Pub Date : 2026-02-10DOI: 10.1016/j.seppur.2026.137216
Na Yeong Oh, Chae Young Go, Young Jae Son, Hyoshin Kwak, Byulhana Min, Ki Chul Kim, Jong Hak Kim
Developing practical thin-film composite (TFC) membranes requires high separation performance, mechanical robustness, reproducible fabrication, and long-term operational stability. In this study, we report an all-polymeric TFC membrane that offers a practical and effective strategy for addressing these challenges through a miscible polymer-blend design. Pebax was incorporated into an amorphous, rubbery PGM copolymer synthesized from three monomers, poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate, glycidyl methacrylate, and amine-functional polypropylene glycol as a structural reinforcement and selectivity-enhancing component. Excellent miscibility between PGM and Pebax, together with the preserved intrinsic semi-crystalline microphase separation within Pebax, collectively enabled concurrent enhancements in mechanical robustness and separation performance. The PGM/Pebax-50 membrane (50:50 wt%) with optimized crystallinity achieved a high CO2 permeance of 1390 GPU with a CO2/N2 selectivity of 43, while exhibiting a robust tensile modulus of 77.1 MPa. Notably, one-year long-term stability tests demonstrated that the PGM/Pebax-50 membrane exhibited significantly improved stability, owing to the protective barrier effect of the PGM/Pebax layer in mitigating the physical aging of the poly(trimethylsilylpropyne) (PTMSP) gutter layer. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and density functional theory (DFT) calculations elucidated the gas-polymer interaction energetics and diffusion transport pathways within the blend membranes, and further revealed the mechanistic origins of the mitigated physical aging of PTMSP. Collectively, these findings demonstrate a potentially scalable approach for designing durable, high-performance, all-polymeric TFC membranes suitable for industrial CO2 capture applications.
{"title":"Semi-crystalline polymer-blend TFC membranes with enhanced mechanical robustness and mitigated PTMSP aging","authors":"Na Yeong Oh, Chae Young Go, Young Jae Son, Hyoshin Kwak, Byulhana Min, Ki Chul Kim, Jong Hak Kim","doi":"10.1016/j.seppur.2026.137216","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.seppur.2026.137216","url":null,"abstract":"Developing practical thin-film composite (TFC) membranes requires high separation performance, mechanical robustness, reproducible fabrication, and long-term operational stability. In this study, we report an all-polymeric TFC membrane that offers a practical and effective strategy for addressing these challenges through a miscible polymer-blend design. Pebax was incorporated into an amorphous, rubbery PGM copolymer synthesized from three monomers, poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate, glycidyl methacrylate, and amine-functional polypropylene glycol as a structural reinforcement and selectivity-enhancing component. Excellent miscibility between PGM and Pebax, together with the preserved intrinsic semi-crystalline microphase separation within Pebax, collectively enabled concurrent enhancements in mechanical robustness and separation performance. The PGM/Pebax-50 membrane (50:50 wt%) with optimized crystallinity achieved a high CO<sub>2</sub> permeance of 1390 GPU with a CO<sub>2</sub>/N<sub>2</sub> selectivity of 43, while exhibiting a robust tensile modulus of 77.1 MPa. Notably, one-year long-term stability tests demonstrated that the PGM/Pebax-50 membrane exhibited significantly improved stability, owing to the protective barrier effect of the PGM/Pebax layer in mitigating the physical aging of the poly(trimethylsilylpropyne) (PTMSP) gutter layer. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and density functional theory (DFT) calculations elucidated the gas-polymer interaction energetics and diffusion transport pathways within the blend membranes, and further revealed the mechanistic origins of the mitigated physical aging of PTMSP. Collectively, these findings demonstrate a potentially scalable approach for designing durable, high-performance, all-polymeric TFC membranes suitable for industrial CO<sub>2</sub> capture applications.","PeriodicalId":427,"journal":{"name":"Separation and Purification Technology","volume":"1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":8.6,"publicationDate":"2026-02-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146146155","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"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 : 2026-02-09DOI: 10.1016/j.seppur.2026.137164
Qinghui Yu, Yuqin Cheng, Qiufan Qu, Xuanyu Ji, Yu Yang, Yang Su, Xin Yu, Lu Yang, Lin Chen, Xiong Zhou
Dry reforming of methane (DRM) co-converts CH₄ and CO₂ but is limited by Ni sintering and carbon deposition at high temperature. CeO₂-based supports with oxygen vacancies can mitigate these issues, and Zr doping further tunes defect chemistry and basicity, yet the combined roles of Zr content, Ni exposure and pore architecture in governing interfacial oxygen supply and stability remain unclear. Spherical CeO₂ with interconnected through-pores and narrow mesopores is used as a common scaffold to prepare 5Ni/Ce₁₋ₓZrₓO₂ catalysts (Zr = 0, 1, 3 and 7 mol%) at fixed Ni loading and morphology. XRD, Raman and XPS confirm homogeneous Ce₁₋ₓZrₓO₂ solid solutions and show that, within the investigated Zr range, 3 mol% Zr gives the highest Ce3+ fraction and defect related surface oxygen while maintaining a moderate Ni particle size. CO₂ TPD, O₂ TPD, H₂ TPR and H₂ TPD further indicate that medium strength basic sites, interfacial reducible oxygen and accessible Ni sites are best balanced at 3 mol% Zr among the studied compositions. Under DRM at 800 °C, 5Ni/Ce₀․₉₇Zr₀․₀₃O₂ shows the highest CH₄ and CO₂ conversions, the lowest apparent activation energy, an H₂/CO ratio near 1.0 and the lowest coke amount over 50 h. Post-reaction XRD, TG–DTG, Raman and SEM suggest reduced Ni sintering and a larger fraction of filamentous or weakly bound carbon. These results are consistent with the importance of the Ni–Ce–Zr–O interfacial structure in balancing Ni exposure and oxygen supply, enabling high activity with low coking.
