Article
Engineering, Chemical
Dan Zhang, Tinu Abraham, Trong Dang-Vu, Jonathan Xu, Sarang P. Gumfekar, Thomas Thundat
Summary: The study explores the reasons for effective dewatering at optimum dosages in the polyacrylamide-MFT system through observing changes in the microstructure and flocculation patterns. Results show that the optimum dosage leads to the formation of fewer, larger flocs that have lower re-flocculation tendencies, promoting efficient water squeeze-out.
MINERALS ENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Zahra Rostami Najafabadi, Joao B. P. Soares
Summary: This study investigated the impact of EPDM-g-HPMA flocculants on the flocculation and dewatering of oil sands mature fine tailings. Flocculants with high molecular weight grafts and low grafting densities showed better performance in reducing settling rates, decreasing supernatant turbidity, and increasing solids content. Shorter EPDM backbones resulted in faster sediment settling, lower supernatant turbidity, and higher solids content in the sediments.
SEPARATION AND PURIFICATION TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Stepheney Davey, Joao B. P. Soares
Summary: The article discusses the synthesis and characterization of amylopectin-graft-hydrolyzed-poly(methyl acrylate) copolymers for treating oil sands tailings. The flocculation and dewatering results are strongly influenced by the combination of hydrophobic amylopectin backbones with hydrophilic hydrolyzed poly(methyl acrylate) grafts. These hybrid polymers show promise as an attractive alternative for treating oil sands and potentially other mineral ore tailings.
CANADIAN JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Marco A. da Silva, Fernanda Lopes Motta, Joao B. P. Soares
Summary: Mature fine tailings are a major environmental concern for the Canadian oil sands industry, but can be used to recycle bitumen and increase water recovery. Novel poly(acrylamide-co-lauric acid) can improve the performance of commercial flocculants and enhance the recovery of sediments with higher solids content.
MINERALS ENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Vahid Vajihinejad, Sarang P. Gumfekar, Daniel V. Dixon, Marco Antonio Silva, Joao B. P. Soares
Summary: This study investigates the flocculation of oil sands mature fine tailings (MFT) using poly(VBTMAC) as a flocculant, showing that the polymer's hydrophobic nature and positive charges contribute to neutralizing the negative charges of MFT clays and forming larger aggregates. The results demonstrate that poly(VBTMAC) outperforms commercially available anionic polyacrylamides in terms of production ease, dewatering rate, and sediment strength, but requires higher dosages for better performance.
SEPARATION AND PURIFICATION TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Bowei Zheng, Scott D. Taylor
Summary: Using cationic starch as a flocculant for mature fine tailings (MFT) during oil sands extraction has been proven effective for flocculating 2-10 wt % MFT in tap water and oil sands process water. Nonthermoresponsive and thermoresponsive cationic starches showed different performances in flocculating MFT, with the thermoresponsive starch exhibiting higher settling rates at temperatures above its lower critical solution temperature.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Xiaoxiao Li, Yang Shen, Raymond S. Farinato, Ponisseril Somasundaran, Yuejun Zhang
Summary: This study found that adding dual polymers to mature fine tailings is more efficient for flocculation and dewatering compared to using a single polymer. Evaluations of low molecular weight polyDADMAC and high molecular weight cationic or anionic PAM as dual polymers showed superior performance in dewatering the tailings.
CANADIAN JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Nesma Eltoukhy Allam, Mian Nabeel Anwar, Petr V. Kuznetsov, Ania C. Ulrich, Bipro Ranjan Dhar
Summary: Enzymatic treatment, especially with lysozyme, can greatly improve the dewatering of oil sands tailings, leading to increased water recovery and better consolidation. The treatment also increases methane production, which helps release trapped water, and reduces contaminants such as naphthenic acid.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Umme Salma Rima, Nicholas Beier, Ahlam Abdulnabi
Summary: It is crucial to combine multiple technologies to maximize post-depositional dewatering, as centrifuge technology alone may not provide the required strength for incorporating fine tailings into dry landform reclamation. Additionally, promoting seasonal weathering effects can further enhance dewatering processes.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Asif M. Salam, Banu Ormeci, Paul H. Simms
Summary: This study examined the potential of using torque rheology to determine the optimum polymer dosage for tailings dewatering. The results suggested that peak torque and totalized torque could be reliable control parameters in optimizing polymer dosage.
