The effects of adding Mn and Na promoter metals to graphene oxide (GO)-supported iron-based catalysts for Ficher-Tropsch Synthesis (FTS) reactions to olefins at 20 bars were investigated in a 3D-printed stainless steel (SS) Microreactor.... more
The effects of adding Mn and Na promoter metals to graphene oxide (GO)-supported iron-based catalysts for Ficher-Tropsch Synthesis (FTS) reactions to olefins at 20 bars were investigated in a 3D-printed stainless steel (SS) Microreactor. While promoter metals encourage reduction of iron oxide to iron to form iron carbide, the active metal catalysts in GO allow hydrogenation of CO. These catalysts were synthesized by layer deposition method and characterized by different techniques. The TEM images show the integration of graphene oxide into the catalysts. The XRD and XPS studies confirmed the crystal structure and oxidation states of the metals. The catalytic activity and product selectivity were studied in the temperature range of 200-350 • Cwith a 2:1 M ratio of H 2 : CO. Higher CO conversion with greater selectivity for olefins was observed in the presence of the promoters. FeMnNa@GO showed better stability than both Fe@GO and FeMn@GO catalysts in time-on-stream studies.
Multicompartment, spherical microcontainers were engineered through a layer‐by‐layer polyelectrolyte deposition around a fluorescent core while integrating a ruthenium polyoxometalate (Ru4POM), as molecular motor, vis‐à‐vis its oxygenic,... more
Multicompartment, spherical microcontainers were engineered through a layer‐by‐layer polyelectrolyte deposition around a fluorescent core while integrating a ruthenium polyoxometalate (Ru4POM), as molecular motor, vis‐à‐vis its oxygenic, propeller effect, fuelled upon H2O2 decomposition. The resulting chemomechanical system, with average speeds of up to 25 μm s−1, is amenable for integration into a microfluidic set‐up for mixing and displacement of liquids, whereby the propulsion force and the resulting velocity regime can be modulated upon H2O2‐controlled addition.
We present microfluidic droplet-based "fireflies" for non-invasive chemical and biological sensing applications. These "fireflies" are bi-compartmental aqueous-ionic liquid droplets in which metal (gold) ions from the... more
We present microfluidic droplet-based "fireflies" for non-invasive chemical and biological sensing applications. These "fireflies" are bi-compartmental aqueous-ionic liquid droplets in which metal (gold) ions from the aqueous compartment partition into the adjacent ionic liquid compartment and catalyze a fluorescence producing reaction. We report detailed measurements of the kinetics of fluorescence emission as a function of metal concentration and droplet flow speed. Finally, we demonstrate complete, passive detachment of the two compartments at a hydrodynamic obstruction. The enchanting glow of fireflies is produced by a magnesium-aided enzymatic bioluminescence reaction (5). Inspired by this natural ingenuity, we demonstrate here microfluidic droplet-based "fireflies" for chemical and biological sensing applications. We create aqueous-ionic liquid compound droplets in which metal (gold) ions from the aqueous compartment partition into the adjacent io...
Design, fabrication and characterization of a low-cost, energy efficient flow-generator for hydrogen production in microreactors, is presented. Design guidelines for proposed MPC method, based on micropump and pressure sensor are... more
Design, fabrication and characterization of a low-cost, energy efficient flow-generator for hydrogen production in microreactors, is presented. Design guidelines for proposed MPC method, based on micropump and pressure sensor are discussed in detail, followed by experimental setup description and system characterization. It was found that micropumps stability has a significant impact on long term system performance. The proposed approach is energy efficient, measurements on MPC flow-generator revealed that 1ml/min flow rate through measuring valve at 0.0025 Cv factor setting can be reached at only 8,7mW electrical power consumption.
Preparation and properties of hierarchically structured porous silica monoliths have been discussed from the viewpoint of their application as continuous microreactors for liquid-phase synthesis of fine chemical in multi kilogram scales.... more
Preparation and properties of hierarchically structured porous silica monoliths have been discussed from the viewpoint of their application as continuous microreactors for liquid-phase synthesis of fine chemical in multi kilogram scales. The results of recent topical papers published by two research teams of Institute of Chemical Engineering Polish Academy of Sciences (ICE) and Department of Chemical Engineering and Process Design, Chemical Faculty, Silesian University of Technology (SUT) have been analyzed to specify the governing traits of microreactors. It was concluded that even enhancement factor of 100 in activity, seen in enzyme catalyzed reactions, can be explained by a proportional reduction of its physical constraints, i.e. huge enhancement of external mass transfer and micromixing. It is induced by very chaotic flows of liquid in tens of thousands of waving connected channels of ca. 25–50 μm in diameter, present in the skeleton. The scale of enhancement in the case of les...