{"title":"Coupling Ni exposure with interfacial oxygen on Zr-doped CeO₂ for stable dry reforming of methane","authors":"Qinghui Yu, Yuqin Cheng, Qiufan Qu, Xuanyu Ji, Yu Yang, Yang Su, Xin Yu, Lu Yang, Lin Chen, Xiong Zhou","doi":"10.1016/j.seppur.2026.137164","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.seppur.2026.137164","url":null,"abstract":"Dry reforming of methane (DRM) co-converts CH₄ and CO₂ but is limited by Ni sintering and carbon deposition at high temperature. CeO₂-based supports with oxygen vacancies can mitigate these issues, and Zr doping further tunes defect chemistry and basicity, yet the combined roles of Zr content, Ni exposure and pore architecture in governing interfacial oxygen supply and stability remain unclear. Spherical CeO₂ with interconnected through-pores and narrow mesopores is used as a common scaffold to prepare 5Ni/Ce₁₋ₓZrₓO₂ catalysts (Zr = 0, 1, 3 and 7 mol%) at fixed Ni loading and morphology. XRD, Raman and XPS confirm homogeneous Ce₁₋ₓZrₓO₂ solid solutions and show that, within the investigated Zr range, 3 mol% Zr gives the highest Ce<sup>3+</sup> fraction and defect related surface oxygen while maintaining a moderate Ni particle size. CO₂ TPD, O₂ TPD, H₂ TPR and H₂ TPD further indicate that medium strength basic sites, interfacial reducible oxygen and accessible Ni sites are best balanced at 3 mol% Zr among the studied compositions. Under DRM at 800 °C, 5Ni/Ce₀․₉₇Zr₀․₀₃O₂ shows the highest CH₄ and CO₂ conversions, the lowest apparent activation energy, an H₂/CO ratio near 1.0 and the lowest coke amount over 50 h. Post-reaction XRD, TG–DTG, Raman and SEM suggest reduced Ni sintering and a larger fraction of filamentous or weakly bound carbon. These results are consistent with the importance of the Ni–Ce–Zr–O interfacial structure in balancing Ni exposure and oxygen supply, enabling high activity with low coking.","PeriodicalId":427,"journal":{"name":"Separation and Purification Technology","volume":"314 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":8.6,"publicationDate":"2026-02-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146146185","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"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 : 2026-02-09DOI: 10.1016/j.seppur.2026.137157
Ke Huang, Junzhong Wang, Wenwen Shi, Mengying Li, Binyan Zhang, Zeguang Zhou, Yanyue Lu, Yinglong Wang
N-propanol (N-PRO), acetonitrile (ACN), and water form a ternary azeotropic system. To efficiently recover n-propanol (N-PRO) and acetonitrile (ACN) from wastewater, a basic extractive pressure-swing distillation (EPSD) process was designed based on pressure sensitivity analysis. Firstly, ethylene glycol (EG) was selected as the optimal extractant through relative volatility calculation. The interaction process between EG and N-PRO as well as ACN was analyzed using quantum chemical calculations, and the extractive distillation separation mechanism of EG as an extractant was revealed. Subsequently, the three integrated intensified processes were designed by incorporating heat integration, steam recompression, and pervaporation (PV) technology, namely thermal integrated extractive pressure-swing distillation (HI-EPSD), steam recompression coupled with thermal integrated extractive pressure-swing distillation (SR-EPSD), and extractive pressure-swing distillation coupled with pervaporation (EPSD-PV). For the EPSD-PV process, the polyvinyl alcohol membrane modified with nano-silica was used. Then, molecular dynamics simulations were performed to calculate the diffusion coefficients of solutes in the membrane, and a mass transfer model for the PV process was established. Finally, all processes were simulated using the Aspen Plus software. A multi-objective genetic algorithm was adopted to optimize the process parameters with the objectives of minimizing total annual cost (TAC) and minimizing gas emissions. The three integrated processes were evaluated from four dimensions: economics, environment, energy consumption, and exergy efficiency. The results show that compared with the EPSD process, the SR-EPSD process has the most significant effects in reducing energy consumption (by 29.66%) and decreasing gas emissions (by 26.8%). while the EPSD-PV process exhibits the best performance in terms of TAC reduction (by 14.18%) and exergy efficiency. This study provides a green and economical solution for the treatment of industrial wastewater containing N-PRO and ACN.
