Microneedle (MNs) patches are a minimally invasive transdermal drug delivery platform that address poor skin permeability of conventional patches for high-molecular-weight drugs (>500 Da) and improve patient compliance, particularly for individuals with trypanophobia.
In this study, cellulose-based aerogel MNs were fabricated by combining microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) and bacterial cellulose (BC) in a 1,8-diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec‑7-ene (DBU)/dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO)/CO₂ system, followed by ethanol-assisted coagulation and supercritical CO₂ drying (SCD). The optimized 8:2 MCC:BC formulation achieved a Young’s modulus of 210 ± 12 MPa, maintained well-defined needle geometry, and achieved 85–88 % porosity. Supercritical CO₂ drying (SCD) produced highly porous MNs with uniform tips and interconnected pores, reducing swelling by 60 % compared with freeze-drying and enhancing insertion efficiency. These results demonstrate that cellulose-based aerogel MNs provide a sustainable, mechanically robust, and patient-friendly platform for controlled transdermal drug delivery.
{"title":"Cellulose-based aerogels for microneedle patch applications","authors":"Chien-Sheng Tseng, Zi-Xian Lu, Wei Ting Lu, Yi-Chen Li, Shu-Yii Wu","doi":"10.1016/j.jtice.2026.106617","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jtice.2026.106617","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Microneedle (MNs) patches are a minimally invasive transdermal drug delivery platform that address poor skin permeability of conventional patches for high-molecular-weight drugs (>500 Da) and improve patient compliance, particularly for individuals with trypanophobia.</div><div>In this study, cellulose-based aerogel MNs were fabricated by combining microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) and bacterial cellulose (BC) in a 1,8-diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec‑7-ene (DBU)/dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO)/CO₂ system, followed by ethanol-assisted coagulation and supercritical CO₂ drying (SCD). The optimized 8:2 MCC:BC formulation achieved a Young’s modulus of 210 ± 12 MPa, maintained well-defined needle geometry, and achieved 85–88 % porosity. Supercritical CO₂ drying (SCD) produced highly porous MNs with uniform tips and interconnected pores, reducing swelling by 60 % compared with freeze-drying and enhancing insertion efficiency. These results demonstrate that cellulose-based aerogel MNs provide a sustainable, mechanically robust, and patient-friendly platform for controlled transdermal drug delivery.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":381,"journal":{"name":"Journal of the Taiwan Institute of Chemical Engineers","volume":"183 ","pages":"Article 106617"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145974253","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-14DOI: 10.1016/j.jtice.2026.106636
Serhatcan Berk Akçay , Temel Varol , Onur Güler , Mücahit Kocaman , Uğur Temel Yıldız , Furkan Alptekin
Background
AISI 4140 steel is widely used in the industries due to its high strength and toughness. However, this alloy suffers from limited surface hardness and wear resistance.
Methods
In this study, the effects of pre-and post-heat treatments combined with electroless Ni–P coating on the microstructural evolution and tribological behavior of AISI 4140 steel were investigated. Microstructural characterization, surface roughness measurements, hardness testing, and dry sliding wear experiments were employed to evaluate coating performance.
Significant Findings
Microstructural analysis showed that heat-treated steel exhibited a finer and more uniform martensitic structure compared to the ferrite–pearlite structure of untreated steel. The untreated condition showed an average coating thickness of 17 µm and a surface roughness (Ra) of 1.456 µm. After pre- and post-deposition heat treatments at 450 °C, surface roughness decreased to 0.834 µm, indicating improved interfacial diffusion. Ni–P coatings on untreated steel exhibited poor adhesion, leading to delamination and abrasive wear. Pre-heat treatment increased substrate hardness, reducing wear by ∼45%. Post-coating heat treatment transformed the amorphous Ni–P layer into crystalline Ni3P, increased hardness above 900 HV. Consequently, the specific wear rate decreased from 2.7 × 10−4 to 0.2 × 10−4 mm3/N·m.