JOURNAL OF PETROLEUM SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Geological
Umme Salma Rima, Nicholas A. Beier
Summary: This paper examines the effects of seasonal weathering on the dewatering and strength of treated tailings. It finds that multiple cycles of seasonal weathering can significantly improve the dewatering and strength properties. However, different parameters, such as freezing gradient and pore water chemistry, influence the magnitude of the strength. A minimum threshold strength value is necessary to withstand the reduction in strength caused by rainfall rewetting.
CANADIAN GEOTECHNICAL JOURNAL
(2022)
Article
Polymer Science
Gustavo P. Zago, Reinaldo Giudici, Joao B. P. Soares
Summary: Despite being widely used, polyacrylamide faces performance challenges in tailings treatment. This study compared the performance of two commercial polyacrylamides with different molecular weights to treat iron ore tailings with two polymers designed for oil sand tailings treatment. The higher molecular weight polyacrylamide performed better, but still fell short of desired solid-liquid separation efficiency. The new polymer flocculants outperformed commercially available polyacrylamides but retained high water content in the sediments. This comparison suggests the potential use of alternative polymers for iron ore tailings treatment.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Anish Dubey, Abhay Shankar Patra, Abanindra Nath Sarkar, Abhirup Basu, Sunil Kumar Tripathy, A. K. Mukherjee, Atul Bhatnagar
Summary: A detailed study was conducted to assess the settling behaviour of iron slimes using a novel starch-based binary graft copolymeric flocculant, which showed outstanding settling performance compared to commercial reagents in terms of settling speed and turbidity removal during flocculation of iron-ore tailings.
MINERALS ENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Geological
Grytan Sarkar, Abouzar Sadrekarimi
Summary: The instability of coarse oil sands tailings (CST) was investigated in this study, and the effects of sample reconstitution method and tailings fabric on CST's instability behavior were explored. The results showed that the consolidation vertical stress and void ratio can affect the instability and post-liquefaction strength of the CST specimens.
SOIL DYNAMICS AND EARTHQUAKE ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Gayathri Kalyanaraman, Zahra Rostami Najafabadi, Joao Soares, Milana Trifkovic
Summary: The research highlights that increasing the graft density of partially hydrophobic grafted polymers can improve dispersion, initial dewatering rate, and viscoelastic response of flocculants, while having minimal impact on long-term dewatering properties. Three-dimensional microscopic images reveal that higher graft density leads to more trapped water within flocs, resulting in slower post-flocculation dewatering rate.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Tiantian Cao, Chenghong Wang, Zijian Zhou, Lei Liu, Shengming Xu, Haitao Song, Wei Lin, Zhenghe Xu
Summary: A novel magnetic multi-functional nanocomposite, MagS-Ag, is developed using a facile route, exhibiting preferable physical and chemical properties and outstanding capabilities in catalytic reduction and elemental capture. Additionally, the material can be easily separated/collected and regenerated after multiple cycles, showing great potential for wide applications.
APPLIED SURFACE SCIENCE
(2021)
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
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
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
Energy & Fuels
An Li, Rui Li, Ci Yan, Han Wang, Qingxia Liu, Jacob H. Masliyah, Hongbo Zeng, Zhenghe Xu
Summary: This study aims to understand the effects of different types and wettability of clays on bitumen extraction from mined oil sands. The results showed that hydrophilic clays had a detrimental effect on the extraction process, with montmorillonite being the worst. The crucial role of clays in slime-coating on bitumen was studied, and clay concentration was found to determine the hetero-coagulation process between bitumen and clay.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Xiaomin Ma, Xiaosong Sun, Ming Chang, Qingxia Liu, Xianshu Dong, Yuping Fan, Ruxia Chen
Summary: This study examines the interaction between montmorillonite and polyacrylamide (PAM) with different ionic types using QCM-D and MD simulations. The study found that pH decrease led to increased montmorillonite adsorption on the alumina surface. CPAM had the strongest adsorption mass, followed by NPAM, and APAM had the lowest adsorption. CPAM also had the strongest bridging effect, while APAM had a negligible effect. MD simulations showed that the ionicity had a significant influence on the adsorption of polyacrylamides, with the cationic functional group having the strongest attraction.