The present study investigates a number of key features of microstructured reactors and components devoted to process miniaturization and intensification. For processes involving transfer operations and/or chemical reactions, a simple... more
The present study investigates a number of key features of microstructured reactors and components devoted to process miniaturization and intensification. For processes involving transfer operations and/or chemical reactions, a simple model can be used to relate the process efficiency to the ratio of two characteristic times: the space time of the process fluid in the system and the characteristic time of the operation. A detailed analysis of the relationship between these characteristic times and the characteristic dimensions of the system highlights the principal operations that should most benefit from the potential of microstructured process components. The analysis is used to examine how microstructured reactors may be advantageously employed to improve process efficiency (intensification) or to reduce process size (miniaturization), as a function of the operations involved.
A setup to characterize polymerization kinetics of polymer‐based proppants produced in an industrial batch reactor by suspension polymerization is presented. A microscale reactor is designed to mimic temperature and pressure conditions of... more
A setup to characterize polymerization kinetics of polymer‐based proppants produced in an industrial batch reactor by suspension polymerization is presented. A microscale reactor is designed to mimic temperature and pressure conditions of the industrial counterpart. Raman spectroscopy is used to follow the consumption of vinyl bonds of the styrene monomer and the crosslinker via disappearance of the peak at 1632 cm‐1. Raman data from the microscale reactor are remotely obtained via a fiber optics system. Reaction progress by any generic formulation can be safely followed up to conversions of 90%, well beyond the gel point. Reaction rates are used to define feasible temperature–time profiles for the industrial reactor. In parallel, bulk and suspension polymerizations are carried out under those temperature–time profiles in a 3 L laboratory reactor to produce proppants formulations with the geometry required to perform product characterization, mainly focused on the thermal and mechan...
The stereoselective synthesis of ε‐isomers of dimethyl esters of 1,3‐diaminotruxillic acid in three steps is reported. The first step is the ortho‐palladation of (Z)‐2‐aryl‐4‐aryliden‐5(4H)‐oxazolones 1 to give dinuclear complexes 2 with... more
The stereoselective synthesis of ε‐isomers of dimethyl esters of 1,3‐diaminotruxillic acid in three steps is reported. The first step is the ortho‐palladation of (Z)‐2‐aryl‐4‐aryliden‐5(4H)‐oxazolones 1 to give dinuclear complexes 2 with bridging carboxylates. The reaction occurs through regioselective activation of the ortho‐CH bond of the 4‐arylidene ring in carboxylic acids. The second step is the [2+2]‐photocycloaddition of the CC exocyclic bonds of the oxazolone skeleton in 2 to afford the corresponding dinuclear ortho‐palladated cyclobutanes 3. This key step was performed very efficiently by using LED light sources with different wavelengths (465, 525 or 625 nm) in flow microreactors. The final step involved the depalladation of 3 by hydrogenation in methanol to afford the ε‐1,3‐diaminotruxillic acid derivatives as single isomers.
The effects of adding Mn and Na promoter metals to graphene oxide (GO)-supported iron-based catalysts for Ficher-Tropsch Synthesis (FTS) reactions to olefins at 20 bars were investigated in a 3D-printed stainless steel (SS) Microreactor.... more
The effects of adding Mn and Na promoter metals to graphene oxide (GO)-supported iron-based catalysts for Ficher-Tropsch Synthesis (FTS) reactions to olefins at 20 bars were investigated in a 3D-printed stainless steel (SS) Microreactor. While promoter metals encourage reduction of iron oxide to iron to form iron carbide, the active metal catalysts in GO allow hydrogenation of CO. These catalysts were synthesized by layer deposition method and characterized by different techniques. The TEM images show the integration of graphene oxide into the catalysts. The XRD and XPS studies confirmed the crystal structure and oxidation states of the metals. The catalytic activity and product selectivity were studied in the temperature range of 200-350 • Cwith a 2:1 M ratio of H 2 : CO. Higher CO conversion with greater selectivity for olefins was observed in the presence of the promoters. FeMnNa@GO showed better stability than both Fe@GO and FeMn@GO catalysts in time-on-stream studies.
The effects of adding Mn and Na promoter metals to graphene oxide (GO)-supported iron-based catalysts for Ficher-Tropsch Synthesis (FTS) reactions to olefins at 20 bars were investigated in a 3D-printed stainless steel (SS) Microreactor.... more
The effects of adding Mn and Na promoter metals to graphene oxide (GO)-supported iron-based catalysts for Ficher-Tropsch Synthesis (FTS) reactions to olefins at 20 bars were investigated in a 3D-printed stainless steel (SS) Microreactor. While promoter metals encourage reduction of iron oxide to iron to form iron carbide, the active metal catalysts in GO allow hydrogenation of CO. These catalysts were synthesized by layer deposition method and characterized by different techniques. The TEM images show the integration of graphene oxide into the catalysts. The XRD and XPS studies confirmed the crystal structure and oxidation states of the metals. The catalytic activity and product selectivity were studied in the temperature range of 200-350 • Cwith a 2:1 M ratio of H 2 : CO. Higher CO conversion with greater selectivity for olefins was observed in the presence of the promoters. FeMnNa@GO showed better stability than both Fe@GO and FeMn@GO catalysts in time-on-stream studies.
