Pub Date : 2026-02-02DOI: 10.1021/acs.iecr.5c04137
Chenyang Zhu,Zilin Wu,Chuan Feng,Wei Gan,Tao Yang
The thermophysical properties of ionic liquids (ILs) are essential for CO2 capture, yet their optimal modeling approach remains unclear due to complex intermolecular interactions. This work investigates the thermodynamic behavior of imidazolium-based ILs using the PC-SAFT equation in which ILs are modeled as electroneutral ion pairs with electrostatic interactions approximated by association or dipolar terms. Density, heat capacity, vapor pressure, and phase equilibria of IL-CO2 and IL-water/ethanol are calculated to evaluate model performance. Three parametrization strategies based on different experimental data sets and four modeling schemes with 2 (011), 4 (022), and 10 (055) binding sites, as well as a polar nonassociating model, are examined. The results show that good performance requires simultaneously incorporating density, isobaric heat capacity, and vapor pressure in parameter fitting, and that increasing associating sites does not necessarily improve the accuracy. Analysis of association and dipolar contributions identified the 011 scheme as the most appropriate.
{"title":"Thermodynamic Modeling of Ionic Liquids with PC-SAFT: Quantifying the Impact of Association and Dipolar Terms","authors":"Chenyang Zhu,Zilin Wu,Chuan Feng,Wei Gan,Tao Yang","doi":"10.1021/acs.iecr.5c04137","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.iecr.5c04137","url":null,"abstract":"The thermophysical properties of ionic liquids (ILs) are essential for CO2 capture, yet their optimal modeling approach remains unclear due to complex intermolecular interactions. This work investigates the thermodynamic behavior of imidazolium-based ILs using the PC-SAFT equation in which ILs are modeled as electroneutral ion pairs with electrostatic interactions approximated by association or dipolar terms. Density, heat capacity, vapor pressure, and phase equilibria of IL-CO2 and IL-water/ethanol are calculated to evaluate model performance. Three parametrization strategies based on different experimental data sets and four modeling schemes with 2 (011), 4 (022), and 10 (055) binding sites, as well as a polar nonassociating model, are examined. The results show that good performance requires simultaneously incorporating density, isobaric heat capacity, and vapor pressure in parameter fitting, and that increasing associating sites does not necessarily improve the accuracy. Analysis of association and dipolar contributions identified the 011 scheme as the most appropriate.","PeriodicalId":39,"journal":{"name":"Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research","volume":"91 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-02-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146097864","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 : 2026-02-02DOI: 10.1021/acs.iecr.5c03485
Jiatong Tan,Xiaolong Li,Yuquan Jing,Shangce Ji,Wei Liu,Zong Rong
Helium is indispensable in modern industry, yet its supply remains constrained against the rising global demand. This review outlines methods for extracting helium from natural gas, including adsorption, cryogenic, and membrane separation, as well as integrated processes that combine multiple techniques. The principles, advantages, limitations, and development trends of each method are discussed. Cryogenic extraction offers high output, purity, and recovery rates but is energy intensive. Membrane separation is energy efficient but limited by membrane materials, making it difficult to achieve both high recovery and high purity. Hydrate-based methods avoid refrigeration and significant pressure drops, although techniques for rapid and stable hydrate formation are underdeveloped. Combining cryogenic, membrane, and adsorption methods based on gas composition and flow conditions can optimize the trade-offs among recovery rate, purity, and operational costs. Currently, cryogenic and membrane processes remain the dominant technologies in industrial applications.