{"title":"Substrate quench–tempering and coating post-annealing for electroless Ni–P coated 4140 steel for enhanced interface-wear synergy","authors":"Serhatcan Berk Akçay , Temel Varol , Onur Güler , Mücahit Kocaman , Uğur Temel Yıldız , Furkan Alptekin","doi":"10.1016/j.jtice.2026.106636","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jtice.2026.106636","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>AISI 4140 steel is widely used in the industries due to its high strength and toughness. However, this alloy suffers from limited surface hardness and wear resistance.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>In this study, the effects of pre-and post-heat treatments combined with electroless Ni–P coating on the microstructural evolution and tribological behavior of AISI 4140 steel were investigated. Microstructural characterization, surface roughness measurements, hardness testing, and dry sliding wear experiments were employed to evaluate coating performance.</div></div><div><h3>Significant Findings</h3><div>Microstructural analysis showed that heat-treated steel exhibited a finer and more uniform martensitic structure compared to the ferrite–pearlite structure of untreated steel. The untreated condition showed an average coating thickness of 17 µm and a surface roughness (Ra) of 1.456 µm. After pre- and post-deposition heat treatments at 450 °C, surface roughness decreased to 0.834 µm, indicating improved interfacial diffusion. Ni–P coatings on untreated steel exhibited poor adhesion, leading to delamination and abrasive wear. Pre-heat treatment increased substrate hardness, reducing wear by ∼45%. Post-coating heat treatment transformed the amorphous Ni–P layer into crystalline Ni<sub>3</sub>P, increased hardness above 900 HV. Consequently, the specific wear rate decreased from 2.7 × 10<sup>−4</sup> to 0.2 × 10<sup>−4</sup> mm<sup>3</sup>/N·m.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":381,"journal":{"name":"Journal of the Taiwan Institute of Chemical Engineers","volume":"183 ","pages":"Article 106636"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145974254","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-14DOI: 10.1016/j.jtice.2026.106639
Hui-Chun Chen , Sefli Sri Wahyu Effendi , Wan-Wen Ting, Jiun-Jang Juo, I-Son Ng
Background
Human carbonic anhydrase II (hCAII) is among the fastest biocatalysts in nature, and the demand for its recombinant production has been increasing. Trigger Factor (TF), a ribosome-associated chaperone, holds promise for enhancing both the quality and quantity of recombinant proteins but remains underexplored. This study represents the first attempt to employ TF in the production of hCAII, aiming to improve its application in CO₂ sequestration.
Methods
Escherichia coli strain was engineered with either plasmid-based or chromosomal TF expression, combined with tunable levels of T7 RNA polymerase (T7RNAP). Culture parameters, including agitation speed, inducer, and cofactor supplementation, were optimized. TF–hCAII interactions were analyzed using in vivo assays, in vitro reconstitution, and molecular dynamics simulations. Whole-cell biocatalysts were immobilized in agar and polyacrylamide matrices to evaluate reusability.
Significant Findings
Chromosomal TF integration in the attenuated T7RNAP strain C43(DE3) (i.e., C43::TF) increased hCAII solubility by 139.8% and enzymatic activity by 39.8% compared to plasmid-based TF expression. Medium optimization with glycerol and tryptone (C3T formulation) yielded 0.210 g/L hCAII protein and reduced production cost by 57%. Molecular dynamics simulations revealed that TF binding reduced the RMSD fluctuations of hCAII by ∼0.2 nm, thereby stabilizing the N-terminal helices and enhancing the structural stability of hCAII. Agar-immobilized whole-cell biocatalysts retained >95% activity after five reuse cycles, outperforming polyacrylamide matrices, which retained only 29.8% activity. Overall, C43::TF provides a cost-effective chassis for producing robust hCAII biocatalysts for CO2 capture and mineralization.
