Article
Chemistry, Physical
Chia-Hung Kuo, Mei-Ling Tsai, Hui-Min David Wang, Yung-Chuan Liu, Chienyan Hsieh, Yung-Hsiang Tsai, Cheng-Di Dong, Chun-Yung Huang, Chwen-Jen Shieh
Summary: An ultrasonic packed-bed bioreactor was developed for continuous production of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) ethyl esters. The study showed that ultrasonication significantly increased the conversion rate of ethyl esters and improved the affinity between enzymes and substrates, resulting in higher reaction rate.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Jia Zhang, Wenhua Xu, Fengying Xu, Wangwang Lu, Liuyun Hu, Jianlin Zhou, Chen Zhang, Zhuo Jiang
Summary: Droplet microfluidics using 3D printing technology to fabricate microfluidic devices show great potential in food emulsion processing, enabling efficient generation of single emulsions and double emulsions with stability and high quality.
JOURNAL OF FOOD ENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Peany Houng, Yuya Murakami, Yusuke Shimoyama
Summary: Micro-mixing techniques including swirl-mixing were utilized for supercritical CO2 extraction of ferulic acid and gallic acid. The study demonstrates the effectiveness of swirl-mixing in achieving high extraction efficiency for highly polar compounds from aqueous solutions.
JOURNAL OF CO2 UTILIZATION
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Bin Pan, Lanja R. Karadaghi, Richard L. Brutchey, Noah Malmstadt
Summary: This study demonstrates a continuous microfluidic process for purifying metal-ion-loaded IL solvents. The process utilizes membrane separation between the IL and aqueous phases and optimized operating conditions achieved through statistical optimization and inline analytical tools.
ACS SUSTAINABLE CHEMISTRY & ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Physics, Mathematical
Karun P. N. Datadien, Gianluca Di Staso, Herman M. A. Wijshoff, Federico Toschi
Summary: The performances of Color-Gradient (CG) and Shan-Chen (SC) multicomponent Lattice Boltzmann models were compared on several physical flow problems. Results showed that the CG model had a wider range of accessible parameters and numerical stability for high density ratios, making it suitable for simulating droplet formation and studying stabilized emulsions.
COMMUNICATIONS IN COMPUTATIONAL PHYSICS
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Hamid Asadi-Saghandi, Javad Karimi-Sabet, Sohrabali Ghorbanian, Seyed Mohammad Ali Moosavian
Summary: This study examined flow patterns of six liquid-liquid systems in a numbered-up microfluidic set-up, identifying three distinct flow regimes of slug flow, droplet flow, and parallel flow. Flow uniformity was achieved in the scaled-out microfluidic device, and comprehensive dimensionless analysis was conducted to determine suitable combinations of dimensionless numbers for proposing generalized flow pattern maps. Investigation into slug and droplet length and velocity was also carried out.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2022)
Article
Thermodynamics
Umair Aziz, Muhammad Nadeem, Feng Xin, Mustafa Kilic, Atta Ullah
Summary: In this study, the slug flow in a superhydrophobic microchannel was computationally investigated. The results showed that the slug flow performed much better in terms of heat transfer enhancement compared to single-phase flows.
NANOSCALE AND MICROSCALE THERMOPHYSICAL ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Nutrition & Dietetics
I-Lun Chen, Chih-Hsing Hung, Hsin-Chun Huang
Summary: This study found that lipid emulsions containing fish oil can improve the neurodevelopmental outcomes of premature infants, especially at ages two and five, with significant reductions in the prevalence of diseases such as ADHD and ASD.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Wenxing Sun, Xunli Zhang, Chaoqun Yao, Qingqiang Wang, Nan Jin, Hongying Lv, Yuchao Zhao
Summary: In this study, a method based on Pickering emulsion systems (PES) was proposed for manipulating multiphase processes containing solid particles in microchannels without adhesion and accumulation. The characteristics of PES, SS, and VFS in a microchannel were systematically characterized, revealing that flow patterns depend on factors such as surface hydrophobicity, particle amount, viscosity, and flow rate. A scaling law of droplet size was established as a function of various parameters, showing how superficial velocity influences flow pattern transitions.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Jisun So, Bela F. Asztalos, Katalin Horvath, Stefania Lamon-Fava
Summary: The study aimed to evaluate the common and differential effects of EPA and DHA on plasma lipids and lipoproteins and to assess the metabolic mechanisms of these effects. The results showed that EPA and DHA had similar effects on plasma TG, but differences were observed in LDL-C concentrations and activities of some enzymes involved in lipoprotein metabolism. It was also noted that EPA and DHA worked differently in men and women.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL LIPIDOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Dong Zhang, Fei He, Zhen Miao, YaDong Zhang
Summary: The selective extraction of zinc from sulphate effluents containing zinc, cadmium, and manganese was elaborately investigated using liquid-liquid extraction with a capillary microreactor operating in the slug flow regime. The separation of zinc from cadmium and manganese was significantly enhanced by controlling the residence time and mixture velocity in the capillary microreactor. High kLa of zinc and low kLa of cadmium and manganese were responsible for the significant separation performance in the slug flow microfluidic system.