{"title":"Review of Technologies for Helium Extraction from Natural Gas","authors":"Jiatong Tan,Xiaolong Li,Yuquan Jing,Shangce Ji,Wei Liu,Zong Rong","doi":"10.1021/acs.iecr.5c03485","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.iecr.5c03485","url":null,"abstract":"Helium is indispensable in modern industry, yet its supply remains constrained against the rising global demand. This review outlines methods for extracting helium from natural gas, including adsorption, cryogenic, and membrane separation, as well as integrated processes that combine multiple techniques. The principles, advantages, limitations, and development trends of each method are discussed. Cryogenic extraction offers high output, purity, and recovery rates but is energy intensive. Membrane separation is energy efficient but limited by membrane materials, making it difficult to achieve both high recovery and high purity. Hydrate-based methods avoid refrigeration and significant pressure drops, although techniques for rapid and stable hydrate formation are underdeveloped. Combining cryogenic, membrane, and adsorption methods based on gas composition and flow conditions can optimize the trade-offs among recovery rate, purity, and operational costs. Currently, cryogenic and membrane processes remain the dominant technologies in industrial applications.","PeriodicalId":39,"journal":{"name":"Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research","volume":"42 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-02-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146097911","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}
Hydrogen production through water electrolysis emerges as the most viable method, holding strategic significance for achieving sustainable development at national and societal levels. In this work, CoMoS@TiO2 heterostructures were prepared via the hydrothermal method and thermal vulcanization on Ti substrate, where CoMoS nanosheets were vertically grown on TiO2 nanobelt arrays. The CoMoS@TiO2 heterostructures were tested as hydrogen evolution electrocatalyst in 1 M KOH, with the optimal overpotential of 112 mV at a current density of 10 mA cm–2 and merely 5% activity degradation after 100 h stability testing. The enhanced HER activity originates from synergistic effects: (i) TiO2 nanobelt arrays offer abundant anchoring sites and excellent alkaline stability; (ii) rich heterojunction interfaces between CoMoS nanosheets and TiO2 nanobelts maximize active site exposure; (iii) improved conductivity enabled by CoMoS enhances charge transfer.
水电解制氢是最可行的方法,对实现国家和社会的可持续发展具有战略意义。本文通过水热法和热硫化在Ti衬底上制备了CoMoS@TiO2异质结构,将CoMoS纳米片垂直生长在TiO2纳米带阵列上。CoMoS@TiO2异质结构在1 M KOH条件下作为析氢电催化剂进行了测试,在电流密度为10 mA cm-2时,最佳过电位为112 mV,经过100 h稳定性测试,活性仅下降5%。HER活性的增强源于协同效应:(1)TiO2纳米带阵列具有丰富的锚定位点和良好的碱性稳定性;(ii) CoMoS纳米片与TiO2纳米带之间丰富的异质结界面使活性位点暴露最大化;(3) CoMoS提高了电导率,增强了电荷转移。
{"title":"CoMoS@TiO2 Heterostructures as Hydrogen Evolution Catalyst for Alkaline Water Electrolysis","authors":"Jishuang Yang,Tian Han,Ruijing Zhang,Yuxin Miao,Yifan Su,Shanhu Liu,Ruimin Xing","doi":"10.1021/acs.iecr.5c04865","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.iecr.5c04865","url":null,"abstract":"Hydrogen production through water electrolysis emerges as the most viable method, holding strategic significance for achieving sustainable development at national and societal levels. In this work, CoMoS@TiO2 heterostructures were prepared via the hydrothermal method and thermal vulcanization on Ti substrate, where CoMoS nanosheets were vertically grown on TiO2 nanobelt arrays. The CoMoS@TiO2 heterostructures were tested as hydrogen evolution electrocatalyst in 1 M KOH, with the optimal overpotential of 112 mV at a current density of 10 mA cm–2 and merely 5% activity degradation after 100 h stability testing. The enhanced HER activity originates from synergistic effects: (i) TiO2 nanobelt arrays offer abundant anchoring sites and excellent alkaline stability; (ii) rich heterojunction interfaces between CoMoS nanosheets and TiO2 nanobelts maximize active site exposure; (iii) improved conductivity enabled by CoMoS enhances charge transfer.","PeriodicalId":39,"journal":{"name":"Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research","volume":"8 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-02-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146097917","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}
Developing highly efficient, SO2-resistant low-temperature CO oxidation catalysts is crucial for industrial applications. This study optimized Pt–Pd/TiO2 catalysts via TiO2 support precalcination. Precalcination at 600–800 °C significantly enhanced the CO oxidation activity and SO2 tolerance. The sample precalcined at 700 °C (denoted Pt–Pd/TiO2(700)) showed the best performance, achieving complete CO conversion (T100) at 120 °C under a feed gas (0.8% CO, 5% O2, balance N2)─a significant 50 °C reduction compared to the T100 of 170 °C for the unmodified Pt–Pd/TiO2 catalyst. In a 45 h stability test under a wet gas containing 15% H2O and 200 ppm of SO2, Pt–Pd/TiO2(700) maintained >95% CO conversion, outperforming the unmodified Pt–Pd/TiO2 catalyst (74.2%). Characterization revealed that precalcination at 700 °C increased surface Pt/Pd concentration and metallic species proportion, improving activity. Enlarged Pt/Pd particles and pores also inhibited SO2 adsorption and sulfate formation, enhancing the SO2 resistance. The Pt–Pd/TiO2(700) catalyst shows promising potential for industrial CO removal.