{"title":"Trigger factor mediated folding and expression of human carbonic anhydrase in engineered Escherichia coli for CO2 sequestration","authors":"Hui-Chun Chen , Sefli Sri Wahyu Effendi , Wan-Wen Ting, Jiun-Jang Juo, I-Son Ng","doi":"10.1016/j.jtice.2026.106639","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jtice.2026.106639","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Human carbonic anhydrase II (hCAII) is among the fastest biocatalysts in nature, and the demand for its recombinant production has been increasing. Trigger Factor (TF), a ribosome-associated chaperone, holds promise for enhancing both the quality and quantity of recombinant proteins but remains underexplored. This study represents the first attempt to employ TF in the production of hCAII, aiming to improve its application in CO₂ sequestration.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div><em>Escherichia coli</em> strain was engineered with either plasmid-based or chromosomal TF expression, combined with tunable levels of T7 RNA polymerase (T7RNAP). Culture parameters, including agitation speed, inducer, and cofactor supplementation, were optimized. TF–hCAII interactions were analyzed using <em>in vivo</em> assays, <em>in vitro</em> reconstitution, and molecular dynamics simulations. Whole-cell biocatalysts were immobilized in agar and polyacrylamide matrices to evaluate reusability.</div></div><div><h3>Significant Findings</h3><div>Chromosomal TF integration in the attenuated T7RNAP strain C43(DE3) (i.e., C43::TF) increased hCAII solubility by 139.8% and enzymatic activity by 39.8% compared to plasmid-based TF expression. Medium optimization with glycerol and tryptone (C3T formulation) yielded 0.210 g/L hCAII protein and reduced production cost by 57%. Molecular dynamics simulations revealed that TF binding reduced the RMSD fluctuations of hCAII by ∼0.2 nm, thereby stabilizing the N-terminal helices and enhancing the structural stability of hCAII. Agar-immobilized whole-cell biocatalysts retained >95% activity after five reuse cycles, outperforming polyacrylamide matrices, which retained only 29.8% activity. Overall, C43::TF provides a cost-effective chassis for producing robust hCAII biocatalysts for CO<sub>2</sub> capture and mineralization.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":381,"journal":{"name":"Journal of the Taiwan Institute of Chemical Engineers","volume":"183 ","pages":"Article 106639"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145974249","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-12DOI: 10.1016/j.jtice.2026.106626
Zhu Wang, Yang Chen, Long Jiang
Background
In offshore Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) units, the three-phase separator is a key device for dewatering and degassing crude oil. When the three-phase separator malfunctions, the field operators cannot accurately locate the cause of the abnormality at the first time with their limited experience, and there is a lack of abnormality data in the actual industrial environment, which greatly restricts the effective application of Bayesian networks and other methods.
Methods
This paper introduces expert experience and proposes a diagnostic algorithm called the abnormality inference network for abnormal cause localization. First, the algorithm determines the network structure based on process mechanisms and alarm records. Second, the fuzzy theory is used to process expert experience to determine the likelihood rating between nodes. Additionally, triples are used to deconstruct the network and form a query matrix. Finally, this paper combines test cases with the particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm to determine the minimum activation value of nodes.
Significant findings
The inference algorithm is applied to the actual three-phase separator equipment, and the experiment proves that the algorithm can quickly and effectively locate the cause of the abnormality, which solves the problem of inexperience of the field operators.
{"title":"An activated inference method for FPSO three-phase separator fault diagnosis based on expert experience","authors":"Zhu Wang, Yang Chen, Long Jiang","doi":"10.1016/j.jtice.2026.106626","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jtice.2026.106626","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>In offshore Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) units, the three-phase separator is a key device for dewatering and degassing crude oil. When the three-phase separator malfunctions, the field operators cannot accurately locate the cause of the abnormality at the first time with their limited experience, and there is a lack of abnormality data in the actual industrial environment, which greatly restricts the effective application of Bayesian networks and other methods.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>This paper introduces expert experience and proposes a diagnostic algorithm called the abnormality inference network for abnormal cause localization. First, the algorithm determines the network structure based on process mechanisms and alarm records. Second, the fuzzy theory is used to process expert experience to determine the likelihood rating between nodes. Additionally, triples are used to deconstruct the network and form a query matrix. Finally, this paper combines test cases with the particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm to determine the minimum activation value of nodes.</div></div><div><h3>Significant findings</h3><div>The inference algorithm is applied to the actual three-phase separator equipment, and the experiment proves that the algorithm can quickly and effectively locate the cause of the abnormality, which solves the problem of inexperience of the field operators.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":381,"journal":{"name":"Journal of the Taiwan Institute of Chemical Engineers","volume":"183 ","pages":"Article 106626"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145974247","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-10DOI: 10.1016/j.jtice.2025.106583
Lang Liu , Ying Zheng , Zhiwei Wang , David Shan-Hill Wong
Background:
Fault isolation is a technique for diagnosing the variables responsible for faults, which plays a crucial role in the monitoring of industrial processes. However, the isolation performance varies significantly among different candidate variables due to their relationships to the fault, smearing effect and the presence of noises.