SEPARATION AND PURIFICATION TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Joren van Stee, Filip Keppens, Jinu Joseph John, Koen Binnemans, Tom Van Gerven
Summary: This study presents a reproducible production method for microreactor manifolds using commercially available and 3D printed parts. It was found that tubes and fittings alone cannot produce reliable and reproducible manifolds. However, a hybrid manifold consisting of a 3D printed distributor and commercial tubes and fittings showed a significant reduction in maldistribution for both single- and two-phase flow. Furthermore, the surface tension of the applied liquid was shown to have a significant effect on maldistribution, possibly due to the presence of air bubbles.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING RESEARCH & DESIGN
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Xinyi Chen, Yunlong Wu, Ru Feng, Kai Yu, Jianming Pan
Summary: In this study, hollow microspheres were efficiently prepared using a highly reactive monomer. The resulting microspheres exhibited excellent adsorption capacities and selectivity for uranium, making them a promising adsorbent for efficient uranium extraction. This work not only presents a new clue for fabricating functional microspheres, but also provides a novel platform for uranium capture.
SEPARATION AND PURIFICATION TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Nutrition & Dietetics
Laurie Chevalier, Melanie Plourde
Summary: The study found that omega-3 fatty acids esterified in monoacylglycerides (MAG) significantly increased plasma concentration of DHA and EPA, with higher concentrations during the absorption phase. When provided in MAG form, there was less difference in plasma concentration of n-3 FAs between males and females compared to ethyl ester (EE) form.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF CLINICAL NUTRITION
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Joren van Stee, Gregory Hermans, Jinu Joseph John, Koen Binnemans, Tom Van Gerven
Summary: This work presents a continuous solvent extraction method for the separation of cobalt and nickel in a millifluidic system using Cyphos IL 101 (C101) as the extractant. The optimal conditions for extraction performance and solvent properties were determined by investigating the effects of channel length, flow rate, and temperature. The performance of a developed manifold structure was compared to a single-channel system, and excellent separation results were achieved. The continuous separation process using the manifold structure resulted in high purity cobalt and nickel products.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Ping Xu, Ralph Rolly Gonzales, Jun Hong, Kecheng Guan, Yu-Hsuan Chiao, Zhaohuan Mai, Zhan Li, Saeid Rajabzadeh, Hideto Matsuyama
Summary: A new class of polyallyl-amine (PAA)-based positively charged nanofiltration (NF) membrane was developed for efficient separation of Mg2+ and Li+. The highly hydrophilic and positively charged polyamide layer of the NF membrane, endowed by the abundant primary amine groups on the PAA molecular chain, exhibited superior Mg2+/Li+ separation ability with a high separation factor SMg2+/Li+ of 82.8 and a water permeance of 7.39 L/(m2hbar). This work provides a new potential candidate for future development of positively charged NF membranes.
JOURNAL OF MEMBRANE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Ralph Rolly Gonzales, Keizo Nakagawa, Susumu Hasegawa, Atsushi Matsuoka, Kazuo Kumagai, Tomohisa Yoshioka, Hideto Matsuyama
Summary: Ammoniacal nitrogen is a common nitrogenous pollutant in wastewater from industrial processes. This study demonstrated the osmotically assisted reverse osmosis (OARO) process using a multi-stage hollow fiber membrane module setup, with model wastewater containing ammoniacal nitrogen as the feed solution. The OARO process aimed to concentrate and recover the ammoniacal nitrogen from the wastewater. The concentration efficiency of OARO was influenced by operational parameters such as applied pressure, feed flow rate, and reflux ratio, as well as the properties of the feed solution.