{"title":"Effect of Support Precalcination on the CO Oxidation Activity and SO2 Resistance of Pt–Pd/TiO2 Catalysts","authors":"Zehui Yu,Jianyu Cai,Yudong Meng,Jian Li,Xing Fan,Wenjun Liang","doi":"10.1021/acs.iecr.5c05100","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.iecr.5c05100","url":null,"abstract":"Developing highly efficient, SO2-resistant low-temperature CO oxidation catalysts is crucial for industrial applications. This study optimized Pt–Pd/TiO2 catalysts via TiO2 support precalcination. Precalcination at 600–800 °C significantly enhanced the CO oxidation activity and SO2 tolerance. The sample precalcined at 700 °C (denoted Pt–Pd/TiO2(700)) showed the best performance, achieving complete CO conversion (T100) at 120 °C under a feed gas (0.8% CO, 5% O2, balance N2)─a significant 50 °C reduction compared to the T100 of 170 °C for the unmodified Pt–Pd/TiO2 catalyst. In a 45 h stability test under a wet gas containing 15% H2O and 200 ppm of SO2, Pt–Pd/TiO2(700) maintained >95% CO conversion, outperforming the unmodified Pt–Pd/TiO2 catalyst (74.2%). Characterization revealed that precalcination at 700 °C increased surface Pt/Pd concentration and metallic species proportion, improving activity. Enlarged Pt/Pd particles and pores also inhibited SO2 adsorption and sulfate formation, enhancing the SO2 resistance. The Pt–Pd/TiO2(700) catalyst shows promising potential for industrial CO removal.","PeriodicalId":39,"journal":{"name":"Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research","volume":"46 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-02-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146097918","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 : 2026-02-02DOI: 10.1021/acs.iecr.5c03691
Bhushan S. Shrirame,Sunil K. Maity
The present work demonstrated the efficacy of high surface area ordered mesoporous sulfonic acid functionalized silica (SO3H-SiO2) as a solid-acid catalyst for the furfural-2-methylfuran hydroxyalkylation–alkylation reaction to obtain a branched-chain C15 sustainable aviation fuel precursor. Bare silica and SO3H-SiO2 with up to 15 mol % −SO3H loading showed an ordered mesoporous structure. Brønsted acidity and acid density proliferated with enhanced −SO3H loadings, upholding consistent Lewis acidity. The catalytic efficacy of SO3H-SiO2 was thus enhanced at elevated −SO3H loadings. The SO3H-SiO2 also exhibited promising regeneration and reusability with minimal leaching of acidic functionality. The 2-methylfuran conversion was 78.4% at 300 min under optimum reaction conditions (323 K and 2:1 2-methylfuran/furfural mole ratio) using SO3H-SiO2 with 15 mol % −SO3H. An empirical second order kinetic model was developed to correlate 2-methylfuran conversion with an activation energy of 45.5 kJ/mol. The 2-methylfuran/furfural mole ratio results were used to validate the kinetic model.