{"title":"Molecular mechanisms and process intensification for green separation of the n-propanol/acetonitrile/water azeotrope via extractive pressure-swing distillation with thermal and membrane integration","authors":"Ke Huang, Junzhong Wang, Wenwen Shi, Mengying Li, Binyan Zhang, Zeguang Zhou, Yanyue Lu, Yinglong Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.seppur.2026.137157","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.seppur.2026.137157","url":null,"abstract":"N-propanol (N-PRO), acetonitrile (ACN), and water form a ternary azeotropic system. To efficiently recover n-propanol (N-PRO) and acetonitrile (ACN) from wastewater, a basic extractive pressure-swing distillation (EPSD) process was designed based on pressure sensitivity analysis. Firstly, ethylene glycol (EG) was selected as the optimal extractant through relative volatility calculation. The interaction process between EG and N-PRO as well as ACN was analyzed using quantum chemical calculations, and the extractive distillation separation mechanism of EG as an extractant was revealed. Subsequently, the three integrated intensified processes were designed by incorporating heat integration, steam recompression, and pervaporation (PV) technology, namely thermal integrated extractive pressure-swing distillation (HI-EPSD), steam recompression coupled with thermal integrated extractive pressure-swing distillation (SR-EPSD), and extractive pressure-swing distillation coupled with pervaporation (EPSD-PV). For the EPSD-PV process, the polyvinyl alcohol membrane modified with nano-silica was used. Then, molecular dynamics simulations were performed to calculate the diffusion coefficients of solutes in the membrane, and a mass transfer model for the PV process was established. Finally, all processes were simulated using the Aspen Plus software. A multi-objective genetic algorithm was adopted to optimize the process parameters with the objectives of minimizing total annual cost (TAC) and minimizing gas emissions. The three integrated processes were evaluated from four dimensions: economics, environment, energy consumption, and exergy efficiency. The results show that compared with the EPSD process, the SR-EPSD process has the most significant effects in reducing energy consumption (by 29.66%) and decreasing gas emissions (by 26.8%). while the EPSD-PV process exhibits the best performance in terms of TAC reduction (by 14.18%) and exergy efficiency. This study provides a green and economical solution for the treatment of industrial wastewater containing N-PRO and ACN.","PeriodicalId":427,"journal":{"name":"Separation and Purification Technology","volume":"45 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":8.6,"publicationDate":"2026-02-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146146156","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"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 : 2026-02-08DOI: 10.1016/j.seppur.2026.137192
Guiyang Ye, Zhouhong Li, Yongwen Xu, Zhengrui Li, Tengxian Qin, Jiaoying Huang, Zhi Yang, Junyao Wang
Amine-ionic liquid (Amine-IL) blends combine the high CO2 absorption of alkanolamines with the stability of ionic liquids for efficient carbon capture and reduced energy consumption. In this study, we developed an inverse design framework that integrates machine learning and a genetic algorithm (GA) for the intelligent design of high-performance ionic liquids. The framework uses an XGBoost model to predict CO2 absorption capacity, employs SHAP analysis to elucidate structure-property relationships, and leverages the GA for molecular structure optimization aimed at maximizing CO2 loading. Systematic evaluation of 12 MDEA-IL blends (867 experimental data points) shows that the comparison between the group contribution method and RDKit descriptors yields similar accuracy in predicting CO2 absorption capacity, thereby validating the rationality of the selected molecular fragments. SHAP analysis identifies pressure as the most influential parameter and highlights the positive contribution of CH2 group to CO2 loading. Under simulated flue gas conditions, the framework successfully designs novel ionic liquids, with a candidate consisting of [Im13]+ and [Ac]− achieving optimal CO2 loading (1.1048–1.1212 mol/mol) across all pressure regimes, outperforming existing benchmark systems.
