced by preparing the zeolite at neutral pH instead of using traditional synthesis solutions with high pH. In this work, binary adsorption of butanol and water in two silicalite-1 films was studied using in situ attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy under equal experimental conditions. One of the films was prepared in fluoride medium, whereas the other one was prepared at high pH using traditional synthesis conditions. The amounts of water and butanol adsorbed from binary vapor mixtures of varying composition were determined at 35 and 50 °C, and the corresponding adsorption selectivities were also obtained. Both samples showed very high selectivities (100-23 000) toward butanol under the conditions studied. The sample having low density of defects, in general, showed ca. a factor 10 times higher butanol selectivity than the sample having a higher density of defects at the same experimental conditions. This difference was due to a much lower adsorption of water in the sample with low density of internal defects. Analysis of molecular simulation trajectories provides insights on the local selectivities in the zeolite channel network and at the film surface.

The main component in biogas and natural gas is methane but these gases also contain water and carbon dioxide that often have to be removed in order to increase the calorific value of the gas. Membrane and adsorbent-based technologies using zeolites are interesting alternatives for efficient separation of these components. To develop efficient processes, it is essential to know the adsorption properties of the zeolite. In the present work, adsorption of methane, carbon dioxide and water from ternary mixtures in high silica zeolite Na-ZSM-5 was studied using in-situ ATR (Attenuated Total Reflection) – FTIR (Fourier Transform Infrared) spectroscopy. Adsorbed concentrations were extracted from the infrared spectra and the obtained loadings were compared to values predicted by the Ideal Adsorbed Solution Theory (IAST). The IAST could not fully capture the adsorption behavior of this ternary mixture, indicating that the adsorbed phase is not behaving as an ideal mixture. The CO2/CH4 adsorption selectivities determined for the ternary mixtures were compared to selectivities determined for binary mixtures in our previous work, indicating that the presence of water slightly improves the CO2/CH4 adsorption selectivity at lower temperatures. Further, the results show that water and carbon dioxide are adsorbed preferentially over methane in high silica zeolite Na-ZSM-5.

Pure silica zeolites are potentially hydrophobic and have therefore been considered to be interesting candidates for separating alcohols, e.g., 1-butanol, from water. Zeolites are traditionally synthesized at high pH, leading to the formation of intracrystalline defects in the form of silanol defects in the framework. These silanol groups introduce polar adsorption sites into the framework, potentially reducing the adsorption selectivity toward alcohols in alcohol/water mixtures. In contrast, zeolites prepared at neutral pH using the fluoride route contain significantly fewer defects. Such crystals should show a much higher butanol/water selectivity than crystals prepared in traditional hydroxide (OH−) media. Moreover, silanol groups are present at the external surface of the zeolite crystals; therefore, minimizing the external surface of the studied adsorbent is important. In this work, we determine adsorption isotherms of 1-butanol and water in silicalite-1 films prepared in a fluoride (F−) medium using in situ attenuated total reflectance−Fourier transform infrared (ATR−FTIR) spectroscopy. This film was composed of well intergrown, plate-shaped b-oriented crystals, resulting in a low external area. Single-component adsorption isotherms of 1-butanol and water were determined in the temperature range of 35− 80 °C. The 1-butanol isotherms were typical for an adsorbate showing a high affinity for a microporous material and a large increase in the amount adsorbed at low partial pressures of 1-butanol. The Langmuir−Freundlich model was successfully fitted to the 1-butanol isotherms, and the heat of adsorption was determined. Water showed a very low affinity for the adsorbent, and the amounts adsorbed were very similar to previous reports for large silicalite-1 crystals prepared in a fluoride medium. The sample also adsorbed much less water than did a reference silicalite-1(OH−) film containing a high density of internal defects.The results show that silicalite-1 films prepared in a F− medium with a low density of defects and external area are very promising for the selective recovery of 1-butanol from aqueous solutions.

The effect of phosphate on adsorption and oxidation of catechol, 1,2-dihydroxybenzene, in a heterogeneous Fenton system was investigated. In situ attenuated total reflectance infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) was used to monitor the surface speciation at the nano-Fe3O4 catalyst surface. The presence of phosphate decreased the removal rate of catechol and the abatement of dissolved organic compounds, as well as the decomposition of H2O2. This effect of phosphate was mainly due to its strong reaction with surface sites on the iron oxide catalyst. At neutral and acid pH, phosphate could displace the adsorbed catechol from the surface of catalyst and also could compete for surface sites with H2O2. In situ IR spectra indicated the formation of iron phosphate precipitation at the catalyst surface. The iron phosphate surface species may affect the amount of iron atoms taking part in the catalytic decomposition of H2O2 and formation of hydroxyl radicals, and inhibit the catalytic ability of Fe3O4 catalyst. Therefore, phosphate ions worked as stabilizer and inhibitor in a heterogeneous Fenton reaction at the same time, in effect leading to an increase in oxidation efficiency in this study. However, before use of phosphate as pH buffer or H2O2 stabilizer in a heterogeneous Fenton system, the possible inhibitory effect of phosphate on the actual removal of organic pollutants should be fully considered.