Correction to: Durability Properties of Alkali Activated Slag Composites: Short Overview

Silicon - The original version of this paper was unfortunately published as a book review, when it is a review article.     

The use of bio-diesel based additive as rheology improver and pour point depressant of Nigerian waxy crude

The chemical method has proved to be the most effective mitigating method of wax deposition in petroleum system as it deals with the root cause of wax formation. Most of the commercial chemicals in the industry are very expensive and toxic. This paper aims the use of biodiesel based additives for improving the rheological behavior and pour points of waxy crude from Nigeria field. The biodiesels derived additives gave better performance than the commercial chemical and the seed oils as greatly improvement in rheology and pour point values of the waxy crude were observed     

Coke removal from deactivated Co–Ni steam reforming catalyst using different gasifying agents: An analysis of the gas–solid reaction kinetics

The reactivity of various gases, namely; O₂, air, CO₂, H₂ and N₂, with carbon deposited on alumina-supported Co–Ni catalyst during propane reforming in a fluidized bed reactor at 773–973 K using relatively low feed steam:carbon ratio (0.8–1.5) has been investigated in a thermogravimetric analysis unit. Analysis of the transient solid weight loss revealed that carbon removal mechanism is dependent on the type of gasifying agent. Carbon gasification kinetics using O₂ and air followed the Avrami-Erofeev (A2) model while data for both CO₂ and H₂ were captured by the geometrical (contracting area, R2) model. However, carbon gasification with inert N₂ proceeded at much slower rate (about 10 times lower than air) and was adequately fitted by the one-dimensional diffusion (D1) model. Specific reaction rates from these phenomenological models were also linearly correlated with the catalyst carbon content with reactivity coefficient of the gasifying agent decreasing in the order, O₂ > air > CO₂ > H₂ > N₂. In order to minimize energy consumption during catalyst regeneration, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and reduce catalyst sintering, it would be desirable to employ a mixture of air and CO₂ as the carbon gasifying agent to take advantage of the coupled exothermic (air oxidation) and endothermic (reverse Boudouard reaction involving CO₂ and carbon) nature taking place during the carbon removal operation.     

Supported Rh catalysts for the indirect partial oxidation of isooctane

The production of hydrogen from isooctane over three rhodium-based catalysts has been examined. The reaction entailed total oxidation of a proportion of the fuel followed by reforming of isooctane to produce hydrogen. Rhodium (1% wt) was impregnated on three different supports: alumina, ceria-alumina, and ceria-zirconia. No differences in catalytic activity were observed, but reaction yield changed with the support. Ceria-zirconia was found to be the preferred support since methanation did not occur over the catalyst.     

Modeling and simulation of non-isothermal catalytic packed bed membrane reactor for H2S decomposition

The recovery of H₂ from H₂S is an economical alternative to the Claus process in petroleum and minerals processing industries. Previous studies [React. Kinet. Catal. Lett. 62 (1997) 55; Catal. Lett. 37 (1996) 167] have demonstrated that catalytic decomposition of H₂S over bimetallic sulfide can proceed at relatively higher rates than over mono-metallic systems due to chemical synergism although conversions are still thermodynamically limited. In the present study, the performance of a catalytic membrane reactor containing a packed bed of Ru–Mo sulfide catalyst has been investigated with a view to improving H₂ yield beyond the equilibrium ceiling. A system of differential equations describing the non-isothermal reactor model has been solved to examine the effect of important hydrodynamic and transport properties on conversion. The results were obtained using a Pt-coated Nb membrane tube as the catalytic reactor enclosed in a quartz shell cylinder. Reynolds number for shell and tube side (Re^s and Re^t) as well as the modified wall Peclet number, Pe_m, dramatically affect H₂S conversions. Membrane reactor conversion rose monotonically with axial distance exceeding the equilibrium conversion by as much as eight times under some conditions.     