{"title":"From prediction to design: An XGBoost-genetic algorithm framework for high-performance ionic liquids design in CO2 capture blends","authors":"Guiyang Ye, Zhouhong Li, Yongwen Xu, Zhengrui Li, Tengxian Qin, Jiaoying Huang, Zhi Yang, Junyao Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.seppur.2026.137192","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.seppur.2026.137192","url":null,"abstract":"Amine-ionic liquid (Amine-IL) blends combine the high CO<sub>2</sub> absorption of alkanolamines with the stability of ionic liquids for efficient carbon capture and reduced energy consumption. In this study, we developed an inverse design framework that integrates machine learning and a genetic algorithm (GA) for the intelligent design of high-performance ionic liquids. The framework uses an XGBoost model to predict CO<sub>2</sub> absorption capacity, employs SHAP analysis to elucidate structure-property relationships, and leverages the GA for molecular structure optimization aimed at maximizing CO<sub>2</sub> loading. Systematic evaluation of 12 MDEA-IL blends (867 experimental data points) shows that the comparison between the group contribution method and RDKit descriptors yields similar accuracy in predicting CO<sub>2</sub> absorption capacity, thereby validating the rationality of the selected molecular fragments. SHAP analysis identifies pressure as the most influential parameter and highlights the positive contribution of CH<sub>2</sub> group to CO<sub>2</sub> loading. Under simulated flue gas conditions, the framework successfully designs novel ionic liquids, with a candidate consisting of [Im<sub>13</sub>]<sup>+</sup> and [Ac]<sup>−</sup> achieving optimal CO<sub>2</sub> loading (1.1048–1.1212 mol/mol) across all pressure regimes, outperforming existing benchmark systems.","PeriodicalId":427,"journal":{"name":"Separation and Purification Technology","volume":"6 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":8.6,"publicationDate":"2026-02-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146135502","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"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 : 2026-02-08DOI: 10.1016/j.seppur.2026.137156
Ronaldo Antunes Funari Junior, Sabrina Frantz Lütke, Jonder Morais, Maria do Carmo Martins Alves, Marcos Leandro Silva Oliveira, Eduardo Nuno Borges Pereira, Lucas Antônio Fantinel, Lucas David Biondo, Marcelo Godinho, Cesar Aguzzoli, Guilherme Luiz Dotto
This study evaluates the surface modification of açaí biochar (Al@BC) by aluminum coating via magnetron sputtering, aiming to improve its adsorption performance of clorazepate (CZ) and diclofenac (DC) from aqueous solutions. Sputtering power conditions of 100 W, 150 W, and 200 W were applied, obtaining, respectively, 0.22%, 0.40%, and 3.41% of Al-covering for the adsorbents named Al@100 W, Al@150 W, and Al@200 W. Kinetic analyses fitted to the pseudo-first-order model showed excellent agreement with the experimental data, with better predictive accuracy, particularly for DC. Adsorption equilibrium was achieved at 120 min for CZ and 60 min for DC. Equilibrium isotherms exhibited L2-type profile, suggesting strong adsorbate–adsorbent affinity. The Sips model best described the equilibrium data, evidencing a heterogeneous adsorption process promoted by aluminum deposition. Decreasing Sips () parameters with increasing sputtering power reflected enhanced surface heterogeneity and adsorption favorability. The maximum adsorption capacities reached were 260.7 mg g−1 for CZ and 277.5 mg g−1 for DC onto Al@200 W, representing an improvement of about 35% compared to raw biochar. Regeneration tests showed excellent reusability through the first five cycles; thereafter, coating deterioration greatly diminished the material's efficacy. Finally, magnetron sputtering proved to be an effective strategy, confirming that adsorption efficiency was governed by both aluminum loading and surface chemical modification, thereby enhancing adsorption capacity, affinity, and durability toward pharmaceutical contaminants.
