Article
Chemistry, Physical
Jonathan Y. Mane, Stanislav R. Stoyanov
Summary: Understanding the interactions between petroleum asphaltenes and mineral surfaces is crucial for responding to diluted bitumen spills and modeling. This study employed molecular dynamics and umbrella sampling simulations to investigate the behavior of interfacially active and non-interfacially active asphaltene model compounds near kaolinite surfaces in different solvent environments. The simulations revealed that interfacially active asphaltenes form strong bonds with the silicon oxide surface of kaolinite in water, but the bonding weakens in toluene-water mixtures. On the other hand, non-interfacially active asphaltenes exhibit weaker bonding with kaolinite and do not form non-hydrogen bonded contacts. The results also indicated that the interfacially active asphaltene becomes more compact when the proportion of toluene increases. These findings provide valuable insights into the complex interfacial interactions during diluted bitumen spills in the presence of water and clay minerals.
PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY CHEMICAL PHYSICS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
R. Khalesi Moghaddam, S. Mhatre, H. W. Yarranton, G. Natale
Summary: Oil production and processing often involve the treatment of water-in-oil emulsions stabilized by asphaltenes. This study investigates the effect of ultrasonic waves on the interactions between asphaltene films and proposes a low-power ultrasound field as an effective method to break asphaltene-stabilized water-in-oil emulsions.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Samuel Stenberg, Clifford E. Woodward, Jan Forsman
Summary: The study demonstrates quantitative and qualitative differences in interactions between two perfectly conducting surfaces in a salt solution compared to those between equally charged non-conducting surfaces. Despite these differences, there are also similarities in behaviors. The dependence of the free energy barrier height on salt concentration displays a non-monotonic relationship, reaching a minimum when a flat profile of apparent surface charge density is achieved, outside the Stern layer.
Article
Physics, Multidisciplinary
Manodeep Mondal, Rajesh Ganapathy
Summary: Surface strain affects the dynamics of adsorbates and their interactions. In the case of epitaxy with lattice mismatch, strain-mediated effects are further compounded. In this study, we observed that the diffusivity of adsorbates in a multilayer colloidal film was nonmonotonic, even though the misfit strain relaxed with increasing film thickness. This nonmonotonic behavior can be attributed to the competition between the self-induced in-layer strain and the short interaction range. We also provided direct evidence for long-ranged strain-mediated interactions between the adsorbates, which altered the morphology of the growing film.
PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Mohammadali Ahmadi, Zhangxin Chen
Summary: Using molecular dynamics simulation, this study evaluated the interactions between asphaltene and anionic surfactants under thermodynamic conditions close to thermal-based oil recovery. The presence of a benzene ring in a surfactant structure was found to enhance interactions, especially van der Waals interactions. Furthermore, the position and number of heteroatoms in asphaltene architecture play a crucial role in its behavior in a solution.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Esau A. Hernandez, Carlos Lira-Galeana, Jorge Ancheyta
Summary: This study analyzes the performance of various models in predicting asphaltene precipitation and compares them with literature experimental data. The results show the need for further model development to cover a wider range of pressure, temperature, and composition conditions.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Laxman Kumar Kundarapu, Satyajeet Choudhury, Sriprasad Acharya, Anoop Kishore Vatti, Sudharsan Pandiyan, Shivaprasad Gadag, Usha Yogendra Nayak, Poulumi Dey
Summary: The aggregation behavior of asphaltene in the toluene-hexane mixture was systematically investigated using a combination of experimental techniques and molecular dynamics simulations. The study focused on determining the size of asphaltene aggregates, understanding their formation and interaction with the solvent mixture, and calculating the dynamical properties such as diffusion coefficient and shear viscosity.Comparison with experimental findings highlighted the importance of a combined experimental and theoretical study for deeper insights into asphaltene aggregation behavior.
JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR LIQUIDS
(2021)
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Samuel Botterbusch, Tobias Baumgart
Summary: Liquid-liquid phase separation in biological settings, specifically those interacting with membrane surfaces, play a crucial role in reshaping membranes, constructing protein structures, modulating functions, and organizing lipid vesicles dynamically. This review discusses the fundamental organizational phenomenon of phase-separated liquids in contact with bilayers and summarizes the common phenomena arising from these interactions.
APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Keaton Prather, Jonathan T. Stoffel, Emily Y. Tsui
Summary: This perspective discusses how reduction, oxidation, and electrostatics on the surface of colloidal semiconductor nano-crystals (NCs) contribute to their electronic properties, including photoluminescence quenching or brightening and shifts in band edge potentials. It highlights recent efforts in combining spectroscopic, electrochemical, and computational methods to characterize redox-active surface sites and trap states and explores future opportunities in this field.