{"title":"Production of Sustainable Aviation Fuel Precursor from Furanics Using High Surface Area Ordered Mesoporous Sulfonic Acid Functionalized Silica","authors":"Bhushan S. Shrirame,Sunil K. Maity","doi":"10.1021/acs.iecr.5c03691","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.iecr.5c03691","url":null,"abstract":"The present work demonstrated the efficacy of high surface area ordered mesoporous sulfonic acid functionalized silica (SO3H-SiO2) as a solid-acid catalyst for the furfural-2-methylfuran hydroxyalkylation–alkylation reaction to obtain a branched-chain C15 sustainable aviation fuel precursor. Bare silica and SO3H-SiO2 with up to 15 mol % −SO3H loading showed an ordered mesoporous structure. Brønsted acidity and acid density proliferated with enhanced −SO3H loadings, upholding consistent Lewis acidity. The catalytic efficacy of SO3H-SiO2 was thus enhanced at elevated −SO3H loadings. The SO3H-SiO2 also exhibited promising regeneration and reusability with minimal leaching of acidic functionality. The 2-methylfuran conversion was 78.4% at 300 min under optimum reaction conditions (323 K and 2:1 2-methylfuran/furfural mole ratio) using SO3H-SiO2 with 15 mol % −SO3H. An empirical second order kinetic model was developed to correlate 2-methylfuran conversion with an activation energy of 45.5 kJ/mol. The 2-methylfuran/furfural mole ratio results were used to validate the kinetic model.","PeriodicalId":39,"journal":{"name":"Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research","volume":"80 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-02-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146097910","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}
Lignocellulosic biomass (LCB) is a readily available nonfood carbon source; nevertheless, its transformation into single-cell oils (SCO) is hindered by its recalcitrant structure, the generation of inhibitors, and energy-intensive downstream processing. This paper outlines the whole LCB-to-SCO value chain, encompassing feedstock composition, pretreatment, enzymatic saccharification, microbial lipogenesis, inhibitor mitigation, bioreactor design, and product recovery. We compile current progress in conventional and contemporary pretreatments, designed enzyme systems, C/N programming, metabolic engineering, and adaptive laboratory evolution that broaden the operational range for oleaginous yeasts and fungi. We focus on how inhibitor profiles, oxygen transfer, and high-solids rheology all work together to determine strain and reactor needs. Throughout the process, techno-economic and life-cycle assessments (TEA/LCA) are used to find unit operations that drive up costs and sustainability problems. We conclude by proposing design concepts and research priorities for biorefineries that accommodate diverse feedstocks, minimize solvent use, and are guided by TEA/LCA. These biorefineries might make LCB-derived SCOs competitive, climate-friendly lipid platforms in the future low-carbon energy and global materials supply chains.
{"title":"Engineering Lignocellulosic Biomass to Single-Cell Oils: Microbial Design, Process Intensification, and Techno-Economic Constraints","authors":"Manideep Pabba,Aabid Manzoor Shah,Mohamed Hamid Salim,Srinivas Mettu,Md Mahabubur Rahman Talukder,Sreenivasa Reddy Puniredd","doi":"10.1021/acs.iecr.5c04697","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.iecr.5c04697","url":null,"abstract":"Lignocellulosic biomass (LCB) is a readily available nonfood carbon source; nevertheless, its transformation into single-cell oils (SCO) is hindered by its recalcitrant structure, the generation of inhibitors, and energy-intensive downstream processing. This paper outlines the whole LCB-to-SCO value chain, encompassing feedstock composition, pretreatment, enzymatic saccharification, microbial lipogenesis, inhibitor mitigation, bioreactor design, and product recovery. We compile current progress in conventional and contemporary pretreatments, designed enzyme systems, C/N programming, metabolic engineering, and adaptive laboratory evolution that broaden the operational range for oleaginous yeasts and fungi. We focus on how inhibitor profiles, oxygen transfer, and high-solids rheology all work together to determine strain and reactor needs. Throughout the process, techno-economic and life-cycle assessments (TEA/LCA) are used to find unit operations that drive up costs and sustainability problems. We conclude by proposing design concepts and research priorities for biorefineries that accommodate diverse feedstocks, minimize solvent use, and are guided by TEA/LCA. These biorefineries might make LCB-derived SCOs competitive, climate-friendly lipid platforms in the future low-carbon energy and global materials supply chains.","PeriodicalId":39,"journal":{"name":"Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research","volume":"91 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-02-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146097916","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 : 2026-02-02DOI: 10.1021/acs.iecr.5c02346