{"title":"Surface engineering of aluminum-coated açaí biochar via magnetron sputtering for high clorazepate and diclofenac adsorption","authors":"Ronaldo Antunes Funari Junior, Sabrina Frantz Lütke, Jonder Morais, Maria do Carmo Martins Alves, Marcos Leandro Silva Oliveira, Eduardo Nuno Borges Pereira, Lucas Antônio Fantinel, Lucas David Biondo, Marcelo Godinho, Cesar Aguzzoli, Guilherme Luiz Dotto","doi":"10.1016/j.seppur.2026.137156","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.seppur.2026.137156","url":null,"abstract":"This study evaluates the surface modification of açaí biochar (<em>Al@BC</em>) by aluminum coating via magnetron sputtering, aiming to improve its adsorption performance of clorazepate (CZ) and diclofenac (DC) from aqueous solutions. Sputtering power conditions of 100 W, 150 W, and 200 W were applied, obtaining, respectively, 0.22%, 0.40%, and 3.41% of Al-covering for the adsorbents named <em>Al@100 W</em>, <em>Al@150 W</em>, and <em>Al@200 W</em>. Kinetic analyses fitted to the pseudo-first-order model showed excellent agreement with the experimental data, with better predictive accuracy, particularly for DC. Adsorption equilibrium was achieved at 120 min for CZ and 60 min for DC. Equilibrium isotherms exhibited L2-type profile, suggesting strong adsorbate–adsorbent affinity. The Sips model best described the equilibrium data, evidencing a heterogeneous adsorption process promoted by aluminum deposition. Decreasing Sips (<span><span><math><mi is=\"true\">m</mi></math></span><script type=\"math/mml\"><math><mi is=\"true\">m</mi></math></script></span>) parameters with increasing sputtering power reflected enhanced surface heterogeneity and adsorption favorability. The maximum adsorption capacities reached were 260.7 mg g<sup>−1</sup> for CZ and 277.5 mg g<sup>−1</sup> for DC onto <em>Al@200 W</em>, representing an improvement of about 35% compared to raw biochar. Regeneration tests showed excellent reusability through the first five cycles; thereafter, coating deterioration greatly diminished the material's efficacy. Finally, magnetron sputtering proved to be an effective strategy, confirming that adsorption efficiency was governed by both aluminum loading and surface chemical modification, thereby enhancing adsorption capacity, affinity, and durability toward pharmaceutical contaminants.","PeriodicalId":427,"journal":{"name":"Separation and Purification Technology","volume":"30 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":8.6,"publicationDate":"2026-02-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146135561","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"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 : 2026-02-08DOI: 10.1016/j.seppur.2026.137209
You Guo, Yinbo He, Mingliang Du, Guancheng Jiang, Qingchen Wang, Qin Zhang
Filtrate reducers are essential drilling-fluid additives that mitigate formation damage from fluid invasion. With the depletion of shallow resources, drilling-fluid applications are increasingly directed toward deep reservoirs that present harsh high-temperature and high-salinity conditions. Conventional high-temperature and salt-resistant filtrate reducers often generate persistent, poorly degradable residues after prolonged heating, whereas eco-friendly alternatives are more degradable but generally lack sufficient thermal and salt tolerance. In this study, an eco-friendly filtrate reducer (AAPT), synthesized from multiple functional monomers, was prepared and systematically evaluated. Environmental assessment indicates that AAPT is non-toxic and biodegradable (EC50 = 200,000 mg/L; BOD5/CODCr = 0.41). Its molecular weight decreases to 987.98 Da after 72 h at 200 °C, with degradation products readily assimilated by plants (wheat germination rate = 90.5% etc., comparable to low-viscosity polyanionic cellulose, PACLv). Performance tests demonstrate that AAPT maintains stable filtration control for more than four days at 200 °C; after 96 h, the high-temperature high-pressure (HTHP) fluid loss remains as low as 27 mL, more than 86% lower than PAC-Lv and carboxymethyl starch (CMS). In addition, AAPT remains effective under a salinity level of 15%. Mechanistic studies suggest that its crosslinked structure improves thermal stability, while multipoint adsorption and amphoteric polyelectrolyte effects enhance bentonite hydration, dispersion, and salt resistance, thereby facilitating the formation of a dense, smooth mud cake that minimizes filtrate drain away. Finally, AAPT integrates fluid-loss control under extreme conditions with environmental compatibility, offering a promising strategy for next-generation sustainable drilling-fluid additives in deep and ultra-deep energy exploration.
{"title":"Research and development of eco-friendly high-temperature and salt-resistant filtrate reducers for minimizing drilling fluid loss and environmental pollution","authors":"You Guo, Yinbo He, Mingliang Du, Guancheng Jiang, Qingchen Wang, Qin Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.seppur.2026.137209","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.seppur.2026.137209","url":null,"abstract":"Filtrate reducers are essential drilling-fluid additives that mitigate formation damage from fluid invasion. With the depletion of shallow resources, drilling-fluid applications are increasingly directed toward deep reservoirs that present harsh high-temperature and high-salinity conditions. Conventional high-temperature and salt-resistant filtrate reducers often generate persistent, poorly degradable residues after prolonged heating, whereas eco-friendly alternatives are more degradable but generally lack sufficient thermal and salt tolerance. In this study, an eco-friendly filtrate reducer (AAPT), synthesized from multiple functional monomers, was prepared and systematically evaluated. Environmental assessment indicates that AAPT is non-toxic and biodegradable (EC50 = 200,000 mg/L; BOD5/CODCr = 0.41). Its molecular weight decreases to 987.98 Da after 72 h at 200 °C, with degradation products readily assimilated by plants (wheat germination rate = 90.5% etc., comparable to low-viscosity polyanionic cellulose, PAC<img alt=\"single bond\" src=\"https://sdfestaticassets-us-east-1.sciencedirectassets.com/shared-assets/55/entities/sbnd.gif\" style=\"vertical-align:middle\"/>Lv). Performance tests demonstrate that AAPT maintains stable filtration control for more than four days at 200 °C; after 96 h, the high-temperature high-pressure (HTHP) fluid loss remains as low as 27 mL, more than 86% lower than PAC-Lv and carboxymethyl starch (CMS). In addition, AAPT