Methods:
This paper proposed a robust Mallows’ based fault isolation method. The robust Mallows’ with -insensitive loss function is designed to eliminate smearing effects and the effects of noise. However, pre-specification of the hyper-parameter that weighs the sparsity regularization penalty is not necessary. The MINLP problem is reformulated as several sub-problems solved efficiently via forward selection. Fault scores are constructed to evaluate the severity of each variable in the fault.
Significant Findings:
The method is validated through two case studies: a continuous stirred tank reactor process and a fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicle system. Results show that the robust Mallows’ effectively removes the negative influence of smearing effect and noises, leading to high fault isolation accuracy for faulty variables and few false alarms for fault-free variables. The results are superior to some recent literature benchmarks.
{"title":"Multivariate fault isolation by robust Mallows’Cp: A mixed integer nonlinear programming approach","authors":"Lang Liu , Ying Zheng , Zhiwei Wang , David Shan-Hill Wong","doi":"10.1016/j.jtice.2025.106583","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jtice.2025.106583","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background:</h3><div>Fault isolation is a technique for diagnosing the variables responsible for faults, which plays a crucial role in the monitoring of industrial processes. However, the isolation performance varies significantly among different candidate variables due to their relationships to the fault, smearing effect and the presence of noises.</div></div><div><h3>Methods:</h3><div>This paper proposed a robust Mallows’<span><math><msub><mrow><mi>C</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>p</mi></mrow></msub></math></span> based fault isolation method. The robust Mallows’<span><math><msub><mrow><mi>C</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>p</mi></mrow></msub></math></span> with <span><math><mi>ϵ</mi></math></span>-insensitive loss function is designed to eliminate smearing effects and the effects of noise. However, pre-specification of the hyper-parameter that weighs the sparsity regularization penalty is not necessary. The MINLP problem is reformulated as several sub-problems solved efficiently via forward selection. Fault scores are constructed to evaluate the severity of each variable in the fault.</div></div><div><h3>Significant Findings:</h3><div>The method is validated through two case studies: a continuous stirred tank reactor process and a fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicle system. Results show that the robust Mallows’<span><math><msub><mrow><mi>C</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>p</mi></mrow></msub></math></span> effectively removes the negative influence of smearing effect and noises, leading to high fault isolation accuracy for faulty variables and few false alarms for fault-free variables. The results are superior to some recent literature benchmarks.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":381,"journal":{"name":"Journal of the Taiwan Institute of Chemical Engineers","volume":"183 ","pages":"Article 106583"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145974248","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-09DOI: 10.1016/j.jtice.2026.106624
Junxuan Liang , Rundong Gao , Hongxia Zhao , Dongpo Wei , Rui Wang , Zhitao Song , Kewei Zhang
Background
As the bridge between the physical and digital worlds, sensors are central to the Internet of Things (IoT) and have completely transformed modern life. However, accurate signal recognition remains challenging due to factors such as noise, diversity and complexity. Although the accuracy and stability can be improved by developing advanced sensitive materials, such efforts are time-consuming and offer only limited gains.
Methods
A versatile artificial intelligence model combining principal component analysis (PCA) and backpropagation (BP) neural network is proposed to address the classification problem of low-resolution signal data from gas and motion sensors.
Significant Findings
The model achieves a classification accuracy of over 94% for four sets of motion sensor signals and more than 98% accuracy for two sets of gas sensor signals. This study provides an innovative solution for precise sensor signal processing and is expected to be widely used in IoT applications.