Ankush Rout,Somtochukwu Lambert,Mark A. Barteau,Benjamin A. Wilhite,Micah J. Green,Debalina Sengupta
Energy transition has been discussed in the literature for the past few decades where we have witnessed a shift from conversations around resource efficiency; end of pipe treatment solutions; and, more recently, using alternate sources of energy. In this paper, we present the techno-economic and environmental impact analysis of electrification-assisted distributed propylene production using the propane dehydrogenation (PDH) process. For high-temperature endothermic reaction systems, such as PDH, heating is typically carried out conventionally using fuel-fired furnaces, which results in significant greenhouse gas emissions. Electrification of reactors is one approach for decarbonizing emissions associated with heating reactors and reducing the infrastructure footprint of fuel-fired furnaces and their associated utilities. However, the heating technology for the reactor system cannot be viewed in isolation for a “net-zero” goal; it requires a complete systems analysis and quantification of benefits for the viability of the process. This work compares the environmental and techno-economic analysis of the centralized and electrified (radiofrequency field-assisted) manufacturing of propylene via the PDH process in a production facility. Based on the techno-economic analysis (TEA), the unit production cost of centralized manufacturing (CM) of propylene is much lower than that of electrified distributed manufacturing (DM) of propylene, which is expected since economies of scale play a role in the PDH process. However, the global warming potential (GWP) of DM using renewable electricity sources is lower than that of fuel-furnace-based CM by 57%. The paper includes various discussions on impact of available feedstock prices, integration of renewable electricity, technology selection, and modifications necessary for electrification. From a broader perspective, this work emphasizes the potential of a phased approach for derisking new technology (electrification) while focusing on the demonstration in areas where carbon resources are currently wasted for lack of opportune infrastructure, while continuing to develop technology with the promise of reducing the environmental footprint and providing intermediate solutions for process industries.
{"title":"Reaching Net-Zero Targets through Electrification and Distributed Manufacturing: Techno-economic Analysis Using Radio Frequency Electrothermal Heating for Endothermic Processes","authors":"Ankush Rout,Somtochukwu Lambert,Mark A. Barteau,Benjamin A. Wilhite,Micah J. Green,Debalina Sengupta","doi":"10.1021/acs.iecr.5c02346","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.iecr.5c02346","url":null,"abstract":"Energy transition has been discussed in the literature for the past few decades where we have witnessed a shift from conversations around resource efficiency; end of pipe treatment solutions; and, more recently, using alternate sources of energy. In this paper, we present the techno-economic and environmental impact analysis of electrification-assisted distributed propylene production using the propane dehydrogenation (PDH) process. For high-temperature endothermic reaction systems, such as PDH, heating is typically carried out conventionally using fuel-fired furnaces, which results in significant greenhouse gas emissions. Electrification of reactors is one approach for decarbonizing emissions associated with heating reactors and reducing the infrastructure footprint of fuel-fired furnaces and their associated utilities. However, the heating technology for the reactor system cannot be viewed in isolation for a “net-zero” goal; it requires a complete systems analysis and quantification of benefits for the viability of the process. This work compares the environmental and techno-economic analysis of the centralized and electrified (radiofrequency field-assisted) manufacturing of propylene via the PDH process in a production facility. Based on the techno-economic analysis (TEA), the unit production cost of centralized manufacturing (CM) of propylene is much lower