remains effective under a salinity level of 15%. Mechanistic studies suggest that its crosslinked structure improves thermal stability, while multipoint adsorption and amphoteric polyelectrolyte effects enhance bentonite hydration, dispersion, and salt resistance, thereby facilitating the formation of a dense, smooth mud cake that minimizes filtrate drain away. Finally, AAPT integrates fluid-loss control under extreme conditions with environmental compatibility, offering a promising strategy for next-generation sustainable drilling-fluid additives in deep and ultra-deep energy exploration.","PeriodicalId":427,"journal":{"name":"Separation and Purification Technology","volume":"9 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":8.6,"publicationDate":"2026-02-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146146160","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The effective activation of oxygen species through the interface coupling effect of catalysts to achieve photothermal toluene mineralization remains a major challenge. Herein, a p-n heterojunction catalyst composed of Co3O4 and Fe2O3 with strong interfacial coupling effect was rationally synthesized to overcome the intrinsic limitations, thereby achieving efficient photothermal mineralization of toluene. Under full-spectrum irradiation (350 mW/cm2), the Fe2O3/Co3O4 (0.15-FCO) p-n heterojunction achieved a toluene conversion rate of 99.72% and a CO2 yield of 87.94%, outperforming individual oxides. Comprehensive structural analysis show that the heterojunction formation elongated and weakened the CoO bond induced by Fe2O3, thereby exposing Co3+ sites and promoting the generation of oxygen vacancies. Benefiting from interfacial coupling effect triggered by electronic modulation, 0.15-FCO enhances the adsorption and activation of O2 and toluene as further corroborated by DFT calculations. Besides, the appropriate band potentials of the p-n heterojunction facilitated charge carrier migration and activation of molecular oxygen. The results of in-situ DRIFTS further demonstrate that the incorporation of Fe2O3 promotes the oxidative conversion of intermediates on Co3O4 through interfacial charge transfer and sustaining active oxygen species generation. Overall, this study highlights that strengthening interfacial coupling in oxide materials is a viable strategy for efficient photothermal VOCs oxidation.
{"title":"Boosting photothermal mineralization of toluene by Fe2O3/Co3O4 p-n heterojunctions: Accelerating activation of oxygen species through interfacial coupling effect","authors":"Yi Liu, Guangmei Gan, Juyuan Xing, Junting Wang, Yuan Li, Gaoke Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.seppur.2026.137166","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.seppur.2026.137166","url":null,"abstract":"The effective activation of oxygen species through the interface coupling effect of catalysts to achieve photothermal toluene mineralization remains a major challenge. Herein, a p-n heterojunction catalyst composed of Co<sub>3</sub>O<sub>4</sub> and Fe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> with strong interfacial coupling effect was rationally synthesized to overcome the intrinsic limitations, thereby achieving efficient photothermal mineralization of toluene. Under full-spectrum irradiation (350 mW/cm<sup>2</sup>), the Fe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>/Co<sub>3</sub>O<sub>4</sub> (0.15-FCO) p-n heterojunction achieved a toluene conversion rate of 99.72% and a CO<sub>2</sub> yield of 87.94%, outperforming individual oxides. Comprehensive structural analysis show that the heterojunction formation elongated and weakened the Co<img alt=\"single bond\" src=\"https://sdfestaticassets-us-east-1.sciencedirectassets.com/shared-assets/55/entities/sbnd.gif\" style=\"vertical-align:middle\"/>O bond induced by Fe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>, thereby exposing Co<sup>3+</sup> sites and promoting the generation of oxygen vacancies. Benefiting from interfacial coupling effect triggered by electronic modulation, 0.15-FCO enhances the adsorption and activation of O<sub>2</sub> and toluene as further corroborated by DFT calculations. Besides, the appropriate band potentials of the p-n heterojunction facilitated charge carrier migration and activation of molecular oxygen. The results of in-situ DRIFTS further demonstrate that the incorporation of Fe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> promotes the oxidative conversion of intermediates on Co<sub>3</sub>O<sub>4</sub> through interfacial charge transfer and sustaining active oxygen species generation. Overall, this study highlights that strengthening interfacial coupling in oxide materials is a viable strategy for efficient photothermal VOCs oxidation.","PeriodicalId":427,"journal":{"name":"Separation and Purification Technology","volume":"312 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":8.6,"publicationDate":"2026-02-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146135573","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"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 : 2026-02-08DOI: 10.1016/j.seppur.2026.137180
Jiabao Gui, Hui Kang, Lifei Yin, Shuo Yang, Meng Wang, Yang Chen, Jinping Li, Libo Li
Water scarcity in arid regions has become an urgent global challenge, highlighting the need for efficient freshwater production technologies. Sorption-based atmospheric water harvesting (SAWH) offers a promising approach, with its core relying on high-performance sorbents and practical device design. Among various candidates, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) attracted considerable attention, but biocompatibility is essential for drinking water collection. This requirement motivates the investigation of cyclodextrin-based MOFs (CD-MOFs), which feature green synthesis, non-toxicity, and even digestibility. Herein, three CD-MOFs (α-CD-Na, β-CD-K, and γ-CD-K) were synthesized and systematically evaluated, revealing β-CD-K as the most promising SAWH sorbent. It exhibits an almost S-shaped water sorption isotherm, relatively high water uptake, robust structural stability, and the potential for scalable preparation. We further investigated its water adsorption mechanism and identified optimal operating conditions. Finally, a portable, sunlight-driven SAWH device was designed to harvest freshwater under real outdoor conditions. Under identical conditions, β-CD-K produced 12.5 mL of water, equal to 0.47 L·kg−1 per day. This offers valuable insights for the design of portable water collection devices.