Since its discovery in the mid '90s, controlled radical polymerization techniques have undergone a huge development because they represent an alternative for ionic polymerizations that does not require so stringent purity conditions... more
Since its discovery in the mid '90s, controlled radical polymerization techniques have undergone a huge development because they represent an alternative for ionic polymerizations that does not require so stringent purity conditions to be carried out. Controlled radical polymerization offers the possibility for synthesizing (co) polymers not only with controlled molecular weight and polydispersity, but also with different complex molecular architectures. The copolymer microstructure impacts the final properties of the resin. Therefore, models able to predict the chain architecture are of major importance for the production of materials with pre-specified characteristics. In this work, the controlled radical copolymerization of St and MMA in tubular and semibatch reactors is optimized in order to obtain optimal operating and design conditions for producing well-defined block copolymers. The process model that is used is able to predict not only the average properties but also the...
Commercial deployment of nuclear microreactors presents an opportunity for the industry to rethink its approach to manufacturing, siting, operation and maintenance, and fuel cycle management as certain principles used in grid-scale... more
Commercial deployment of nuclear microreactors presents an opportunity for the industry to rethink its approach to manufacturing, siting, operation and maintenance, and fuel cycle management as certain principles used in grid-scale nuclear projects are not applicable to a decentralized microreactor economy. The success of this nascent industry is dependent on its ability to reduce infrastructure, logistical, regulatory and lifecycle costs. A utility-like 'Central Facility' that consolidates the services required and responsibilities borne by vendors into one or a few centralized locations will be necessary to support the deployment of a fleet of microreactors. This paper discusses the requirements for a Central Facility, its implications on the cost structures of owners and suppliers of microreactors, and the impact of the facility for the broader microreactor industry. In addition, this paper discusses the prerequisites for eligibility as well as the opportunities for a Central Facility host site. While there are many suitable locations for such a capability across the U.S., this paper considers a facility co-located with the Vogtle Nuclear Power Plant and Savannah River Sites to illustrate how a Central Facility can leverage the existing infrastructure and stimulate a local ecosystem.
Commercial deployment of nuclear microreactors presents an opportunity for the industry to rethink its approach to manufacturing, siting, operation and maintenance, and fuel cycle management as certain principles used in grid-scale... more
Commercial deployment of nuclear microreactors presents an opportunity for the industry to rethink its approach to manufacturing, siting, operation and maintenance, and fuel cycle management as certain principles used in grid-scale nuclear projects are not applicable to a decentralized microreactor economy. The success of this nascent industry is dependent on its ability to reduce infrastructure, logistical, regulatory and lifecycle costs. A utility-like 'Central Facility' that consolidates the services required and responsibilities borne by vendors into one or a few centralized locations will be necessary to support the deployment of a fleet of microreactors. This paper discusses the requirements for a Central Facility, its implications on the cost structures of owners and suppliers of microreactors, and the impact of the facility for the broader microreactor industry. In addition, this paper discusses the prerequisites for eligibility as well as the opportunities for a Central Facility host site. While there are many suitable locations for such a capability across the U.S., this paper considers a facility co-located with the Vogtle Nuclear Power Plant and Savannah River Sites to illustrate how a Central Facility can leverage the existing infrastructure and stimulate a local ecosystem.
Commercial deployment of nuclear microreactors presents an opportunity for the industry to rethink its approach to manufacturing, siting, operation and maintenance, and fuel cycle management as certain principles used in grid-scale... more
Commercial deployment of nuclear microreactors presents an opportunity for the industry to rethink its approach to manufacturing, siting, operation and maintenance, and fuel cycle management as certain principles used in grid-scale nuclear projects are not applicable to a decentralized microreactor economy. The success of this nascent industry is dependent on its ability to reduce infrastructure, logistical, regulatory and lifecycle costs. A utility-like 'Central Facility' that consolidates the services required and responsibilities borne by vendors into one or a few centralized locations will be necessary to support the deployment of a fleet of microreactors. This paper discusses the requirements for a Central Facility, its implications on the cost structures of owners and suppliers of microreactors, and the impact of the facility for the broader microreactor industry. In addition, this paper discusses the prerequisites for eligibility as well as the opportunities for a Central Facility host site. While there are many suitable locations for such a capability across the U.S., this paper considers a facility co-located with the Vogtle Nuclear Power Plant and Savannah River Sites to illustrate how a Central Facility can leverage the existing infrastructure and stimulate a local ecosystem.