JOURNAL OF MEMBRANE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Titik Istirokhatun, Yuqing Lin, Ken Kinooka, Qin Shen, Pengfei Zhang, Yuandong Jia, Atsushi Matsuoka, Kazuo Kumagai, Tomohisa Yoshioka, Hideto Matsuyama
Summary: In this study, a novel class of nanofiltration membranes was developed to efficiently remove harmful micropollutants while preserving valuable nutrients. Chemical functionalization of the membranes improved their physicochemical properties and structures, allowing for better performance in wastewater treatment.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Siyu Zhou, Kecheng Guan, Zheng Wang, Qiangqiang Song, Zhan Li, Ping Xu, Luyao Deng, Shang Xiang, Hideto Matsuyama
Summary: Multilayered graphene oxide (GO) membranes with nanoporous interlayer have limitations in water desalination due to their tortuous transport pathways and water-swelling characteristics. This study develops a confined interlayer with mediated nanoparticle intercalation to enhance water transport and ion retardation in GO membranes. The roles of confinement and mediation in the intercalation modification of GO laminates are investigated, highlighting their indispensability in achieving efficient desalination processes. This strategy may also be applicable to fine-structure control of other two-dimensional laminates.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Qiangqiang Song, Yuqing Lin, Siyu Zhou, Titik Istirokhatun, Zheng Wang, Qin Shen, Zhaohuan Mai, Kecheng Guan, Hideto Matsuyama
Summary: Tailormade polyamide (PA) membrane structures with excellent selectivity and ultrafast water transportation have been developed via amine-decorated interlayer-mediated interfacial polymerization (IP). The ultrathin (8 nm) and asymmetric PA nanofilm exhibits improved water permeance and high salt rejection ratio, making it a promising candidate for efficient water reclamation and ion/molecular separation.
JOURNAL OF MEMBRANE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Yu-Hsuan Chiao, Zhaohuan Mai, Wei-Song Hung, Hideto Matsuyama
Summary: To meet the demand for ethanol, researchers are encouraged to develop sustainable membrane processes for solvent recovery. In this study, two simple approaches were explored to improve traditional reverse osmosis membranes for water-ethanol separation. The modified membrane achieved highly efficient recovery of ethanol and opens an opportunity for further development of a more efficient solvent purification process.
JOURNAL OF MEMBRANE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Zhan Li, Pengfei Zhang, Kecheng Guan, Ralph Rolly Gonzales, Toru Ishigami, Ming Xue, Tomohisa Yoshioka, Hideto Matsuyama
Summary: Ammonia is a toxic and hazardous substance, but it can also be a valuable chemical. Industrial wastewater often contains high concentrations of soluble gaseous ammonia. By utilizing the vapor-liquid equilibrium of the ammonia-water binary system, it is possible to recover and concentrate ammonia from these wastewater through sweep gas membrane distillation (SGMD). This study demonstrates the ammonia recovery process using SGMD and investigates the effects of different operating conditions on its performance.