{"title":"Biocompatible Cyclodextrin-based metal-organic frameworks for atmospheric water harvesting","authors":"Jiabao Gui, Hui Kang, Lifei Yin, Shuo Yang, Meng Wang, Yang Chen, Jinping Li, Libo Li","doi":"10.1016/j.seppur.2026.137180","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.seppur.2026.137180","url":null,"abstract":"Water scarcity in arid regions has become an urgent global challenge, highlighting the need for efficient freshwater production technologies. Sorption-based atmospheric water harvesting (SAWH) offers a promising approach, with its core relying on high-performance sorbents and practical device design. Among various candidates, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) attracted considerable attention, but biocompatibility is essential for drinking water collection. This requirement motivates the investigation of cyclodextrin-based MOFs (CD-MOFs), which feature green synthesis, non-toxicity, and even digestibility. Herein, three CD-MOFs (α-CD-Na, β-CD-K, and γ-CD-K) were synthesized and systematically evaluated, revealing β-CD-K as the most promising SAWH sorbent. It exhibits an almost S-shaped water sorption isotherm, relatively high water uptake, robust structural stability, and the potential for scalable preparation. We further investigated its water adsorption mechanism and identified optimal operating conditions. Finally, a portable, sunlight-driven SAWH device was designed to harvest freshwater under real outdoor conditions. Under identical conditions, β-CD-K produced 12.5 mL of water, equal to 0.47 L·kg<sup>−1</sup> per day. This offers valuable insights for the design of portable water collection devices.","PeriodicalId":427,"journal":{"name":"Separation and Purification Technology","volume":"11 1","pages":"137180"},"PeriodicalIF":8.6,"publicationDate":"2026-02-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146146158","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"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 : 2026-02-07DOI: 10.1016/j.seppur.2026.137167
Chulmin Lee, Iiyama masamitsu
Urea is a recalcitrant, electrically neutral low-molecular-weight TOC component in municipal reclaimed water and a critical barrier for semiconductor ultrapure water (UPW) systems targeting sub-ppb TOC. This study evaluates a membrane-first, RO-only strategy as a chemical-free, “drop-in” upgrade to existing two-pass RO trains, avoiding dedicated urea-removal units (e.g., BAC, AOP, oxidation). Four commercial elements (TBW-HR, TMG(D), TM800M, and NRSP-UBT) were benchmarked at bench-scale using 4-in. modules under an equal-flux basis. Neutral-solute transport was parameterized by an apparent urea permeability, Burea , derived from the observed urea rejection. A mobile pilot treating reclaimed municipal water then tested five two-pass configurations. The NRSP-UBT/NRSP-UBT train achieved the highest urea rejection (>93.9%) at a total operating pressure of ~2.5 MPa, corresponding to an estimated SEC of ~0.6 kWh/m3 under the assumed recovery and pump efficiency. A simple two-pass prediction framework using bench-derived Burea reproduced configuration-dependent pilot trends while acknowledging expected scale effects in 8-in. multi-element vessels. The results define a robust operating envelope for RO-only urea control under high-quality reclaimed feeds (8–10 ppb baseline) and typical excursions (20–50 ppb), enabling reduced chemical use, footprint, and cost in next-generation UPW infrastructure.