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Kaixuan Wang, Hao Lu, Xinmiao Wang, Qingxia Liu, Jinxia Hu, Yao Liu, Meihua Jin, Dexin Kong
Summary: Metabolic reprogramming is a characteristic of human cancer. The combination of PKM2-IN-1 and NCT-503 shows significant anti-cancer effects by inhibiting proliferation, inducing cell cycle arrest and apoptosis, and affecting multiple metabolic pathways.
FRONTIERS IN PHARMACOLOGY
(2023)
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.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Benjamin De Castro, Mostafa Benzaazoua, Soumali Roychowdhury, Aurelie Chopard, Francis Quintal Lauzon, Benoit Plante
Summary: This study proposes an innovative method using deep learning algorithm and reflected light optical imaging to automatically detect all particles and minerals in acrylic resin polished sections. The experimental results show that this method can accurately detect all mineral particles, including transparent minerals, under reflected light optical microscopy, and provide unbiased mineralogical quantification.
MINERALS ENGINEERING
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Qiushi Song, Xinyu Du, Changlu Shan, Hongwei Xie, Zhiqiang Ning, Kai Yu
Summary: This study investigated the effect of magnetic stirring on the microstructure of Co deposits during electrowinning in a chloride solution. It was found that magnetic stirring effectively reduced the negative influence of H2 bubbles on the structure of Co deposits and changed their nucleation and growth behavior, resulting in the preparation of high-quality columnar Co crystals.
MINERALS ENGINEERING
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Tao Ge, Xiaowei Zhou, Liang Xu, Yan Sun, Cheng Yang, Yongpan Tian, Zhuo Zhao
Summary: In this study, the extraction performance and complexation mechanism of p-di-ethyl-amino-methylthiacalix[4]arene (L) towards Pt(IV) were investigated. The results indicated that L had excellent complexation ability towards Pt(IV) and could selectively extract it from a solution containing multiple competing ions.
MINERALS ENGINEERING
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Yuan Li, Dirk van Zyl
Summary: This paper presents a modified Kynch's approach to explain the hindered settling behavior of suspensions impacted by segregation. The experimental data and predicted results confirm the effectiveness of the proposed method.
MINERALS ENGINEERING
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Yi Fang, Aurora Robledo-Cabrera, Changsheng Peng, Shan Huang, Qi Xiao, Alejandro Lopez-Valdivieso
Summary: With the assistance of mechanical ball milling, the partially oxidized micro-sponge iron (micro-Fe0@Fe2O3) achieves significantly improved removal of Cr(VI) across a broad pH range. Mechanical force eliminates the surface oxide layer and exposes the Fe0 core, leading to sustained reduction of Cr(VI). The efficiency of micro-Fe0@Fe2O3 is strongly influenced by dissolved oxygen, with higher DO resulting in the generation of stable reductant Fe(II) under acidic conditions, while DO consumption hinders the reduction of Cr(VI) under alkaline conditions due to increased pH. Parameters of ball milling operation, especially rotation speed, have a significant impact on the removal of Cr(VI).
MINERALS ENGINEERING
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Alton F. Grabsch, Phillip D. Fawell, Michael G. Davies
Summary: High molecular weight partially hydrolysed polyacrylamide (PHPA) is commonly used in mineral exploration drilling to increase fluid viscosity and help maintain the suspension of fine particles. However, clarifying these suspensions can be difficult, and previous studies have found that anionic flocculants are ineffective. This study confirmed that nonionic flocculants can successfully aggregate the particles, indicating that the charged tails of adsorbed PHPA prevent anionic flocculants from accessing the particle surfaces.
MINERALS ENGINEERING
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
J. S. Guiral-Vega, L. Perez-Barnuevo, J. Bouchard, A. Ure, E. Poulin, C. Du Breuil
Summary: This paper introduces an approach that combines particle properties and process modeling to describe the behavior of iron ore in a laboratory-scale drum-type magnetic separator. Early information on iron ore processing behavior can be obtained through laboratory testing, automated mineralogy analysis, and process modeling.