than that of electrified distributed manufacturing (DM) of propylene, which is expected since economies of scale play a role in the PDH process. However, the global warming potential (GWP) of DM using renewable electricity sources is lower than that of fuel-furnace-based CM by 57%. The paper includes various discussions on impact of available feedstock prices, integration of renewable electricity, technology selection, and modifications necessary for electrification. From a broader perspective, this work emphasizes the potential of a phased approach for derisking new technology (electrification) while focusing on the demonstration in areas where carbon resources are currently wasted for lack of opportune infrastructure, while continuing to develop technology with the promise of reducing the environmental footprint and providing intermediate solutions for process industries.","PeriodicalId":39,"journal":{"name":"Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research","volume":"82 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-02-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146097913","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 : 2026-02-02DOI: 10.1021/acs.iecr.5c02276
Muhua Zhao,Yang Zhang,Xinmiao Zhang,Yiqun Liu
Facing limited lithium supply and rising demand, exploring diverse and economical lithium resources is key to easing pressure. Oilfield brine, with low land and freshwater use for lithium extraction, offers great potential. However, developing stable granular adsorbents with high adsorption capacity and selectivity for oilfield brine with an ultrahigh Na+/Li+ ratio is highly significant. Herein, hydrophilic polyacrylonitrile (PAN)/ Li1.33Mn1.67O4 (LMO)-based granules were prepared by straightforward nonsolvent-induced phase separation. Meanwhile, polyethylenimine (PEI) was modified to PAN binder and the obtained PANP-LMO granules exhibit a highly interconnected three-dimensional network. The load capacity of LMO reached up to 87%, which was helpful for excellent adsorption performance. Notably, the adsorption capacity reached 17.4 mg/g. Moreover, PANP-LMO showed enhanced selectivity toward Li+ (distribution factor Kd = 15006 mL/g) over other coexisting cations, with a separation factor of αNaLi = 12695, αMgLi = 5919, surpassing those of previously reported adsorbents. Theoretical calculations indicated that abundant amino groups from PEI effectively improved the selectivity of Li+ toward other cations. When used in Zhongyuan oilfield brine, the lithium adsorption efficiency was 98.7%, with the Na+/Li+ ratio descending to 4.5 from 2,316, the Mg2+/Li+ ratio descending to 0.1 from 19.5. This suggests that the adsorbent’s performance remained unaffected in the real brine with ultrahigh Mn+/Li+ ratio. These findings collectively indicate that PANP-LMO granules could present a competitive option for industrial processes.
{"title":"Hydrophilic Granules for Efficient Lithium Recovery from Real Oilfield Brine with High Capacity and Selectivity","authors":"Muhua Zhao,Yang Zhang,Xinmiao Zhang,Yiqun Liu","doi":"10.1021/acs.iecr.5c02276","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.iecr.5c02276","url":null,"abstract":"Facing limited lithium supply and rising demand, exploring diverse and economical lithium resources is key to easing pressure. Oilfield brine, with low land and freshwater use for lithium extraction, offers great potential. However, developing stable granular adsorbents with high adsorption capacity and selectivity for oilfield brine with an ultrahigh Na+/Li+ ratio is highly significant. Herein, hydrophilic polyacrylonitrile (PAN)/ Li1.33Mn1.67O4 (LMO)-based granules were prepared by straightforward nonsolvent-induced phase separation. Meanwhile, polyethylenimine (PEI) was modified to PAN binder and the obtained PANP-LMO granules exhibit a highly interconnected three-dimensional network. The load capacity of LMO reached up to 87%, which was helpful for excellent adsorption performance. Notably, the adsorption capacity reached 17.4 mg/g. Moreover, PANP-LMO showed enhanced selectivity toward Li+ (distribution factor Kd = 15006 mL/g) over other coexisting cations, with a separation factor of αNaLi = 12695, αMgLi = 5919, surpassing those of previously reported adsorbents. Theoretical calculations indicated that abundant amino groups from PEI effectively improved the selectivity of Li+ toward other cations. When used in Zhongyuan oilfield brine, the lithium adsorption efficiency was 98.7%, with the Na+/Li+ ratio descending to 4.5 from 2,316, the Mg2+/Li+ ratio descending to 0.1 from 19.5. This suggests that the adsorbent’s performance remained unaffected in the real brine with ultrahigh Mn+/Li+ ratio. These findings collectively indicate that PANP-LMO granules could present a competitive option for industrial processes.","PeriodicalId":39,"journal":{"name":"Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research","volume":"8 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-02-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146097914","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 : 2026-02-01DOI: 10.1021/acs.iecr.5c04522