Effect of Milling Machines and Sieve Sizes on Cooked Cassava Flour Quality

Cassava flour has a wide range of uses and its product stability is a major advantage in exploiting its potentials for opening into new markets beyond the normal use of fresh roots and traditional food products. This study therefore examined appropriate processing methods to meet consumer needs. Dry cassava chips were obtained from the cassava breeding unit of the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) Ibadan, Nigeria. 1 kg sample of chips was milled in each of pin, hammer, attrition and mortar mills. The flour recovered from each mill was weighed and sieved with 0.55 mm and 0.05 mm sieve apertures to compare the level of losses and final recovery percentage for each mill. The flour obtained, using the sieves for the different mills, was cooked for 5 min by mixing 200 ml of cassava flour with 400 ml of water. Sensory evaluation was conducted to assess the taste, texture, colour, plasticity and general acceptability of the cooked flours. The percentage flour recoveries were 96, 87, 75 and 62 respectively for pin, hammer, attrition and mortar mills. The results from sensory evaluation showed preference for the quality of cooked cassava flour from pin mill followed by those from hammer, attrition and mortar mills. There were significant differences (p < 0.05) in the quality of the cassava flour from the various milling machines. These results therefore suggest that products from the pin mill may be a better alternative to the popular hammer mill.     

THE KINETICS OF H2S DECOMPOSITION OVER PRECIPITATED COBALT SULPHIDE CATALYST

Cobalt sulphide catalyst prepared via a new method involving the precipitation reaction between cobaltous acetate and ammonium sulphide solutions has been shown to be favourably active for the catalytic decomposition of H₂S when compared with data for other transition metal sulphides.

The BET surface area of this unsupported catalyst is about an order of magnitude higher than cobalt sulphide formed by direct sulphidation of cobalt oxide with H₂S gas. XRD, SEM and TEM analyses were used to obtain bulk composition and morphological characteristics. Catalyst specimen calcined at 823 K showed the best activity.

The kinetics of the decomposition reaction has been studied over this new preparation. Experiments conducted at atmospheric pressure between 933-983 K using about 11 feed compositions showed that below 40% H₂S/Ar the reaction was essentially 1st order with respect to H₂S partial pressure. Beyond this point, rate remained invariant with feed composition. A mechanism involving catalysis via co-ordinative unsaturation sites on the CoS was proposed and kinetic model based on the cleavage of the surface H-S bond as the rate-determining step appeared to be the most adequate representation of the rate data. Hydrogen production rates at all temperatures also paralleled the behaviour seen for H₂S decomposition. Activation energy for H₂S decomposition and H₂ production rates were estimated as 111 kJ mol^-1 and 88 kJ mol^-1 respectively     

Optimization of the fabrication of novel stealth PLA-based nanoparticles by dispersion polymerization using D-optimal mixture design

Purpose: Nanoparticle size is important in drug delivery. Clearance of nanoparticles by cells of the reticuloendothelial system has been reported to increase with increase in particle size. Further, nanoparticles should be small enough to avoid lung or spleen filtering effects. Endocytosis and accumulation in tumor tissue by the enhanced permeability and retention effect are also processes that are influenced by particle size. We present the results of studies designed to optimize cross-linked biodegradable stealth polymeric nanoparticles fabricated by dispersion polymerization.

Methods: Nanoparticles were fabricated using different amounts of macromonomer, initiators, crosslinking agent and stabilizer in a dioxane/DMSO/water solvent system. Confirmation of nanoparticle formation was by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Particle size was measured by dynamic light scattering (DLS). D-optimal mixture statistical experimental design was used for the experimental runs, followed by model generation (Scheffe polynomial) and optimization with the aid of a computer software. Model verification was done by comparing particle size data of some suggested solutions to the predicted particle sizes.

Results and conclusion: Data showed that average particle sizes follow the same trend as predicted by the model. Negative terms in the model corresponding to the cross-linking agent and stabilizer indicate the important factors for minimizing particle size.     

Differential role for protein kinase C-mediated signaling in the proliferation of medulloblastoma cell lines

7-beta-D-Ribofuranosylxanthine, a previously unreported isomer of xanthosine, was prepared in four steps from 7-benzylxanthine. The procedure, which involves the use of pivaloyloxymethyl groups to protect the xanthine ring, was also applied to preparation of some 1-N-alkyl derivatives of 7-ribosylxanthine. Adenosine receptor affinity for these compounds was determined. 7-beta-D-Ribofuranosylxanthine was found to have higher affinity and greater selectivity for the A1 receptor than previously reported xanthine nucleosides, and to be a partial agonist.