{"title":"Artificial intelligence enabled versatile signal recognition strategy for gas and motion sensors","authors":"Junxuan Liang , Rundong Gao , Hongxia Zhao , Dongpo Wei , Rui Wang , Zhitao Song , Kewei Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.jtice.2026.106624","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jtice.2026.106624","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>As the bridge between the physical and digital worlds, sensors are central to the Internet of Things (IoT) and have completely transformed modern life. However, accurate signal recognition remains challenging due to factors such as noise, diversity and complexity. Although the accuracy and stability can be improved by developing advanced sensitive materials, such efforts are time-consuming and offer only limited gains.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A versatile artificial intelligence model combining principal component analysis (PCA) and backpropagation (BP) neural network is proposed to address the classification problem of low-resolution signal data from gas and motion sensors.</div></div><div><h3>Significant Findings</h3><div>The model achieves a classification accuracy of over 94% for four sets of motion sensor signals and more than 98% accuracy for two sets of gas sensor signals. This study provides an innovative solution for precise sensor signal processing and is expected to be widely used in IoT applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":381,"journal":{"name":"Journal of the Taiwan Institute of Chemical Engineers","volume":"183 ","pages":"Article 106624"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145922698","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-09DOI: 10.1016/j.jtice.2026.106618
Maider Bolaños , Xabier Sukunza , Mikel Tellabide , Idoia Estiati , Haritz Altzibar , Miriam Arabiourrutia , Martin Olazar
Background:
To date, most of the studies concerning the scaling up of spouted beds suggest building units of multiple interconnected contactors instead of individual large contactors. In fact, large spouted beds have stability and operational problems, which can be partially overcome using a conical geometry. However, to our knowledge, the scaling up of conical spouted beds has not been approached in the literature.
Methods:
Therefore, a 1 m column diameter conical spouted bed has been built and its hydrodynamic behaviour has been studied based on characteristic curves. Different materials and configurations have been tested and the results have been compared with those obtained in a 0.36 m column diameter contactor.
Findings:
Results show that stable spouting regime is achieved in the large plant, even for . In addition, value gets closer to 1 as the particle diameter is decreased. Regarding operating pressure drop, values attained in demonstration plant are times greater for low porosity beds and around 2 times greater for high porosity beds. Moreover, new regimes have been identified before and after spouting regime, especially for coarse particles. These findings evidence the good performance of large conical spouted beds, which will help developing industrial scale units.
{"title":"Hydrodynamic performance of an industrial scale conical spouted bed","authors":"Maider Bolaños , Xabier Sukunza , Mikel Tellabide , Idoia Estiati , Haritz Altzibar , Miriam Arabiourrutia , Martin Olazar","doi":"10.1016/j.jtice.2026.106618","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jtice.2026.106618","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background:</h3><div>To date, most of the studies concerning the scaling up of spouted beds suggest building units of multiple interconnected contactors instead of individual large contactors. In fact, large spouted beds have stability and operational problems, which can be partially overcome using a conical geometry. However, to our knowledge, the scaling up of conical spouted beds has not been approached in the literature.</div></div><div><h3>Methods:</h3><div>Therefore, a 1 m column diameter conical spouted bed has been built and its hydrodynamic behaviour has been studied based on characteristic curves. Different materials and configurations have been tested and the results have been compared with those obtained in a 0.36 m column diameter contactor.