Nayeli Gómez-Garduño,Heriberto Pfeiffer
The growing demand for biodiesel has generated an excess of glycerol as a byproduct. Thus, catalytic conversion of glycerol into value-added products, such as glycerol carbonate (GC), is important. In the present study, Li2ZrO3 and different compositions of the lithium–sodium zirconate solid solution (Li2–xNaxZrO3) were tested for GC production from glycerol and dimethyl carbonate transesterification reaction. All the ceramic chemical compositions were synthesized by solid-state reaction and fully characterized. Then, gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy was used to analyze the catalytic reaction products, using as initial and main material Li2ZrO3. For lithium zirconate, the best reaction conditions (80 °C and 180 min, using 10 mol % of catalyst and a reagents molar ratio of 1:1.5) evidenced a maximum glycerol conversion of 94.5%, with a yield and selectivity of 92.6 and 98%, respectively, toward glycerol carbonate formation. In addition, the kinetic parameters of this reaction, using Li2ZrO3 as the catalyst, were also investigated, revealing that the process followed a pseudo-first-order kinetic model, with an activation energy of 57.07 kJ mol–1. Additionally, the associated thermodynamic parameters, including enthalpy, entropy, and Gibbs free energy, were also calculated. Based on lithium zirconate results, different Li2–xNaxZrO3 solid solution compositions were catalytically analyzed under the same physicochemical conditions. Results evidenced that GC formation strongly depends on the Li/Na ratio, where optimal yield and selectivity values were achieved for mixed Li-rich compositions, while Na-rich samples promoted side reactions, mainly glycidol formation. Moreover, it was determined that Na addition mainly modified the kinetic behavior, rather than thermodynamic data. Overall, Li2–xNaxZrO3, where (x ≥ 0.8), demonstrated good performance under moderate conditions, making them an attractive option for minimizing the costs associated with reagents and energy requirements.
{"title":"Analysis of Glycerol Carbonate Production from Dimethyl Carbonate and Glycerol Using Different Alkaline Zirconates (Li2–xNaxZrO3, Where 0 ≤ x ≤ 2) as Efficient Catalysts","authors":"Nayeli Gómez-Garduño,Heriberto Pfeiffer","doi":"10.1021/acs.iecr.5c04522","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.iecr.5c04522","url":null,"abstract":"The growing demand for biodiesel has generated an excess of glycerol as a byproduct. Thus, catalytic conversion of glycerol into value-added products, such as glycerol carbonate (GC), is important. In the present study, Li2ZrO3 and different compositions of the lithium–sodium zirconate solid solution (Li2–xNaxZrO3) were tested for GC production from glycerol and dimethyl carbonate transesterification reaction. All the ceramic chemical compositions were synthesized by solid-state reaction and fully characterized. Then, gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy was used to analyze the catalytic reaction products, using as initial and main material Li2ZrO3. For lithium zirconate, the best reaction conditions (80 °C and 180 min, using 10 mol % of catalyst and a reagents molar ratio of 1:1.5) evidenced a maximum glycerol conversion of 94.5%, with a yield and selectivity of 92.6 and 98%, respectively, toward glycerol carbonate formation. In addition, the kinetic parameters of this reaction, using Li2ZrO3 as the catalyst, were also investigated, revealing that the process followed a pseudo-first-order kinetic model, with an activation energy of 57.07 kJ mol–1. Additionally, the associated thermodynamic parameters, including enthalpy, entropy, and Gibbs free energy, were also calculated. Based on lithium zirconate results, different Li2–xNaxZrO3 solid solution compositions were catalytically analyzed under the same physicochemical conditions. Results evidenced that GC formation strongly depends on the Li/Na ratio, where optimal yield and selectivity values were achieved for mixed Li-rich compositions, while Na-rich samples promoted side reactions, mainly glycidol formation. Moreover, it was determined that Na addition mainly modified the kinetic behavior, rather than thermodynamic data. Overall, Li2–xNaxZrO3, where (x ≥ 0.8), demonstrated good performance under moderate conditions, making them an attractive option for minimizing the costs associated with reagents and energy requirements.","PeriodicalId":39,"journal":{"name":"Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research","volume":"80 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146097920","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 : 2026-02-01DOI: 10.1021/acs.iecr.5c04810