PROCESS SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Kecheng Guan, Yanan Guo, Zhan Li, Yuandong Jia, Qin Shen, Keizo Nakagawa, Tomohisa Yoshioka, Gongping Liu, Wanqin Jin, Hideto Matsuyama
Summary: In this study, a robust interlayer channel is developed to exclude salt solutes by balancing associated chemistry and confinement stability. Divergent deformation behaviors of membrane nanochannels under different conditions are revealed, and the deformation constraint effectively provides rapid deformation recovery and excellent ion exclusion performance under variable pressure conditions.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Qin Shen, Qiangqiang Song, Zhaohuan Mai, Kueir-Rarn Lee, Tomohisa Yoshioka, Kecheng Guan, Ralph Rolly Gonzales, Hideto Matsuyama
Summary: In this study, an ultrapermeable polyamide reverse osmosis membrane with crumpled surface morphology and enlarged free volume was fabricated using interfacial polymerization and self-assembly. The formation mechanism of the crumpled nanostructures was elucidated through multiscale simulations. The electrostatic interactions among molecules, monolayer, and micelles disrupted the monolayer at the interface and promoted the formation of a crumpled PA layer, resulting in enhanced water transport. This work provides valuable insights into the mechanisms of the interfacial polymerization process and has fundamental significance for exploring high-performance desalination membranes.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Hiroya Taki, Kentaro Mine, Shinji Matsuo, Kazuo Kumagai, Hideto Matsuyama
Summary: Yeast oil produced by Lipomyces starkeyi is a promising sustainable alternative to palm oil, as it has a similar fatty acid composition. By investigating a new method to extract yeast oil from the emulsified liquid generated by crushing the culture, it was found that the new process has a high extraction recovery ratio of 98.2% and significantly lower energy consumption and processing cost compared to conventional methods, indicating its potential for practical applications.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Wenming Fu, Luyao Deng, Mengyang Hu, Zhaohuan Mai, Guorong Xu, Yongxuan Shi, Kecheng Guan, Ralph Rolly Gonzales, Atsushi Matsuoka, Hideto Matsuyama
Summary: A high-performance TFC-PA OSN membrane was developed by regulating interfacial polymerization (IP) with acetone as an organic co-solvent. The addition of acetone increased the width of the IP reaction zone, facilitated more violent exothermic reactions, and induced the formation of a 3D honeycomb-like structure with an ultrahigh specific surface area, resulting in higher methanol solvent permeance and comparable methyl orange rejection.
JOURNAL OF MEMBRANE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Guorong Xu, Yu-Hsuan Chiao, Wenming Fu, Luyao Deng, Mengyang Hu, Kecheng Guan, Ralph Rolly Gonzales, Hideto Matsuyama
Summary: This study proposes a temperature-assisted method for modulating the performance of a PA-TFC membrane in organic solvent reverse osmosis (OSRO). The combined effect of temperature and aqueous solution on the formation of the PA layer is investigated, and the evolution of the membrane parameters is analyzed. It is found that structural modulation of PA also leads to a change in the OSRO performance.
JOURNAL OF MEMBRANE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Shang Xiang, Pengfei Zhang, Saeid Rajabzadeh, Ralph Rolly Gonzales, Zhan Li, Yongxuan Shi, Siyu Zhou, Mengyang Hu, Kecheng Guan, Hideto Matsuyama
Summary: In recent years, polyketone (PK) porous membranes have received significant attention due to their high tolerance to organic solvents. However, the conventional membrane preparation method requires the use of toxic solvents. This study explores the thermally induced phase separation (TIPS) method to prepare PK membranes and compares them with membranes prepared using the nonsolvent induced phase separation (NIPS) method. The TIPS method showed promising results in terms of water permeability and mechanical properties, indicating its potential for the development of high-performance PK membranes.
JOURNAL OF MEMBRANE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Atsushi Matsuoka, Masayuki Fukushima, Eiji Kamio, Tomohisa Yoshioka, Keizo Nakagawa, Yasunao Okamoto, Hideto Matsuyama
Summary: In this study, amine/aldehyde mixtures are proposed as novel pH-responsive draw solutes based on dynamic covalent chemistry. It has been demonstrated that the phase separation behavior of alkylamine/2-pyridinecarboxyaldehyde mixtures can be controlled via reversible imine formation. These mixtures exhibit higher osmotic pressures and better performance compared to conventional draw solutes.
INDUSTRIAL & ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Ping Xu, Kecheng Guan, Yu-Hsuan Chiao, Zhaohuan Mai, Zhan Li, Mengyang Hu, Pengfei Zhang, Ralph Rolly Gonzales, Hideto Matsuyama
Summary: This study successfully developed a highly permeable and permselective polyamide nanofiltration (NF) membrane for Mg2+/Li+ separation by combining isophthaloyl chloride (IPC) with trimesoyl chloride through interfacial polymerization (IP). The properties of the polyamide layer could be finely tuned by adjusting the acyl chloride density of IPC. The NF membranes doped with IPC exhibited significant differences in positive chargeability and showed great potential for industrial applications.
JOURNAL OF MEMBRANE SCIENCE
(2023)