CHEMISTRY OF MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Olivera Drecun, Cecilia Bernardini, Misbah Sarwar, Alberto Striolo
Summary: This study investigates the interactions and agglomeration of γ-alumina nanoparticles in water and salt solutions. Molecular dynamics simulations are used to characterize surface effects, and dynamic light scattering experiments are conducted to study agglomeration at the macroscale. The results highlight the capability of molecular simulations to explain macroscopic observations.
COLLOIDS AND SURFACES A-PHYSICOCHEMICAL AND ENGINEERING ASPECTS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Mohammed-Lamine Ouinten, Anthony Szymczyk, Aziz Ghoufi
Summary: A molecular dynamics simulation was used to study the interactions between a polymer membrane and toluene, methanol, and their mixtures. The results showed specific interactions between methanol and the polymer membrane, as well as between toluene and the polymer membrane. These interactions resulted in membrane swelling.
JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR LIQUIDS
(2022)
Review
Chemistry, Physical
Yi Wang, Weinan Zhao, Lian Han, Kam Chiu Tam
Summary: This review discusses the recent advances in sustainable superhydrophobic surfaces using sustainable colloidal particles (SCPs), highlighting composition, properties, extraction methods, chemical modifications, fabrication methodologies, and potential applications.
CURRENT OPINION IN COLLOID & INTERFACE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Christopher Balzer, Jian Jiang, Ryan L. Marson, Valeriy V. Ginzburg, Zhen-Gang Wang
Summary: The study found that nonelectrostatic interactions with a surface have a significant impact on the adsorption of polyelectrolytes, potentially resulting in qualitatively different salt effects than the charge effects. Under certain conditions, the adsorbed polymer layers produce a long-range repulsive barrier that can overcome dispersive interactions causing surfaces to attract, and a short-range bridging attraction is observed when two polyelectrolyte layers span both surfaces. These phenomena depend on the charge density of the polymer backbone and the bulk salt concentration, rather than the chain length in the semidilute regime studied.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Jonathan G. Raybin, Rebecca B. Wai, Naomi S. Ginsberg
Summary: We investigated the organization and dynamics of binary colloidal monolayers composed of micron-scale silica particles interspersed with smaller diameter silica particles. By varying the size ratio, we controlled the degree of nonadditivity to achieve phase behavior inaccessible to additive 2D systems. The distinct phase regimes were classified based on measurements of hexagonal ordering and small particle transport capacity.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Aliyu Adebayo Sulaimon, Habineswaran A. L. Rajan, Ali Qasim, Nwankwo Princess Christiana, Pearl Isabellah Murungi
Summary: This study developed new correlations to estimate the stability of asphaltenes in crude oil and proposed new asphaltene stability plots based on oil density. The results showed that the density-based correlations were relatively more accurate than the viscosity-based correlations. The newly developed correlations can be used to predict the stability of asphaltenes based on the physical properties of crude oil.
GEOENERGY SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Jing Chang, Huaizhi Shao, Bo Liu, Rogerio Manica, Zhen Li, Qingxia Liu, Zhenghe Xu
Summary: The self-assembly of platy clay particles is influenced by the anisotropic surface charging properties of the particles, which can be controlled by solution pH. By adjusting pH, desired nanostructures can be formed through self-assembly of clay particles. This pH-dependent self-assembly can also be applied to other platy particles with anisotropic surface properties.
JOURNAL OF COLLOID AND INTERFACE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Yi Lu, Rui Li, Rogerio Manica, Qingxia Liu, Zhenghe Xu
Summary: CO2-responsive surfactants can enhance heavy oil recovery by adjusting their interfacial activity and can be partially recycled for water treatment, showing promising applications in various industries.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Fan Yang, Xiao He, Wen Tan, Gang Liu, Tingting Yi, Qingye Lu, Xiaoting Wei, Hanjie Xie, Qiurong Long, GuiChao Wang, Chuanfei Guo, Erica Pensini, Zhouguang Lu, Qingxia Liu, Zhenghe Xu
Summary: The unique adhesion-shielding method was used to synthesize magnetic Janus nanoparticles (IM-JNPs) with excellent interfacial properties and efficient removal of oily wastewater under an external magnetic field.
JOURNAL OF COLLOID AND INTERFACE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Subhash Ayirala, Abdulkareem Sofi, Zuoli Li, Zhenghe Xu
Summary: The use of surfactants and surfactant-polymers on carbonate surfaces can enhance oil recovery efficiency by altering wettability and reducing interfacial tension, as demonstrated by microscale experiments in this study.
JOURNAL OF PETROLEUM SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Xin Cong, Sifang Zhou, Tong Wang, Guibin Pang, Zhenghe Xu
Summary: The study found that biochar application can decrease preferential flow, improve soil water retention capacity, enhance nutrient retention, and increase crop yield. This research is of great significance for improving crop water and fertilizer use efficiency, as well as protecting the ecological environment.