Bolesław Szadkowski,Anna Marzec
Flexible thermochromic sensors emerge as next-generation smart materials for adaptive temperature sensing, thermal management, and multifunctional device applications. In this study, nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR) composites incorporating a thermochromic pigment, silicon carbide (SiC), and two distinct ionic liquids (ILs) were systematically investigated. Rheometric analysis at 160 °C revealed that SiC promotes network formation by reducing scorch and vulcanization times (t0.5, t90) and increasing torque increment (ΔM), which correlates with enhanced cross-link density. The introduction of ILs provided a tunable effect on both cure kinetics and network architecture: [bmim][BF4] acted as a catalytic accelerator, shortening curing times and increasing ΔM, while PMIMTFSI exhibited a plasticizing effect, resulting in lower cross-link density. Stress–strain analysis confirmed these trends, with SiC- and [bmim][BF4]-containing composites displaying higher tensile strength and modulus, whereas [C3mim][TFSI] reduced stiffness but increased extensibility. Thermo-oxidative aging studies over 1, 2, and 3 weeks demonstrated superior aging factors (AF) for SiC- and [bmim][BF4]-based systems, underscoring their resilience against oxidative degradation. Importantly, it was observed that the choice of ionic liquid allows direct control over the thermochromic response: [bmim][BF4] enabled effective and reversible color transitions at elevated temperatures, while [C3mim][TFSI] suppressed pigment activity within the elastomeric matrix. These results highlight the critical role of ionic liquid chemistry in tailoring both functional and structural properties of thermochromic elastomer sensors.
{"title":"Engineering Ionic Liquid-Modified Silicon Carbide Elastomer Composites for Enhanced Thermochromic Responsiveness in Smart Flexible Sensors","authors":"Bolesław Szadkowski,Anna Marzec","doi":"10.1021/acs.iecr.5c04810","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.iecr.5c04810","url":null,"abstract":"Flexible thermochromic sensors emerge as next-generation smart materials for adaptive temperature sensing, thermal management, and multifunctional device applications. In this study, nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR) composites incorporating a thermochromic pigment, silicon carbide (SiC), and two distinct ionic liquids (ILs) were systematically investigated. Rheometric analysis at 160 °C revealed that SiC promotes network formation by reducing scorch and vulcanization times (t0.5, t90) and increasing torque increment (ΔM), which correlates with enhanced cross-link density. The introduction of ILs provided a tunable effect on both cure kinetics and network architecture: [bmim][BF4] acted as a catalytic accelerator, shortening curing times and increasing ΔM, while PMIMTFSI exhibited a plasticizing effect, resulting in lower cross-link density. Stress–strain analysis confirmed these trends, with SiC- and [bmim][BF4]-containing composites displaying higher tensile strength and modulus, whereas [C3mim][TFSI] reduced stiffness but increased extensibility. Thermo-oxidative aging studies over 1, 2, and 3 weeks demonstrated superior aging factors (AF) for SiC- and [bmim][BF4]-based systems, underscoring their resilience against oxidative degradation. Importantly, it was observed that the choice of ionic liquid allows direct control over the thermochromic response: [bmim][BF4] enabled effective and reversible color transitions at elevated temperatures, while [C3mim][TFSI] suppressed pigment activity within the elastomeric matrix. These results highlight the critical role of ionic liquid chemistry in tailoring both functional and structural properties of thermochromic elastomer sensors.","PeriodicalId":39,"journal":{"name":"Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research","volume":"88 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146097919","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}