MINERALS ENGINEERING
(2024)
Review
Engineering, Chemical
Sayed Janishar Anzoom, Ghislain Bournival, Seher Ata
Summary: This review discusses the benefits and challenges of coarse particle flotation, as well as recent developments in improving the process. Coarse particle flotation has various applications and offers advantages in technical, economic, and sustainability aspects. However, it also faces challenges such as particle detachment, transfer between phases, and persistence in the froth phase. Technological advancements, such as fluidized-bed flotation and processes enhancing bubble-particle attachment, have shown promising results in efficiently recovering larger particles.
MINERALS ENGINEERING
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Yimei Xiao, Jinchan Feng, Bingqiao Yang, Huihua Luo, Fang Zhou
Summary: In this study, the use of fulvic acid as a depressant for the flotation separation of chalcopyrite from arsenopyrite was investigated. It was found that fulvic acid strongly depressed arsenopyrite while having little influence on chalcopyrite flotation. The addition of calcium hypochlorite facilitated the adsorption of fulvic acid on arsenopyrite surface.
MINERALS ENGINEERING
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Bo Hao, Minqiang Fan
Summary: Particle-bubble attachment is crucial in coal and mineral flotation processes. In this study, the attachment process of low-rank coal particles to the bubble surface was simulated, revealing the important role of water film rupture in particle attachment.
MINERALS ENGINEERING
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Shuwei Wu, Shuai Wang, Guoqiang Wang, Longfei Fan, Jianbo Guo, Zhengbin Liu, Haoyan Zhang, Wei Guan, Yukuan Wang, Yewei Wu
Summary: This study analyzes the motion mode of eccentric roller crushers and proposes a calculation method for productivity. Through laboratory experiments, the results indicate that the proposed method can effectively estimate the productivity of eccentric roll crushers.
MINERALS ENGINEERING
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Hanna Miettinen, Malin Bomberg, Ozlem Bicak, Zafir Ekmekci, Paivi Kinnunen
Summary: Mineral processing requires large amounts of water, and reducing water consumption through recirculation and closing water loops is important. However, this can lead to the accumulation of contaminants in the process water, which can negatively affect the process performance. In this study, the impact of microorganisms on flotation performance was investigated, and ion exchange was evaluated for removing dissolved sulfur species and microorganisms from water. The results showed that adding microorganisms had a positive effect on flotation selectivity, especially for nickel. Different water types, process water and final tailings water, behaved slightly differently. Ion exchange proved to be effective in removing sulfur species and microorganisms, and dissolved air flotation was a successful pretreatment for ion exchange in removing microorganisms.
MINERALS ENGINEERING
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Canneng Chen, Song Zhang, Quanjun Liu, Luzheng Chen, Yongjun Xian, Yijie Wang
Summary: This study introduces the use of ultrasonic pretreatment to enhance the flotation separation of elemental sulfur and silver-bearing lead minerals from ultrafine residue. The results show that ultrasonic pretreatment effectively liberates associated sulfur and improves the separation of sulfur and silver-bearing lead minerals. Under optimized conditions, ultrasonic pretreatment significantly improves the recovery and grade of sulfur in the concentrate, as well as the recovery of lead and silver in the tailings.
MINERALS ENGINEERING
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Genzhuang Li, Fisher Wang, Bern Klein, Michael Deal, Aaron Wright, Hector Mezquita
Summary: This paper presents a stress-based approach for predicting and improving large-scale HIG mill performance through experimental testing and model calibration.
MINERALS ENGINEERING
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Runpeng Liao, Shuming Wen, Jian Liu, Shaojun Bai, Qicheng Feng
Summary: This study demonstrates that the use of a DDA/DDTC mixed collector system can significantly improve the flotation performance of smithsonite. The synergistic effect between DDA and DDTC is confirmed, and the mixed collector system contributes to a decrease in solution surface tension. The use of FT-IR and XPS confirms the simultaneous physisorption and chemisorption of DDA and DDTC on the smithsonite surface, and contact angle measurements show that the mixed collector effectively enhances the hydrophobicity of smithsonite. Molecular dynamics simulations reveal the multilayer adsorption of DDTC and DDA on the smithsonite surface, with DDTC promoting the adsorption of DDA.
MINERALS ENGINEERING
(2024)