POLISH JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Jessica V. Fuentes, Edgar B. Zamora, Anirban Chakraborty, Gerardo Zavala, Zhenghe Xu, William McCaffrey, Zuoli Li, Flavio Vazquez, Cesar A. Flores
Summary: A novel random acrylic terpolymer based on butyl acrylate, 2-(dimethylamino)ethyl acrylate, and 2-carboxyethyl acrylate monomers showed efficient demulsifying properties in heavy crude oils with stable water-in-oil emulsions. The best water removal performance was achieved with terpolymers containing 90-80% of the hydrophobic monomer B and small amounts of the hydrophilic monomers Ae and Ce. The correlation between molecular parameters of the terpolymers and physicochemical parameters of the crude oils allows for accurate prediction of water removal efficiency, aiding in selecting the best demulsifier for a specific petroleum stream.
SEPARATION AND PURIFICATION TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Hongbiao Tao, Yue Yang, Shengming Xu, Qi Liu, Guoyong Huang, Zhenghe Xu
Summary: The study introduces a selective leaching strategy based on defect-induced lattice instability, allowing simultaneous recovery and separation of high-value metals from spent cathode materials without the need for a separation step. This technique demonstrates high recoveries of lithium, nickel/cobalt, and manganese using different leaching agents and provides new insights for developing advanced recycling strategies.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Jiming Lu, Prashant Kumar Mishra, Timothy N. Hunter, Fan Yang, Zhouguang Lu, David Harbottle, Zhenghe Xu
Summary: This study demonstrates the effectiveness of functionalized bio-sorbents derived from pomelo peel in rapidly and efficiently decontaminating water, with the potential for large-scale remediation strategies of contaminated wastewater.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2022)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Yi Lu, Rui Li, Rogerio Manica, Zhiqing Zhang, Qingxia Liu, Zhenghe Xu
Summary: This study demonstrates the feasibility and advantages of using CO2-responsive surfactants in water-based oil sands extraction to enhance bitumen recovery. By adjusting interfacial tension, both bitumen liberation and aeration can be significantly improved. The use of these surfactants not only increases the recovery rate but also produces cleaner bituminous froths and reduces energy consumption.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2022)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Xiangyu Chen, Xinrui Ma, Tony Yeung, Dejun Sun, Zhenghe Xu
Summary: This study presents a method of using CO2-responsive microemulsions to treat oil-contaminated soils. The method effectively cleans oil-contaminated soils at low energy consumption and allows for the recovery of value-added oil.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Wen Tan, Fan Yang, Tingting Yi, Gang Liu, Xiaoting Wei, Qiurong Long, Yi Liu, Yingzhi Li, Chuanfei Guo, Kun Liu, Zhouguang Lu, Qingxia Liu, Zhenghe Xu
Summary: Carbon coating is a common method to improve the performance of Li-ion batteries, but conventional carbon coatings are brittle. This study proposes a scalable and low-cost synthesis method to deposit a highly-elastic fullerene-like protective carbon layer on silicon nanoparticles, which exhibits high cycle stability and capacity retention.
ENERGY STORAGE MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Wen Tan, Lina Wang, Zhouguang Lu, Fan Yang, Zhenghe Xu
Summary: Researchers have successfully synthesized a stable and scalable Si/C nanocomposite for lithium-ion battery anodes by controlling the concentration of asphaltenes. The resulting electrode exhibits high reversible capacity, capacity retention, and stability under high mass loading and area capacity conditions.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Wen Tan, Fan Yang, Zhouguang Lu, Zhenghe Xu
Summary: This study improves the electrochemical performance of carbon-coated silicon anodes by forming uniform carbon coatings with different degrees of graphitization. The high elasticity and high Li+ diffusion coefficient of the carbon coating greatly enhance the stability and rate capability of the electrode.
ACS APPLIED ENERGY MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Lingfei Liu, Mingshan Zhang, Zhouguang Lu, Zhehui Jin, Yi Lu, Dejun Sun, Zhenghe Xu
Summary: This study investigates the impact of the molecular structure of pseudo-Gemini surfactants (PGS) on the stability and switchability of emulsions. The findings suggest that increasing the spacer length improves the interfacial activity, while introducing an amino group enhances the CO2 responsivity of PGS.
JOURNAL OF COLLOID AND INTERFACE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Yunhui Hua, Zhenghe Xu, Baojun Zhao, Zuotai Zhang
Summary: An electrochemical approach was developed to evaluate redox abilities and a salt leaching method using water-soluble NH4Fe(SO4)(2) as a redox intermediate was proposed for the synergistic recovery of valuable metals from spent lithium-ion batteries, achieving high efficiency and selectivity.