</div></div><div><h3>Findings:</h3><div>Results show that stable spouting regime is achieved in the large plant, even for <span><math><mrow><msub><mrow><mi>D</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>0</mn></mrow></msub><mo>/</mo><msub><mrow><mi>d</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>p</mi></mrow></msub><mo>≈</mo><mn>1200</mn></mrow></math></span>. In addition, <span><math><mrow><msub><mrow><mi>u</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>m</mi><mi>s</mi><mo>,</mo><mi>p</mi><mi>i</mi><mi>l</mi><mi>o</mi><mi>t</mi></mrow></msub><mo>/</mo><msub><mrow><mi>u</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>m</mi><mi>s</mi><mo>,</mo><mi>d</mi><mi>e</mi><mi>m</mi><mi>o</mi><mi>n</mi><mi>s</mi><mi>t</mi><mi>r</mi><mi>a</mi><mi>t</mi><mi>i</mi><mi>o</mi><mi>n</mi></mrow></msub></mrow></math></span> value gets closer to 1 as the particle diameter is decreased. Regarding operating pressure drop, values attained in demonstration plant are <span><math><mrow><mn>5</mn><mtext>–</mtext><mn>8</mn></mrow></math></span> times greater for low porosity beds and around 2 times greater for high porosity beds. Moreover, new regimes have been identified before and after spouting regime, especially for coarse particles. These findings evidence the good performance of large conical spouted beds, which will help developing industrial scale units.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":381,"journal":{"name":"Journal of the Taiwan Institute of Chemical Engineers","volume":"183 ","pages":"Article 106618"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145922696","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-08DOI: 10.1016/j.jtice.2025.106609
Ming HOU , Guoxin JIANG , Shenghui GUO , Xiaolei YE , Li YANG
Background
NH3 is widely used in the key fields such as chemical industry, medical treatment and so on. However, the long-term inhalation of NH3 could cause asthma exacerbation, rhinitis and other diseases to human health. The advanced semiconductor gas sensor can realize the detection of NH3, while their high working temperature causes high energy consumption, which will limit practical applications. Developing the NH3 sensitive materials with low operating temperature, high sensitivity remains a priority.
Methods
This study presents a low-temperature gas sensor based on few layer 2D MXene-Fe2O3 composite prepared by dual temperature freeze drying technology. The sensitivity towards NH3 was improved using a composition strategy. The working temperature, sensing properties, stability, selectivity and gas sensing mechanism were systematically studied.
Significant findings
Urchin-like Fe2O3 distributes on the porous Ti3C2Tx. Ti3C2Tx-Fe2O3 composite shown excellent gas sensitive performances at 100 °C to 100 ppm NH3 with a proportion of 56.2%, which is higher twice and 3.2 times than that of raw Fe2O3 and Ti3C2Tx. The enhancement of gas sensitive properties is attributed to the fact that the surface of Ti3C2Tx is porous after bidirectional freeze-drying technology and the construction of energy level structure between Ti3C2Tx and Fe2O3, which improve the specific surface area of the material, thus providing more active sites for gas sensing reaction and ameliorating the gas sensitive properties of the material.
{"title":"Urchin-like Fe2O3/MXene Ti3C2Tx compounds for enhancement of NH3 sensitive property at low temperature","authors":"Ming HOU , Guoxin JIANG , Shenghui GUO , Xiaolei YE , Li YANG","doi":"10.1016/j.jtice.2025.106609","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jtice.2025.106609","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>NH<sub>3</sub> is widely used in the key fields such as chemical industry, medical treatment and so on. However, the long-term inhalation of NH<sub>3</sub> could cause asthma exacerbation, rhinitis and other diseases to human health. The advanced semiconductor gas sensor can realize the detection of NH<sub>3</sub>, while their high working temperature causes high energy consumption, which will limit practical applications. Developing the NH<sub>3</sub> sensitive materials with low operating temperature, high sensitivity remains a priority.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>This study presents a low-temperature gas sensor based on few layer 2D MXene-Fe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> composite prepared by dual temperature freeze drying technology. The sensitivity towards NH<sub>3</sub> was improved using a composition strategy. The working temperature, sensing properties, stability, selectivity and gas sensing mechanism were systematically studied.