{"title":"Innovative RO-only approach for efficient urea management in ultrapure water production from municipal wastewater reuse","authors":"Chulmin Lee, Iiyama masamitsu","doi":"10.1016/j.seppur.2026.137167","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.seppur.2026.137167","url":null,"abstract":"Urea is a recalcitrant, electrically neutral low-molecular-weight TOC component in municipal reclaimed water and a critical barrier for semiconductor ultrapure water (UPW) systems targeting sub-ppb TOC. This study evaluates a membrane-first, RO-only strategy as a chemical-free, “drop-in” upgrade to existing two-pass RO trains, avoiding dedicated urea-removal units (e.g., BAC, AOP, oxidation). Four commercial elements (TBW-HR, TMG(D), TM800M, and NRSP-UBT) were benchmarked at bench-scale using 4-in. modules under an equal-flux basis. Neutral-solute transport was parameterized by an apparent urea permeability, B<sub>urea</sub> <!-- -->, derived from the observed urea rejection. A mobile pilot treating reclaimed municipal water then tested five two-pass configurations. The NRSP-UBT/NRSP-UBT train achieved the highest urea rejection (>93.9%) at a total operating pressure of ~2.5 MPa, corresponding to an estimated SEC of ~0.6 kWh/m<sup>3</sup> under the assumed recovery and pump efficiency. A simple two-pass prediction framework using bench-derived B<sub>urea</sub> <!-- --> reproduced configuration-dependent pilot trends while acknowledging expected scale effects in 8-in. multi-element vessels. The results define a robust operating envelope for RO-only urea control under high-quality reclaimed feeds (8–10 ppb baseline) and typical excursions (20–50 ppb), enabling reduced chemical use, footprint, and cost in next-generation UPW infrastructure.","PeriodicalId":427,"journal":{"name":"Separation and Purification Technology","volume":"241 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":8.6,"publicationDate":"2026-02-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146135560","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"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 : 2026-02-07DOI: 10.1016/j.seppur.2026.137181
Xinlu Li, Yong Cao, Jie Tang, Yihan Zhao, Subhan Mahmood, Shun Yao
Snake shedding skin (snake molt) exhibits good potential for nutritional and functional applications, yet current methods for sustainable and efficient extraction of protein peptides from such an animal raw material are relatively limited. Herein, we reported novel foaming deep eutectic solvents (FDES) loaded effervescent discs for enriching target protein peptides in hydrolyzed extract of snake molt. Two kinds of natural sweeteners were used in the FDESs, which played an important role on foam stabilization and endowed FDESs with higher biocompatibility. After comprehensive characterizations, the discs exhibited good properties and expected forming performance. Under the ideal conditions, the effervescent discs enriched 91.40% protein peptides within 4 min, which was much higher than the alcohol precipitation method (40.12% within 3 d) and the aqueous two-phase system (80.67% within 1 h). Green assessment and scale-up experiments were also carried out for possible actual applications. Finally, the enriched product was analyzed by comprehensive physicochemical characterizations confirmed structural integrity and performance. The developed method offers a rapid, sustainable approach for obtaining peptides from natural products.
{"title":"Enriching trace protein peptides from extract liquid with foaming deep eutectic solvent (FDES)-loaded effervescent discs","authors":"Xinlu Li, Yong Cao, Jie Tang, Yihan Zhao, Subhan Mahmood, Shun Yao","doi":"10.1016/j.seppur.2026.137181","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.seppur.2026.137181","url":null,"abstract":"Snake shedding skin (snake molt) exhibits good potential for nutritional and functional applications, yet current methods for sustainable and efficient extraction of protein peptides from such an animal raw material are relatively limited. Herein, we reported novel foaming deep eutectic solvents (FDES) loaded effervescent discs for enriching target protein peptides in hydrolyzed extract of snake molt. Two kinds of natural sweeteners were used in the FDESs, which played an important role on foam stabilization and endowed FDESs with higher biocompatibility. After comprehensive characterizations, the discs exhibited good properties and expected forming performance. Under the ideal conditions, the effervescent discs enriched 91.40% protein peptides within 4 min, which was much higher than the alcohol precipitation method (40.12% within 3 d) and the aqueous two-phase system (80.67% within 1 h). Green assessment and scale-up experiments were also carried out for possible actual applications. Finally, the enriched product was analyzed by comprehensive physicochemical characterizations confirmed structural integrity and performance. The developed method offers a rapid, sustainable approach for obtaining peptides from natural products.","PeriodicalId":427,"journal":{"name":"Separation and Purification Technology","volume":"312 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":8.6,"publicationDate":"2026-02-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146135565","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Lv). Performance tests demonstrate that AAPT maintains stable filtration control for more than four days at 200 °C; after 96 h, the high-temperature high-pressure (HTHP) fluid loss remains as low as 27 mL, more than 86% lower than PAC-Lv and carboxymethyl starch (CMS). In addition, AAPT remains effective under a salinity level of 15%. Mechanistic studies suggest that its crosslinked structure improves thermal stability, while multipoint adsorption and amphoteric polyelectrolyte effects enhance bentonite hydration, dispersion, and salt resistance, thereby facilitating the formation of a dense, smooth mud cake that minimizes filtrate drain away. Finally, AAPT integrates fluid-loss control under extreme conditions with environmental compatibility, offering a promising strategy for next-generation sustainable drilling-fluid additives in deep and ultra-deep energy exploration.
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