</div></div><div><h3>Significant findings</h3><div>Urchin-like Fe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> distributes on the porous Ti<sub>3</sub>C<sub>2</sub>T<sub>x</sub>. Ti<sub>3</sub>C<sub>2</sub>T<sub>x</sub>-Fe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> composite shown excellent gas sensitive performances at 100 °C to 100 ppm NH<sub>3</sub> with a proportion of 56.2%, which is higher twice and 3.2 times than that of raw Fe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> and Ti<sub>3</sub>C<sub>2</sub>T<sub>x</sub>. The enhancement of gas sensitive properties is attributed to the fact that the surface of Ti<sub>3</sub>C<sub>2</sub>T<sub>x</sub> is porous after bidirectional freeze-drying technology and the construction of energy level structure between Ti<sub>3</sub>C<sub>2</sub>T<sub>x</sub> and Fe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>, which improve the specific surface area of the material, thus providing more active sites for gas sensing reaction and ameliorating the gas sensitive properties of the material.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":381,"journal":{"name":"Journal of the Taiwan Institute of Chemical Engineers","volume":"183 ","pages":"Article 106609"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145922702","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-07DOI: 10.1016/j.jtice.2025.106611
Xiaoran Li, Ning Li, Yanlei Zhu, Yong Liu, Rui Wang
Background
Ethyl methyl carbonate (EMC) is a high-value-added green chemical with prominent advantages in lithium battery electrolytes. The presence of multiple azeotropes in the reactive distillation of dimethyl carbonate and methanol severely limits reaction conversion and selectivity while complicating the separation process. Reactive extractive distillation effectively addresses the azeotrope limitations of conventional reactive distillation by introducing an extractant, thereby enhancing both reaction and separation efficiency.
Methods
This study proposes novel hybrid reactive extractive distillation processes for efficient EMC synthesis. Through molecular simulations and thermodynamic analysis, this study identified diethyl carbonate as the optimal extractant, demonstrating its effectiveness in enhancing both the physical separation and chemical reaction processes. The reactive extractive distillation column was developed, achieving 85 % single-pass DMC conversion rate and 100 % EMC selectivity. The reactive extractive distillation and the reactive extractive distillation coupling dividing wall distillation processes were proposed, optimized, and evaluated.
Significant findings
The reactive extractive distillation coupling dividing wall distillation process offers transformative TAC reduction, but at the expense of higher exergy losses. Specifically, the reactive extractive distillation process at TAC of 5.14 × 10^7 $/year, CO₂ emissions of 4.67 kg/s, and the total exergy destruction of 1.52 × 10^4 kW, while the reactive extractive distillation coupling dividing wall distillation process reduces TAC to 2.37 × 10^7 $/year, with CO₂ emissions of 4.95 kg/s, and total exergy destruction of 2.05 × 10^4 kW. This study provides fundamental research support for the development and industrial application of an efficient EMC synthesis process.
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Pub Date : 2026-01-06DOI: 10.1016/j.jtice.2025.106607
Guangyan Tian , Zhongdan Shi , Rongyu Xiang , Han Lu , Yan Li , Xiaoyan Li
Background
Mycotoxins, such as aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), are highly toxic water contaminants that pose serious risks to ecosystems and human health. Conventional adsorbents are often limited by their simple structure and insufficient active sites, resulting in inefficient removal.
Methods
Hierarchically nanostructured adsorbents were synthesized via a hydrothermal approach using a clay mineral–metal silicate coupling strategy. Palygorskite (Pal) and montmorillonite (Mmt) were used as templates to release Si–OH groups, enabling the in-situ growth of magnesium silicate nanosheets. This process yielded composite architectures combining original clay nanostructures with secondary silicate nanochannels. The materials were thoroughly characterized, and adsorption mechanisms were investigated using FT-IR and XPS.
Significant Findings
The Pal-derived adsorbent (NRSN) featured one-dimensional (1D) nanorods with secondary nanosheets, while the Mmt-derived adsorbent (NCSN) showed two-dimensional (2D) nanosheets with secondary nanostructures. Both materials exhibited high specific surface areas and abundant active sites (Si–O–Mg, Mg–OH, Si–OH). They demonstrated exceptional AFB1 adsorption capacities, with NRSN reaching 19.40 mg/g and NCSN achieving 24.99 mg/g. The adsorption was governed primarily by electron donor–acceptor interactions and hydrogen bonding.
The application prospects
This research is expected to provide new material design principles for efficient removal of highly toxic and environmentally persistent pollutants while offering fresh perspectives for high-value utilization of clay minerals.
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